DISPLAYING SONG LYRICS AND VOCAL CUES

• US 20100304812A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Inventors: Foster, Christopher Joseph, Stoddard, Joshua Forrest, Dubrofsky, Sylvain
• Granted Patent: US 8,449,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• 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

Abstract

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for displaying song lyrics and vocal cues in a rhythm-action game. In one aspect this is accomplished by displaying, on a display in communication with a game platform, a vocal cue. The vocal cue moves on the display in synchronization with a timing component of a musical composition towards a target marker. Lyrics are also displayed, but instead of moving with the movement of the vocal cue the lyrics are displayed in a fixed position. The lyrics maintain their position until the vocal cue has moved to a particular position with respect to the target marker.

Claims

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

displaying, on the display, a first vocal cue;

moving, on the display in synchronization with a timing component of a musical composition, the position of the vocal cue toward a target marker; and

displaying, on the display, a first lyric associated with the first vocal cue in a fixed position until the first vocal cue has moved to a particular position with respect to the target marker.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the particular position is the first vocal cue being aligned with a vertical plane of the target marker.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein moving comprises altering the horizontal position of the vocal cue from the right side of the display, through a vertical plane of the target marker, to the right of the display.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the particular position is the first vocal cue being to the left of the vertical plane of the target marker.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, on the display, a second vocal cue associated with the first vocal cue, the second vocal cue moving through a plane of the target marker; and

displaying, on the display, a second lyric.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the coloration of the lyric is altered depending on the position of the vocal cue.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the lyric is highlighted if the vocal cue is aligned with a vertical plane of the target marker.

8. 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, a first vocal cue;

move, on the display in synchronization with a timing component of a musical composition, the position of the vocal cue toward a target marker; and

display, on the display, a first lyric associated with the first vocal cue in a fixed position until the first vocal cue has moved to a particular position with respect to the target marker.

9. A system comprising:

a data processing apparatus configured to;

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, a first vocal cue;

move, on the display in synchronization with a timing component of a musical composition, the position of the vocal cue toward a target marker; and

display, on the display, a first lyric associated with the first vocal cue in a fixed position until the first vocal cue has moved to a particular position with respect to the target marker.

10. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying, on a display in signal communication with the apparatus, a first vocal cue;

means for moving, on the display in synchronization with a timing component of a musical composition, the position of the vocal cue toward a target marker; and

means for displaying, on the display, a first lyric associated with the first vocal cue in a fixed position until the first vocal cue has moved to a particular position with respect to the target marker.