Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-19
2001-02-20
Black, Thomas G. (Department: 2771)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192372
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a data selecting apparatus and, more particularly, to a data selecting apparatus for selecting a desired data item from sets of data items stored in an internal memory device and an external memory medium.
2. Description of Related Art
A data selecting apparatus is provided for selecting music performance configuration data in an automatic accompaniment apparatus, for example. Using the data selecting apparatus, a user can select music performance configuration data necessary for setting automatic accompaniment. The music performance configuration data is a combination of performance style, timbre, tempo, and harmony necessary for configuring or setting the automatic accompaniment. The music performance configuration data is normally stored in an internal memory device of the automatic accompaniment apparatus. The user can select a desired data item from plural items of music performance configuration data stored in the internal memory device. Additional music performance configuration data items are sometimes provided by means of an external memory medium such as a floppy disk. In this case, the music performance configuration data selecting apparatus can select a desired item of the music performance configuration data stored in the external memory medium in addition to the data stored in the internal memory device. For example, to select the desired data item stored in the floppy disk, the data selecting apparatus is placed into a disk access mode, in which the data selecting apparatus selects the desired data item from the floppy disk and loads the selected data item into the internal memory device.
Selection of data from the floppy disk requires the user to perform operation of selecting the disk access mode. This makes cumbersome the operation of the music performance configuration data selecting apparatus. The user may also encounter a situation in which he or she does not know which of the internal memory device and the floppy disk stores the desired data item. In such a situation, the user first searches the internal memory device for the desired item of the performance configuration data. If the desired data item is not found in the internal memory device, the user must search the floppy disk. Thus, the procedure of operating the conventional music performance configuration data selecting apparatus is complicated, degrading ease-of-operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a data selecting apparatus capable of efficiently selecting a desired data item from a set of data items stored in an internal memory device or an external memory medium.
In carrying out the invention and according to one aspect thereof, there is provided a data selecting apparatus comprising an internal memory device storing data, an external memory medium capable of storing data, detector means for detecting whether the external memory medium is loaded and data is stored therein, display means operable if the external memory medium is loaded and the data is stored therein for mixing or merging the data stored in the external memory medium with the data stored in the internal memory device, then sorting the mixed data under a predetermined sorting condition, and displaying the resultant data, and otherwise being operable if the external memory medium is not loaded or the data is not stored therein for displaying the data stored in the internal memory device, and selector means for selecting desired data from the data being displayed by the display means. Thus, if the data is not stored in the external memory medium, desired data can be selected from the data stored in the internal memory device. If the data is stored in the external memory medium, the desired data can be selected from both the data stored in the external memory medium and the internal memory device.
In carrying out the invention and according to another aspect thereof, there is provided a data selecting apparatus comprising an internal memory device including a first data memory area capable of storing data and a second data memory area storing data, an external memory medium capable of storing data, detector means for detecting or checking whether the external memory medium is loaded and data is stored therein, the detector means further being operative if the external memory medium is loaded and the data is stored therein for detecting or checking whether data is stored in the first data memory area in the internal memory device, controller means operative if the external memory medium is loaded and data is stored therein and data is not stored in the first data memory area in the internal memory device for loading the data from the external memory medium into the first data memory area in the internal memory device, the controller means being operative if data is stored in the first data memory area of the internal memory device for checking whether that data is the same as the data stored in the external memory medium, further the controller means being operative if difference is found between these pieces of data for loading the data from the external memory medium into the first data memory area in the internal memory device, otherwise the controller means being operative if match is found for stopping loading of the data from the external memory medium into the first data memory area in the internal memory device, and selector means for selecting desired data from the data written by the controller means to the first data memory area in the internal memory device and the data stored in the second data memory area in the internal memory device. Thus, if the same data as the data stored in the external memory medium is already stored in the internal memory device, loading of the data from the external memory medium into the internal memory device is not performed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5386568 (1995-01-01), Wold
patent: 5682360 (1997-10-01), Oshima
patent: 5690496 (1997-11-01), Kennedy
patent: 5784095 (1998-07-01), Robbins
patent: 5920535 (1999-07-01), Hisamatsu
patent: 5-134662 (1993-05-01), None
Suzuki Satoshi
Yamaura Atsushi
Black Thomas G.
Mizrahi Diane D.
Morrison & Foerster
Yamaha Corporation
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