Scoring a Musical Performance Involving Multiple Parts

• US 20100304811A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Inventors: Foster, Christopher Joseph, Applewhite, Douglas Robert, Stoddard, Joshua Forrest, Schmidt, Daniel, Dubrofsky, Sylvain
• Application Number:
  US12/474,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20100304811A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/847 Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation

Abstract

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for scoring a musical performance involving multiple parts in a rhythm-action game. In one aspect this is accomplished by displaying, on a display in signal communication with a game platform, target musical data associated with a musical composition. The game platform receives a first music performance input data, with the first music performance input data being associated with a first part in the musical composition. The game platform also receives a second music performance input data, the second music performance input data associated with a second part in the musical composition. The game platform then calculates a first score based on the first music performance input data and a second score based on the second music performance input data. It then calculates a final or modified score based on the first score and the second score.

Claims

1. A method executed on a game platform in signal communication with a display, the method comprising:

displaying, on the display, target musical data associated with a musical composition;

receiving, by the game platform, a first music performance input data, the first music performance input data associated with a first part in the musical composition;

receiving, by the game platform, a second music performance input data, the second music performance input data associated with a second part in the musical composition;

calculating, by the game platform, a first score based on the first music performance input data and a second score based on the second music performance input data;

selecting, by the game platform, the first score as a preferred score; and

modifying, by the game platform, the preferred score based on the second score.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the first score comprises determining that the first score is higher than the second score.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the first score comprises determining that the first score has priority in being selected over the second score.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the preferred score based on the second score comprises increasing the preferred score by a percentage of the second score.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising modifying the preferred score based on a third score calculated based on a degree of matching between a third music performance input data and a third part.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first music performance input data and the second music performance input data are received by the game platform from the same input device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first music performance input data and the second music performance input data are received by the game platform from different input devices.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating the first and second parts with a musical player and assigning a final score that is the modified preferred score to the musical player.

9. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, target musical data associated with a musical composition;

receive a first music performance input data, the first music performance input data associated with a first part in the musical composition;

receive a second music performance input data, the second music performance input data associated with a second part in the musical composition;

calculate a first score based on the first music performance input data and a second score based on the second music performance input data;

select the first score as a preferred score; and

modify the preferred score based on the second score.

10. A system comprising:

a data processing apparatus configured to;

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, target musical data associated with a musical composition;

receive a first music performance input data via a first input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, the first music performance input data associated with a first part in the musical composition;

receive a second music performance input data via a second input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, the second music performance input data associated with a second part in the musical composition;

calculate a first score based on the first music performance input data and a second score based on the second music performance input data;

select the first score as a preferred score; and

modify the preferred score based on the second score.

11. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying, on a display in signal communication with the apparatus, target musical data associated with a musical composition;

means for receiving a first music performance input data via a first input device in signal communication with the apparatus, the first music performance input data associated with a first part in the musical composition;

means for receiving a second music performance input data via a second input device in signal communication with the apparatus, the second music performance input data associated with a second part in the musical composition;

means for calculating a first score based on the first music performance input data and a second score based on the second music performance input data;

means for selecting the first score as a preferred score; and

means for modifying the preferred score based on the second score.

12. A method executed on a game platform in signal communication with a display, the method comprising:

displaying, on the display, target musical data associated with a musical composition;

receiving, by the game platform, a first music performance input data, the first music performance input data associated with a first part in the musical composition;

receiving, by the game platform, a second music performance input data, the second music performance input data associated with a second part in the musical composition;

calculating, by the game platform, a first score based on the first music performance input data and a second score based on the second music performance input data; and

calculating, by the game platform, a final score based on the first score and the second score.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first score is associated with a melody of the musical composition and the second score is associated with a harmony of the musical composition.

14. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, target musical data associated with a musical composition;

receive a first music performance input data via a first input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, the first music performance input data associated with a first part in the musical composition;

receive a second music performance input data via a second input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, the second music performance input data associated with a second part in the musical composition;

calculate a first score based on the first music performance input data and a second score based on the second music performance input data; and

calculate a final score based on the first score and the second score.

15. A system comprising:

a data processing apparatus configured to;

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, target musical data associated with a musical composition;

receive a first music performance input data via a first input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, the first music performance input data associated with a first part in the musical composition;

receive a second music performance input data via a second input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, the second music performance input data associated with a second part in the musical composition;

calculate a first score based on the first music performance input data and a second score based on the second music performance input data; and

calculate a final score based on the first score and the second score.

16. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying, on a display in signal communication with the apparatus, target musical data associated with a musical composition;

means for receiving a first music performance input data via a first input device in signal communication with the apparatus, the first music performance input data associated with a first part in the musical composition;

means for receiving a second music performance input data via a second input device in signal communication with the apparatus, the second music performance input data associated with a second part in the musical composition;

means for calculating a first score based on the first music performance input data and a second score based on the second music performance input data; and

means for calculating a final score based on the first score and the second score.