Coded data generation or conversion – Bodily actuated code generator – Including keyboard or keypad
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-05
2002-02-26
Edwards, Timothy (Department: 2735)
Coded data generation or conversion
Bodily actuated code generator
Including keyboard or keypad
C084S744000, C084S745000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06351225
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to computer keyboards, and more particularly to a PC, laptop, or notebook computer keyboard having a set of additional function keys built-in for music control of a soundcard, on-board sound microprocessor, or other MIDI-driven installed devices or software.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As PC soundcards or on-board sound microprocessors with synthesis capabilities and a MIDI interface have become an indispensable component of most PC systems in the multimedia-driven market, the real-time control that a user can exert over such soundcard synthesizers is currently ignored in the majority of cases due to the lack of an unobtrusive MIDI control interface. At the same time, both amateur or professional music publishing and sequencing are accomplished nowadays by means of specialized software running on desktop or laptop systems, which enabled by a soundcard with a MIDI interface, or by a stand-alone MIDI interface allow an editor to enter raw MIDI data. Currently, the available devices in the market that can be used to send external, real-time MIDI control data to either a soundcard's synthesizer or to a stand-alone MIDI interface serving editing/publishing software are relatively large and bulky musical instruments or miniature performance controllers, which in many cases are still inconvenient, inappropriate, or impossible to manage on the usually reduced desktop space setting in which most home and office PC or portable systems are set. The same situation is becoming more and more poignant as software-based DSP synthesis systems running on PCs begin to appear in the market because as personal computers become more powerful, users will no longer need to depend on dedicated hardware for sound generation. Software synthesizers will perform the same functions at a lower cost, and will allow for simple upgrades as technology changes.
In addition, the wide variety of existing external MIDI instruments tend to have higher market prices because their main purpose is to provide high-quality audio signals and/or a natural performance interface full of features and useful to professional musicians. But given that the price of available external MIDI instruments or controllers could be comparable or even greater than that of a complete multimedia PC system, it is frivolous, for most general users, to purchase a MIDI instrument or a professional controller just to provide some musical means of control over their soundcard's synthesizer (given that most general PC multimedia users are not professional musicians) and, as mentioned before, in any case, their size makes them generally inconvenient on a desktop setting. On the other hand, for professionals of music publishing or sequencing, a MIDI input interface is as necessary as a computer mouse and an alphanumeric keyboard, so, again, the bulk and size of a MIDI musical instrument make simple data entry a somewhat awkward and space-demanding undertaking. It is therefore one purpose of this invention to provide a new type of PC keyboard which gives its users access to MIDI real-time control without the extra space demands that an additional, physically separate control device unit necessarily requires.
It is another purpose of this invention to provide for said new type of PC keyboard in a manner which permits the normal and simultaneous use of both, MIDI control functions, and the customary alphanumeric functions of a PC or laptop keyboard on a single unit device.
One more purpose of this invention is to provide said new type of PC keyboard device for MIDI control in such an absolutely basic manner of design and simplicity of operation, that users not acquainted with the multiplicity of functions associated with full or professional MIDI instruments (such as tone generation, MIDI-in, MIDI-thru, system messages, channel messages, bulk dumps, etc., and all the buttons, sliders, panels, displays, inputs, outputs, jacks, cables and peripherals that go with them) may not find themselves in the necessity of learning about such operations, interfaces, and peripherals in order to properly operate this invention.
Yet another purpose of this invention is to provide said new type of keyboard with such simple and basic design for its construction that its final price to the multimedia mass consumer may be comparable to other inexpensive standard PC keyboards.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a new kind of multimedia computer keyboard, which, in addition to the alphanumeric typing keys that are customary to most PC's typing keyboards possesses a built-in set of additional keys arranged and designed in a manner suitable for music control, as well as device-driving software capable of translating said additional music control keys' signals into MIDI messages for real-time control of a soundcard or an internal on-board sound chip, or for real-time control of music software installed in the host, or for real-time control of an MIDI instrument external to the computer unit to which said new multimedia computer keyboard with additional music control keys is connected.
All embodiments of this invention consist of a PC keyboard, which may be a separate unit or an integrated component of a portable laptop, notebook or palmtop computer, and which contains all the components of a usual PC alphanumeric typing keyboard, including its usual software device driver, the usual cable bringing in power to the unit from a and conveying the unit's alphanumeric interrupt signals to a PC's keyboard port PC (in the case of a separate unit), an extra set of standard keys placed on the posterior part of the unit in an arrangement and design reminiscent of a piano keyboard, and three more standard keys with associated indicator lights used to switch octave-transposition levels. Underneath all keys, there lies a correspondingly extended interruption detection matrix, which is exactly the same one used to detect actuation from the other alphanumeric keys, and which lies on the same circuit board. Such extension consists of the addition of several more interruption circuits, corresponding to the added keys for music control, and several output-state octave-transposition indicator lights. One of those added keys that are particular to this invention, imprinted with the words “MIDI Lock”, or similar indicative words, is used to activate or deactivate the musical function of all other added keys, which, when not activated, are interpreted by the keyboard device driver program as standard keyboard-F
1
-to-F
12
“function and lock” keys. Other two keys are used to switch octave-transpositions of the music keys (when these are active). A set of underlying indicator lights displays the current active (MIDI control) or non-active (normal “function keys” control) state of the added set of keys, as well as the current transposition state of the music keys.
The music keys actuate on the posterior part of the underlying extended detection matrix in the same usual manner as the alphanumeric keys do on their underlying anterior portion of it. As the music keys (previously activated in MIDI control mode) actuate on their underlying detection matrix, keyboard interruption signals with codes different from those already assigned to the usual alphanumeric keys are generated in the usual manner at the unit's main microprocessor—which contains additional code to handle signals from the added keys—and sent in the usual manner (through the usual cable and usual PC's keyboard port, in the case of a separate unit) to the keyboard's driving software. The keyboard device driver software program or software program set manages the tasks of translating those appropriately coded interruption signals corresponding to the additional the music control keys into basic Note-On MIDI data, which by means of the host PC's operating system and CPU are ultimately conveyed to an active device connected to the host (such as a soundcard or an on-board sound microprocessor or an external MIDI port) or an acti
Edwards Timothy
Lumen Intellectual Property Services Inc.
Moreno Enrique I.
LandOfFree
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