FR2789214A1 - Music player and composer incorporates microprocessor or microcontroller and synthesizer to combine multiple functions - Google Patents

Abstract

The system consists of a microprocessor or microcontroller (11) associated with a synthesizer circuit (16) linked to a CODEC (coder/ decoder) (19), and a loudspeaker and/or an outlet (3) for an exterior sound reproducer, a microphone or input (2) for an external microphone, and a display for words set to prerecorded music. The system consists of a microprocessor or microcontroller (11) associated with a synthesizer circuit (16) linked to a CODEC (coder/ decoder) (19). It also incorporates a loudspeaker and/or an outlet (3) for an exterior sound reproducer, a microphone or input (2) for an external microphone, and a display for words set to prerecorded music, with all the components housed in a single multi-function unit. Other components include a MIDI keyboard input (4) and outlet (5) for connecting to an exterior synthesizer or computer.

Description

The present invention relates to a device which plays musical pieces

  pre-recorded or composed of

automatic or assisted.

  Various devices which provide some of the functions of the device according to the invention exist on the

  market, but none offers all of these functions.

  As these various functions can be performed with sets of very similar components, their pooling involves a very low additional cost. The device according to

  the invention is therefore inexpensive, moreover it is particularly

  very easy to use. It therefore accessible to the general public, unlike the market offers which are aimed

in priority to professionals.

  The device according to the invention offers the following functions: 1) reproducing a pre-recorded musical piece;

  2) play a musical piece composed automatically

matic in real time;

  3) play a musical piece composed according to directions

  tives recorded by the user (assisted dialing); 4) mix in real time the voice of the user, or other sounds coming from a line input, with the music played; ) display the lyrics of a pre-recorded musical piece; 6) record sound samples which can then be mixed with a musical piece; 7) perform various treatments on the samples

  sound, such as: adding an echo, vibrato, dis-

  twist, frequency modulation, filtering, trans-

frequency position;

  8) download musical pieces from a computer

  tor and send a musical piece to this computer

- 2 - tutor;

  9) exchange non-musical information with an or-

  computer to configure the device according to the

  vention or to save data from the device according to the invention; ) operate as a synthesizer vis-à-vis a

  device capable of issuing musical commands

  the (musical keyboard, MIDI instrument, sequencer, computer);

  11) control an external synthesizer (also called ex-

  pander); 12) provide information on pre-recorded musical selections. These functions, called function number 1, function number 2, etc. in the rest of the text, are described more in

detail below.

  So that the number of musical pieces pre-

  is not limited, the device according to the invention may have a connector intended to receive plug-in memory modules which may contain

  pre-recorded musical pieces.

  Musical pieces composed automatically

  do not require any user intervention. However

  dant, the user will be able to choose the style of music

  composed if he wishes to remain in a particular register.

  For example, if the selected music style is background music, the device according to the invention will produce music that broadly meets this criterion for an indefinite period. A specific mode allows you to produce music of all available styles

in a random sequence.

  Function number 3 (play a musical piece composed

  -3- set according to instructions recorded by the user) is similar to a function which allows the user to compose the musical piece himself, but unlike devices on the market which offer this function (such as "Personal Music Assistants") and which are complex and tedious to use, the device according to the invention makes this function affordable to an audience which has no musical training. Consequently, the device according to the invention offers the user choices that are simple to make and supports the composition itself.

  of the musical piece according to these choices.

  Functions numbers 4 and 5 combined make up

which we call karaoke.

  Function number 12 can be used for cultural or recreational purposes (board game), using information such as the identity of the composer, the creation date of the work played, etc. The following settings are available for music played according to any of the functions number 1, 2 or 3 defined above: - adjustment of the volume; - tempo setting;

- adjustment of the pitch of the notes.

  In addition, the volume and pitch settings are available on the music played according to function number 10.

  The user can store a musical piece

  wedge composed automatically or assisted so as to

  be able to reproduce it identically at any time.

  When the device according to the invention plays the mu

  - 4 - according to any of the functions numbers 1, 2, 3 or 10, the user can mix voice in real time

  or other sounds from a microphone.

  In addition, the user can record several sound samples which can be incorporated into a musical composition either automatically (if the musical piece is composed automatically) or according to the user's instructions (if the musical piece is

assisted composition).

  All user data (saving a musical piece composed automatically or assisted, various settings, sound samples, etc.) can be saved automatically when the power is turned off. The use of a computer, a musical keyboard or an external synthesizer is optional, and the ordinary user can content himself with using the

  device according to the invention independently.

  Figure 1 shows by way of indication a possible aspect of the device according to the invention. This is presented as a box (1) which can be easily held in the hands. To produce music, it has at least one of the following: a built-in speaker that allows autonomous use, an output for headphones or a line output (3) for amplifier or other device

  sound reproduction. This box communicates with the utility

  reader using a moderate number of buttons or push buttons (7) (ten for information) and a digital or alphanumeric display (8) (a line of 16

  indicative characters). To record the samples

  sounds or to mix them directly with music, the device according to the invention has a microphone

- 5 -

  integrated phone or microphone input (2). To communicate with a musical keyboard or an external MIDI peripheral member, the device according to the invention has an input (4) and an output (5) in MIDI format. In fact, in the particular embodiment described below, the device according to the invention uses the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) format to code musical information, but other types of coding could be used (for example , the MP3 compression standard). To communicate with a computer, the device according to the invention can use either the MIDI interface (input (4) and output (5)),

  or another standardized interface in IT (inter-

  serial or parallel side, SCSI interface, etc.). The module

  plug-in memory is inserted into the connector (6).

  The control panel of the device according to the invention

  tion, that is to say the upper face of the housing comprising the keys, the window of the display and the screen printing, can be made with a polycarbonate, which allows

  customize the product inexpensively by simple modification

  tion of the screen printing and the layout of the keys. The control panel can thus be easily modified according to the country (language), or according to an application

specific (target marketing).

  The internal constitution of the device according to the invention

  tion, shown in Figure 2, is that of a micro-

  processor or microcontroller (11) coupled to a music synthesizer component (16). Control functions (microprocessor / microcontroller) and music synthesis

  (synthesizer) can be integrated into the same component

  health. A possible embodiment of the device according to the invention is described below. Many variants are possible, taking into account the different components

available on the market.

  6 - The microcontroller (11) addresses a RAM memory (12) and a Flash memory (13) for the program and the initialized data. The initialized data contained in this

  memory (13) may include pre-

  saved. The use of a Flash memory rather than a ROM or an EPROM makes it possible to update the program of the microcontroller by downloading from a computer, via the interface provided for this purpose (4). The data that

  must be memorized when the device according to the invention

  tion is off are stored in a second Flash memory (14). The latter is a memory module

  pluggable connected by a connector (6) and a two-way buffer

  directional (15) to allow the extraction or insertion of the module under tension without risk of disturbing

the microcontroller bus.

  The characteristics of the plug-in memory module (14) allow the user to easily change the module, and therefore to overcome the memory capacity limitation of a memory module. In addition these plug-in memory modules can be delivered with a number of pre-recorded musical pieces, programs

  additional or a new version of the main program

  pal, while leaving a free area for the data of

the user.

  The microcontroller (11) manages the user interface,

  using the buttons or push-buttons (7) and the display

choir (8).

  The microcontroller (11) also controls a circuit

  integrated synthesizer (16) which he sees as a peripheral.

  This synthesizer circuit (16) is in fact a computer which addresses its own memories RAM (17) and ROM (18). The ROM memory (18) contains the program of this computer as well as the sample table ("Wave Table"). It can - 7- possibly be replaced by a RAM or Flash memory,

  in order to be able to modify the sample table at will.

  The synthesizer circuit (16) controls a CODEC (19) which converts the digital signal generated by the synthesizer into an analog audio signal which is amplified by the amplifier (21) before being supplied to the LINE OUT connector (3). The latter can be connected to a sound reproduction device such as a pair of headphones or an electroacoustic system. The CODEC (19) also converts the analog signal received on the MIC connector (2), after amplification by the preamplifier (20), into a digital signal. The MIC connector (2) is intended to receive a microphone. The synthesizer circuit (16) can add in real time the signal coming from the microphone to the musical signal which it generates, which makes it possible to carry out the

  function number 4. The synthesizer circuit (16) can also

  ment, on command from the microcontroller (11), send to this

  last the samples coming from the microphone. The mic-

  controller (11) then stores these samples in Flash memory (14) for later use, which allows

perform function number 6.

  The synthesizer circuit (16) can receive information

  musical mations in MIDI format via the MIDI IN connector (4) through the buffer (22), which makes it possible to perform function number 10. In addition, the connector (4) can be used to download musical or non-musical data coming from of a computer using, if necessary, the "System Exclusive" messages of the MIDI protocol, which makes it possible to carry out the

functions numbers 8 and 9.

  The synthesizer circuit (16) can finally transmit musical information in MIDI format via the connector (5) through the buffer (23), which makes it possible to carry out the

function number 11.

- 8 -

  The processes implemented to carry out the functions numbers 1 to 12 of the device according to the invention in the mode

  particular embodiment indicated in the description are

described below.

  Function number 1 (reproduce a pre-recorded musical piece

  recorded): the microcontroller (11) reads the musical piece prerecorded in MIDI format from Flash memory (14) or program memory (13) and sends MIDI commands to the synthesizer circuit (16) taking into account the time information contained in the MIDI file. The synthesizer circuit (16) therefore generates a signal

  digital music that is converted to analog audio signal

  only by the CODEC (19) and delivered via the amplifier (21)

to the LINE OUT socket (3).

  Function number 2 (play a musical piece composed automatically in real time): the microcontroller (11) reads the style of music chosen by the user and automatically composes a musical piece in time

  real. Various devices capable of automatic dialing-

  ment a musical piece have already been described, as for example in U.S. patent number 4,399,731. This composition work consists in producing in real time commands which are sent to the synthesizer circuit (16). The latter consequently generates a digital musical signal which is converted into an analog audio signal by the CODEC (19) and

  delivered via the amplifier (21) to the LINE OUT socket (3).

  A user interface menu allows you to save

  in the Flash memory (14) the musical piece that the

  tif according to the invention is playing. This musical piece can then be played identically in the same way as a pre-recorded musical piece (function

number 1).

  Function number 3 (assisted dialing): the micro-

  -9- controller (11) reads the defined composition parameters

  by the user and compose a musical piece in real time

  wedge that satisfies these parameters. This composition mode is actually quite close to the automatic composition mode used in function number 2, except that a certain number of musical parameters have been defined beforehand.

  by the user, while they are determined automatically

  Only in the automatic composition mode of function number 2. This composition work consists, in the same way as for function number 2, in generating in real time commands which are sent to the synthesizer circuit (16). The latter consequently generates a digital musical signal which is converted into an analog audio signal by the CODEC (19) and delivered via the amplifier (21) to the LINE OUT jack (3). A menu in the user interface allows the musical piece that the device according to the invention is playing to be saved in the Flash memory (14). This musical piece can then be played identically in the same way as a musical piece.

  pre-recorded (function number 1).

  Function number 4 (mix in real time the voice of the user, or other sounds coming from a line input, with the music played): this function can be used at the same time as the functions numbers 1, 2, 3 and 10. It is performed by the synthesizer circuit (16) under the control of the microcontroller (11). The synthesizer circuit (16) adds in real time the signal coming from the microphone to the socket (2) (after amplification by the preamplifier (20) and conversion into digital samples by the CODEC (19)) to the musical signal which it generates. The relative level of the signal coming from the microphone compared to the musical signal, which the user has defined by a menu of the interface

  user, is transmitted by a microcontroller command

  their (11) to the synthesizer circuit (16). The resulting signal is then converted into an analog audio signal by the CODEC

- 10 -

  (19) and delivered via the amplifier (21) to the LINE socket

OUT (3).

  Function number 5 (display the lyrics of a prerecorded musical piece): the microcontroller (11) extracts the lyrics of the musical piece which are contained in the

  MIDI file of the latter and write them on the

  chor (8) in real time while the musical piece is being played.

  Function number 6 (record sound samples

  which can then be mixed with a musical piece

  wedge): for recording the sound samples, the synthesizer circuit (16) sends the samples coming from the microphone to the socket (2) (after amplification by the

  preamplifier (20) and conversion into digital samples

  via the CODEC (19)) to the microcontroller (11). The one-

  ci stores them in Flash memory (14) for later use

  laughing. The sound samples can then be mixed

  to automatically composed music (i.e.

  i.e. according to function number 1) or assisted (i.e. according to function number 2). For this, the microcontroller reads the sound samples in the Flash memory (14) and sends them to the synthesizer circuit (16) which adds them in real time to the musical signal it generates. Different ways of performing this function have been described, for

  example in French patent number 9813992.

  Function number 7 (perform various treatments on

  sound samples, such as: adding an echo, vibrating

  to, distortion, frequency modulation, filtering, transpo-

  frequency): this function is associated with function number 6. These treatments are carried out by methods known according to the state of the art. Some of them

  can be performed in real time by the synthetic circuit

  sister (16). Others lend themselves better to treatment in

- 11 -

  real time by the microcontroller (11) (indeed, according to the operation of function number 6, the sound samples pass through the microcontroller (11)). As for the treatments which cannot be carried out in real time, they are carried out in deferred time by the microcontroller (11) at a time when the device according to the invention does not play music. The microcontroller (11) will then read the sound sample selected by the user in the Flash memory (14), carry out the processing without any particular time constraint, then will store the modified sound sample in the Flash memory (14), either in place of the original sample or in a new location

  memory, depending on the option chosen by the user.

  Function number 8 (download musical pieces from a computer and send a musical piece to this computer): the transfer of musical pieces between the device according to the invention and a computer is done using the MIDI interface consisting of connectors (4) and (5). The musical pieces are transferred via the buffers (22) and (23) in one direction or the other in the form of files in MIDI format. The computer can be used by more experienced users to carry out operations for editing musical pieces that are more advanced than what the device according to the invention used allows.

independently.

  Function number 9 (exchange non-musical information

  holds with a computer to configure the device according to the invention or to save data from the device according to the invention): non-musical data such as sound samples and adjustment parameters of the device according to the invention can also be exchanged between the device according to the invention and the computer using the same MIDI connectors (4) and (5), for example thanks to the "System Exclusive" messages of the

- 12 -

  MIDI protocol. This mechanism can also be used to download

  a new version of the microcontroller program (11) in its Flash memory (13) from the computer.

  Function number 10 (operate as a synthesizer vis-à-vis a device capable of transmitting musical commands): by plugging into the connector (4) a musical keyboard whose output responds in MIDI format or another MIDI instrument, or a computer that sends MIDI commands in real time, the notes received can be transmitted directly, via the buffer (22), to the circuit

  synthesizer (16) which plays them in real time.

  Function number 11 (control an external synthesizer

  ): the MIDI output of the device according to the invention

  (connector (5)) can be connected to an external synthesizer

  laughing. When playing music, the device according to the invention can send, via the buffer (23), the commands

  corresponding musical notes on the connector (5). The synth

  therefore, the external player can reproduce at the same time the music played by the device according to the invention. This optional function is only useful if the external synthesizer produces sounds complementary to those produced

by the synthesizer circuit (16).

  Function number 12 (provide information on pre-recorded musical pieces): pre-recorded musical pieces can be synthesized and sent to the audio output (3), while questions concerning the song played are sent to the display ( 8). The responses are sent to the display (8) after pressing any key (7) on the control panel. It is also possible to display information about a musical piece without this piece being played. The musical pieces and the questions / answers relating thereto can be stored in the plug-in memory module (14) or in the memory -13 -

Internal flash (13).

- 14 -

Claims (10)

  1. Device characterized in that it plays prerecorded musical pieces - or composed automatically or assisted, in that it comprises a micropro-   stopper or microcontroller (11) associated with a synthetic circuit   tiser (16) connected to a CODEC (19), in that it comprises an integrated loudspeaker and / or an output (3) for external sound reproduction device, and in that these components make it possible to combine with the inside the same device, functionalities previously existing in elements separate and more expensive.   2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it has a display (8) and that it can display the   lyrics of a pre-recorded musical piece.   3. Device according to claim 1 or the claim   cation 2 characterized in that it also includes an integrated microphone and / or an input (2) for external microphone.   4. Device according to any one of the claims.   1 to 3 characterized in that it has a MIDI input (4) which can be connected to a musical keyboard, a MIDI instrument or a computer, and a MIDI output (5) which can be   connected to an external synthesizer or a computer.   5. Device according to claim 3 or the claim   cation 4 characterized in that it can mix in real time the voice of the user or other sounds coming from a microphone to the music played.   6. Device according to any one of the claims.   tions 3 to 5 characterized in that it can record sound samples which can then be mixed with - 15 -   a musical piece, and in that it can possibly perform various treatments on the sound samples, such as: adding an echo, vibrato, distortion, modulation   frequency, filtering, frequency transposition.   7. Device according to any one of the claims.   tions 1 to 6 characterized in that it comprises a connector (6) intended to receive plug-in memory modules (14) which can contain pre-recorded musical pieces and / or programs, and which can store user data : settings, musical pieces composed of   automatic or assisted, sound samples.   8. Device according to any one of the claims.   tions 4 to 7 characterized in that it can exchange musical data, sound samples and data   configuration with a computer, and receive a new   old version of program from computer.   9. Device according to any one of the claims.   1 to 8 characterized in that the control panel is   made with polycarbonate, which allows customization ser the product inexpensively.   10. Device according to any one of the claims.   tions 2 to 9 characterized in that it uses the input / output elements (display (8), keys / push buttons (7)) to ask questions and provide answers on   a pre-recorded musical piece.