KR100385630B1 - Apparatus and method for reproducing midi file - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a midi file playback apparatus and method having a standardized music storage / playback format, and more particularly, to receive sound information contained in a midi file stored in a predetermined auxiliary memory device. The present invention relates to a midi file reproducing apparatus and method for providing a visual or tactile effect as well as an auditory effect to a user by independently converting and reproducing sound information into light or vibration corresponding to height and intensity.

The MIDI file reproducing apparatus includes a MIDI signal input unit for inputting a signal of a MIDI file by a floppy disk, a hard disk, a computer sound card, and an external MIDI interface; A MIDI signal processor for converting a signal input through the MIDI signal input unit into a sound signal, a light signal, and a vibration signal according to a user's selection signal and outputting each of them to a sound output device, a visual display device, and a vibration output device; And a user controller configured to provide a user control signal to the MIDI signal processor to process the MIDI signal input to the MIDI signal processor into a sound signal, a light signal, or a vibration signal.

Description

Apparatus and method for reproducing midi file}

The present invention relates to a MIDI file playback apparatus and method having a standardized music storage / playback format, and more particularly, to receive sound information contained in a MIDI file stored in a predetermined auxiliary memory device. The present invention relates to a midi file reproducing apparatus and a method for providing a visual or tactile effect as well as an auditory effect to a user by independently converting and reproducing sound information into light or vibration corresponding to height and intensity.

On the other hand, the present invention enables the user to receive a visual and / or tactile feeling and impression other than the sound by allowing the user to also generate a visual and / or tactile signal to the electronic musical instruments that only sounded about the pitch information, the visual of the instrument And / or a MIDI file reproducing apparatus and method for allowing a user, particularly visually and hearing impaired, to easily learn a playing method through tactile expression.

On the other hand, the present invention converts and reproduces the original data of the instrument performance as a standardized music storage and playback format from a MIDI file having various playback and creation tools to information having a separate visual and tactile feeling. The present invention relates to a MIDI file reproducing apparatus and method that not only enables the user to make a desired song through visual / tactile, but also makes it easy for the user to learn a song that he / she wants to learn.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol designed to record or play music on digital synthesizers supported by many computer (PC) soundcard makers. It was intended to control the keyboard, but it was quickly adopted by computers. MIDI does not directly represent the sound of music, but instead transmits information about how the music is made. The instruction set includes note on, note off, key speed, pitch bend, and other ways to control the synthesizer. The generated sound waves are stored in a wave table in the receiver or sound card. Since these MIDI files only represent instrument information, they are much simpler than the formats that deal directly with sound.

Currently, the above-mentioned method of sounding the MIDI file is possible through a computer equipped with a sound card as described above, or through a MIDI device or synthesizer. In addition, there are a number of musical instruments that display the pitch of the sound currently being played on an electronic musical instrument such as a keyboard.

By the way, the device that plays the MIDI file as shown above shows the information visually through a display device such as a liquid crystal or a monitor, but the user can actually practice to learn how to play a real instrument while viewing the information. It is not useful because there is no tool. In addition, a device that displays the pitch of the sound currently being played on an electronic musical instrument such as a keyboard is not standardized because the source data of the music is unique to each company, and there are not many ways to develop the source data. In addition, the source data only responds to the pitch data. Thus, the amount of source data is very small compared to the standardized MIDI file, and the tone, tremor and pitch change existing in the MIDI file or in each maker's independent music file format are different. Do not use information such as effects or effects.

The present invention was created to solve the above problems, and receives the sound information contained in the MIDI file stored in the predetermined auxiliary memory device and converts the sound information into light or vibration corresponding to the height and strength. It is an object of the present invention to provide a MIDI file reproducing apparatus and method capable of providing a visual or tactile effect as well as an auditory effect to a user by converting and reproducing independently.

Still another object of the present invention is to enable a user to receive visual and / or tactile feelings and impressions other than sound by allowing visual and / or tactile signals to be generated in electronic instruments that have only sounded for pitch information. The present invention provides a MIDI file reproducing apparatus and method that enables users, particularly visually impaired, to easily learn how to play through visual and / or tactile expressions of musical instruments.

Another object of the present invention is to visually and tactilely convert and reproduce original data of a musical instrument performance from a MIDI file having various reproduction and creation tools as a standardized music storage and reproduction format. The present invention provides a device and a method for playing a MIDI file that make it easy to learn a song that you want to create and learn.

1 is a block diagram of a MIDI file reproducing apparatus according to the present invention;

2 is a schematic structural diagram of a standardized MIDI file associated with the present invention.

3 is a structure of a header chank structure of a standardized MIDI file related to the present invention.

4 is a structure of a track chank of a standardized MIDI file related to the present invention.

5 is a flowchart of a process of extracting MIDI information necessary for converting from a MIDI file into a light signal and a vibration signal in a file.

6 is a flowchart of a MIDI file playback method according to the present invention;

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: MIDI signal input unit 110: floppy disk

200: MIDI signal processing unit 210: control unit

220: microprocessor 230: light signal conversion unit

235: sound signal converter 240: vibration signal converter

255: vibration signal amplifier 275: light signal switch

260: visual display device 300: user control unit

MIDI file playback apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object,

A MIDI signal input unit for inputting a signal of a MIDI file by a floppy disk, a hard disk, a computer sound card, and an external MIDI interface; A MIDI signal processor for converting a signal input through the MIDI signal input part into a sound output device, a visual display device, and a vibration output device by converting a sound signal, a light signal, and a vibration signal according to a user's selection signal; And a user controller configured to provide a user control signal to the MIDI signal processor to process the MIDI signal input to the MIDI signal processor into a sound signal, a light signal, or a vibration signal. The MIDI signal processor may include a digital MIDI signal. A light signal converting means for converting an analog light signal and a vibration signal converting means for converting a digital MIDI signal into an analog vibration signal are provided.

In addition, the MIDI file playback method according to the present invention for achieving the above object,

A method for reproducing a MIDI file with a sound signal and a signal other than the sound signal, the method comprising: selecting a user to convert the MIDI file into a desired signal; Transmitting a sound signal if a signal desired by the user is a sound signal; Transmitting a light signal if a signal desired by a user is a light signal; Transmitting a vibration signal if the signal desired by the user is a vibration signal; And transmitting a plurality of signals when a plurality of signals desired by the user are among the sound signal, the light signal, and the vibration signal, and through the steps, pitches from the MIDI signal to reproduce the MIDI file as a signal other than sound. When the instrument is played with your finger, and displays the position to be played as a light signal, the color of each finger is displayed differently or the light signal is different from a predetermined position where the same sound is produced. It is characterized by the fact that it is indicated.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a MIDI file reproducing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram of a MIDI file reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a standardized MIDI file related to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a header of a standardized MIDI file related to the present invention. 4 is a structure of a track chank of a standardized MIDI file related to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process of extracting MIDI information necessary for converting a MIDI file into a light signal and a vibration signal according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a MIDI file reproducing method according to the present invention.

1, a MIDI signal input unit 100 for inputting a signal of a MIDI file by a floppy disk 110, a hard disk 120, a computer sound card 130, and an external MIDI interface 140; The signal input through the MIDI signal input unit 100 is converted into a sound signal, a light signal, and a vibration signal according to a user's selection signal, and each of them is converted into a sound output device 260, a visual display device 265, and a vibration output device 270. MIDI signal processing unit 200 for outputting; And a user control unit 300 which provides a user control signal to the MIDI signal processing unit 200 so that the MIDI signal input to the MIDI signal processing unit 200 is processed into a sound signal, a light signal, or a vibration signal. As illustrated, the MIDI signal processor 200 includes a controller 210, a main memory 215, a microprocessor 220, and a liquid crystal display 225. In addition, the MIDI signal processor 200 includes a light signal converter 230, a sound signal converter 235, a vibration signal converter 240, a light signal amplifier 245, a sound signal amplifier 250, vibration The signal amplifier 255 is provided. In addition, the MIDI signal processor 200 may turn on / off light signals, sound signals, and vibration signals to the visual display device 260, the sound output device 265, and the vibration output device 270, respectively. Switches 275, 280, and 285.

According to the present invention, the input of the MIDI signal to the control unit 210 of the MIDI signal processing unit 200 is achieved by the floppy disk 110, the hard disk 120, the computer sound card 130 or the external MIDI interface 140. do. The MIDI signal input to the controller 210 is first input to the main memory 215. In this case, when the user selects a signal from among a light signal, a sound signal, and a vibration signal by using the user controller 300, the controller 210 recognizes a signal of the user controller 300 to recognize the main memory device 215. Get a MIDI signal from Here, of course, the user may repeatedly select the MIDI signal from among the light signal, the sound signal, and the vibration signal through the user controller 300. For example, the MIDI signal may be converted into a light signal and a vibration signal.

The MIDI signal transferred from the main memory device 215 to the control unit 210 is sent to each of the conversion units 230, 235 and 240 through the process of extracting necessary information from the MIDI file signal from the microprocessor 220 and then suitable for the MIDI signal. The signal is converted to an appropriate signal and transmitted to the user.

For example, when a user sends a signal to the controller 210 through the user control unit 300 to change the MIDI signal into a sound signal, the signal is input to the controller 210 and the controller 210 controls the main memory 215. ) Takes the midi signal and sends it to the microprocessor 220. The microprocessor 220 sends all the information present in the MIDI signal to the sound signal converter 235 and displays the information related to the sound signal on the liquid crystal display 225. The content displayed on the liquid crystal display 225 is information related to sound such as the type of timbre (type of instrument), the height of the tone, the size of the tone, and the like. The signal passing through the sound signal converter 235 is converted into a sound signal, and the converted signal is amplified by the sound signal amplifier 250. The amplified sound signal is delivered to the user through the sound output device 265.

And, if the user sends a signal to the control unit 210 to change the MIDI signal to the light signal through the user control unit 300, the signal is input to the control unit 210, the control unit 210 is the main memory device 215 ) Takes the midi signal and sends it to the microprocessor 220. The microprocessor 220 only obtains information about the pitch, the loudness, and the channel of each channel in the MIDI signal. The microprocessor 220 analyzes the pitch using a predetermined algorithm containing how each finger corresponds to the keyboard when playing the pitch using a keyboard musical instrument to find out which finger corresponds to each note. In this case, the transmitted signal is preferably converted into an electrical signal, and the changed signal is moved to the visual display device 260 after increasing the voltage to light enough to be displayed on the visual display device 260 in the light signal amplifying unit 245. Among the signals, a pitch signal is displayed on a specific sound device of a device capable of displaying a keyboard or sound height, and the volume of each sound is displayed on the visual display device 260 in proportion to the light intensity.

In addition, when the user sends a signal to the control unit 210 via the user control unit 300 to change the MIDI signal into a vibration signal, the signal is input to the control unit 210 and the control unit 210 The MIDI signal is taken from the main memory 215 and sent to the microprocessor 220. The microprocessor 220 brings only information about the pitch, the loudness, and the channel of each channel in the MIDI signal. The microprocessor 220 brings only information about the pitch, the loudness, and the channel of each channel in the MIDI signal. The microprocessor 220 analyzes the pitch using an algorithm corresponding to the keyboard when the pitch is played using the keyboard instrument, and then displays the analysis information on the liquid crystal display 225. In addition, the pitch signal is sent to the vibration signal conversion unit 240. The transmitted signal is converted into an electrical signal and the changed signal is moved to the vibration output device 270 by raising the voltage to the vibration enough to appear in the vibration output device 270 in the vibration amplifier 255. Among the signals, a pitch signal is displayed on a specific sound display device of a device capable of displaying a keyboard or sound height, and the loudness of each sound is displayed on the vibration output device 270 in proportion to the intensity of the vibration.

There are two ways to display the corresponding finger according to each pitch. The first method is to find out the pitch and analyze the notes of three or four bars to determine the proper finger arrangement for playing the notes. The second is to allocate the notes you play with each finger of each MIDI file channel. For example, the first channel displays only the notes corresponding to the right hand little finger, the second channel displays the notes corresponding to the ring finger of the right hand, and the tenth channel displays only the notes corresponding to the little finger of the left hand.

When the sound is displayed as a light signal, there may be a method of changing the color of the light coming into the keyboard played by each finger or displaying the sound at a specific position of one key.

In the case of displaying the sound as a tactile signal, it is possible to display the vibration to the user by displaying the vibration in different parts according to the position of the length of one key in each key to be played for each finger.

In the case of outputting a signal other than the light signal and the tactile signal, the liquid crystal display 225 commonly displays sound information and a playing method in real time.

The structure of the standard MIDI file input to the MIDI signal processing unit 200 through the MIDI signal input unit 100 as described above is basically a block named Chan as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. It consists of a series of. The midi file consists of a series of strings in bytes or words. The ASCII character starts with "MThd" or "MTrk" at the beginning of the Chank.

The above described shank is largely divided into two parts, a header chank and a track chank. The header chunk section appears only once in a MIDI file and contains information about the time resolution of the MIDI file. This time resolution is used as the basic unit of time for MIDI devices to play files. The Track Chank is a Chank that contains all the information about each note, and contains information such as pitch, loudness, length of sound and tone. This information is contained in events in the MIDI file. An event refers to 'all the actions the performer has to play or operate the instrument' and consists of MIDI events, system exclusive events, and meta events. Among these, the event used by the user in the present invention is a MIDI event. The main feature of the present invention is to extract the pitch, intensity, and channel information from the MIDI event and send it to each of the converting units 230, 235, and 240 to an appropriate sense. There may be Unknown Chanks in the Chank, which will be ignored.

5 is a process of extracting the required MIDI information from the file when the microprocessor 220 of the MIDI signal processor 200 according to the present invention changes the information of the MIDI file into a light or vibration signal.

Referring to FIG. 5, a MIDI signal is input from the controller 210 to the microprocessor 220 (S10). When the MIDI signal is input, the microprocessor 220 determines whether the input MIDI signal is a header chank or a track chank (S20). In the case of the header chank, the time resolution is extracted and stored in the register of the microprocessor 220 (S32 and S36). In the case of a track chank, after extracting the pitch and intensity and the event of the channel from the chank and performing an appropriate action for the event, the light signal converting unit 230 and the vibrating signal converting unit should output the signal as a light or vibration signal. Send to 240 (S30) (S40). If the unknown chank is moved to the end of the chank without inputting information, the next chank is judged (S34).

6 illustrates a process in which a MIDI file is reproduced by a signal other than a sound signal and a sound signal through the MIDI file reproducing apparatus of FIG. 1. Referring to this, the user selects a desired signal through the user controller 300. When the user selects both a sound signal, a light signal, and a vibration signal as desired, the sound signal switch 280, the light signal switch 275, and the vibration signal switch 285 are both turned on (ON) as shown in FIG. Signal, light signal, vibration signal are all sent (S110..S114).

If the signal desired by the user is a sound signal and a light signal, the sound signal switch 280 and the light signal switch 275 are turned on, and the vibration signal switch 285 is turned off to transmit the sound signal and the light signal. (S110, S111, S112) (S121, S122).

If the signal desired by the user is a sound signal and a vibration signal, the sound signal switch 280 and the vibration signal switch 285 are turned on, and the light signal switch 275 is turned off, so that the sound signal and the vibration signal are transmitted. (S110, S111, S115) (S131, S132).

If the signal desired by the user is a light signal and a vibration signal, the light signal switch 275 and the vibration signal switch 285 are turned on, and the sound signal switch 280 is turned off to transmit the light signal and the vibration signal. (S110, S116, S117) (S141, S142).

If the signal desired by the user is a sound signal, the sound signal switch 280 is turned on and the light signal switch 275 and the vibration signal switch 285 are turned off and only the sound signal is sent (S110, S111, S115). (S151, S152).

If the signal desired by the user is a light signal, the light signal switch 275 is turned on, and the sound signal switch 280 and the vibration signal switch 285 are turned off to transmit only the light signal (S110, S116, and S117). (S161, S162).

If the signal desired by the user is a vibration signal, the vibration signal switch 280 is turned on and the sound signal switch 280 and the light signal switch 275 are turned off and only the vibration signal is transmitted (S110, S116, and S118). (S171, S172).

As described above, the MIDI file reproducing apparatus and the reproducing method according to the present invention receive sound information contained in a MIDI file stored in a predetermined auxiliary memory device, and the sound information corresponding to the height and the intensity of the sound or vibration is received. Independently converting and playing back provides the user with the visual or tactile effect as well as the auditory effect.

In addition, the present invention can also generate a visual and / or tactile signal to the electronic musical instruments that only sounded about the pitch information, so that the user can receive a visual and / or tactile feeling and impression other than the sound, the visual of the instrument And / or tactile expressions provide an advantage for the user, especially visual and hearing impaired, to easily learn how to play.

Furthermore, the present invention converts and reproduces the source data of musical instrument performances into a standardized music storage and playback format from a MIDI file having various playback and creation tools to information having a separate visual and tactile feeling. Not only does it allow you to create the song you want through touch, it also offers the advantage of making it easy for users to learn the song they want to learn.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. It will be appreciated that various modifications or changes can be made. Therefore, changes in the future embodiments of the present invention will not be able to escape the technology of the present invention.

Claims (5)

In a device for playing a MIDI file, A MIDI signal input unit for inputting a signal of a MIDI file by a floppy disk, a hard disk, a computer sound card, and an external MIDI interface; A MIDI signal processor for converting a signal input through the MIDI signal input unit into a sound signal, a light signal, and a vibration signal according to a user's selection signal and outputting each of them to a sound output device, a visual display device, and a vibration output device; And And a user controller configured to provide a user control signal to the MIDI signal processor to allow the MIDI signal input to the MIDI signal processor to be processed as a sound signal, a light signal, or a vibration signal. And the MIDI signal processor comprises light signal converting means for converting a digital MIDI signal into an analog light signal, and vibration signal converting means for converting a digital MIDI signal into an analog vibration signal. delete The method of claim 1, wherein the MIDI signal processing unit, To play a MIDI file with signals other than sound, grasp the pitch, loudness, and channel information from the MIDI signal. In the case of an instrument played with a finger, when displaying a position to be played with a light signal, the MIDI file is characterized in that a color is displayed differently for each finger or a light signal is displayed at a different part at a predetermined position that emits the same sound. Playback device. delete In a method for reproducing a MIDI file with a sound signal and a signal other than the sound signal, Selecting by the user to convert the MIDI file into a desired signal; Transmitting a sound signal if a signal desired by the user is a sound signal; Transmitting a light signal if a signal desired by a user is a light signal; Transmitting a vibration signal if the signal desired by the user is a vibration signal; And And transmitting a plurality of signals when a signal desired by a user is a plurality of sound signals, light signals, and vibration signals. In the above steps, in order to reproduce the MIDI file as a signal other than sound, the pitch, the loudness and the channel information are grasped from the MIDI signal, and in the case of an instrument played with a finger, the position to be played as a light signal is displayed. And displaying a light signal at a different portion at a predetermined position that displays different colors for each finger or emits the same sound.