Music – Instruments – Electrical musical tone generation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-24
2001-07-03
Donels, Jeffrey (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Electrical musical tone generation
C084S656000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06255578
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a tone color setting device for compulsorily setting a tone color of an electronic musical instrument to a given one according to a command from a user.
BACKGROUND ART
For setting a tone color in an electronic musical instrument of the type with a small number of tone colors, there are provided tone color switches for all the tone colors on a panel so that the tone color setting can be performed with one switch operation.
In the type with a large number of tone colors, it is not possible to provide tone color switches for all the tone colors on a panel, so that the same tone color selection procedure should be carried out for selecting either the most frequently used tone color of piano or a tone color which is used with a relatively low frequency. For example, operations are necessary such that a switch for entering a tone color selection mode is depressed, a number corresponding to the tone color is inputted using a ten key, an increment dial or the like, and then a switch for inputting a determination command is depressed. In another example, operations are necessary such that a switch for entering a tone color selection mode is depressed, a rotary operation member is operated to scroll a tone color display on a screen, and then a switch for inputting a determination command is depressed when a required color tone is displayed.
FIG. 6
is a flowchart showing the foregoing procedure which is executed upon interrupt during an arbitrary process mode. During an arbitrary process mode (step S
301
), an interrupt is executed (step S
302
) so that it is checked whether a tone color selection mode has been entered by turning on a tone color selection mode switch (step S
303
). If it is judged that the tone color selection mode has not been entered (step S
303
; No), the processing returns to the foregoing step S
301
. On the other hand, if it is judged that the tone color selection mode has been entered (step S
303
; Yes), a number corresponding to a target tone color is inputted using a ten key or an increment dial (or a tone color display on a screen is scrolled by operating a rotary operation member to display a required tone color), so that a tone color selection is performed (step S
304
). Then, it is checked whether a switch for inputting a tone color determination command is depressed (step S
305
). If the determining switch is depressed (step S
305
; Yes), the tone color setting is executed (step S
306
). On the other hand, if the determining switch is not depressed (step S
305
; No), the processing returns to the foregoing step S
305
.
It is difficult to execute the foregoing tone color setting during processing of each of various modes. For example, if a sound output is hastily required while setting functions under a plurality of hierarchies of a various-function setting mode, a tone color should be selected after operating cancel switches or the like corresponding to those hierarchies to stop the function setting and restoring an initial state (a normal mode before the function setting). On the other hand, in a musical instrument, such as an electronic organ, which can have a large panel area to provide a relatively large number of tone color switches, a piano setting switch is available on the panel so that a piano tone color can be set quickly. However, in case of stopping an automatic accompaniment function and setting only the piano tone color during an automatic accompaniment process mode, operations are necessary such that a switch for the automatic accompaniment function is turned off and then the piano tone color is selected.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing problems of the prior art and provides a tone color setting device which can compulsorily set a tone color of an electronic musical instrument to a given one according to a command from a user even during each of various process modes.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, a structure of a tone color setting device of an electronic musical instrument according to the present invention is basically characterized by a signal output means for outputting a given signal in response to a user command, a mode compulsorily finishing means for compulsorily finishing an arbitrary process mode of the electronic musical instrument when the signal is outputted by the signal output means, and a tone color setting means for setting a tone color of the electronic musical instrument to a given tone color after the compulsory finish.
In the foregoing embodiment, when a signal is outputted from the signal output means in response to a user command, the mode compulsorily finishing means compulsorily finishes an arbitrary process mode being executed at that time, and then the tone color setting means sets a tone color to a given tone color. In this structure, an arbitrary process mode is compulsorily finished through an action from the exterior either in case the electronic musical instrument is not provided with means for managing various process modes or in case it is provided with such mode managing means. For this purpose, the mode compulsorily finishing means and the tone color setting means are separately provided and perform the compulsory finish of the process mode and the compulsory tone color setting, respectively.
In a preferred embodiment the electronic musical instrument is provided with means for managing various process modes, which is used for the compulsory finish of the process mode and further for the compulsory tone color setting. The mode managing means performs the compulsory finish of the process mode, and includes a signal output means for outputting a given signal in response to a user command, a mode managing means for managing process modes of the electronic musical instrument and compulsorily finishing an arbitrary process mode of the electronic musical instrument when the signal is outputted by the signal output means, and a tone color setting means for setting a tone color of the electronic musical instrument to a given tone color after the compulsory finish.
In the foregoing embodiment, as described above, there is provided the mode managing means for managing process modes of the electronic musical instrument, which has a function of compulsorily finishing an arbitrary process mode of the electronic musical instrument when a signal is outputted from the signal output means. After the compulsory finish, the tone color setting means sets a tone color of the electronic musical instrument to a given tone color.
In a further embodiment the instrument includes a signal output means for outputting a given signal in response to a user command, and a mode managing means for managing process modes of the electronic musical instrument and compulsorily finishing an arbitrary process mode of the electronic musical instrument when the signal is outputted by the signal output means, and for changing to a tone color selection mode after the compulsory finish for setting a tone color of the electronic musical instrument to a given tone color.
In the foregoing embodiment, as described above, there is provided the mode managing means for managing process modes of the electronic musical instrument, which has functions of compulsorily finishing an arbitrary process mode of the electronic musical instrument and changing to the tone color selection mode for setting a tone color of the electronic musical instrument to a given tone color when a signal is outputted from the signal output means. Thus, after the signal is outputted from the signal output means in response to a user command, the mode managing means performs the compulsory finish of an arbitrary process mode being executed at that time and the change to the tone color selection mode to set the given tone color.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4662261 (1987-05-01), Akutsu
patent: 4703680 (1987-11-01), Wachi et al.
patent: 5380949 (1995-01-01), Matsuda
patent: 5864082 (1999-01-01), Hirano
patent: 027210161 (1995-08-01), None
Ritter Music, MIDI Bible, MIDI 1.0 Standard Basical Book, First editio
Eitaki Shu
Ishida Tadayuki
Bachman & LaPointe P.C.
Donels Jeffrey
Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
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