Patent US6452081B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6452081B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stringed instrument finger positioning guide and method for teaching students to read music
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 2001-05-15
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Granted: 2002-09-17
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Expires: 2021-05-15
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is directed to a device for teaching students of stringed instruments note locations and proper finger placement on the fingerboard of the instrument. The device may be adapted for use with either a fretted or non-fretted instrument. The device comprises a sheet of autogenously adhesive plastic, such as cling vinyl, within which is a set of dynamically operated markers such as LED lamps or other electro-luminescent devices for indicating fingering locations for scales or chords. Music from any source such as a recording, microphonic pickup, synthesizer, MIDI equipment, or instrument pickups, or the like is the data input to a computer program which can denature the source music into essential components which are then reconstructed into the tonal patterns of a target instrument such as a guitar. The synthetic target instrumental music is then rendered into one or more analogs, such as a score displayed on the computer screen, recorded in the computer memory, a MIDI output, a printed score, and most importantly, to dynamically drive a set of illuminated “dots” removably attached to the finger board of a stringed instrument, thereby showing the novice player or other exactly where to place his fingers to produce the proper notes.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven F. Ravagni
- 👤 Nicholas D. Ravagni
- 👤 Patricia M. Ravagni
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:41
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B15/00; G09B15/02; G09B15/023
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A finger positioning guide for dynamic indication of finger placement locations on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument comprising: a. a stringed instrument having an elongated neck with a circumference and a fingerboard, and; b. a sheet of autogenously adhesive plastic having a width greater than the circumference of said elongated neck and adapted to surround said circumference and; c. said sheet having at least one dynamic finger positioning marker and; d. wherein said dynamic positioning marker has at least two electrically operated modes selected from the group consisting of emphasized and subdued modes, and; e. wherein said sheet and marker is positioned over the said fingerboard and wrapped around said neck and substantially conforming to said neck and said sheet overlapping itself whereby said sheet adheres to itself, thereby being removably attached to said stringed instrument, with said marker indicating the position to place a finger on said fingerboard and said markers are selectively energized for enhanced contrast and visibility.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
A finger positioning guide for dynamic indication of finger placement locations on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument comprising: a. a stringed instrument having an elongated neck with a circumference and a fingerboard, and; b. a sheet of autogenously adhesive plastic having a width greater than the circumference of said elongated neck and adapted to surround said circumference and; c. said sheet having at least one dynamic finger positioning marker and; d. wherein said dynamic positioning marker has at least two electrically operated modes selected from the group consisting of emphasized and subdued modes, and; e. wherein said sheet and marker is positioned over the said fingerboard and wrapped around said neck and substantially conforming to said neck and said sheet overlapping itself whereby said sheet adheres to itself, thereby being removably attached to said stringed instrument, with said marker indicating the position to place a finger on said fingerboard and said markers are selectively energized for enhanced contrast and visibility.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The dynamic indication of finger placement location marker of claim 1 is an electrically operated source of visible light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The dynamic indication of finger placement location marker of claim 1 is a reflective zone where the reflectivity is controlled by an electrical signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The dynamic indication of finger placement guide of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of finger positioning markers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The dynamic indication of finger placement finger positioning markers of claim 4 further comprising markers in groups wherein the members of the group together indicate the finger positions for sounding chords on said instrument.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The dynamic indication of finger placement finger positioning markers of claim 4 mark the finger positions for sounding groups of notes comprising musical scales.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
85 words
The dynamic indication of finger placement finger positioning markers of claim 4 further comprising markers having annotation for indicating the note corresponding to the finger position, and; said annotation is at least one means selected from the group comprising color, letter, and number, and; said letter and number annotation is rotated to read in the normal attitude for letters and numbers when said instrument is played in the usual diagonal orientation across the instrument users body, thereby improving the readability of said number and letters.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
193 words
A finger positioning guide for dynamic indication of finger placement locations on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument comprising: a. a stringed instrument having an elongated neck and a fingerboard with frets and; b. a plurality of dynamic finger positioning markers further comprising markers in groups wherein the members of the group together can indicate the finger positions for sounding chords on said instrument. c. the dynamic finger positioning markers further comprising markers in groups wherein the members of the group together can indicate the finger positions for sounding scales on said instrument. d. a sheet of plastic having openings adapted to receive frets therethrough and; e. wherein said sheet is positioned over the said fingerboard with said frets extending through said openings and wrapped around said neck and substantially conforming to said neck and said sheet overlapping itself whereby said sheet adheres to itself, thereby being removably attached to said stringed instrument, with said dynamic markers indicating the position to place a finger on said finger board and; f. wherein the operative alignment of the finger positioning guide on the instrument is established by the frets extending through the finger positioning guide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
193 words
A finger positioning guide for dynamic indication of finger placement locations on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument comprising: a. a stringed instrument having an elongated neck and a fingerboard with frets and; b. a plurality of dynamic finger positioning markers further comprising markers in groups wherein the members of the group together can indicate the finger positions for sounding chords on said instrument. c. the dynamic finger positioning markers further comprising markers in groups wherein the members of the group together can indicate the finger positions for sounding scales on said instrument. d. a sheet of plastic having openings adapted to receive frets therethrough and; e. wherein said sheet is positioned over the said fingerboard with said frets extending through said openings and wrapped around said neck and substantially conforming to said neck and said sheet overlapping itself whereby said sheet adheres to itself, thereby being removably attached to said stringed instrument, with said dynamic markers indicating the position to place a finger on said finger board and; f. wherein the operative alignment of the finger positioning guide on the instrument is established by the frets extending through the finger positioning guide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
81 words
The dynamic finger positioning markers of claim 8 further comprising markers having annotation for indicating the note corresponding to the finger position, and; said annotation is at least one means selected from the group comprising color, letter, and number, and; said letter and number annotation is rotated to read in the normal attitude for letters and numbers when said instrument is played in the usual diagonal orientation across the instrument users body, thereby improving the readability of said number and letters.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
278 words
A finger positioning guide for dynamic indication of finger placement locations on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument comprising: a. a stringed instrument having an elongated neck with a circumference and a fingerboard, and; b. a sheet of plastic having a central portion adapted to carry a plurality of electrically operated lighted dynamic finger positioning markers embedded therein and having a width greater than the circumference of said elongated neck and adapted to surround said circumference, and; c. said sheet further comprising at least one autogenous portion on each side of said marker carrying portion whereby when said sheet surrounds said neck said autogenous portions overlap and adhere to each other, whereby said central portion of said sheet is removably attached to said neck of the stringed instrument with the central portion under the instrument strings, and; d. said lighted finger positioning markers having an upper surface from which light is emitted, and said central portion having an upper surface, where said lighted finger positioning markers are fixedly embedded into said central portion with said markers, upper surfaces being essentially flush with said upper surface of the central portion, and; e. said lighted finger positioning markers have at least two operating modes selected from the group consisting of emphasized and subdued modes, and; f. whereby said sheet with said markers is positioned over the said fingerboard and wrapped around said neck, substantially conforming to said neck, and said sheet overlapping itself whereby said sheet adheres to itself, thereby being removable attached to said stringed instrument, with said markers indicating the positions to place fingers on said fingerboard and said markers are selectively energized for enhanced contrast and visibility.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
278 words
A finger positioning guide for dynamic indication of finger placement locations on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument comprising: a. a stringed instrument having an elongated neck with a circumference and a fingerboard, and; b. a sheet of plastic having a central portion adapted to carry a plurality of electrically operated lighted dynamic finger positioning markers embedded therein and having a width greater than the circumference of said elongated neck and adapted to surround said circumference, and; c. said sheet further comprising at least one autogenous portion on each side of said marker carrying portion whereby when said sheet surrounds said neck said autogenous portions overlap and adhere to each other, whereby said central portion of said sheet is removably attached to said neck of the stringed instrument with the central portion under the instrument strings, and; d. said lighted finger positioning markers having an upper surface from which light is emitted, and said central portion having an upper surface, where said lighted finger positioning markers are fixedly embedded into said central portion with said markers, upper surfaces being essentially flush with said upper surface of the central portion, and; e. said lighted finger positioning markers have at least two operating modes selected from the group consisting of emphasized and subdued modes, and; f. whereby said sheet with said markers is positioned over the said fingerboard and wrapped around said neck, substantially conforming to said neck, and said sheet overlapping itself whereby said sheet adheres to itself, thereby being removable attached to said stringed instrument, with said markers indicating the positions to place fingers on said fingerboard and said markers are selectively energized for enhanced contrast and visibility.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The dynamic finger positioning markers of claim 10 are electrically operated light emitting polymer devices.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The dynamic finger positioning markers of claim 10 further comprising markers in groups wherein the members of the group together indicate the finger positions for sounding chords on said instrument.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The dynamic positioning markers of claim 10 indicate the finger positions for sounding groups of notes comprising musical scales.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The dynamic positioning markers of claim 10 further comprising annotation for indicating the note corresponding to the finger position and said annotation is at least one means selected from the group comprising color, letter and number.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
Said letter or number annotation of claim 14 is rotated to read in the normal attitude for letters and numbers when said instrument is played in the usual diagonal orientation across the instrument users body, thereby improving the readability of said number and letters.
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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) | 2005-09-16 | 2006-03-18 | 2006-09-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-09-16 | 2010-03-18 | 2010-09-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-09-16 | 2014-03-18 | 2014-09-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |