Automatic data-prereading playing apparatus and sound generating unit in an automatic musical playing system

Claim 2

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading playing system, the apparatus comprising: (a) a first memory means for storing musical playing data representative of music to be played in a time sequence arrangement; (b) output means; (c) calculating means for calculating an actual length of time required to play music to be played based on musical playing data preread from the first memory means and for calculating an actual quantity of playing information included in the preread musical playing data; (d) comparing means for determining whether or not the actual length of time required to play the music to be played is less than a predetermined length of time, and whether or not the actual quantity of playing information is less than a predetermined quantity of information; (e) a first reading means for sequentially prereading musical playing data from the first memory means prior to when the music is to be played, and for applying preread musical playing data to the output means in response to determination by the comparing means that the actual length of time required to play the music is less than the predetermined length of time and that the actual quantity of playing information is less than the predetermined quantity of information.

Claim 3

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 1 wherein stored musical playing data comprises a playing-information portion indicative of sound-generating or muting as well as a time-information portion indicative of timing for sound-generating or muting.

Claim 4

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading musical playing system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the calculating means determines the actual length of data-prereading time for the music to be played before actual playing of the music to be played, and the calculating means determines the actual quantity of playing information before actual playing of music.

Claim 5

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the calculating means determines the actual quantity of playing information based upon memory capacity required to store preread musical playing data.

Claim 6

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 1 wherein stored musical playing data comprises a playing-information portion indicative of sound-generating or muting as well as a time-information portion indicative of timing for sound-generating or muting, and wherein the calculating means determines the actual length of playing time based on a sum of the time-information portions which are included in first preread musical playing data and succeeding musical playing data and on an actual length of time during which music has been playing, and wherein the calculating means determines the actual quantity of playing information based upon memory capacity required for storing all preread musical playing data and all musical playing data representing music which actually has been played.

Claim 7

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 5 wherein the calculating means reads musical playing data stored in the first memory means at a rate at which music is played in order to determine the memory capacity required for all musical playing data representing music which actually has been played.

Claim 8

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 wherein the output means outputs timing-clock data along with musical playing data.

Claim 9

A musical data-prereading playing system comprising an automatic playing apparatus and a sound generating unit, the automatic playing apparatus comprising (a) a first memory means for storing musical playing data representative of music to be played in a time sequence arrangement; (b) calculating means for calculating an actual length of time required to play music to be played based on musical playing data preread from the first memory means and for calculating an actual quantity of playing information included in the preread musical playing data; (c) comparing means for determining whether or not the actual length of time required to play the music to be played is less than a predetermined length of time and whether or not the actual quantity of playing information is less than a predetermined quantity of information and; (d) a first reading means for sequentially prereading musical playing data from the first memory means prior to when the music is to be played, and for applying preread musical data to the sound generating unit in response to determination by the comparing means that the actual length of time required to play music is less than the predetermined time and that the actual quantity of playing information is less than the predetermined quantity of information, and the sound generating unit comprising (e) input means for receiving from the first reading means, musical playing data which are arranged in a time sequence and which have been preread; (f) a second memory means for temporarily storing preread musical playing data supplied by the input means; (g) a second reading means for sequentially reading from the second memory means preread musical playing data written therein according to a time sequence, in accordance with a predetermined timing; and (h) musical tone-generating means for generating and/or muting musical tones for playing music represented by musical playing data read by the second reading means.

Claim 10

A musical data-prereading playing system comprising an automatic playing apparatus and a sound generating unit, the automatic playing apparatus comprising (a) a first memory means for storing musical playing data representative of music to be played in a time sequence arrangement; (b) calculating means for calculating an actual length of time required to play music to be played based on musical playing data preread from the first memory means and for calculating an actual quantity of playing information included in the preread musical playing data; (c) comparing means for determining whether or not the actual length of time required to play the music to be played is less than a predetermined length of time and whether or not the actual quantity of playing information is less than a predetermined quantity of information and; (d) a first reading means for sequentially prereading musical playing data from the first memory means prior to when the music is to be played, and for applying preread musical data to the sound generating unit in response to determination by the comparing means that the actual length of time required to play music is less than the predetermined time and that the actual quantity of playing information is less than the predetermined quantity of information, and the sound generating unit comprising (e) input means for receiving from the first reading means, musical playing data which are arranged in a time sequence and which have been preread; (f) a second memory means for temporarily storing preread musical playing data supplied by the input means; (g) a second reading means for sequentially reading from the second memory means preread musical playing data written therein according to a time sequence, in accordance with a predetermined timing; and (h) musical tone-generating means for generating and/or muting musical tones for playing music represented by musical playing data read by the second reading means.

Claim 11

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the automatic playing apparatus comprises an output means which applies timing-clock data in addition to the musical playing data to the input means of the sound generating unit, the second reading means relying upon the timing-clock data as the predetermined timing.

Claim 12

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 11 wherein stored musical playing data comprises a playing-information portion indicative of sound-generating or muting as well as a timing-information portion indicative of timing for sound-generating or muting.

Claim 13

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the calculating means determines the actual length of music playing time before actual playing of the music to be played, and the calculating means determines the actual quantity of playing information before actual playing of the music.

Claim 14

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 8 wherein the calculating means determines the actual quantity of playing information based upon memory capacity required to store preread musical playing data.

Claim 15

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 8 wherein stored musical playing data comprises a playing-information portion indicative of sound-generating or muting as well as a time-information portion indicative of timing for sound-generating or muting, and wherein the calculating means determines the actual length of playing time based on a sum of the time-information portions which are included in first preread musical playing data and succeeding musical playing data and on an actual length of time during which music has been playing, and wherein the calculating means determines the actual quantity of playing information based upon memory capacity required for storing all preread musical playing data and all musical playing data representing music which actually has been played.

Claim 16

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the calculating means reads musical playing data stored in the first memory means at a rate at which music is played in order to determine the memory capacity required for all musical playing data corresponding to music which actually has been played.

Claim 17

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 wherein the second reading means includes a time-measuring means for using a measured length of time provide the predetermined timing.

Claim 18

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading playing system, the apparatus comprising: (a) a first memory mans for storing musical playing data representative of music to be played in a time sequence arrangement; (b) output means; (c) calculating means for calculating an actual length of time required to play music to be played based on musical playing data preread from the first memory means; (d) comparing means for determining whether or not the actual length of time required to play the music to be played is less than a predetermined length of time; and (e) a first reading means for sequentially prereading musical playing data from the first memory means prior to when the music is to be played, and for applying preread musical playing data to the output means in response to determination by the comparing means that the actual length of time required to play the music is less than the predetermined length of time.

Claim 19

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading playing system, the apparatus comprising: (a) a first memory mans for storing musical playing data representative of music to be played in a time sequence arrangement; (b) output means; (c) calculating means for calculating an actual length of time required to play music to be played based on musical playing data preread from the first memory means; (d) comparing means for determining whether or not the actual length of time required to play the music to be played is less than a predetermined length of time; and (e) a first reading means for sequentially prereading musical playing data from the first memory means prior to when the music is to be played, and for applying preread musical playing data to the output means in response to determination by the comparing means that the actual length of time required to play the music is less than the predetermined length of time.

Claim 20

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading playing system a set forth in claim 16 wherein stored musical playing data comprises a playing-information portion indicative of sound-generating or muting as well as a time-information portion indicative of timing for sound-generating or muting.

Claim 21

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading musical playing system as set forth in claim 16 wherein the calculating means determines the actual length of data-prereading time for the music to be played before actual playing of the music to be played.

Claim 22

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 16 wherein stored musical playing data comprises a playing-information portion indicative of sound-generating or muting as well as a time-information portion indicative of timing for sound-generating or muting, and wherein the calculating means determines the actual length of playing time based on a sum of time-information portions which are included in first preread musical playing data and succeeding musical playing data, and based on an actual length of time during which music has been playing.

Claim 23

An automatic playing apparatus for a musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 16, 17, 18, or 19 wherein the output means outputs timing-clock data along with musical playing data.

Claim 24

A musical data-prereading playing system comprising an automatic playing apparatus and a sound generating unit, the automatic playing apparatus comprising (a) a first memory means for storing musical playing data representative of music to be played in a time sequence arrangement; (b) output means; (c) calculating means for calculating an actual length of time required to play music to be played based on musical playing data preread from the first memory means; (d) comparing means for determining whether or not the actual length of time required to play the music to be played is less than a predetermined length of time; and (e) a first reading means for sequentially prereading musical playing data from the first memory means prior to when the music is to be played, and for applying preread musical data to the output means in response to determination by the comparing means that the actual length of time required to play music is less than the predetermined time; and the sound generating unit comprising (f) input means for receiving from the output means musical playing data which are arranged in a time sequence and which have been preread; (g) a second memory means for temporarily storing preread musical playing data supplied by the input means; (h) a second reading means for sequentially reading from the second memory means preread musical playing data written therein according to a time sequence, in accordance with a predetermined timing; and (i) musical tone-generating means for generating and/or muting musical tones for playing music represented by musical playing data read by the second reading means.

Claim 25

A musical data-prereading playing system comprising an automatic playing apparatus and a sound generating unit, the automatic playing apparatus comprising (a) a first memory means for storing musical playing data representative of music to be played in a time sequence arrangement; (b) output means; (c) calculating means for calculating an actual length of time required to play music to be played based on musical playing data preread from the first memory means; (d) comparing means for determining whether or not the actual length of time required to play the music to be played is less than a predetermined length of time; and (e) a first reading means for sequentially prereading musical playing data from the first memory means prior to when the music is to be played, and for applying preread musical data to the output means in response to determination by the comparing means that the actual length of time required to play music is less than the predetermined time; and the sound generating unit comprising (f) input means for receiving from the output means musical playing data which are arranged in a time sequence and which have been preread; (g) a second memory means for temporarily storing preread musical playing data supplied by the input means; (h) a second reading means for sequentially reading from the second memory means preread musical playing data written therein according to a time sequence, in accordance with a predetermined timing; and (i) musical tone-generating means for generating and/or muting musical tones for playing music represented by musical playing data read by the second reading means.

Claim 26

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the output means applies timing-clock data in addition to the musical playing data to the input means of the sound generating unit, the second reading means relying upon the timing-clock data as the predetermined timing.

Claim 27

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 21 wherein stored musical playing data comprises a playing-information portion indicative of sound-generating or muting as well as a time-information portion indicative of timing for sound-generating or muting.

Claim 28

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the calculating means determines the actual length of data prereading time before actual playing of the music to be played.

Claim 29

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 21 wherein stored musical playing data comprises a playing-information portion indicative of sound-generating or muting as well as a time-information portion indicative of timing for sound-generating or muting, and wherein the calculating means determines the actual length of playing time based on a sum of time-information portions which are included in first preread musical playing data and succeeding musical playing data and on actual length of time during which music has been playing.

Claim 30

A musical data-prereading playing system as set forth in claim 23, 24, or 25 wherein the second reading means includes a time-measuring means for using a measured length of time to provide the predetermined timing.