Cyber reality musical instrument and device

• US 9,542,919 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2016
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Topdown Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Beamz Interactive, Inc.
• Inventors: Bencar, Gary, Nystrom, Todd, Riopelle, Gerald Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Warren, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHREIBER, CHRISTINA MARIE
• Application Number:
  US15/215,427
• Time in Patent Office: 174 Days
• Field of Search: 846/09
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0025 Automatic or semi-automatic music composition, e.g. producing random music, applying rules from music theory or modifying a musical piece automatically producing a series of tones G10H1/26
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/18 Selecting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/105 Composing aid, e.g. for supporting creation, edition or modification of a piece of music
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/125 Medley, i.e. linking parts of different musical pieces in one single piece, e.g. sound collage, DJ mix
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/096 using a touch screen touch screen note input, e.g. using a displayed keyboard G10H2220/241; personal digital assistant [PDA] G10H2230/015
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/111 for graphical orchestra or soundstage control, e.g. on-screen selection or positioning of instruments in a virtual orchestra, using movable or selectable musical instrument icons soundstage sound field effects G10H2210/305
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/401 3D sensing, i.e. three-dimensional (x, y, z) position or movement sensing. movement pattern or gesture sensing G10H2220/201; geolocation sensing G10H2220/355, 3D sensing with accelerometer G10H2220/395
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/415 Infrared beams
• 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 3/00 Instruments in which the tones are generated by electromechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 7/00 Instruments in which the tones are synthesised from a data store, e.g. computer organs

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating and presenting sensory stimulating content in a cyber reality environment. One aspect of the disclosure allows a composer to associate audio content with one or more virtual triggers, and to define behavior characteristics which control the functioning of each virtual trigger. Another aspect of the disclosure provides a variety of user interfaces through which a performer can cause content to be presented to an audience.

Claims

1. A music instrument configured to allow a user to compose musical sounds, comprising:

a plurality of virtual triggers;

an electronic processor responsive to the plurality of virtual triggers, and configured to generate control signals as a function of the virtual triggers selected by a user;

a plurality of music programs, the electronic processor configured to generate an electronic signal as a function of the control signals and the plurality of music programs;

a sound generator configured to generate audible musical sounds as a function of the electronic signal;

a cyber reality headset configured to display the virtual triggers; and

wherein each said music program comprises sound elements comprising a subset of a musical composition, the music programs are correlated to each other, and the generated audible musical sounds are synchronized to each other.

2. The music instrument as specified in claim 1 wherein each virtual trigger is associated with a unique musical instrument.

3. The music instrument as specified in claim 2 further comprising a display configured to depict an image indicative of the musical instruments.

4. The music instrument as specified in claim 1 wherein the electronic processor is configured to selectively associate the music programs with each of the plurality of virtual triggers.

5. The music instrument as specified in claim 1 further comprising an application engine controlled by the processor, a definition engine responsive to the application engine, and a plurality of media files including the music programs and accessible by the application engine.

6. The music instrument as specified in claim 1 wherein the virtual triggers are configured such that the plurality of the virtual triggers can be simultaneously controlled by a user'"'"'s hands or fingers.

7. The music instrument as specified in claim 1 wherein when one of the virtual triggers is in a first state for a prolonged period of time successive said audible musical sounds are generated.

8. The music instrument as specified in claim 1 wherein the audible musical sounds are sympathetic.

9. The music instrument as specified in claim 1 wherein each of the music programs are a subset of a song.

10. A device configured to allow a user to compose musical sounds, comprising:

a plurality of virtual triggers, each virtual trigger associated with a unique musical instrument;

an electronic processor responsive to the plurality of virtual triggers;

a plurality of music programs, the electronic processor configured to generate electronic signals as a function of the plurality of music programs and the plurality of virtual triggers, wherein each said music program comprises sound elements comprising a subset of a predetermined musical composition; and

a sound generator configured to generate synchronized sympathetic audible musical sounds as a function of the electronic signals; and

a cyber reality headset configured to display the virtual triggers.

11. The device as specified in claim 10 further comprising an application engine controlled by the processor, a definition engine responsive to the application engine, and a plurality of media files including the music programs and accessible by the application engine.

12. The device as specified in claim 11 wherein the virtual triggers are configured such that the plurality of the virtual triggers can be simultaneously controlled by the user'"'"'s hands or fingers.

13. The device as specified in claim 10 wherein each virtual trigger is associated with a unique musical instrument.

14. The device as specified in claim 13 further comprising a display configured to depict an image indicative of the musical instruments.

15. The device as specified in claim 10 wherein the electronic processor is configured to determine when one virtual trigger has changed state.

16. The device as specified in claim 15 wherein when one of the virtual triggers is in a first state for a prolonged period of time successive said audible musical sounds are generated.

17. The device as specified in claim 10 wherein the electronic processor is configured to associate the music programs with the plurality of virtual triggers.

18. The device as specified in claim 10 wherein the music programs are correlated to each other.