Image display, automatic performance apparatus and automatic accompaniment apparatus

Claim 2

An automatic performance apparatus comprising: musical data storing means for storing a sequence of musical data representing music, said musical data including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective musical tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; automatic performance means for performing music automatically by reading the musical data from said musical data storing means to generate musical tones; image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, each of which represents a corresponding image, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the corresponding images; image data reading means for reading the image data in a sequence from said image data storing means; sequence data storing means for storing sequence data indicative of the sequence in which the image data are read by said image data reading means and timing data indicative of a time interval for respective image data to be read out, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; variable time control means for variably determining the standard time length; controlling means for controlling said image data reading means and automatic performance means so as to read: (i) the image data in accordance with the sequence indicated by the sequence data stored in said sequence data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective image data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the musical data in accordance with the timing data in said musical data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective musical data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means; and displaying means for displaying an image represented by the image data read by said image data reading means.

Claim 3

An automatic performance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said musical data storing means stores plural kinds of musical data, said automatic performance means performs the music automatically on the basis of the musical data selected at present, said sequence data storing means stores plural kinds of sequence data, and said controlling means controls said image data reading means on the basis of the sequence data corresponding to the musical data selected at present.

Claim 4

An automatic performance apparatus comprising: musical data storing means for storing a sequence of musical data representing music, said musical data including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective musical tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; automatic performance means for performing the music automatically by reading the musical data from said musical data storing means to generate musical tones; image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, each of which represents a plurality of images, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the images; timing data storing means for storing timing data indicative of timing synchronous with advancement of the music and indicative of the timing of switching respective ones of the plurality of images, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; first reading means for reading the timing data stored in said timing data storing means; second reading means for reading the image data from said image data storing means on the basis of the timing data read by said first reading means; sequence data storing means for storing sequence data indicative of the sequence in which the image data are read by said second reading means; variable time control means for variably determining the standard time length; controlling means for controlling said second reading means and automatic performance means so as to read: (i) the image data in accordance with the sequence indicated by the sequence data stored in said sequence data storing means, said timing data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the musical data in accordance with the timing data in said musical data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective musical data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means; and displaying means for displaying an image represented by the image data read by said second reading means.

Claim 5

An automatic performance apparatus comprising: musical data storing means for storing a sequence of musical data representing music, said musical data including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective musical tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; automatic performance means for performing the music automatically by reading the musical data from said musical data storing means to generate musical tones; image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, each of which represents a plurality of images, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the images; timing data storing means for storing timing data indicative of timing synchronous with advancement of the music and indicative of the timing of switching respective ones of the plurality of images, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; first reading means for reading the timing data stored in said timing data storing means; second reading means for reading the image data from said image data storing means on the basis of the timing data read by said first reading means; sequence data storing means for storing sequence data indicative of the sequence in which the image data are read by said second reading means; variable time control means for variably determining the standard time length; controlling means for controlling said second reading means and automatic performance means so as to read: (i) the image data in accordance with the sequence indicated by the sequence data stored in said sequence data storing means, said timing data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the musical data in accordance with the timing data in said musical data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective musical data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means; and displaying means for displaying an image represented by the image data read by said second reading means.

Claim 6

An automatic performance apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said musical data storing means stores plural kinds of musical data, said automatic performance means performs the music automatically on the basis of the musical data selected at present, said sequence data storing means stores plural kinds of sequence data, and said controlling means controls said second reading means on the basis of the sequence data corresponding to the musical data selected at present.

Claim 7

An automatic performance apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of image data do not all represent the same image.

Claim 8

An automatic performance apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of image data do not all represent the same image.

Claim 9

An automatic accompaniment apparatus comprising: automatic accompaniment data storing means for storing a sequence of automatic accompaniment data of a normal pattern and automatic accompaniment data of a special pattern other than the normal pattern, said automatic accompaniment data including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective accompaniment tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; playing means for playing an automatic accompaniment by sequentially reading the automatic accompaniment data from said automatic accompaniment data storing means to generate accompaniment tones; instructing means for instructing said playing means to play an automatic accompaniment based on the automatic accompaniment data of the special pattern; image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, each of which represents a corresponding image, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the corresponding images; first reading means for reading the image data from said image data in a sequence from storing means; sequence data storing means for storing plural kinds of sequence data indicative of the sequence of the image data read by said first reading means and timing data indicative of a time interval for respective image data to be read out, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; second reading means for reading the sequence data of a kind satisfying the instruction given by said instructing means from said sequence data storing means; variable time control means for determining the standard time length; controlling means for controlling said first reading means and playing means so as to read: (i) the image data in accordance with the sequence indicated by the sequence data read by said second reading means, said time interval for reading out respective image data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the automatic accompaniment data in accordance with the timing data in said automatic accompaniment data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective automatic accompaniment data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means; and displaying means for displaying the image which the image data read by said first reading means represents.

Claim 10

An automatic accompaniment apparatus comprising: automatic accompaniment data storing means for storing a sequence of automatic accompaniment data of a normal pattern and automatic accompaniment data of a special pattern other than the normal pattern, said automatic accompaniment data including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective accompaniment tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; playing means for playing an automatic accompaniment by sequentially reading the automatic accompaniment data from said automatic accompaniment data storing means to generate accompaniment tones; instructing means for instructing said playing means to play an automatic accompaniment based on the automatic accompaniment data of the special pattern; image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, each of which represents a corresponding image, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the corresponding images; first reading means for reading the image data from said image data in a sequence from storing means; sequence data storing means for storing plural kinds of sequence data indicative of the sequence of the image data read by said first reading means and timing data indicative of a time interval for respective image data to be read out, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; second reading means for reading the sequence data of a kind satisfying the instruction given by said instructing means from said sequence data storing means; variable time control means for determining the standard time length; controlling means for controlling said first reading means and playing means so as to read: (i) the image data in accordance with the sequence indicated by the sequence data read by said second reading means, said time interval for reading out respective image data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the automatic accompaniment data in accordance with the timing data in said automatic accompaniment data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective automatic accompaniment data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means; and displaying means for displaying the image which the image data read by said first reading means represents.

Claim 11

An automatic accompaniment apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said special pattern comprises any one of a fill-in pattern, introduction pattern, and ending pattern.

Claim 12

An automatic accompaniment apparatus comprising: automatic accompaniment data storing means for storing a sequence of automatic accompaniment data of a normal pattern and automatic accompaniment data of a special pattern other than the normal pattern, said automatic accompaniment data including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective automatic accompaniment tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; playing means for playing an automatic accompaniment by sequentially reading the automatic accompaniment data from said automatic accompaniment data storing means to generate accompaniment tones; instructing means for instructing said playing means to play an automatic accompaniment based on the automatic accompaniment data of the special pattern; image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, each of which represents a corresponding image, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the corresponding images; timing data storing means for storing plural kinds of timing data indicative of the timing of switching the respective images synchronous with advancement of the automatic accompaniment, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; first reading means for reading the timing data stored in said timing data storing means; changing means for changing the kind of the timing data read by said first reading means in accordance with the instruction given by said instructing means; second reading means for reading the image data from said image data storing means on the basis of the timing data read by said first reading means; sequence data storing means for storing plural kinds of sequence data indicative of the sequence of the image data read by said second reading means; third reading means for reading the sequence data of a kind satisfying the instruction given by said instructing means from said sequence storing means; variable time control means for determining the standard time length; controlling means for controlling said second reading means so as to read: (i) the image data in accordance with the sequence indicated by the sequence data read by said third reading means, said timing data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the automatic accompaniment data in accordance with the timing data in said automatic accompaniment data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective automatic accompaniment data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means; and displaying means for displaying the image which the image data read by said second reading means represents.

Claim 13

An automatic accompaniment apparatus comprising: automatic accompaniment data storing means for storing a sequence of automatic accompaniment data of a normal pattern and automatic accompaniment data of a special pattern other than the normal pattern, said automatic accompaniment data including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective automatic accompaniment tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; playing means for playing an automatic accompaniment by sequentially reading the automatic accompaniment data from said automatic accompaniment data storing means to generate accompaniment tones; instructing means for instructing said playing means to play an automatic accompaniment based on the automatic accompaniment data of the special pattern; image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, each of which represents a corresponding image, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the corresponding images; timing data storing means for storing plural kinds of timing data indicative of the timing of switching the respective images synchronous with advancement of the automatic accompaniment, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; first reading means for reading the timing data stored in said timing data storing means; changing means for changing the kind of the timing data read by said first reading means in accordance with the instruction given by said instructing means; second reading means for reading the image data from said image data storing means on the basis of the timing data read by said first reading means; sequence data storing means for storing plural kinds of sequence data indicative of the sequence of the image data read by said second reading means; third reading means for reading the sequence data of a kind satisfying the instruction given by said instructing means from said sequence storing means; variable time control means for determining the standard time length; controlling means for controlling said second reading means so as to read: (i) the image data in accordance with the sequence indicated by the sequence data read by said third reading means, said timing data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the automatic accompaniment data in accordance with the timing data in said automatic accompaniment data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective automatic accompaniment data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means; and displaying means for displaying the image which the image data read by said second reading means represents.

Claim 14

An automatic accompaniment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said special pattern comprises any one of a fill-in pattern, introduction pattern, and ending pattern.

Claim 15

An automatic accompaniment apparatus comprising: automatic accompaniment data storing means for storing a sequence of automatic accompaniment data, said automatic accompaniment data including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective automatic accompaniment tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; chord designating means for sequentially designating a chord for automatic accompaniment; playing means for playing an automatic accompaniment on the basis of the automatic accompaniment data read from said automatic accompaniment data storing means and the chord designated by said chord designating means to generate accompaniment tones; image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, each of which represents a corresponding image, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the corresponding images; image data reading means for reading the image data from said image data storing means; sequence data storing means for storing sequence data indicative of the sequence of the image data read by said image data reading means and timing data indicative of a time interval for respective image data to be read out, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; variable time control means for determining the standard time length; controlling means for controlling said image data reading means so as to read: (i) the image data in accordance with the sequence indicated by the sequence data stored in said sequence data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective image data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the automatic accompaniment data in accordance with the timing data in said automatic accompaniment data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective automatic accompaniment data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means; and displaying means for displaying the image which the image data read by said image data reading means represents.

Claim 16

An automatic accompaniment apparatus comprising: automatic accompaniment data storing means for storing a sequence of automatic accompaniment data, said automatic accompaniment data including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective automatic accompaniment tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; chord designating means for sequentially designating a chord for automatic accompaniment; playing means for playing an automatic accompaniment on the basis of the automatic accompaniment data read from said automatic accompaniment data storing means and the chord designated by said chord designating means to generate accompaniment tones; image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, each of which represents a corresponding image, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the corresponding images; image data reading means for reading the image data from said image data storing means; sequence data storing means for storing sequence data indicative of the sequence of the image data read by said image data reading means and timing data indicative of a time interval for respective image data to be read out, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; variable time control means for determining the standard time length; controlling means for controlling said image data reading means so as to read: (i) the image data in accordance with the sequence indicated by the sequence data stored in said sequence data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective image data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the automatic accompaniment data in accordance with the timing data in said automatic accompaniment data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective automatic accompaniment data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means; and displaying means for displaying the image which the image data read by said image data reading means represents.

Claim 17

An automatic accompaniment apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said chord designating means comprises chord sequence data storing means for storing chord sequence data which represents the chord sequence of the automatic accompaniment, and sequentially designates a chord on the bases of the chord sequence data stored in said chord sequence data storing means.

Claim 18

An automatic accompaniment apparatus comprising: automatic accompaniment data storing means for storing a sequence of automatic accompaniment data; chord sequence data storing means for storing chord sequence data which represents the sequence of a chord for automatic accompaniment, said automatic accompaniment data including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective automatic accompaniment tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; chord designating means for sequentially designating the chord for automatic accompaniment on the basis of the chord sequence data read from said chord sequence data storing means; playing means for playing an automatic accompaniment on the basis of the automatic accompaniment data read from said automatic accompaniment data storing means and the chord designated by said chord designating means to generate accompaniment tones; image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, each of which represents a corresponding image, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the corresponding images; timing data storing means for storing timing data indicative of a timing synchronous with the advancement of a chord formed by a chord sequentially designated by said chord designating means and indicative of the timing of switching the respective images, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; first reading means for reading the timing data from said timing data storing means; second reading means for reading the image data from said image data storing means on the basis of the timing data read by said first reading means; sequence data storing means for storing sequence data indicative of the sequence of the image data read by said second reading means; variable time control means for determining the standard time length; controlling means for controlling said second reading means so as to read: (i) the image data in accordance with the sequence indicated by the sequence data stored in said sequence data storing means, said timing data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the automatic accompaniment data in accordance with the timing data in said automatic accompaniment data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective automatic accompaniment data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means; and displaying means for displaying the image which the image data read by said second reading means represents.

Claim 19

An automatic accompaniment apparatus comprising: automatic accompaniment data storing means for storing a sequence of automatic accompaniment data; chord sequence data storing means for storing chord sequence data which represents the sequence of a chord for automatic accompaniment, said automatic accompaniment data including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective automatic accompaniment tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; chord designating means for sequentially designating the chord for automatic accompaniment on the basis of the chord sequence data read from said chord sequence data storing means; playing means for playing an automatic accompaniment on the basis of the automatic accompaniment data read from said automatic accompaniment data storing means and the chord designated by said chord designating means to generate accompaniment tones; image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, each of which represents a corresponding image, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the corresponding images; timing data storing means for storing timing data indicative of a timing synchronous with the advancement of a chord formed by a chord sequentially designated by said chord designating means and indicative of the timing of switching the respective images, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; first reading means for reading the timing data from said timing data storing means; second reading means for reading the image data from said image data storing means on the basis of the timing data read by said first reading means; sequence data storing means for storing sequence data indicative of the sequence of the image data read by said second reading means; variable time control means for determining the standard time length; controlling means for controlling said second reading means so as to read: (i) the image data in accordance with the sequence indicated by the sequence data stored in said sequence data storing means, said timing data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the automatic accompaniment data in accordance with the timing data in said automatic accompaniment data storing means, said time interval for reading out respective automatic accompaniment data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means; and displaying means for displaying the image which the image data read by said second reading means represents.

Claim 20

An automatic accompaniment apparatus comprising: a plurality of performance operating members; accompaniment pattern storing means for storing a plurality of accompaniment patterns, said automatic accompaniment patterns including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective automatic accompaniment tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; selecting means for selecting one of the accompaniment patterns stored in said accompaniment pattern storing means; first reading means for reading the accompaniment pattern selected by said selecting means with a predetermined timing; chord data generating means for generating chord data conforming to the operation of any one of the plurality of performance operating members; accompaniment sound signal generating means for generating an accompaniment sound signal on the basis of the chord data generated by said chord data generating means and the accompaniment pattern read by said first reading means; display means; image data storing means for storing plural kinds of image data to be displayed on said display means, each of said image data representing a corresponding image, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the corresponding images; image advancement data storing means for storing a plurality of image advancement data, each representing a sequence of the image data to be displayed on said display means in correspondence to the plurality of accompaniment patterns and a timing data indicative of a time interval for respective image data to be read out, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; second reading means for reading the image advancement data corresponding to the accompaniment pattern selected by said selecting means from said image advancement data storing means; variable time control means for determining the standard time length; means for sequentially reading: (i) the image data from said image data storing means on the basis of the image advancement data read by said second reading means and feeding the read data to said display means, said time interval for reading out respective image data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the automatic accompaniment data in accordance with the timing data in said automatic accompaniment pattern storing means, said time interval for reading out respective automatic accompaniment pattern being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means.

Claim 21

An automatic accompaniment apparatus comprising: a plurality of performance operating members; accompaniment pattern storing means for storing a plurality of accompaniment patterns, said automatic accompaniment patterns including (i) musical tone data determining musical tone and (ii) timing data controlling a time interval for respective automatic accompaniment tones and being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; selecting means for selecting one of the accompaniment patterns stored in said accompaniment pattern storing means; first reading means for reading the accompaniment pattern selected by said selecting means with a predetermined timing; chord data generating means for generating chord data conforming to the operation of any one of the plurality of performance operating members; accompaniment sound signal generating means for generating an accompaniment sound signal on the basis of the chord data generated by said chord data generating means and the accompaniment pattern read by said first reading means; display means; image data storing means for storing plural kinds of image data to be displayed on said display means, each of said image data representing a corresponding image, the image data storing means capable of accessing the image data in a random order relative to an order of reproduction of the corresponding images; image advancement data storing means for storing a plurality of image advancement data, each representing a sequence of the image data to be displayed on said display means in correspondence to the plurality of accompaniment patterns and a timing data indicative of a time interval for respective image data to be read out, said timing data being determined as a multiple of a standard time length; second reading means for reading the image advancement data corresponding to the accompaniment pattern selected by said selecting means from said image advancement data storing means; variable time control means for determining the standard time length; means for sequentially reading: (i) the image data from said image data storing means on the basis of the image advancement data read by said second reading means and feeding the read data to said display means, said time interval for reading out respective image data being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means, and (ii) the automatic accompaniment data in accordance with the timing data in said automatic accompaniment pattern storing means, said time interval for reading out respective automatic accompaniment pattern being thereby varied in response to the determination of said variable time control means.