Portable electronic music score device for transporting, storing displaying, and annotating music scores

• US 20050204889A1
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Margaret J. Swingle, Susan E. Klein
• Original Assignee: Margaret J. Swingle, Susan E. Klein
• Inventors: Klein, Susan E., Swingle, Margaret J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,183,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/100
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 1/00 Means for the representation of music

Abstract

A portable electronic device integrating compact storage for a large collection of musical scores, rapid access to any score in the collection, a display adjustable for various viewing conditions and individual needs, support for annotation that preserves the original score, and simplified page turning. The device includes two touch-sensitive displays hinged together so as to approximate the familiar form of a musical score. The device opens to display two pages of music, one on each of the touch-sensitive displays. The device may be placed on a music stand or piano ledge in the same manner as a traditional musical score. Removable mass storage medium allows virtually unlimited expansion of a score collection. Menu selection and subsequent random access to selected scores result in rapid retrieval of any score a musician may require. The touch-sensitive surface of the touch-sensitive displays allows menu selection, display adjustment, page-turning, and other features at the touch of a finger, as well as non-destructive annotation at the stroke of a stylus. In sum, the device enhances the interaction between musician and musical score in ways that transform the manner of a musician'"'"'s ownership and use of a large collection of scores.

Claims

1. A portable electronic sheet music device for transporting, storing, displaying, and annotating music scores, comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a display;

c) a processor;

d) an internal memory; and

e) an external memory medium interface;

wherein said processor is contained in said housing;

wherein said internal memory is contained in said housing;

wherein said external memory medium interface is accessible through said housing;

wherein said display is disposed on said housing;

wherein said display is a touch-sensitive display;

wherein said internal memory is operatively connected to said processor;

wherein said touch-sensitive display is operatively connected to said processor;

wherein said external memory medium interface is operatively connected to said processor; and

wherein said external memory medium interface is for operatively connecting to an external memory medium that has encoded thereon music scores and corresponding titles that are displayed electronically as sheet music on said touch-sensitive display following operative connection of the external memory medium to said external memory medium interface and selection of a title.

2. The device as defined in claim 1;

further comprising the external memory medium;

wherein said external memory medium has encoded thereon the music scores and the corresponding titles; and

wherein said music scores and said corresponding titles are displayed electronically as sheet music on said touch-sensitive display following operative connection of said external memory medium to said external memory medium interface and selection of a title.

3. The device as defined in claim 2, wherein said touch-sensitive display displays all of said corresponding titles of said music scores encoded on said external memory medium when said device is turned on and said external memory medium is operatively connected to said external memory medium interface so as to form a menu.

4. The device as defined in claim 2, wherein said housing has a left half;

wherein said touch-sensitive display has a left half;

wherein said left half of said touch-sensitive display is disposed on said left half of said housing;

wherein said left half of said touch-sensitive display displays a left page of said music score;

wherein said housing has a right half;

wherein said touch-sensitive display has a right half;

wherein said right half of said touch-sensitive display is disposed on said right half of said housing;

wherein said right half of said touch-sensitive display displays a right page of said music score;

wherein said right half of said touch-sensitive display, together with said left half of said touch-sensitive display, display two pages of said music scores at a time, just as in a music book; and

wherein said left half of said housing is hingedly attached to said right half of said housing so as to conceal and protect said touch-sensitive display when said housing is folded closed and not in use and so as to allow said device to be portable.

5. The device as defined in claim 3, wherein said music scores are displayed two pages at a time just as in a music book, once selected from said menu.

6. The device as defined in claim 4, wherein said left half of said touch-sensitive display has a top;

and

wherein said corresponding title of said music score is displayed across said top of said left half of said touch-sensitive display.

7. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said touch-sensitive display is a touch-sensitive liquid-crystal display.

8. The device as defined in claim 2, wherein said external memory medium is an optical laser disk.

9. The device as defined in claim 2, wherein said external memory medium interface is an optical laser disk drive.

10. The device as defined in claim 9, wherein said optical laser disk drive is accessible through said housing.

11. The device as defined in claim 2;

further comprising a touch screen tool bar;

wherein said touch screen tool bar is operatively connected to said processor; and

wherein said touch screen tool bar is disposed on said touch-sensitive display.

12. The device as defined in claim 11, wherein said touch screen tool bar comprises a first touch screen sensor;

wherein said first touch screen sensor allows choosing size of notes depicted in said music score displayed on said touch-sensitive display;

wherein said touch screen tool bar comprises a second touch screen sensor;

wherein said second touch screen sensor allows adjusting contrast of said touch-sensitive display;

wherein said touch screen tool bar comprises a third touch screen sensor;

wherein said third touch screen sensor allows highlighting set categories on said touch-sensitive display;

wherein said touch screen tool bar comprises a fourth touch screen sensor;

wherein said fourth touch screen sensor allows writing in fingerings and comments on said touch-sensitive display using a stylus;

wherein said touch screen tool bar comprises a fifth touch screen sensor;

wherein said fifth touch screen sensor allows saving notations made on said touch-sensitive display for future use;

wherein said touch screen tool bar further comprises a sixth touch screen sensor; and

wherein said sixth touch screen sensor is a single edit touch screen sensor that provides a dropdown menu that allows adjusting of color and brightness of said touch-sensitive display and selecting of fonts for the notes and text that is depicted in the music scores displayed on said touch-sensitive display and for the fingerings and comments written on said touch-sensitive display using said stylus.

13. The device as defined in claim 4;

further comprising page turning touch screen sensors;

wherein said page turning touch screen sensors are operatively connected to said processor; and

wherein said page turning touch screen sensors are disposed on said touch-sensitive display.

14. The device as defined in claim 13, wherein said left half of said touch-sensitive display has a lower left hand corner;

wherein said left half of said touch-sensitive display has an upper left hand corner;

wherein said page turning touch screen sensors comprise a pair of first page turning touch screen sensors; and

wherein said pair of first page turning touch screen sensors are disposed on said lower left hand corner and said upper left hand corner of said left half of said touch-sensitive display, respectively, and when either one is activated, a previous two pages of said music score are displayed on said touch-sensitive display.

15. The device as defined in claim 14, wherein said right half of said touch-sensitive display has a lower right hand corner;

wherein said right half of said touch-sensitive display has an upper right hand corner;

wherein said page turning touch screen sensors comprise a pair of second page turning touch screen sensors; and

wherein said pair of second page turning touch screen sensors are disposed on said lower right hand corner and said upper right hand corner of said right half of said touch-sensitive display, respectively, and when either one is activated, a next two pages of said music score are displayed on said touch-sensitive display.

16. The device as defined in claim 1;

further comprising an on/off switch;

wherein said on/off switch is operatively connected to said processor;

wherein said on/off switch is disposed on said housing;

wherein said on/off switch achieves a closed state when said housing is unfolded open; and

wherein said on/off switch achieves an open state when said housing is folded closed.

17. The device as defined in claim 1;

further comprising a metronome;

wherein said metronome is operatively connected to said processor;

wherein said metronome is contained in said housing;

wherein said metronome is useable while said music score is displayed on said touch-sensitive display; and

wherein said metronome is useable while said music score is not displayed on said touch-sensitive display.

18. The device as defined in claim 17;

further comprising metronome touch screen sensor controls;

wherein said metronome touch screen sensor controls are operatively connected to said metronome; and

wherein said metronome touch screen sensor controls are disposed on said touch-sensitive display.

19. The device as defined in claim 16, wherein said device does one of powering down completely and entering one of at least two intermediate states in which said device remembers its current state so as to form a saved state, but removes power from certain power-hungry components so as to form powered down components, when said on/off switch achieves said open state thereof;

and

wherein said device does one of restoring the power to the powered down components while resuming operation using the saved state of said device and restarting said device from scratch, when said on/off switch achieves said closed state thereof.

20. The device as defined in claim 2, wherein said external memory medium is one of a memory stick and a flash EEPROM.

21. The device as defined in claim 20, wherein said external memory medium interface is a port on said housing;

and

wherein said port on said housing is configured to receive said one of said memory stick and said flash EEPROM.

22. The device as defined in claim 1;

further comprising a sound system;

wherein said sound system is contained in said housing; and

wherein said sound system is operatively connected to said processor.

23. The device as defined in claim 22, wherein said sound system is a sound card.

24. The device as defined in claim 17;

further comprising at least one speaker;

wherein said at least one speaker is audible through said housing;

wherein said at least one speaker is operatively connected to said processor;

wherein said at least one speaker audiblizes said metronome; and

wherein said at least one speaker audiblizes any musical external memory medium inserted into said external memory medium interface so as to allow said device to play music for a user to listen to.

25. The device as defined in claim 24;

further comprising a headphone jack;

wherein said headphone jack is on said housing;

wherein said headphone jack is operatively connected to said processor; and

wherein said headphone jack is for receiving a headphone for quiet listening of one of said metronome and the musical external memory medium inserted into said external memory medium interface instead of listening via said at least one speaker.

26. The device as defined in claim 1;

further comprising a power jack;

wherein said power jack is on said housing;

wherein said power jack is operatively connected to said processor; and

wherein said power jack is for receiving a power cord for plugging into a conventional power source.