The present invention relates to recorders and more particularly to recorders having a capability of recording analog and digitally recorded soundtracks concurrent or non concurrent with and adjacent to an original soundtrack enabling the soundtracks to be played back and manipulated concurrently and further, having the capability of compressing the content in a format such as MP3 before recording and decompressing said format at some later time. This invention can be used for personal entertainment, educational, and/or business audio and other recording needs.
Conventional recording devices may be capable of recording soundtracks, but lack the ability to create multiple recordings at different times which may be played individually or concurrently with another soundtrack, allowing each to be individually altered before and after compression, decompression, or storage. Such storage may occur combined or individually on internal and/or removable media.
The present invention provides a portable, self-contained, solid state, multiple soundtrack recording and playback device enabling the user to record an analog or digitally recorded soundtrack and then record a second, different soundtrack concurrently or at a later time, and configured to play back each sound track individually or together and allowing the user to independently alter each sound track, such as by making a volume adjustment, during playback. The sound tracks may be stored individually in altered or unaltered states or stored combined, on internal and/or removable media or exported in an analog or digital format. The invention described herein addresses the need for a portable recording device with multiple inputs capable of recording an analog or pre-recorded digital signal that can be used for personal entertainment, education business or other needs requiring the ability to record music or other audio content from a microphone or other source either simultaneously or at some later time and further being able to play back said recorded content in either the original format or in some altered manner, such as volume, per the users' personal preferences. Such a product with these capabilities in a small, self contained and cost effective package is not currently available and the need for such a device is addressed by the invention articulated in this application.
The following drawings are presented to provide a detailed understanding of the invention, wherein like elements are designated by like numerals, and wherein:
If desired, the recorded, compressed soundtrack may be played back by entering the appropriate controls to CPU 11 through input 12, whereby the compressed, recorded signal in track 15a of media 15 is decoded, i.e., is decompressed and converted back into analog form at decoder 16. The recorded soundtrack may be coupled to a set of headphones 19 through a volume control amplifier 17 and a mixer 18. Volume controlled amplifier 17 is capable of controlling the volume of the output signal and is provided with a control knob 17a for adjusting amplitude.
Alternatively, the original track may be played through speakers or any other sound producing device by coupling such sound producing device to the output 18b.
MP-ME 10 is further provided with a second MP3 encoder 14a for encoding a second soundtrack. The source of the second soundtrack may be a device 20 which may include a microphone 20a and suitable amplification means 20b for coupling the sound to be recorded to input 14b of MP3 encoder 14a. Alternatively, any other sound source providing a signal to be recorded may be coupled to the input 14c of MP3 encoder 14a.
The second track to be recorded is converted into digital form and compressed at 14a and stored in memory track 15a of media 15, which is preferably the same memory media which is provided with separate, independent input means for recording the second track.
The track recorded at the media location 15b may be played back under control of CPU 11 by reading the track from memory position 15b to MP3 decoder 21 to decompress the second track, convert it to analog form and apply the signal to mixer 18 through a second amplifier 22, which, similar to amplifier 17 has an adjustable volume which is set by control 22a. The second track may be played by through headphones 19 or any other sound producing device coupled to 18b of mixer 18.
MP-ME 10 may be used in many different ways, some examples of which include, but are not limited to the following:
A concert may be recorded on any suitable portable device which is extremely advantageous for recording a live concert. Alternatively, the concert may have been previously recorded on any suitable recording medium such as a CD, tape or even digital memory device. This recording, in the form of an analog signal, is coupled to MP3 encoder 14 which operates in the manner described above, and which is controlled by CPU 11 by manipulation of the appropriate control keys at input 12 to decompress and record the signal in a digital format.
Assuming that the user desires to provide commentary or sing along with the music recorded in the first soundtrack, the user manipulates the input controls at input 12 to cause CPU 11 to place MP3 decoder 16 into playback mode enabling the user to listen to the original soundtrack, for example, through headphones set 19. The user listens to the soundtrack, and provides commentary by speaking into or singing into microphone 20a, which voice and/or commentary is encoded and compressed at 14a, and stored in media location 15b, under control CPU 11. The sound recorded in tracks 15a and 15b may then be played back simultaneously by appropriate operation of input controls 12, causing CPU 11 to control the decoders 16 and 21 to decompress the signals in their respective soundtracks, and convert them into analog form for playback into headphone set 19, for example. The volumes of the playback signals may be adjusted by the user.
The original soundtrack recorded at 15a in memory medium 15 may be the soundtrack of a live lecture or concert or even a recorded lecture or concert. The user plays back the soundtrack recorded at 15a under control of CPU 11, and, while listening to the soundtrack through headphone set 19, for example, further operates CPU 11 to initiate an operating mode for recording verbal notes or comments contemporaneously with a portion or portions of the soundtrack related to said comments. This is accomplished by making comments through microphone 20a to create a soundtrack at 15b. The user may then review both soundtracks by playing them simultaneously through control of CPU 11, which causes the soundtracks to be decoded and decompressed at 16 and 21, and introduced into the headphone set 19, for example, by the amplifiers 17 and 22 and mixer 18. The user may further choose to edit the commentary by taking note of a display 23 operated by CPU 11, and which is capable of displaying a soundtrack position to enable the user to return to the desired location for editing the commentary. This enables the editing to take place after the user has completely reviewed both soundtracks stored at 15a and 15b.
The source material at 15a may, for example, be a concert or a musical recording. The user may utilize MP-ME 10 as a “rap” machine enabling the user to add words or just plain commentary to the soundtrack 15b. Along somewhat similar lines, the MP-ME maybe utilized as a portable karaoke machine enabling the user to sing or play along with the music recorded in the original soundtrack. The user, through manipulation of the input controls 12, controls CPU 11 to allow the soundtrack being recorded at 15b to be simultaneously played back together with the original soundtrack recorded at 15a. The mixer output 18b may be coupled to a suitable speaker enabling all the people that are gathering to enjoy the karaoke activity, while at the same time providing recordings of the karaoke activity for subsequent replay as well as the instantaneous replay.
The soundtracks recorded at 15a and 15b may comprise musical song tracks which can be played back simultaneously with their recording, enabling the user to encode the MP-ME 10 as a creative sound mixer. In addition, two pieces of the same music recorded by different artists may be easily and readily compared at the same time that they are simultaneously being recorded, or during later playback.
A user may share notes with a friend and receive feedback from the friend. For example, the first user may record notes and send them to a friend. It should be noted that the memory media 15 is preferably removable and may be any suitable storage medium such as a compact flash memory, a memory stick or any other suitable small, portable, digital storage device. Such memory devices may either be hand carried, sent or otherwise mailed to a friend or be transmitted to a friend through the internet since such memory devices are capable of being downloaded to a PC or laptop, for example, and electronically transmitted to the friend. The friend, upon receipt of the recorded “notes” and by employment of an MP-ME 10, adds his or her own concurrent notes which then may be shared with the first user by providing the removable memory medium to the original user either electronically by the Internet or by forwarding the memory medium to the original user.
The MP-ME 10 is further capable of recording and playback of only a single track or recording and playback of multiple tracks individually and independently of one another, with or without consideration of synchronism of the tracks. In another operating mode, the controller 11 is operated to activate the microphone 20a, and couple the output of the microphone amplifier 20b through I/O unit 31 to encoder 14, enabling recording in a common or second track by the user as the user listens to the first recorded track through headphones 19.
An input/output unit 31 receives voice or other acoustic sounds at microphone 20a which are amplified at 20b and applied to I/O unit 31. Analog signals in the form of previously recorded signals are applied to I/O unit 31 by input 32. The analog electrical signals are mixed, at unit 31, encoded and compressed at 14, and stored in an appropriate track in internal memory 15′ under the control of controller 11′. Alternatively, the initial recording may be derived from a audio source converted by microphone 20a into analog electrical signals. Memory 15′ is provided with an external memory interface for transfer of recorded, compressed signals to a removable external memory 15″. The recorded track (or tracks) may also be transferred to a PC or laptop through USB interface 36. Memory device 15′ includes a removable (external) memory medium. In addition, memory 15′ is coupled to a USB interface 36 for deriving digitized, compressed data from a remote source such as a laptop, PC, or the like.
The recorded signal, which is recorded in either one track or two tracks for monaural or stereo performance respectively, in substantially the same manner as described hereinabove with regard to embodiment 10, may be played back under control of controller 11′ through decoder 16, which reverts the compressed digitized signal into an analog signal coupled to output line 36, enabling the user to listen to the recorded track through headphones 19, for example. This particular version plays back the combination of the audio content from input 32 and microphone content from input 20. The relative volumes of the inputs (such as voice and music, for example) can be independently adjusted at the time of recording by adjustable amplifiers 20b in
In another embodiment, Unit 40, shown in
In still another embodiment, the source, shown as music at input terminal 13, may be initially encoded and recorded with SW in the Separate mode, and then played back at a later time when a source, such as voice, is provided at terminal 20a. The pre-recorded music is decoded and coupled to terminal 13 with SW1 in Playback mode and SW in the Separate mode. SW1 is shown in simplified schematic form for simplicity, it being understood that this coupling operation is part of the controller (i.e., such as CPU 11).
In still another embodiment, a third MP3 unit is provided. When SW and SW′ are in the Separate mode, music and voice are independently encoded at 14a′ and 14a″ and recorded at 15b′ and 15b″ (it should be understood that SW, shown in simplified schematic fashion, is likewise part of the controller, as described above). With SW in the Mix mode, mixed voice and music are encoded at 14′ and recorded at 15a′. This embodiment enables music and voice to be decoded and played back independently or played back in mixed form. Decoders 21″, 21′ and 16′ are coupled to adjustable amplifiers 17”, 22 and 17. Mixer 18 outputs signals to a headphones 19, for example.
Unit 30 has a variety of uses including:
A karaoke machine that allows the user to record and sing along with his/her favorite music, which music may originate from any source. The final recording may also be played back through the unit 30 or shared with other devices compatible with the removable memory medium 15′.
As further applications of use Unit 30, shown in
The Unit 30 may be employed as a voiceover recorder enabling the user to put verbal notes and comments alongside a recording of lectures or a concert.
As a further option, unit 30 can save the recorded music or information to a removable media storage device which can be downloaded or shared with other users having either another unit such as unit 30 or a unit compatible therewith.
The user may record material from any analog sound source such as MP3 recorders/players, iPods, CD players, radios, television, or live events or recordings of live events. The combined soundtrack is stored at 15′ and can be played back through device 30 or electronically shared with other similar products by means of a built-in USB output.
The soundtracks in units 10, 30 and 40 may be independently erased or recorded over without effecting other soundtracks.
This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 60/679,166 filed on May 9, 2005, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60679166 | May 2005 | US |