GB2049260A

GB2049260A - Electronic chord indicator

Info

Publication number: GB2049260A
Application number: GB8015142A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: DANNY J
Current assignee: DANNY J
Priority date: 1979-05-11
Filing date: 1980-05-07
Publication date: 1980-12-17

Abstract

Device for indicating individual notes of chords comprises keys 1 for selecting the chord note name, keys 2 for selecting the particular chord and lamps 4 associated with a keyboard. The lamps 4 being illuminated to show the notes required to construct the chord selected on pressing a key 1 and a key 2. The device embodies electrical circuitry and uses a diode matrix ROM or microprocessor-controlled RAM. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electronic device This invention relates to an electronic device, and particularly to an electronic device constituted in the form of a so-called pocket calculator.

According to this invention an electronic device comprises a first set of input keys; a second set of input keys; electronic logic means responsive to operation of any possible combination of one key from each of the first and second sets thereof to give a particular output associated with that combination; and output means to which the output of the logic means is supplied and operable in response thereto to indicate the output to a user of the device.

The device of this invention is of particular use in the comprehension of music, for which purpose the first set of keys would comprise twelve keys indicative of the twelve notes of the musical scale respectively; the second set of keys would comprise twelve keys indicative of the twelve principle chords possible for each note respectively; the logic means would be operable to determine the notes of any chord indicated by operation of any combination of one key from each of the two sets thereof; and the output means would comprise a plurality of lamps arranged to illuminate individual notes of a reproduction of a piano key board, the lamps lit being dependent upon the output of the logic means and illuminating the notes of the chord indicated by the particular combination of input keys operated.

The logic means can be in any one of a plurality of possible forms.

For example, a diode encoding matrix can be used to associate any two keys operated to cause the appropriate output to be given, the matrix being wired in accordance with the twelve chords for a particular note, e.g. the chords C MAJ to C 7DIM5, to effect lighting of the appropriate pattern of lamps in the output means for each particular chord, this pattern being shifted along the output lamp array by the appropriate distance when a chord of another note is required.With twelve notes and twelve possible chords for each note, i.e. 144 possible chords, such an arrangement requires twenty six notes, and thus lamps, in the output means, in order to be capable of indicating all the possible chords, since the chord of C DOM9 requires a span of fifteen notes in the basic wiring while a shift of eleven places is required in order to indicate 8 DOM9, the fifteenth note thus being shifted to note twenty-six. To achieve the required operation the output of the diode matrix for a particular chord coded therein is stored in parallel in a shift register and is then serially shifted the appropriate number of positions if necessary, the shift register then serving to effect illumination of the appropriate output lamps.

Another usable logic means comprises a read-only-memory programmed with the appropriate information to effect lighting of the appropriate lamps on operation of any pair of input keys, the memory being controlled by a microprocessor.

The capabilities of the two possible logic means discussed above are limited by the hard wiring of the diode matrix or the information initially stored in the memory.

A more versatile logic means comprises a random access memory which is controlled, written into and read by a microprocessor.

Such an arrangement enables chord patterns to be entered into the device at any time and the capabilities are limited only by the capacity of the memory used. Such an arrangement requires each chord to be entered in a coded manner, and this can be achieved either on the basis of the diode matrix with each of twelve basic chords being represented by, for example, a unique sixteen bit word, and each of the necessary twelve possible shifts being represented by, for example, a unique four bit word. Otherwise the coding can be on the basis of the arrangement utilising a read-onlymemory, with each possible chord pattern being represented by, for example, a unique combination of two sixteen bit words.

This invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of a device according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second device.

The device shown in the drawings is in the form of a so-called pocket calculator and comprises a case containing a power supply in the form of a battery. Mounted on the case are a first set of twelve input keys 1 each referenced with an individual one of the twelve notes of the musical scale, as shown. Also mounted on the case are a second set of twelve input keys 2 each referenced with an individual one of the twelve principle chords possible for each of the notes, as shown. The keys 1 and 2 can be of a type which are illuminated when operated in order to indicate operation.

Also mounted on the case is an array of twenty-six lamps 3 individually associated with respective notes of a representation 4 of a piano key board shown on the case.

Contained in the case with the power supply is electronic circuit logic means which can be of any one of the types previously discussed, the keys 1 and 2 and the lamps 3 being coupled to the logic means such that on operation of any combination of a key 1 and a key 2, the lamps 3 associated with the notes of the key board 4 making up the chord indicated by the operated keys 1 and 2 are lit to indicate the notes of the chord.

Preferably the keys 1 and 2 are such that they latch in the operated condition such that the lamps will remain lit until the keys are released

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising a first set of input keys; a second set of input keys; electronic logic means responsive to operation of any possible combination of one key from each of the first and second sets thereof to give a particular output associated with that combination; and output means to which the output of the logic means is supplied and operable in response thereto to indicate the output to a user of the device.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the first sets of keys comprise twelve keys indicative of the twelve notes of the musical scale respectively; the second set of keys comprise twelve keys indicative of the twelve principle chords possible for each note respectively; the logic means being operable to determine the notes of any chord indicated by operation of any combination of one key from each of the two sets thereof; and the output means comprise a plurality of lamps arranged to illuminate individual notes of a reproduction of a piano key board, the lamps lit being dependent upon the output of the logic means and illuminating the notes of the chord indicates by the particular combination of input keys operated.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the logic means comprises a diode encoding matrix to associate any two keys operated to cause the appropriate output to be given, the matrix being wired in accordance with the twelve chords for a particular note to effect lighting of the appropriate pattern of lamps in the output means for each particular chord, this pattern being shifted along the output lamp array by the appropriate distance when a chord of another note is required.

4. A device according to Claim 3, wherein for a particular chord coded the diode matrix stores same in parallel in a shift register and is then serially shifted the appropriate number of positions if necessary, the shift register then serving to effect illumination of the appropriate output lamps.

5. A device in accordance with Claim 1 or 2, wherein the logic means comprises a readonly-memory programmed with the appropriate information to effect lighting of the appropriate lamps on operation of any pair of input keys, the memory being controlled by a microprocessor.

6. A device in accordance with Claim 1 or 2, wherein the logic means comprises a random access memory which is controlled, written into and read by a microprocessor.

7. A device in accordance with Claim 6, wherein each chord is entered in a coded manner on the basis of the diode matrix with each of twelve basic chords being represented by a unique sixteen bit word, and each of the necessary twelve possible shifts being represented by a unique four bit word.

8. A device in accordance with Claim 6, wherein the coding is on the basis of an arrangement utilising a read-only-memory, with each possible chord pattern being represented by a unique combination of two sixteen bit words.

9. A device contructed and arranged to function substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.