Patent US5627335A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5627335A
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Real-time music creation system
Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Inc
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Filing: 1995-10-16
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Granted: 1997-05-06
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Expires: 2015-10-16
Abstract
Abstract An electronic music system has an input device, one or more computer storage media, a rhythm generator, a pitch selector, and a sound generator. The input device generates rhythm-related input signals and pitch-related input signals in response to manipulations of the input device by a user attempting to create and play a solo. The computer storage media have a plurality of user-selectable musical accompaniment tracks over which the user can create and play the solo and a plurality of rhythm blocks wherein each rhythm block defines, for at least one note, at least a time at which the note should be played. The computer storage media also store at least a portion of the solo created by the user over a predetermined time interval in the immediate past. The rhythm generator receives the rhythm-related input signals from the input device, selects one of the rhythm blocks from the computer storage media based on the rhythm-related input signals, and outputs an instruction to play the note at the time defined by the selected rhythm block. The pitch selector receives the pitch-related input signals from the input device and selects an appropriate pitch based on the pitch-related input signals, the user-selected musical accompaniment track, and the stored solo information. The pitch selector then outputs that appropriate pitch. The sound generator receives instructions from the rhythm generator, pitches from the pitch selector, and the user-selected musical accompaniment track and generates an audio signal representative of the user-created solo and the accompaniment track.
Inventors
- 👤 Alexander P. Rigopulos
- 👤 Eran B. Egozy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:44
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/0033; G10H1/32; G10H1/34; G10H1/36; G10H1/361; G10H1/40; G10H1/42; G10H2220/00; G10H2220/155; G10H2220/315; G10H2240/00; G10H2240/171; G10H2240/281; G10H2240/311
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A system for creating music in real time, comprising: an input mechanism which provides rhythm-related input signals and pitch-related input signals; one or more computer storage media having a plurality of selectable musical accompaniment tracks over which music can be created and played in real time, having a plurality of rhythm blocks wherein each rhythm block defines, for at least one note, at least a time at which the note should be played, and for storing at least a portion of the music created in real time over a predetermined time interval in the past; a rhythm generator which in real time: receives the rhythm-related input signals from the input mechanism; selects one of the rhythm blocks from the computer storage media based on the rhythm-related input signals; and outputs an instruction to play the note at the time defined by the selected rhythm block; a pitch selector which in real time: receives the pitch-related input signals from the input mechanism; selects an appropriate pitch based on the pitch-related input signals, a selected one of the musical accompaniment tracks, and the stored music; and outputs the appropriate pitch; and a sound generator which in real time: receives instructions from the rhythm generator, pitches from the pitch selector, and the selected musical accompaniment track; and generates an audio signal representative of at least the created music.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
225 words
A system for creating music in real time, comprising: an input mechanism which provides rhythm-related input signals and pitch-related input signals; one or more computer storage media having a plurality of selectable musical accompaniment tracks over which music can be created and played in real time, having a plurality of rhythm blocks wherein each rhythm block defines, for at least one note, at least a time at which the note should be played, and for storing at least a portion of the music created in real time over a predetermined time interval in the past; a rhythm generator which in real time: receives the rhythm-related input signals from the input mechanism; selects one of the rhythm blocks from the computer storage media based on the rhythm-related input signals; and outputs an instruction to play the note at the time defined by the selected rhythm block; a pitch selector which in real time: receives the pitch-related input signals from the input mechanism; selects an appropriate pitch based on the pitch-related input signals, a selected one of the musical accompaniment tracks, and the stored music; and outputs the appropriate pitch; and a sound generator which in real time: receives instructions from the rhythm generator, pitches from the pitch selector, and the selected musical accompaniment track; and generates an audio signal representative of at least the created music.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the input mechanism comprises a joystick having a base and a movable handle which a user manipulates to generate the rhythm-related and pitch-related input signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the joystick generates the rhythm-related input signals in response to the user's manipulations of the handle along a first predetermined axis, and the joystick generates the pitch-related input signals in response to the user's manipulations of the handle along a second predetermined axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
84 words
The system of claim 1: wherein the input mechanism also provides musical effect-related input signals; further comprising a musical effect generator which receives the musical effect-related input signals from the input mechanism and which alters the instructions from the rhythm generator or the pitches from the pitch selector based on the musical effect-related input signals; and wherein the sound generator receives the altered instructions and pitches and generates the audio signal which is representative of the at least the created music with musical effects.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the input mechanism comprises a joystick having a base, a movable handle, and at least one button.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
The system of claim 5 wherein the joystick generates the rhythm-related input signals in response to a user's manipulations of the handle along a first predetermined axis, the joystick generates the pitch-related input signals in response to the user's manipulations of the handle along a second predetermined axis, and the joystick generates the musical effect-related input signals in response to the user's manipulations of the button.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the rhythm generator outputs the instruction to play the note at the time defined by the selected rhythm block and for a default duration and at a default loudness.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
76 words
The system of claim 1 wherein: at least one of the plurality of rhythm blocks in the one or more computer storage media further defines, for at least one note, how long the note should last when played and how loud the note should be played; and the instruction output by the rhythm generator indicates the time at which the note should be played and the note's length and loudness as defined by the rhythm block.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 further including at least one speaker for broadcasting the audio signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 9 further comprising an amplifier for amplifying the audio signal before it is provided to the speaker for broadcast.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 10 wherein a programmed computer performs the functions of the rhythm generator and the pitch selector, and the amplifier and the speaker are internal to the computer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the programmed computer also performs the functions of the sound generator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the sound generator comprises a MIDI tone generator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 wherein a programmed computer performs the functions of the rhythm generator and the pitch selector.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 14 wherein the programmed computer also performs the functions of the sound generator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more computer storage media comprise computer memory.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more computer storage media comprise computer memory and a computer hard disk drive, the hard disk drive having the plurality of selectable musical accompaniment tracks over which music can be created and played.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more computer storage media comprise computer memory and a CD-ROM, the CD-ROM having the plurality of selectable musical accompaniment tracks over which the music can be created and played.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-05-05 | 2000-11-04 | 2001-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-05-05 | 2004-11-04 | 2005-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-05-05 | 2008-11-04 | 2009-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |