Electronic musical instrument with musical information input means
First Claim
1. In an electronic musical instrument comprising means for generating a digital representation corresponding to each of a sequence of musical notes;
- electronic memory means for storing each of said digital representations;
means for sequentially recovering each of said digital representations from said electronic memory means, and means for generating audio signals corresponding to the sequence of musical notes from said digital representations, the improvement comprising;
input key switch means within said digital representation generating means for selecting octave, pitch, and duration of notes and designation of rests, and including;
a plurality of input key switches contained within a first actuated group, at least one of which is actuated for determining only octave information, a plurality of input key switches contained within a subsequently actuated group, at least one of which is actuated for determining only pitch information of musical notes;
each of said first actuated input key switches having indicia determinative of the octave information of the musical notes and each said subsequently actuated input key switches having indicia determinative of the pitch information of the musical notes in a selected octave; and
a second plurality of input key switches at least one of said switches being subsequently actuated for determining only length information of said musical notes together with information indicative of the identity and occurrence of rest codes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is an electronic musical instrument with musical information input keys for producing musical information. A plurality of keys are provided for generating musical information of musical notes to introduce musical tones and pitches of the musical notes into the electronic musical instrument. A memory is included within the electronic musical instrument for sequentially memorizing the musical information. A musical generator is provided for sequentially reading out the stored musical information and providing an audio music in response to the stored musical information. The electronic musical instrument may function as an attendant feature of a conventional electronic calculator and/or an electronic timepiece. In a combined electronic musical instrument and calculator, the audio music can be utilized for announcing alarm conditions such as error, premature actuations of keys, overflow, voltage drop in power supply, etc. The audio music can further be used to alarm when a predetermined time has just run in the combined electronic musical instrument and a timepiece.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. In an electronic musical instrument comprising means for generating a digital representation corresponding to each of a sequence of musical notes;
- electronic memory means for storing each of said digital representations;
means for sequentially recovering each of said digital representations from said electronic memory means, and means for generating audio signals corresponding to the sequence of musical notes from said digital representations, the improvement comprising;input key switch means within said digital representation generating means for selecting octave, pitch, and duration of notes and designation of rests, and including;
a plurality of input key switches contained within a first actuated group, at least one of which is actuated for determining only octave information, a plurality of input key switches contained within a subsequently actuated group, at least one of which is actuated for determining only pitch information of musical notes;each of said first actuated input key switches having indicia determinative of the octave information of the musical notes and each said subsequently actuated input key switches having indicia determinative of the pitch information of the musical notes in a selected octave; and a second plurality of input key switches at least one of said switches being subsequently actuated for determining only length information of said musical notes together with information indicative of the identity and occurrence of rest codes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- electronic memory means for storing each of said digital representations;
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14. In an electronic musical instrument comprising means for generating a digital representation corresponding to each of a sequence of musical notes;
- electronic memory means for storing each of said digital representations;
means for sequentially recovering each of said digital representations from said electronic memory means, and means for generating audio signals corresponding to the sequence of musical notes from said digital representations, the improvement comprising;input key switch means within said digital representation generating means for selecting octave, pitch, and duration of notes, and including a plurality of input key switches contained within a first actuated group, at least one of which is actuated for determining only octave information, a plurality of input key switches contained within a subsequently actuated group, at least one of which is actuated for determining only pitch information of musical notes; each of said first actuated input key switches having indicia determinative of the octave information of the musical notes and each of said subsequently actuated input key switches having indicia determinative of the pitch information of the musical notes in a selected octave; and a second plurality of input key switches being subsequently actuated for determining only length information of said musical notes and having indicia determinative of said length information of the said musical notes. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
- electronic memory means for storing each of said digital representations;
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30. In an electronic musical instrument and calculating system comprising means for generating a digital representation corresponding to each of a sequence of musical notes;
- electronic memory means for storing each of said digital representations;
means for sequentially recovering each of said digital representations from said electronic memory means, and means for generating audio signals corresponding to the sequence of musical notes from the said digital representations, the improvement comprising;electronic calculator means for performing arithmetic operations including function key means for selectively designating functional operating modes for said calculator means; input key switch means within said digital representation generating means for selecting octave, pitch, and duration of notes and designation of rests, and including a plurality of input key switches contained within a first actuated group at least one of which is actuated for determining only octave information, a plurality of input key switches contained within a subsequently actuated group, at least one of which is actuated for determining only pitch information of musical notes; each of said first actuated input key switches having indicia determinative of the octave information of the musical notes and each of said subsequently actuated input key switches having indicia determinative of the pitch information of the musical notes in a selected octave; and a second plurality of input key switches at least one of which is subsequently actuated for determining only length information of said musical notes and having indicia determinative of said length information together with information indicative of the indentity and occurrence of rest codes, said input key switches further introducing numeral information into said electronic calculating means to be processed therein when desired in accordance with a said functional operating mode designated by said function key means.
- electronic memory means for storing each of said digital representations;
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31. In an electronic musical instrument, calculator and timepiece comprising means for generating a digital representation corresponding to each of a sequence of musical notes, electronic memory means for storing each of said digital representations, means for sequentially recovering each of said digital representations from said electronic memory means, and means for generating audio signals corresponding to the sequence of musical notes from said digital representations, the improvement comprising:
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electronic calculator means for performing arithmetic operations including function key means for selectively designating functional operating modes for said calculator means; electronic timepiece means for generating horological information; input key switch means within said digital representation generating means for selecting octave, pitch and duration of notes and designation of rests, and including a plurality of input key switches contained within a first actuated group at least one of which is actuated for determining only octave information, a plurality of input key switches contained within a subsequently actuated group, at least one of which is actuated for determining only pitch information of musical notes; each of said first actuated input key switch having indicia determinative of the octave information of the musical notes and each of said subsequently actuated input key switches having indicia determinative of the pitch information of the musical notes in a selected octave; and a second plurality of input key switches at least one of which is subsequently actuated for determining only length information of said musical notes and having indicia determinative of said length information together with information indicative of the identity and occurrence of rest codes; said input key switches further introducing numeral information into said electronic calculator means to be processed therein when desired in accordance with a said functional operating mode designated by said function key means.
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32. An electronic calculator and timepiece comprising:
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input key switch means including a single plurality of keys for both providing numeral information and musical information; processing means responsive to said numeral information provided by said input key switch means for calculating arithmetic operations; means responsive to said musical information provided by said input key switch means for decoding said musical information; memory means for storing and later recalling said decoded musical information; means responsive to information recalled from said memory means for generating audible sounds in response thereto; and a timepiece having an alarm; said means for generating audible sounds being actuated in response to activation of said alarm.
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33. A combined electronic calculator and timepiece comprising:
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means for generating horological information; input key switch means including a single plurality of keys for providing both numeral information and musical information; processing means responsive to said digit information provided by said input key switch means for calculating arithmetic operations; means responsive to said musical information provided by said input key switch means for decoding said musical information; memory means for storing and later recalling said decoded musical information; operating means responsive to information recalled from said memory means for generating audible sounds in response thereto; and alarm means for producing an alarm signal in response to the generation of desired horological information; said means for generating audible sounds being responsive to the alarm signal produced by said alarm means. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification