Method and system for writing common music notation (CMN) using a digital pen

• US 6,538,187 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2001
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Beigi, Homayoon Sadr Mohammad
• Primary Examiner(s): Witkowski, Stanley J.
• Application Number:
  US09/754,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20020088334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 844/70--47, 844/77.R, 844/78, 844/831, 844/832, 846/58, 846/87--90, 846/26--33, 846/00
• US Class Current: 84/475
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/304 Music notations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/023 Electrically operated
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 1/00 Means for the representation of music

Abstract

A computer-implemented method (and system) for composing music, includes launching a menu based on an input from an input device, selectively inputting musical notation with the input device based on the menu items and unconstrained handwriting by a composer, and displaying the musical notation.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for composing music, comprising:

launching a menu based on an input from an input device, said menu having a characteristic which is determined by one of an input history and a position of said input device;

inputting information by using said input device to select information from said menu and to handwrite information in an unconstrained manner; and

displaying input information as musical notation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selectively entering notes and silences by one of tapping on a tablet and actuating said input device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said information input from said menu comprises notes and silences according to Common Music Notation (CMN).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said inputting is performed by using a pen and a digitizer tablet to obtain its input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said inputting launches a dynamic menu of notes at a location of a tip of the input device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said inputting launches a dynamic menu of notes at a location of a cursor of the input device where the input occurred.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a location of a tip of the input device is coincident with one of a last note used and a most frequent note used.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said most frequent note used is determined based on timing, such that said composer writes notes of a same time duration by contacting a desired location on a staff.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said menu comprises a note mode in which notes are displayed and a silence mode in which silences are displayed, and wherein said menu comprises an icon for selecting a mode for said menu.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein items for being handwritten and displayed include items other than said notes and silences.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said items for being handwritten include at least one of a crescendo, a predetermined special symbol, and speed information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said at least one of a crescendo, a predetermined special symbol, and speed information are written in using unconstrained handwriting with said input device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing and arranging input information in a predetermined, proper location using an unconstrained handwriting recognition system.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using gesture recognition, handwriting recognition, and positional information given by a dynamic table holding musical notation.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a database for storing information entered by the composer, wherein positional and time information are parsed and stored in internal data-structures which include the information conveyed by the musical notation.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transposing said positional and time information to a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) output such that said information is one of played back and printed.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a position of said input device, wherein a scope and content of said information being handwritten are dependent upon a position of said input device which has been detected.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein said characteristic comprises a location of said menu.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein said characteristic comprises an arrangement of information in said menu.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein a most recent item selected from said menu is prominently arranged when said menu is next launched.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein information which is handwritten and information which is selected from said menu are integrally displayed.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein information which is handwritten modifies a tonality of information which is selected from said menu.

23. A computer-implemented system for composing music, comprising:

a digital input device for inputting information by traversing a tablet, movement of said digital input device launching a menu for entering notes and silences, and by inputting graphic, text, and gesture information via unconstrained handwriting, said menu having a characteristic which is determined by one of an input history and a position of said input device;

a transposer for transposing information selected from said menu and said unconstrained handwriting into a musical notation; and

a display for displaying said musical notation.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said notes and silences are selectively entered by one of tapping on said tablet and actuating said input device.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said input musical notation comprises Common Music Notation (CMN).

26. The system of claim 23, wherein said input device comprises a digital pen.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein said dynamic menu of notes is launched at a location of a tip of the input device.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein said dynamic menu of notes is launched at a location of a cursor of the input device where the input occurred.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein a location of a tip of the input device is coincident with one of a last note used and a most frequent note used.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said most frequent note used is determined based on timing, such that a composer writes notes of a same time duration by contacting a desired location on a staff.

31. the system of claim 23, wherein said menu comprises a note mode in which notes are displayed and a silence mode in which silences are displayed, and wherein said menu comprises an icon for selecting a mode for said menu.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein items for being handwritten and displayed include items other than said notes and silences.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said items for being handwritten include at least one of a crescendo, a predetermined special symbol, and speed information.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said at least one of a crescendo, a predetermined special symbol, and speed information are written in using unconstrained handwriting with said input device.

35. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

an unconstrained handwriting recognition system for recognizing and arranging said information in a predetermined, proper location.

36. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a database for storing information entered by the composer, wherein positional and time information are parsed and stored in internal data-structures which include the information conveyed by the musical notation.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said transposer transposes said positional and time information to a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) output such that said information is one of played back and printed.

38. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a detector for detecting a position of said input device, wherein a scope and content of said information being handwritten are dependent upon a position of said input device which has been detected.

39. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method of composing music, said method comprising:

launching a menu based on detecting an input from a input device, said menu having a characteristic which is determined by one of an input history and a position of said input device;

inputting information by using said input device to select information from said menu and to handwrite information in an unconstrained manner; and

displaying input information as musical notation.