Patent US4484507A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4484507A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function
Assignee: Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
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Filing: 1983-08-04
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Granted: 1984-11-27
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Expires: 2003-08-04
Abstract
Abstract An automatic performance device is of a type in which the automatic performance is executed in accordance with musical data read out successively. It comprises a fast feed stop control circuit for advancing the progress of the automatic performance when an actual key depression timing is faster than an ideal key depression timing indicated by the read out musical data and for temporarily stopping the progress when the former delays behind the latter. Comparison between the actual key depression timing and the ideal key depression timing is made by comparing the content of a counter counting the tempo pulses which decides the tempo of the automatic performance with note-length information included in the musical data. It further comprises a tempo control circuit for changing a period of the tempo pulses based on a tempo of a performance made by the actual key depression. The detection of the tempo of the performance made by the actual key depression is based on a count value of a counter counting the clock pulses whose period varies with the note-length information and presence or absence of the actual key depression. In order to prevent the period of the tempo pulses from being changed by only one great deviation of the actual key depression timing, the count value is latched at every key depression, the newest count values are kept, and the tempo detection may be made in accordance with the average value of the newest count values.
Inventors
- 👤 Akira Nakada
- 👤 Eisaku Okamoto
- 👤 Kiyoshi Yoshida
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:23
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/18; G10H1/26; G10H1/36; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function comprising: an operator element, memory means for storing note-length information of corresponding musical tones to be performed, each said note-length information representing a reference timing which represents a timing to operate said operator element, read out means for sequentially reading out said note-length information from said memory means in the order in which such corresponding musical tones are to be performed, control data forming means connected to said memory means and said read out means for forming and outputting control data in response to the operation of said operator element and said note-length information, said control data having a value relating to the time difference between the timings of said operator element operation and said reference timing, automatic performance means for performing an automatic performance at a certain tempo, and tempo varying means for varying said certain tempo of said automatic performance in accordance with said control data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function comprising: an operator element, memory means for storing note-length information of corresponding musical tones to be performed, each said note-length information representing a reference timing which represents a timing to operate said operator element, read out means for sequentially reading out said note-length information from said memory means in the order in which such corresponding musical tones are to be performed, control data forming means connected to said memory means and said read out means for forming and outputting control data in response to the operation of said operator element and said note-length information, said control data having a value relating to the time difference between the timings of said operator element operation and said reference timing, automatic performance means for performing an automatic performance at a certain tempo, and tempo varying means for varying said certain tempo of said automatic performance in accordance with said control data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 1 wherein: said control data forming means comprises measuring means for measuring an interval of operations of said operator element in accordance with said note-length information, the value of said control data corresponding to the value of said measured interval.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 2 wherein said measuring means comprises: pulse generating means for generating pulses having a frequency determined by said note-length information, and counting means for counting said pulses until said operator element operation, said measured interval corresponding to the count value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 1 wherein said control data forming means comprises: measuring means for measuring an interval of operations of said operator element in accordance with said certain tempo, and comparing means for comparing said interval with said reference timing represented by said note-length information and for outputting said control data, said control data being the result of the comparison.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 4 wherein: said tempo varying means comprises tempo pulse generator for generating tempo pulses in accordance with said control data, said tempo pulses having a frequency corresponding to the value of said control data so that said certain tempo of said automatic performance is varied in response to said tempo pulses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 5 wherein: said measuring means comprises counter means for counting said tempo pulses from previous operation to current operation of said operator element; and said comparing means comprising subtracting means for performing a subtracting operation of the count value and said note-length information, the value of said control data corresponding to the result of the subtraction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 1 wherein said control data forming means comprises: reference timing designating means for designating said reference timing based on said certain tempo and said note-length information, and comparing means for comparing said reference timing and the timing of said operator element operation and outputting said control data, said control data being the result of the comparison.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 7 wherein: said tempo varying means comprises tempo pulse generator means for generating tempo pulses in accordance with said control data, said tempo pulses having a frequency corresponding to the value of said control data so that said certain tempo of said automatic performance is varied in response to said tempo pulses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 8 wherein: said reference timing designating means comprises counting means for counting said tempo pulses and for outputting a reference pulse when the count value reaches to the value determined by said note-length information, and said comparing means comprises detecting means for detecting the time difference between the output timing of said reference pulse and the operation timing of said operator element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 7 wherein:
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
said memory means further stores note-name information corresponding to said note-length information, said read out means further reads out said note name information from said memory means, and said operator element comprises a key corresponding to each of said note-name information, said operation of said operator element being an actual operation of the key corresponding to said note-name information.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
said memory means further stores note-name information corresponding to said note-length information, said read out means further reads out said note name information from said memory means, and said operator element comprises a key corresponding to each of said note-name information, said operation of said operator element being an actual operation of the key corresponding to said note-name information.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
75 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 1 which further comprises: averaging means inserted between said control data forming means and said tempo varing means for averaging at least two control data and outputting averaged control data whose value is a value obtained by averaging the values of said at least two control data, and wherein said tempo varying means for varying said tempo in accordance with said averaged control data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 11 wherein: said averaging means comprises weighting means for respectively weighting the values of said at least two control data in accordance with note-length information corresponding to said at least two control data before averaging said values of at least two control data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 11 wherein: said averaging means comprises weighting means for respectively weighting said values of said at least two control data in accordance with the outputting order of said at least two control data before averaging said values of at least two control data.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 12 wherein: said averaging means comprises excluding means for excluding from said at least two control data one not having a value which falls within a predetermined allowable range, before averaging said values of at least two control data.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
62 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 1 wherein: said tempo varying means comprises tempo pulse generator for generating tempo pulses in accordance with said control data, said tempo pulses having a frequency corresponding to the value of said control data so that said certain tempo of said automatic performance is varied in response to said tempo pulses.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 1 wherein: said automatic performance means automatically performs an accompaniment tone.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 16 wherein: said automatic performance means automatically performs at least one type of automatic accompaniment tone selected from among an automatic rhythm tone, automatic bass tone, automatic chord tone and automatic arpeggio tone.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
131 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function comprising: an operator element, memory means for storing note-length information of musical tones to be performed, each said note-length information representing a reference timing which is a required timing to operate said operator element readout means for sequentially reading out said note-length information from said memory means in order of performance at a certain tempo, and control means connected to said operator element, said memory means and said readout means, for supplying to said readout means a readout signal whose period relates to the time difference between the timing of the operator element operation and said reference timing, the readout of said readout means being responsive to said readout signal, and said certain tempo corresponding to the supplying rate of said readout signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
131 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function comprising: an operator element, memory means for storing note-length information of musical tones to be performed, each said note-length information representing a reference timing which is a required timing to operate said operator element readout means for sequentially reading out said note-length information from said memory means in order of performance at a certain tempo, and control means connected to said operator element, said memory means and said readout means, for supplying to said readout means a readout signal whose period relates to the time difference between the timing of the operator element operation and said reference timing, the readout of said readout means being responsive to said readout signal, and said certain tempo corresponding to the supplying rate of said readout signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 18 wherein said control means comprises: measuring means for measuring an interval of operations of said operator element in accordance with said note-length information, the period of said readout signal corresponding to the measured interval.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
63 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 16 wherein said control means comprises: measuring means for measuring an interval of operations of said operator element based on said certain tempo, and comparing means for comparing said interval with said reference timing represented by said note-length information, said period of said readout signal corresponding to the result of the comparison.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
65 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 18 wherein said control means comprises: reference timing designating means for designating said reference timing based on said certain tempo and said note length information; and comparing menas for comparing said reference timing and the timing of said operator element operation, said period of said readout signal corresponding to the result of the comparison.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
39 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 18 wherein: said memory means further stores note-name information corresponding to said note-length information, and said readout means further reads out said note-name information from said memory means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 22 further comprising: musical tome generating means for generating a musical tone in accordance with said note-length information and said note-name information.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
An automatic performance device with tempo follow-up function according to claim 22 wherein said operator element is a key of a keyboard further comprising: indicating means for indicating a key to be operated in response to said note-name information.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
227 words
An automatic performance device including memory means storing musical data and readout means therefor, said musical data including automatic performance tone generation timing data, and wherein automatic performance is carried out in accordance with said musical data successively read out from said memory means by said readout means, comprising: keyboard means provided with a plurality of keys for generating a key relation signal in response to a depressed key among said keys; tone signal producing means for producing a tone signal in response to said depressed key; control means connected to said keyboard means and said memory means for supplying a control signal, said control signal being generated according to said key relation signal and to said tone generation timing data; automatic performance means for generating an automatic performance to accompany tone signals produced in response to depressed keys; and a tempo pulse generator for generating tempo pulses, the performance rate of said automatic performance means being controlled by said tempo pulses; and wherein said control means comprises a tempo control circuit for forming difference data indicative of successive time differences between said key relation signal and said tone generation timing data and for using said difference data to control said tempo pulse generator, so that the rate of said tempo pulses, and hence said automatic performance rate, will be controlled in response to said difference data.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
227 words
An automatic performance device including memory means storing musical data and readout means therefor, said musical data including automatic performance tone generation timing data, and wherein automatic performance is carried out in accordance with said musical data successively read out from said memory means by said readout means, comprising: keyboard means provided with a plurality of keys for generating a key relation signal in response to a depressed key among said keys; tone signal producing means for producing a tone signal in response to said depressed key; control means connected to said keyboard means and said memory means for supplying a control signal, said control signal being generated according to said key relation signal and to said tone generation timing data; automatic performance means for generating an automatic performance to accompany tone signals produced in response to depressed keys; and a tempo pulse generator for generating tempo pulses, the performance rate of said automatic performance means being controlled by said tempo pulses; and wherein said control means comprises a tempo control circuit for forming difference data indicative of successive time differences between said key relation signal and said tone generation timing data and for using said difference data to control said tempo pulse generator, so that the rate of said tempo pulses, and hence said automatic performance rate, will be controlled in response to said difference data.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
138 words
In an electronic musical instrument, an automatic performance device with a tempo follow-up function, comprising: note-length data means for providing note-length data of musical tones to be performed successively, said data representing the desired time duration between successively performed notes, player responsive means for producing a response data signal indicative of the actual timing between playing of consecutive notes, control data means, cooperating with said note-length data means and said player responsive means, for providing a control signal indicative of the temporal relationship between said actual timing as indicated by said response data signal and said desired time duration between successive notes as indicated by said note-length data, automatic accompaniment means for providing an automatic accompaniment in said instrument, and tempo adjusting means for adjusting the tempo of said automatic accompaniment means in response to said control signal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
138 words
In an electronic musical instrument, an automatic performance device with a tempo follow-up function, comprising: note-length data means for providing note-length data of musical tones to be performed successively, said data representing the desired time duration between successively performed notes, player responsive means for producing a response data signal indicative of the actual timing between playing of consecutive notes, control data means, cooperating with said note-length data means and said player responsive means, for providing a control signal indicative of the temporal relationship between said actual timing as indicated by said response data signal and said desired time duration between successive notes as indicated by said note-length data, automatic accompaniment means for providing an automatic accompaniment in said instrument, and tempo adjusting means for adjusting the tempo of said automatic accompaniment means in response to said control signal.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
114 words
An automatic accompaniment device according to claim 26 wherein said control data means comprises: a variable frequency divider for dividing fixed clock rate pulses by an amount determined by said note-length data, a counter for counting the divided pulses from said variable frequency divider, said counter being reset by said response data signal, consecutive counts of said counter thereby being of constant value when said response data signal occurs consecutively at timings corresponding to said desired time duration between successive notes, and control signal circuit means for providing said control signal in response to the consecutive count values of said counter, said control signal being indicative of any variation in said consecutive count values.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
106 words
An automatic performance device according to claim 26 wherein said tempo adjusting means includes a tempo pulse generator, the tempo of said automatic accompaniment means being responsive to the rate of tempo pulses from said generator, and wherein said control data means comprises: a counter for counting said tempo pulses, said counter being reset by said response data signal, subtractor means for determining the difference between a value corresponding to said note-length data and the contents of said counter, and control signal circuit means for providing said control signal in response to said determined difference, said generator tempo pulse rate being established by said control signal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
161 words
An automatic performance device according to claim 26 wherein said tempo adjusting means comprises a tempo pulse generator, the tempo of said automatic accompaniment means being responsive to the rate of tempo pulses from said generator, and wherein said control data means comprises: a first counter for counting said tempo control pulses, said first counter being reset upon provision of said note-length data, said first counter providing a first output signal when the contents thereof reaches a value corresponding to said note-length data, second and third counters each incremented by fixed rate clock pulses, said second counter being reset by said first output signal, said third counter being reset by said response data signal, difference means for obtaining the difference between the contents of said second and third counters just prior to resetting thereof, and control signal circuit means for providing said control signal in response to said obtained difference, said generator tempo pulse rate being established by said control signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-11-27 | 1988-05-28 | 1988-11-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-11-27 | 1992-05-28 | 1992-11-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-11-27 | 1996-05-28 | 1996-11-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |