Interactive guitar game designed for learning to play the guitar

• US 9,120,016 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ubisoft Entertainment S.A.
• Original Assignee: Ubisoft Entertainment S.A.
• Inventors: Epstein, Joseph Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, TRAMAR YONG
• Application Number:
  US12/623,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20100137049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,111 Days
• Field of Search: 844/77.R, 847/41, 847/24, 434/350, 257/103, 345/773
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/00 Teaching music metronomes G04F5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/023 Electrically operated
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0016 Means for indicating which keys, frets or strings are to be actuated, e.g. using lights or leds
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/066 for pitch analysis as part of wider processing for musical purposes, e.g. transcription, musical performance evaluation; Pitch recognition, e.g. in polyphonic sounds; Estimation or use of missing fundamental
• 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 2220/015 Musical staff, tablature or score displays, e.g. for score reading during a performance. graphical musical score editing G10H2220/121; musical score displays resulting from a transcription G10H2210/086
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/145 Multiplayer musical games, e.g. karaoke-like multiplayer videogames

Abstract

An interactive game designed for learning to play a guitar. A guitar may be connected to a computer or other platform, capable of loading music and displaying notes and chords and other feedback and visual learning aids on a display screen, allowing a user to read music and play along. The goal of the software or interactive game engine is for players to learn how to play a guitar. Users may operate the game in a number of modes with different goals, playing mini-games throughout the levels of the game. The game provides feedback and statistics to help users learn how to play the guitar.

Claims

1. An interactive guitar system for learning to play a song on a guitar comprising:

a guitar input device for receiving an analog or digital audio signal when the guitar is played by a user;

a processor executing a game engine configured to allow the user to play the song, assess a performance of the song by the user, determine a portion of the performance that should be improved, and, based on the assessed performance and the determined portion of the performance that should be improved, automatically generate at least one mini-game targeted to improving the user'"'"'s skills associated with performance of the determined portion,

wherein the at least one mini-game is different from the song on which the user'"'"'s performance was assessed; and

an audio-video display device for displaying notation to be played by a user for the song at a given time for the song and providing feedback on performance by the user.

2. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein the processor executing the game engine is configured to assess past performances of the user and recommend appropriate songs based on a skill level of the user as determined from the past performances.

3. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein the audio-video display device displays a played notation for the guitar input device of the song or portion thereof actually played by the user.

4. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein the guitar generates either a composite audio signal or a discrete audio signal for processing.

5. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein the notation is presented in a timeline view, the timeline view having notation scrolling from right to left and a video in the background, wherein an audio output of the song is timed to the scrolling notation, and wherein the scrolling notation includes notes or chords that reach a hit area indicating to the user to play the notes or chords within the hit area.

6. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1,

wherein the notation is a rotating notation and includes a plurality of symbols corresponding to notes or chords to be sequentially played in a repeatable manner,

wherein the note or chord symbols corresponding to notes or chords to be played next in the song are displayed in a front portion of the rotating notation, and wherein note or chord symbols corresponding to subsequent notes or chords of the song are displayed in a back portion of the rotating notation, and

wherein the note or chord symbols in the back portion of the rotating notation are partially viewable through the front portion of the rotating notation.

7. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1,

wherein the notation includes a plurality of symbols displaying note or chord names,

wherein the notation includes indications of timing of notes or chords to be sequentially played, and

wherein the notation includes a hit zone for indicating when the notes or chords are to be played.

8. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein the notation is displayed in a guitar neck view, the guitar neck view having a grid on top of a representation of a guitar fretboard and a display of note or chord names.

9. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1,

wherein the feedback on performance indicates whether the user has played an incorrect note or chord, and

wherein points are awarded according to a user'"'"'s timing of play.

10. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein the game engine, upon execution by the processor, is configured to include a framing narrative, the framing narrative framing a story as a progression of mini-games in which the user progresses through different levels of play.

11. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 10, wherein the progression of a particular mini-game pauses until the user has played a correct note or chord.

12. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein the audio-video display device displays separate notation to be played by more than one user.

13. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein said audio-video display device additionally provides, responsive to user performance of the song, one or more of:

a performance meter presented on the audio-video display device, an overall game score presented on the audio-video display device, an indication of a performance score boost, visual or text encouragement or discouragement, and a change in background video or animation.

14. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein the game engine, upon execution by the processor, is configured to provide a song interpreter that produces a game presentation of notes or chords to be displayed by a note or chord manager on the audio-video display device.

15. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein the game engine, upon execution by the processor, is configured to provide a strum indicator, which indicates a desired strum direction at a given time.

16. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein a displayed note, notes, chord, or chords to be played in the future during the song includes a different opacity than a note, notes, chord, or chords due to be currently played.

17. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein said song is provided from a library that includes at least one song purchased from an online store.

18. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 1, wherein the system is configured to associate the user with a distinct skill level based on experience and ability and to allow the user to find people of similar ability to challenge and collaborate.

19. An interactive guitar system for learning to play a song on a guitar comprising:

a guitar input device for receiving an analog or digital audio signal when the guitar is played by a user;

a processor executing game engine configured to allow the user to play the song, break the song into a plurality of sections, assess a performance of at least one of the plurality of sections as played by the user, identify at least one of the plurality of sections that should be improved, and automatically generate at least one mini-game targeted to improving the user'"'"'s performance of the identified section,

wherein the at least one mini-game is distinct and different from the identified section on which the user'"'"'s performance was assessed; and

an audio-video display device for displaying notation to be played by a user for the song at a given time for the song and providing feedback on performance by the user.

20. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein the plurality of sections represent different levels of play, such that one of the plurality of sections allows the user to target a type of technique for which the user desires to improve.

21. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein the processor executing the game engine is configured to assess past performances of the user and recommend appropriate songs based on a skill level of the user as determined from the past performances.

22. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein the audio-video display device displays a played notation for the guitar input device of the song or portion thereof actually played by the user.

23. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein the guitar generates either a composite audio signal or a discrete audio signal for processing.

24. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein the notation is presented in a timeline view, the timeline view having notation scrolling from right to left and a video in the background, wherein an audio output of the song is timed to the scrolling notation, and wherein the scrolling notation includes notes or chords that reach a hit area indicating to the user to play the notes or chords within the hit area.

25. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19,

wherein the notation is a rotating notation and includes a plurality of symbols corresponding to notes or chords to be sequentially played in a repeatable manner,

wherein the note or chord symbols corresponding to notes or chords to be played next in the song are displayed in a front portion of the rotating notation, and wherein note or chord symbols corresponding to subsequent notes or chords of the song are displayed in a back portion of the rotating notation, and

wherein the note or chord symbols in the back portion of the rotating notation are partially viewable through the front portion of the rotating notation.

26. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19,

wherein the notation includes a plurality of symbols displaying note or chord names, wherein the notation includes indications of timing of notes or chords to be sequentially played, and

wherein the notation includes a hit zone for indicating when the notes or chords are to be played.

27. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein the notation is displayed in a guitar neck view, the guitar neck view having a grid on top of a representation of a guitar fretboard and a display of note or chord names.

28. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19,

wherein the feedback on performance indicates whether the user has played an incorrect note or chord, and

wherein points are awarded according to a user'"'"'s timing of play.

29. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein the game engine, upon execution by the processor, is configured to include a framing narrative, the framing narrative framing a story as a progression of mini-games in which the user progresses through different levels of play.

30. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 29, wherein the progression of a particular mini-game pauses until the user has played a correct note or chord.

31. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein the audio-video display device displays separate notation to be played by more than one user.

32. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein said audio-video display device additionally provides, responsive to user performance of the song, one or more of:

a performance meter presented on the audio-video display device, an overall game score presented on the audio-video display device, an indication of a performance score boost, visual or text encouragement or discouragement, and a change in background video or animation.

33. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein the game engine, upon execution by the processor, is configured to provide a song interpreter that produces a game presentation of notes or chords to be displayed by a note or chord manager on the audio-video display device.

34. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein the game engine, upon execution by the processor, is configured to provide a strum indicator, which indicates a desired strum direction at a given time.

35. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein a displayed note, notes, chord, or chords to be played in the future during the song includes a different opacity than a note, notes, chord, or chords due to be currently played.

36. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein said song is provided from a library that includes at least one song purchased from an online store.

37. An interactive guitar playing system as in claim 19, wherein the system is configured to associate the user with a distinct skill level based on experience and ability and to allow the user to find people of similar ability to challenge and collaborate.