Music – Accessories – Teaching devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-08
2001-04-17
Ip, Paul (Department: 2837)
Music
Accessories
Teaching devices
C084S600000, C084S719000, C084S478000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06218602
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DELVELOPMENT
(Not Applicable)
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to electronic music instruments. The invention more particularly relates to a computer-based control system and adaptor for electronic instruments.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A variety of electronic musical instruments, particularly electronic keyboards, use microprocessor based computer systems to provide additional features and advantages. These computer-assisted musical instruments are often attached to some type of electronic display, typically either a CRT or LCD, to present graphical information generated by the computer to the user. The information has included such things as status and function configuration information for the electronic instrument or educational information, such as musical scores to assist the user in playing or otherwise using the associated musical instrument. Many computer-assisted musical instruments have utilized MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) protocol to process musical instrument inputs for the emulation of musical sound. This MIDI protocol is used by the various input and output sources to transfer information therebetween.
Resulting systems have interfaced with the user in one of two extremes. The systems either provide little or no interaction between the user and the underlying computer system, as in the case of consumer digital pianos, commonly used for player piano and recording functions, or are primarily intended for use by recording and performing professionals, utilizing complicated interfaces involving numerous buttons, knobs, switches and sliders. Other systems utilize complicated visual interfaces, making the features largely inaccessible to novice or consumer users and unmanageable for “real time” adjustment during performances by professional musicians.
Moreover, most systems incorporating computer-based management of a musical instrument have primarily focused on the operation of the musical instrument and have not incorporated the musical instrument and its sound production into a larger music information management environment that is readily accessible to both novices and performing musicians through a consolidated, rapidly accessible graphical user interface. Existing systems also do not provide a vehicle to launch multimedia applications from a consolidated graphical user interface for use in a musical instrument and multimedia music information environment.
One problem with existing systems is that users are required to obtain the whole system although they already possess one portion of the system. For example, a large number of electronic synthesizers or keyboards are currently being used without the aid of the computer-based control system. However, no device that includes the computer-based control system is available that can be combined with a stand-alone electronic musical instrument such as an electronic keyboard. Thus, instead of adding on one additional component to their current component, for example a stand-alone electronic keyboard, to complete the system, these users are required to acquire the system as a whole if they want to have the entire system, as described above. This problem is particular important to institutions, like schools, that have stand-alone musical instruments and would like to have the benefits provided by the above-mentioned computer-based control system but do not have the funds to purchase a complete system.
Another problem associated with bringing computer technology to the musical instrument environment is the arrangement of the computer display and associated inputs/outputs with the musical instrument. This combination of the display and input/outputs has not been integrated into an aesthetic housing. Further, the arrangement of input controls have not been ergonomically positioned for convenient use, particularly during actual performance on the instrument while maintaining traditional aesthetics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to integrate a music stand and a computer display into an adaptor module that can be used as a retrofit for an electronic musical instrument, for example an electronic keyboard.
It is another object of the invention to provide an integrated music stand and computer display in an aesthetic housing.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an integrated music stand and computer display that is ergonomically positioned to be readily and naturally seen and touched in a location customary for viewing and touching in a piano environment.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an integrated music stand and computer display that can interface with an electronic instrument using MIDI protocol.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a modular computer-based control system that can provide for the combination of housings for a graphical user interface, and associated computer-based control system electronics in housings that can readily be placed on a piano for convenient access by the user particularly during actual performances and further can provide as an option music stand functionality.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by an adaptor module preferably having a graphical user interface including a video display and a touch responsive overlay which can form part of a music stand. The graphical user interface can be used to control a computer system within the adaptor module that is configured to provide any of a variety of functions, both known and yet to be developed.
The preferred integration of the graphical user interface in the music stand positions the touch control for such control functions as instrument sound selection and volume at the same location that a musician is accustomed to reaching to turn pages of sheet music. Thus, the hand motions are natural and readily made particularly during performances. Similarly, the video display projects images to the user at a level he is accustomed to viewing sheet music. Accordingly, the adaptor module of the invention provides touch screen control in an ergonomically and aesthetically optimal arrangement.
Alternative embodiments of the invention can provide for a flat frame-like graphical user interface housing that can conveniently be placed along the top surface of a piano or in fact mounted on an existing music stand. This modular graphical user interface housing can conveniently be positioned selectively along the existing music stand for convenient placement relative to other information, such as sheet music, being used by the player.
In alternative embodiments, the modular system can be provided by one or more components that are adapted to be placed or mounted onto an existing piano. These alternative embodiment components can include housing for containing the graphical user interface and touch screen overlay that is secured in a upright or angled position by a pivotal back support such as that found on the back of picture frames. This graphical user interface can further be mounted either removably or permanently to a generally flat and horizontal platform that can contain, for example, drives for the system, such as a floppy drive and a disk drive. The further embodiments can also include a larger housing for enclosing electronics for the musical instrument system and providing a forward mounting surface for receiving the housing of the graphical user interface and touch screen control. This larger housing can further be constructed to accommodate one or more music stand surfaces mounted to the left and right of the larger housing and providing a continuous railing to form a base for the music stand. The housing of the graphical user interface and touch screen overlay can be adapted to slidably mount to this railing so as to be selectively positioned at a variety of the locations along the music stand railing.
By use of the adaptor module, a user of any stand-alone electronic musical instrument, an electronic keyboard for example, can combine the electronic keyboard
Davis Lanny
Lawson Robert D.
Lyda Lance E.
Siekmann Jay S.
Akerman Senterfitt
Fletcher Marlon T.
Ip Paul
Van Koevering Company
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