US5753843A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and process for composing musical sections
Assignee: BLUE RIBBON DESIGN CORP
•
Filing: 1995-02-06
•
Granted: 1998-05-19
•
Expires: 2015-02-06
Abstract
Abstract A system and process for comprising a musical section in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation is disclosed. The system includes a composition engine, performance engine, and arbitrator. The arbitrator provides an interface with an application program running a multimedia presentation. The arbitrator receives parameters from the application program indicative of a user's interaction and the type of music the application program requests in response to the interaction. The parameters are passed to the composition engine which composes a musical section having a chord progression and other data therein. The musical section and a style provided by the arbitrator are used by the performance engine to generate music sequence data for driving a musical instrument. The performance of the musical sequence data by the musical instrument occurs substantially contemporaneously with the user's interaction which caused the musical section composition. Because the composition engine uses processes which vary the composition of musical sections, the user events which initiate composition of a musical section and which occur at the same place within a multimedia presentation, still vary the performance at each user event.
Inventors
- 👤 C. Todor Fay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 18:53
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/0008; G10H1/0025; G10H2210/00; G10H2210/101; G10H2210/111; G10H2210/151; G10H2210/571; G10H2210/576; G10H2240/00; G10H2240/075; G10H2240/085; G10H2250/00; G10H2250/131; G10H2250/211
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 60
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying a style, a shape, and a personality for music that conform to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying a style, a shape, and a personality for music that conform to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 1, said composition engine further comprising: a music transitional section generator for generating a transitional section for transistioning from a current musical section to a destination section.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
92 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation, said composition engine comprising a musical template generator for generating a musical template to define a musical shape for said composed musical section.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
92 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation, said composition engine comprising a musical template generator for generating a musical template to define a musical shape for said composed musical section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said musical template generator selects signpost chord markers from a plurality of signpost chord markers to place within said generated musical template.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said musical template generator randomly selects signpost chord markers from a plurality of signpost chord markers to place within said generated musical template.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 4 wherein said musical template generator places said selected signpost chord markers within said generated musical template.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said musical template generator randomly selects a duration for said signpost chord markers placed within said generated musical template.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said musical template generator places embellishment commands in said generated musical template.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said musical template generator places groove level commands in said generated musical template.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said musical template generator randomly places embellishment commands in said generated musical template in correspondence with said groove level commands placed within said musical template.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said musical template generator places one of a fill and a break embellishment command in correspondence with said groove level commands placed within said musical template.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said musical template generator generates said groove level commands from a starting and an ending groove level commands.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
111 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation, said composition engine comprising a musical section generator for generating said musical section from a musical template and a personality, said musical template defining a musical shape for said musical section and said personality defining musical chord data for said musical section.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
111 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation, said composition engine comprising a musical section generator for generating said musical section from a musical template and a personality, said musical template defining a musical shape for said musical section and said personality defining musical chord data for said musical section.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 13, wherein said musical section generator selects signpost chords to place in said musical section from a signpost chord list in said personality.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 14 wherein said musical section generator places said selected signpost chords in said musical section in correspondence with signpost chord markers in said template.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said musical section generator selects groove level commands from said musical template to place in said musical section.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said musical section generator selects embellishments commands from said musical template to place in said musical section.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said musical section generator generates a chord progression for said musical section from a chord entry list in said personality.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said musical section generator generates a chord progression for said musical section from a chord entry list and a signpost chord list in said personality.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said musical section generator generates a chord progression for said musical section from said signpost chord markers in said musical template and a chord entry list and a signpost chord list in said personality.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said musical section generator selects next chord pointers to select said chords for said chord progression.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 21 wherein musical section recursively walks a path defined by said next chord pointers to select said chords for said chord progression.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
136 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a music transitional section generator for generating a transitional section for transitioning from a current musical section to a destination section, wherein said music transitional section generator selects a first signpost chord from a personality associated with said destination musical section which corresponds to a chord of the destination section and which has an associated first cadence chord that corresponds to a scale of the current section.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
136 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a music transitional section generator for generating a transitional section for transitioning from a current musical section to a destination section, wherein said music transitional section generator selects a first signpost chord from a personality associated with said destination musical section which corresponds to a chord of the destination section and which has an associated first cadence chord that corresponds to a scale of the current section.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
89 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a musical section personality converter for changing a chord progression of a current musical section to correspond to another personality.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
89 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a musical section personality converter for changing a chord progression of a current musical section to correspond to another personality.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
57 words
The system of claim 24, wherein said musical section personality converter selects a chord from a chord palette in said personality which corresponds to a root note of a chord selected from said current musical section and transposes said selected chord palette chord to correspond to said root note of said chord from said current musical section.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 25 wherein said musical section personality converter transposes said root of said selected chord from said current musical section to a key associated with said another personality.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
85 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a performance engine that performs a motif in accordance to a style and a musical section.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
85 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a performance engine that performs a motif in accordance to a style and a musical section.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 27 wherein said performance engine transposes notes in a note pattern of said motif to correspond to a key and chord of said musical section.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
103 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a performance engine for generating music sequence data from said musical section and a style, said music sequence data being transmitted to a musical device coupled to said performance engine through an instrument interface.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
103 words
A system for composing music in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation comprising: an application program interface for receiving parameters identifying music related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; a composition engine for composing a musical section corresponding to said parameters so that a user perceives the performance of the musical section to be related to said user's interaction with said multimedia presentation; and a performance engine for generating music sequence data from said musical section and a style, said music sequence data being transmitted to a musical device coupled to said performance engine through an instrument interface.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 29 wherein said instrument interface is a MIDI.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
76 words
A process for varying the musical accompaniment of a multimedia presentation so the accompaniment varies in response to a user's interaction, comprising the step of: composing a musical section in response to parameters received from an application program driving the multimedia presentation, said parameters identifying a style, a shape, and a personality for said musical accompaniment, said composed musical section being performed by a performance engine in response to said user's interaction with the multimedia presentation.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
76 words
A process for varying the musical accompaniment of a multimedia presentation so the accompaniment varies in response to a user's interaction, comprising the step of: composing a musical section in response to parameters received from an application program driving the multimedia presentation, said parameters identifying a style, a shape, and a personality for said musical accompaniment, said composed musical section being performed by a performance engine in response to said user's interaction with the multimedia presentation.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 31, further comprising the step of: composing a transitional section to transition a performance from a current musical section to a destination musical section.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
74 words
A process for varying the musical accompaniment of a multimedia presentation so the accompaniment varies in response to a user's interaction comprising the steps of: composing a musical section in response to parameters received from an application program driving the multimedia presentation, said composed musical section being performed by a performance engine in response to said user's interaction with the multimedia presentation; and composing a chord progression to place in said composed musical section.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
74 words
A process for varying the musical accompaniment of a multimedia presentation so the accompaniment varies in response to a user's interaction comprising the steps of: composing a musical section in response to parameters received from an application program driving the multimedia presentation, said composed musical section being performed by a performance engine in response to said user's interaction with the multimedia presentation; and composing a chord progression to place in said composed musical section.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 33 further comprising the steps of: selecting chords to define a template for said chord progression; and connecting chords between said selected chords to form said composed chord progression.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
50 words
The process of claim 34, wherein said step of selecting chords to define a template for said chord progression comprises selecting chords from a set of signpost chords, and wherein said step of connecting chords between said selected chords comprises selecting said connecting chords from a list of chord entries.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 35, wherein said step of connecting chords further comprises recursively walking a path of connecting chords by using next chord pointers.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 36, wherein said step of walking a path comprises using weighted probabilities associated with said next chord pointers to recursively walk said path of connecting chords.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 33 further comprising the step of placing embellishment commands in said composed musical section.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 33 further comprising the step of placing groove level commands in said composed musical section.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 39 wherein said step of placing groove level commands comprises ordering said groove level commands in correspondence with a musical template shape.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
74 words
A process for varying the musical accompaniment of a multimedia presentation so the accompaniment varies in response to a user's interaction, comprising the steps of: composing a musical section in response to parameters received from an application program driving the multimedia presentation, said composed musical section being performed by a performance engine in response to said user's interaction with the multimedia presentation; and converting a personality of a current musical section to another personality.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
74 words
A process for varying the musical accompaniment of a multimedia presentation so the accompaniment varies in response to a user's interaction, comprising the steps of: composing a musical section in response to parameters received from an application program driving the multimedia presentation, said composed musical section being performed by a performance engine in response to said user's interaction with the multimedia presentation; and converting a personality of a current musical section to another personality.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
73 words
A process for varying the musical accompaniment of a multimedia presentation so the accompaniment varies in response to a user's interaction, comprising the steps of: composing a musical section in response to parameters received from an application program driving the multimedia presentation, said composed musical section being performed by a performance engine in response to said user's interaction with the multimedia presentation; and performing a motif in accordance with said composed musical section.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
73 words
A process for varying the musical accompaniment of a multimedia presentation so the accompaniment varies in response to a user's interaction, comprising the steps of: composing a musical section in response to parameters received from an application program driving the multimedia presentation, said composed musical section being performed by a performance engine in response to said user's interaction with the multimedia presentation; and performing a motif in accordance with said composed musical section.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
54 words
A composition engine for composing chord progressions comprising: an arbitrator for receiving parameters for composing a musical section and retrieving a musical template in response to said parameters, said parameters comprising a personality; and a musical section generator for generating said musical section from said musical template and said personality received from said arbitrator.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
54 words
A composition engine for composing chord progressions comprising: an arbitrator for receiving parameters for composing a musical section and retrieving a musical template in response to said parameters, said parameters comprising a personality; and a musical section generator for generating said musical section from said musical template and said personality received from said arbitrator.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
22 words
The composition engine of claim 23, wherein said musical section generator generates a chord progression from signpost chords corresponding to said personality.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
96 words
A computer readable medium on which is stored a computer program for varying the musical accompaniment of a multimedia presentation so the accompaniment varies in response to a user's interaction, said computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform the step of: composing a musical section in response to parameters received from an application program driving the multimedia presentation, said parameters identifying a style, a shape, and a personality for said musical accompaniment, said composed musical section being performed by a performance engine in response to said user's interaction with the multimedia presentation.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
96 words
A computer readable medium on which is stored a computer program for varying the musical accompaniment of a multimedia presentation so the accompaniment varies in response to a user's interaction, said computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform the step of: composing a musical section in response to parameters received from an application program driving the multimedia presentation, said parameters identifying a style, a shape, and a personality for said musical accompaniment, said composed musical section being performed by a performance engine in response to said user's interaction with the multimedia presentation.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer-readable medium recited in claim 45, further comprising the step of: composing a chord progression to place in said composed musical section.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer-readable medium recited in claim 45, further comprising the steps of: composing a chord progression to place in said composed musical section; selecting chords to define a template for said chord progression; and connecting chords between said selected chords to form said composed chord progression.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4716804A
Cited
US4526078A
Cited
US5052267A
Cited
US5179241A
Cited
US5218153A
Cited
US5355762A
Cited
US5164531A
Cited
US5278348A
Cited
US5286908A
Cited
US5315057A
Cited
US5281754A
Cited
US5455378A
Cited
US5496962A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-05-18 | 2001-11-17 | 2002-05-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-18 | 2005-11-17 | 2006-05-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-18 | 2009-11-17 | 2010-05-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |