Automatically up-dated apparatus for generating music

• US 5,252,775 A
• Filed: 09/17/1992
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Urano, Takayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Application Number:
  US07/946,168
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 84/645, 358/86, 81/600-603
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/365 the accompaniment information being stored on a host computer and transmitted to a reproducing terminal by means of a network, e.g. public telephone lines
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/131 Library retrieval, i.e. searching a database or selecting a specific musical piece, segment, pattern, rule or parameter set
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/241 Telephone transmission, i.e. using twisted pair telephone lines or any type of telephone network

Abstract

The invention provides an improved music-generating system for efficiently supplying newly available music data to a plurality of music-generating terminal units. The music-generating system includes a host unit and a plurality of music-generating terminal units, and works basically as follows. The host unit transmits music data input through input circuitry to each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units via transmitting circuitry. The music-generating terminal unit receives music data transmitted from the host unit by receiving circuitry. Writing circuitry transmits and writes the music data onto memory. When selection signals are sent from an external device to the music-generating terminal unit, reproducing circuitry reads out specified music data from the memory according to the selection signals and reproduces music corresponding to the music data.

Claims

1. In a music-generating system comprising a host unit and a plurality of music-generating terminal units connectable to the host unit, the improvement for reducing the effort of providing newly available music at the plurality of music-generating terminal units comprising:

a) each of the plurality of music generating terminal units comprising,

a1) musical accompaniment selection means for generating selection signals indicative of a desired musical accompaniment selection,

a2) memory means for storing a plurality of music data corresponding to a plurality of musical accompaniment selections,

a3) reproducing means for reading out specified previously stored music data corresponding to the desired musical accompaniment selection from said memory means according to the selection signals and reproducing music corresponding to said music data;

a4) receiving means for receiving newly available music data transmitted from the host unit, said receiving means comprising means for interfacing with a telephonic network,

a5) writing means for writing music data received by said receiving means into said memory means, and

a6) terminal identification means for generating terminal identification data corresponding to each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units; and

,

b) the host unit having music data supply means comprising,

b1) input means for inputting the newly available music data,

b2) transmitting means for transmitting the newly available music data input through said input means to each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units, said transmitting means comprising means for interfacing with said telephonic network, and

b3) checking means for checking if there is any newly available music data to be transmitted to the music-generating terminal unit corresponding to the terminal identification data generated by said terminal identification means upon connection with the music-generating terminal unit through said telephonic network.

2. The improvement to a music-generating system of claim 1 wherein:

said receiving means further comprises means for establishing a connection with said transmitting means via said telephonic network.

3. The improvement to a music-generating system of claim 1 wherein:

said receiving means and said transmitting means further comprise means for establishing a working connection between the host unit and only one the plurality of music-generating terminal units before transmitting the newly available music data input through said input means to said one of the plurality of music-generating terminal units.

21. The improvement to a music-generating system of claim 1, wherein:

said terminal identification means sends said terminal identification data to said checking means through said telephonic network when each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units is turned on.

22. The improvement to a music-generating system of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units further comprises

means for transmitting to said host unit a request newly available music data signal for requiring newly available music data input by said input means, and

means for generating reproduction frequency data representing how frequently each music data stored in said memory means is reproduced by said reproducing means; and

said host unit further comprises

means for determining if a signal transmitted from each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units is said request newly available music data signal, and

means for receiving said reproduction frequency data when it is determined that a transmitted signal is not said request newly available music data signal and for operating said checking means when it is determined that a transmitted signal is said request newly available music data signal.

4. A music-generating system capable of efficiently supplying newly available music data to a plurality of music-generating terminal units comprising:

a) a host unit comprising,

a1) input circuit means for inputting newly available music data,

a2) transmit circuit means for transmitting said newly available music data input through said input circuit means to each of a plurality of music-generating terminal units, said transmit circuit means including first means for interfacing with a telephonic network, and

a3) check circuit means for checking if there is said newly available music data to be transmitted to each of a plurality of said music-generating terminal units; and

,

b) a plurality of said music-generating terminal units each comprising,

b1) musical accompaniment selection means for generating selection signals indicative of a desired musical accompaniment selection;

b2) music data memory,

b3) receive circuit means for receiving said newly available music data transmitted from said host unit, said receive circuit means including second means for interfacing with said telephonic network and means for calling said transmit circuit means with said telephonic network,

b4) write circuit means for writing the received newly available music data into said music data memory,

b5) reproduce circuit means responsive to the selection signals from said musical accompaniment selection means to the music-generating terminal unit for reading out specified music data among previously stored music data and said written newly available music data in said music data memory corresponding to said selection signals and for reproducing music corresponding to said specified music data, and

b6) terminal identification means for generating terminal identification data corresponding to each of a plurality of said music-generating terminal units, said terminal identification data being transmitted to said host unit through said telephonic network so that said check circuit means checks if there is said newly available music data to be transmitted to the music-generating terminal unit corresponding to said generated terminal identification data,

whereby transmission of music data by said transmit circuit means is performed when said check circuit means checks that there is said newly available music data.

5. The music-generating system of claim 4 wherein:

said receive circuit means and said transmit circuit means further comprises means for establishing a working connection between said host unit and only one of said plurality of music-generating terminal units before transmitting music data input to said one of said plurality of music-generating terminal units.

6. The music-generating system of claim 5 wherein said means for establishing a working connection includes logic means for breaking a connection to said host unit over said telephonic network if said host unit is connected to another of said plurality of music-generating terminal units.

7. The music-generating system of claim 5 wherein said means for establishing a working connection includes logic means for establishing a wait condition until a receiving signal is received from said host unit over said telephonic network.

8. The music-generating system of claim 5, wherein said means for establishing a working connection includes logic means for terminating a connection to said host unit over said telephonic network upon receipt of a non-presence signal from said host unit that the host unit does not have any newly available music data to transmit to said plurality of music-generating terminal units.

9. The music-generating system of claim 8 wherein said means for establishing a working connection includes logic means for maintaining a connection to said host unit when a presence signal indicating that the host unit has newly available music data to transmit to said plurality of music-generating terminal units is sent by said host unit and transmission of the newly available music data has begun, until said host unit indicates that it has no more newly received music data to transmit to said music-generating terminal unit.

10. In a music-generating system comprising a host unit and a plurality of music-generating terminal units connectable to the host unit, the improvement for reducing the effort of providing newly available music at the plurality of music-generating terminal units, comprising:

(a) musical accompaniment selection means for generating selection signals indicative of a desired musical accompaniment selection;

(b) memory means in each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units for storing a plurality of music data representative of the plurality of musical accompaniment selections,

(c) reproducing means in each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units for reading out specified previously stored music data corresponding to the desired musical accompaniment selection from said memory means according to the selection signals from said musical accompaniment selection means and reproducing music corresponding to said music data;

(d) receiving means in each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units for receiving the newly available music data transmitted from the host unit;

(e) writing means in each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units for storing the newly available music data received by said receiving means into said memory means;

(f) terminal identification means in each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units for generating a unique terminal identification data corresponding to that particular music-generating terminal unit;

(g) input means in the host unit for inputting the newly available music data;

(h) transmitting means in the host unit for transmitting the newly available music data input through said input means to each of the plurality of music-generating terminal units;

(i) checking means in the host unit for checking if there is any newly available music data input through said input means to be transmitted to a specified one of the plurality of music-generating terminal units according to said unique terminal identification data generated by said terminal identification means, said checking means operating said transmitting means to transmit the newly available music data to the specified music-generating terminal unit upon connection.

18. The music-generating system of claim 10, wherein:

said checking means comprises host identification means for receiving and storing said unique terminal identification data transmitted from said terminal identification means.

19. The music-generating system of claim 18, wherein:

said checking means further comprises means for generating a presence signal when there is newly available music data input through said input means to be transmitted to specified music-generating unique terminal unit corresponding to said terminal identification data stored in said host identification means.

20. The music-generating system of claim 19, wherein:

said receiving means operates in response to said presence signal transmitted from said checking means.

11. In a music-generating system comprising a host unit and a plurality of music-generating terminal units connectable to the host unit, the improvement for reducing the effort of providing new music at the plurality of music-generating terminal units, comprising:

means for connecting the host unit to at least one of the plurality of terminal units;

the host unit comprising means for sending a terminal ready inquiry signal to the at least one of the plurality of terminal units when the host unit is connected to the at least one of the plurality of terminal units;

the at least one of the plurality of terminal units comprising means for receiving the terminal ready inquiry signal and means for sending a request for newly available music data signal to the host unit when the terminal ready inquiry signal is received and the at least one of the plurality of terminal units is ready to receive newly available music data;

the host unit further comprising means for receiving the request for newly available music data signal and selective means for sending any newly available music data corresponding to at least one musical accompaniment selection to the at least one of the plurality of terminal units after the request for newly available music data signal is received upon determining there is newly available music to be transmitted to the at least one of a plurality of terminal units;

the at least one of the plurality of terminal units further comprising means for receiving the newly available music data and means for sending to the host unit an end signal after all of the newly available music data is received;

the host unit further comprising means for receiving the end signal and means for terminating connection with the at least one of the plurality of terminal units when the end signal is received;

the at least one of the plurality of terminal units further comprising musical accompaniment selection means for selecting music data from the newly available music data corresponding to a desired one of the at least one musical accompaniment selection; and

the at least one of the plurality of terminal units further comprising means for reproducing music from the selected music data.

12. The improvement to a music generating system of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the plurality of terminal units further comprises means to automatically initiate said means for connecting the host unit to the at least one of the plurality of terminal units when power to the at least one of the plurality of terminal units is turned on.

13. The improvement to a music generating system of claim 11, wherein said selective means for sending the newly available music data sends the newly available music data when the newly available music data is present in the host unit.

14. The improvement to a music generating system of claim 11, wherein:

said means for sending the request newly available music data signal comprises means for sending terminal identification data;

said means for receiving the request newly available music data signal comprises means for receiving the terminal identification data; and

said selective means for sending the newly available music data includes determining means responsive to the terminal identification data for determining when any newly available music data is present in the host unit.

15. The improvement to a music generating system of claim 14, wherein:

the host unit further comprises storing means for memorizing the terminal identification number after the newly available music data is sent; and

said determining means determines that newly available music data is present when new music data is received by the host unit after said storing means memorizes the terminal identification number.

16. The improvement to a music generating system of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the plurality of terminal units further comprises independent operating mode means for enabling operation of the terminal unit in a mode for reproducing music data when said means for terminating connection terminates connection with the host unit.

17. The improvement to a music generating system of claim 16, wherein the at least one of the plurality of terminal units further comprises means for playing music from music data in the terminal unit and independent operating mode means comprises means for enabling operation of said means for playing music.