CONTROL OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYBACK FROM REMOTE MANAGEMENT STATION

• US 20060230911A1
• Filed: 04/17/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SOLI Music Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Contois Music Technology LLC
• Inventors: Contois, Daniel P., Contois, David C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,767,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/645
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/125 Library distribution, i.e. distributing musical pieces from a central or master library
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound beam G10H2220/405

Abstract

A music playing system includes a computer and user interface to access a media database. A wireless base station device has a line out port providing two channel output. An automatic player piano has analog MIDI inputs, and a piano keyboard mechanism. The computer communicates wirelessly with the base station device, and the line out of the base station device outputs two channels which are connected to the analog MIDI inputs. A musical work, including related audio and MIDI data codes, is stored in the media database, with the different data codes in association with two different channels. The music data is sent via the wireless base station to the corresponding inputs of the piano. The piano sound system produces sound from the audio data codes and sends actuation signals to the keyboard mechanism, based on the MIDI codes.

Claims

1. A system for playing music, comprising:

a computer system with ITUNES and AIRTUNES software, and a wireless LAN capability;

an APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS device with a line out port;

a YAMAHA piano system, having a control system with an analog MIDI input, an automatic playing system, a piano keyboard mechanism, and a sound producing system, the automatic playing system being operable to send actuation signals to the keyboard mechanism;

the computer system storing YAMAHA PIANOSOFT music data of at least one musical work, including audio data codes and MIDI data codes relating to the work, the audio data codes being stored in association with a first channel and the MIDI data codes being stored in association with a second channel;

the ITUNES software having a music library with the music data of the YAMAHA PIANOSOFT disc;

the computer system communicating with the APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS device using the wireless LAN capability;

the line out port of the APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS providing first and second output channels;

the first and second output channels of the APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS being connected to the analog MIDI inputs of the control system;

the ITUNES software being configured, with the AIRTUNES software, to send music data to the APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS;

wherein;

the ITUNES software responds to a request to play the YAMAHA PIANOSOFT music data by sending the music data, including the audio data codes and the MIDI data codes, to the APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS;

the APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS outputs the audio data codes from the first output channel and the MIDI data codes from the second output channel to the analog MIDI inputs of the control system;

the control system of the YAMAHA piano system provides the MIDI data codes to the automatic playing system of the YAMAHA piano system;

the control system of the YAMAHA piano system provides the audio data codes to the sound producing system to output audible sound; and

the automatic playing system of the YAMAHA piano responds to the MIDI data codes by sending actuation signals to the keyboard mechanism.

2. A system for playing music, comprising:

a computer system having a user interface for allowing a user access to media pieces stored in a media database, and a wireless LAN capability;

a wireless base station device with a line out port;

a MIDI-enabled musical instrument system, having a control system with an analog MIDI input, an automatic playing system, an instrument mechanism, and a sound producing system, the automatic playing system being operable to send actuation signals to the instrument mechanism;

the media database of the computer system storing music data of at least one musical work, including audio data codes and MIDI data codes relating to the work, the audio data codes being stored in association with a first channel and the MIDI data codes being stored in association with a second channel;

the computer system communicating with the wireless base station device using the wireless LAN capability;

the line out port of the wireless base station device providing a first and second output channels;

the first and second output channels of the wireless base station device being connected to the audio MIDI inputs of the control system;

the user interface, for allowing user access to the media pieces stored in the media database, being configured to send music data to the wireless base station device;

wherein;

the user interface responds to a request to play the music data of the at least one musical work by sending the music data, including the audio data codes and the MIDI data codes, to the wireless base station device;

the wireless base station device outputs the audio data codes from the first output channel and the MIDI data codes from the second output channel to the analog MIDI inputs of the control system;

the control system provides the MIDI data codes to the automatic playing system of the MIDI-enabled musical instrument;

the control system provides the audio data codes to the sound producing system of the MIDI-enabled musical instrument system to output audible sound; and

the automatic playing system of the MIDI-enabled musical instrument responds to the MIDI data codes by sending actuation signals to the instrument mechanism.