MUSIC PERFORMANCE SYSTEM, MUSIC STATIONS SYNCHRONIZED WITH ONE ANOTHER AND COMPUTER PROGRAM USED THEREIN
First Claim
1. A music performance system for performing a tune produced at a remote place, comprising:
- a communication network for propagating at least pieces of music data and pieces of time data therethrough;
a standard clock measuring a standard time;
a music station connected to said communication network, and includinga music data source producing said pieces of music data expressing a performance of a tune,an internal clock measuring a lapse of time,a time keeper connected to said music data source and said internal clock, determining a time in said lapse of time at which each of said pieces of music data is produced and pairing said pieces of time data each expressing said time with said pieces of music data, respectively,a communication module received with said pieces of music data respectively paired with said pieces of time data and putting said pieces of music data respectively paired with said pieces of time data onto said communication network,a monitor measuring a time period between two of said pieces of music data handled by said communication module and initiating a time setting work when said time period becomes equal to a predetermined time period anda clock setter connected to said internal clock, said monitor and said standard clock and setting said internal clock by said standard clock when said monitor determines to initiate said time setting work; and
another music station connected to said communication network, and includinganother internal clock measuring another lapse of time,a tone generator producing tones respectively expressed by said pieces of music data,another communication module receiving said pieces of music data respectively paired with said pieces of time data from said communication network,a data buffer connected to said another communication module for accumulating said pieces of music data respectively paired with said pieces of time data, comparing said time expressed by each of said pieces of time data with the time indicated by said another internal clock and supplying the piece of music data paired with said each of said pieces of time data to said tone generator when said time expressed by said each of said pieces of time data is consistent with said time indicated by said another internal clock,another monitor measuring a time period between the pieces of music data handled by said another communication module and initiating said time setting work when said time period becomes equal to said predetermined time period andanother clock setter connected to said another internal clock, said another monitor and said standard clock and setting said another internal clock by said standard clock when said another monitor determines to initiate said time setting work.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A music performance system includes plural music stations communicable through a communication network and a server computer, and music data codes, which express a performance on one of the music stations, are transmitted to another music station through a packet switching: in order to make the original performance synchronized with the performance on another music station, the time stamp indicative of a time to produce a music data code is impressed on the music data code, and the time intervals between the tones are maintained by using internal clocks for the time stamp; however, time difference is unavoidable between the internal clocks; the time setting work is carried out during any packet is not transmitted for a predetermined time period so that the music stations are well synchronized without disturbance of the performance.
33 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A music performance system for performing a tune produced at a remote place, comprising:
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a communication network for propagating at least pieces of music data and pieces of time data therethrough; a standard clock measuring a standard time; a music station connected to said communication network, and including a music data source producing said pieces of music data expressing a performance of a tune, an internal clock measuring a lapse of time, a time keeper connected to said music data source and said internal clock, determining a time in said lapse of time at which each of said pieces of music data is produced and pairing said pieces of time data each expressing said time with said pieces of music data, respectively, a communication module received with said pieces of music data respectively paired with said pieces of time data and putting said pieces of music data respectively paired with said pieces of time data onto said communication network, a monitor measuring a time period between two of said pieces of music data handled by said communication module and initiating a time setting work when said time period becomes equal to a predetermined time period and a clock setter connected to said internal clock, said monitor and said standard clock and setting said internal clock by said standard clock when said monitor determines to initiate said time setting work; and another music station connected to said communication network, and including another internal clock measuring another lapse of time, a tone generator producing tones respectively expressed by said pieces of music data, another communication module receiving said pieces of music data respectively paired with said pieces of time data from said communication network, a data buffer connected to said another communication module for accumulating said pieces of music data respectively paired with said pieces of time data, comparing said time expressed by each of said pieces of time data with the time indicated by said another internal clock and supplying the piece of music data paired with said each of said pieces of time data to said tone generator when said time expressed by said each of said pieces of time data is consistent with said time indicated by said another internal clock, another monitor measuring a time period between the pieces of music data handled by said another communication module and initiating said time setting work when said time period becomes equal to said predetermined time period and another clock setter connected to said another internal clock, said another monitor and said standard clock and setting said another internal clock by said standard clock when said another monitor determines to initiate said time setting work. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A music station connected to a communication network, and comprising:
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a music data source producing said pieces of music data expressing a performance of a tune; an internal clock measuring a lapse of time; a time keeper connected to said music data source and said internal clock, determining a time in said lapse of time at which each of said pieces of music data is produced and pairing said pieces of time data each expressing said time with said pieces of music data, respectively; a communication module received with said pieces of music data respectively paired with said pieces of time data and putting said pieces of music data respectively paired with said pieces of time data onto said communication network; a monitor measuring a time period between two of said pieces of music data handled by said communication module and initiating a time setting work when said time period becomes equal to a predetermined time period; and a clock setter connected to said internal clock, said monitor and a standard clock for measuring a standard time and setting said internal clock by said standard clock when said monitor determines to initiate said time setting work. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A music station connected to a communication network, comprising:
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an internal clock measuring a lapse of time; a tone generator producing tones respectively expressed by pieces of music data; a communication module receiving said pieces of music data respectively paired with pieces of time data each expressing a time, at which associated one of said pieces of music data is produced, from said communication network; a data buffer connected to said communication module for accumulating said pieces of music data respectively paired with said pieces of time data, comparing said time expressed by each of said pieces of time data with the time indicated by said internal clock and supplying the piece of music data paired with said each of said pieces of time data to said tone generator when said time expressed by said each of said pieces of time data is consistent with said time indicated by said internal clock; a monitor measuring a time period between two of said pieces of music data handled by said communication module and initiating a time setting work when said time period becomes equal to a predetermined time period; and a clock setter connected to said internal clock, said monitor and said standard clock and setting said internal clock by said standard clock when said monitor determines to initiate said time setting work. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer program representative of a method for setting an internal clock by a standard clock, comprising the steps of:
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a) measuring a time period from a piece of music data to the next piece of music data with an internal clock; b) determining whether or not said time period becomes equal to a predetermined time period; c) repeating said steps a) and b) while the answer at said step b) is given negative; d) reading a standard time from a standard clock without the execution of said step c) when the answer at said step b) is given affirmative; and e) setting said internal clock by said standard clock.
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Specification