Techniques for playing and distributing MIDI tracks in the context of a non-real-time network such as the Internet. One of the techniques makes it possible to begin playing a multi-track MIDI file that is being received over the Internet before the entire file has been received. Others of the techniques permit playing of MIDI tracks that are generated in real time and then distributed via the Internet. The techniques ensure that expected network delays will not cause underflow in the MIDI buffer, provide a way of playing an "endless" MIDI stream received via the Internet, and provide ways by which players may collaborate and even participate in jam sessions over the Internet. Also disclosed are techniques for including decrypters in MIDI synthesizers and using the decrypters in the context of encrypted MIDI streams received via the Internet.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This patent application is a continuation-in-part of Methods and Apparatus for Distributing Live Performances on MIDI Devices via a Non-Real-Time Network Protocol, U.S. Ser. No. 08/732,909, filed Oct. 17, 1996, which is in its turn is a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/716,949, Progressively Generating an Output Stream with Real-time Properties from a Representation of the Output Stream which is not Monotonic with regard to Time, filed Sep. 20, 1996. Both of the parent patent applications have the same inventor and assignee as the present patent application.
There is disclosed a process for encrypting a data stream to secure the data stream for single viewing and to protect copyrights of the data stream. Specifically, there is disclosed a process for protecting streaming multimedia, entertainment and communications in an Internet type transmission. There is further disclosed a streaming server component operably connected with a streaming server that interacts with a client system to effect the inventive process.
A communications apparatus for musical tone information having: an adding unit for adding time information on a common time axis to each of first and second musical tone information; a transmitting unit for transmitting each of the first and second musical tone information added with the time information associated with each of the first and second musical tone information; a receiving unit for receiving the first and second musical tone information and the time information associated with each of the first and second musical tone information, transmitted by the transmitting unit; and an output unit for synchronizing the first and second musical tone information in accordance with the time information and outputting the synchronized first and second musical tone information to a reproduction apparatus.
A device securely decrypts and writes an encrypted digital file to a local recordable storage medium. The device uses two decryption engines. The first decryption engine incrementally decrypts the encrypted digital file, which is then preprocessed and re-encrypted to form an intermediate file. The second decryption engine then incrementally decrypts the intermediate file and writes the decrypted results to a local recordable storage medium. Both decryption engines perform incremental decryption, such that substantially less than all of the digital file is in decrypted form at any instant. A device in accordance with a second embodiment includes a single decryption engine. The encrypted digital file includes individually encrypted portions, and the decryption engine incrementally decrypts the encrypted portions. These portions are buffered for subsequent writing to the recordable storage medium, but substantially less than all of the individually encrypted portions are stored in decrypted form at any instant.
A music data providing apparatus comprises: a storage device that stores music data in a musical performance data event format; a receiver that receives a request for providing music data and a setting parameter from a user via a network; a converter that, in accordance with the received request and setting parameter, reads the music data in a musical performance data event format from the storage device and converts the read music data into music data in an audio data format; and a transmitter that transmits the converted music data in an audio data format to the user. Music data in various data format can be provided.
A method and apparatus for limiting which player pianos can properly play notes within a media file or stream without playing additional "bad notes" encoded in the stream for disrupting the playback of that musical composition so as to prevent playback on unauthorized systems. Bad notes are encoded within a file or stream containing the proper "good notes" of the composition along with control commands to allow identifying the bad notes (e.g., by location, relative position, characteristics and so forth). Player pianos of a first manufacturer, having the proper programming, properly decode the control commands to locate the bad notes and prevent them from being played back with the good notes, therein properly rendering the musical composition. Player pianos from other manufacturers will play all the notes thus obfuscating the playback of the musical composition. Fidelity of playback on authorized system is not affected.
