Method and apparatus for self-instruction

• US 7,714,220 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Festejo, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher; Marlon T
• Application Number:
  US12/142,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20090064849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 84/485.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/06 Devices for exercising or strengthening fingers or arms; Devices for holding fingers or arms in a proper position for playing for teaching typing G09B13/00; exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles for physical training A63B21/00, A63B23/00

Abstract

A method for self-instruction of a user'"'"'s hands on an object such as a musical instrument or sports equipment. The method includes accessing finger placement data corresponding to a sequence of predetermined finger placements on a plurality of objects. A position for each finger is sensed on one or more object representations. A finger placement indication is provided on the one or more object representations. The finger placement indication corresponds to each finger of the based on the finger placement data. Each finger placement indication location is compared with an associated sensed position for each finger and a determination is made whether the finger placement indication matches the sensed position for each finger.

Claims

1. A method for self-instruction, comprising:

accessing finger placement data corresponding to a sequence of predetermined finger placements on a plurality of objects;

sensing a position for each finger of one or more fingers on one or more object representations;

providing a finger placement indication on the one or more object representations, the finger placement indication corresponding to each finger of the one or more fingers, based on the finger placement data,

wherein the sensing and the providing steps utilize a same screen;

comparing each finger placement indication location with an associated sensed position for each finger; and

determining whether the finger placement indication matches the sensed position for each finger.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating an illumination indication corresponding to the finger placement indication; and

displaying the illumination indication.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating an audible indication corresponding to the sensed finger position; and

outputting the audible indication.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

generating a representation of the finger placement data; and

displaying the representation of the finger placement data on a display unit.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

generating a representation of the sensed finger position; and

displaying the representation of the sensed finger position on the display unit.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the objects include strings.

7. A method for self-instruction, comprising:

accessing strumming placement data corresponding to a pattern of predetermined strumming on a plurality of strings;

sensing a user strumming pattern for a user as a user strums one or more string representations;

providing a strumming indication corresponding to the strumming placement data,

wherein the sensing and the providing steps utilize a same screen;

comparing the strumming indication with an associated sensed strumming pattern; and

determining whether the strumming indication matches the sensed strumming pattern.

8. A method comprising:

accessing finger placement data corresponding to a sequence of predetermined finger placements on a plurality of strings;

accessing strumming placement data corresponding to a pattern of predetermined strumming on a plurality of strings;

sensing a position for each finger of one or more fingers on one or more string representations;

providing a finger placement indication on the one or more string representations, the finger placement indication corresponding to each finger of the one or more fingers, based on the finger placement data,

wherein the sensing and the providing steps utilize a same screen;

sensing a user strumming pattern for a user as a user strums one or more second string representations;

providing a strumming indication corresponding to the strumming placement data;

comparing the strumming indication with an associated sensed strumming pattern;

determining whether the strumming indication matches the sensed strumming pattern;

comparing each finger placement indication location with an associated sensed position for each finger; and

determining whether the finger placement indication matches the sensed position for each finger.

9. An apparatus for self-instruction, comprising:

a storage unit for storing accessible finger placement data corresponding to a sequence of predetermined finger placements on a plurality of strings;

a touch-sensitive display unit for displaying string representations and indications of said predetermined finger placements, and for sensing a position for each finger of one or more fingers on one or more string representations,

wherein the sensing and the providing utilize a same screen; and

a processor unit for providing a finger placement indication on the touch-sensitive display unit, corresponding to each finger of the one or more fingers, based on the finger placement data,

wherein the processor unit compares each finger placement indication location with an associated sensed position for each finger and determines whether the finger placement indication matches the sensed position for each finger.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a storage unit for storing accessible strumming placement data corresponding to a pattern of predetermined strumming on a plurality of strings;

a touch sensitive display unit for displaying string representations and indications of the predetermined strumming, and for sensing a user strumming pattern for a user as a user strums one or more string representations;

a processor unit for providing a strumming indication corresponding to the strumming placement data;

a comparison unit for comparing the strumming indication with an associated sensed strumming pattern,

wherein the sensing and the providing steps utilize a same screen; and

a determination unit for determining whether the strumming indication matches the sensed strumming pattern.

11. A program embodied in a computer-readable medium to control a processor to implement a method, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing finger placement data corresponding to a sequence of predetermined finger placements on a plurality of objects;

sensing a position for each finger of one or more fingers on one or more object representations;

providing a finger placement indication on the one or more object representations, the finger placement indication corresponding to each finger of the one or more fingers, based on the finger placement data,

wherein the sensing and the providing steps utilize a same screen;

comparing each finger placement indication location with an associated sensed position for each finger; and

determining whether the finger placement indication matches the sensed position for each finger.