Harmony-Based Ringtone Generation from Telephone Numbers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for generating telephone ringtones based on caller information often result in unpleasant or dissonant sequences, lack memorability, and compromise user privacy, as they rely on random note assignments or fail to ensure harmony and distinguishability.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that associate audio elements with symbols in a sequence, such as phone numbers, based on the value of the symbol and preceding or following symbols, to generate harmonious and distinguishable audio information sequences, ensuring that only harmonious combinations are produced, thus avoiding unpleasant sequences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If musical notes are assigned randomly to telephone number digits, then the ringtone generation is simple and automatic, but the resulting sequences are unpleasant or dissonant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of note assignment from random to harmony-based selection. It uses musical theory parameters (scales, chords, key signatures) to determine which notes follow others, ensuring that the sequence of notes corresponding to telephone digits creates harmonious progressions rather than random dissonant sequences
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer of musical harmony rules between the raw telephone number digits and the final audio output. This intermediary processing layer applies concepts like key signatures, scales, and chord progressions to mediate the transformation, converting arbitrary digit sequences into musically pleasing note sequences
2Extent of automation
If telephone numbers are converted to musical notes using predefined schemes, then ringtone generation is automated, but the sequences lack memorability and distinguishability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different segments of the telephone number to be mapped to different musical elements (notes, rhythms, durations, instrument timbres). This enables each digit or group of digits to contribute uniquely to the overall melody, creating more distinguishable and memorable patterns while maintaining automated generation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamics by varying multiple parameters of the musical output (pitch, rhythm, duration, timbre, volume) in response to the input telephone number. This dynamic mapping creates more expressive and memorable ringtones compared to static note assignments, while the process remains fully automated
3Reliability
If differentiated ringtones are manually associated with phone book entries, then user recognition of callers is improved, but time consumption and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the system to serve itself by automatically generating differentiated ringtones from the telephone number data without requiring user intervention. The system extracts the telephone number, applies harmony-based musical transformation, and produces the ringtone autonomously, eliminating the need for manual customization while maintaining caller recognition functionality
4Reliability
If specific ringtones are assigned to specific callers, then caller identification is enhanced, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a cryptographic-like mapping where the ringtone is a transformed copy of the telephone number itself rather than a pre-assigned musical theme. This transformation process obscures the direct link between the caller's identity and the ringtone selection, maintaining privacy while still enabling differentiation based on the telephone number input
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
An apparatus for generating a reproducible audio information sequence includes a receiver adapted to receive and decode a signal in which at least one sequence of symbols is encoded to which an audio information sequence is to correspond, memory storing a plurality of reproducible audio elements, a processor configured for associating one of the reproducible audio elements with at least one first symbol included in the sequence of symbols on the basis of the first symbol and of at least one second symbol that, in the sequence of symbols, precedes or follows the first symbol, and a sound generator for outputting audio sequences, configured for cyclically reproducing said reproducible audio information sequence.