Selectively displaying song lyrics

• US 8,026,435 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• 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, Egozy, Eran B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad; Elvin G
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORN, ROBERT WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US12/474,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20100300267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 844/70.R, 844/77.R, 846/09, 846/10, 846/16, 846/34, 434/307.A, 434/307.R, 434/350
• US Class Current: 84/477.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/091 for performance evaluation, i.e. judging, grading or scoring the musical qualities or faithfulness of a performance, e.g. with respect to pitch, tempo or other timings of a reference performance
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/251 Chorus, i.e. automatic generation of two or more extra voices added to the melody, e.g. by a chorus effect processor or multiple voice harmonizer, to produce a chorus or unison effect, wherein individual sounds from multiple sources with roughly the same timbre converge and are perceived as one
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/011 Lyrics displays, e.g. for karaoke applications

Abstract

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for selectively displaying song lyrics in a rhythm-action game. In one aspect this is accomplished by determining a number of vocal cues to be displayed on a display in communication with a game platform, where the vocal cues are each associated with a lyric. Provided a number of areas available to display a set of lyrics, either before run-time or determined at run-time, the game platform determines, based on a lyric priority associated with each lyric, which of the lyrics associated with each vocal cue to display when the number of vocal cues exceeds the number of areas available.

Claims

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

determining, by the game platform, a number of vocal cues to be displayed on the display, the vocal cues each associated with a lyric;

providing a number of areas available to display a set of lyrics;

determining, by the game platform, based on a lyric priority associated with each lyric, which of the lyrics associated with each vocal cue to display when the number of vocal cues exceeds the number of areas available.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the vocal cues and an associated lyric are associated with a lead vocal part in a musical composition.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the vocal cues and corresponding lyrics are associated with a plurality of harmony vocal parts in the musical composition.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the lyric priority of each of the plurality of lyrics is predetermined.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the lyric priority of each of the plurality of lyrics is assigned randomly.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein providing comprises predetermining the number of areas available to display the set of lyrics before execution of the computerized method.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein providing comprises determining the number of areas available to display the set of lyrics during execution of the computerized method.

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:

determine a number of vocal cues to be displayed on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, the vocal cues each associated with a lyric;

determine a number of areas available to display a set of lyrics;

determine, based on a lyric priority associated with each lyric, which of the lyrics associated with each vocal cue to display when the number of vocal cues exceeds the number of areas available.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein one of the vocal cues and an associated lyric are associated with a lead vocal part in a musical composition.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein a plurality of the vocal cues and corresponding lyrics are associated with a plurality of harmony vocal parts in the musical composition.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the lyric priority of each of the plurality of lyrics is predetermined.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the lyric priority of each of the plurality of lyrics is assigned randomly.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein providing comprises predetermining the number of areas available to display the set of lyrics before operation of the data processing apparatus.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein providing comprises determining the number of areas available to display the set of lyrics during operation of the data processing apparatus.

15. A system comprising:

a data processing apparatus configured to;

determine a number of vocal cues to be displayed on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, the vocal cues each associated with a lyric;

determine a number of areas available to display a set of lyrics;

determine, based on a lyric priority associated with each lyric, which of the lyrics associated with each vocal cue to display when the number of vocal cues exceeds the number of areas available.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein one of the vocal cues and an associated lyric are associated with a lead vocal part in a musical composition.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein a plurality of the vocal cues and corresponding lyrics are associated with a plurality of harmony vocal parts in the musical composition.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the lyric priority of each of the plurality of lyrics is predetermined.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the lyric priority of each of the plurality of lyrics is assigned randomly.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein providing comprises predetermining the number of areas available to display the set of lyrics before use of the apparatus.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein providing comprises determining the number of areas available to display the set of lyrics during use of the apparatus.

22. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining a number of vocal cues to be displayed on a display in signal communication with the apparatus, the vocal cues each associated with a lyric;

means for determining a number of areas available to display a set of lyrics;

means for determining, based on a lyric priority associated with each lyric, which of the lyrics associated with each vocal cue to display when the number of vocal cues exceeds the number of areas available.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein one of the vocal cues and an associated lyric are associated with a lead vocal part in a musical composition.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein a plurality of the vocal cues and corresponding lyrics are associated with a plurality of harmony vocal parts in the musical composition.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the lyric priority of each of the plurality of lyrics is predetermined.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the lyric priority of each of the plurality of lyrics is assigned randomly.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein determining the number of areas available to display the set of lyrics comprises predetermining the number of areas available to display the set of lyrics before use of the apparatus.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein determining the number of areas available to display the set of lyrics comprises determining the number of areas available to display the lyrics during use of the apparatus.