Musical computer keyboard apparatus and method
OwnerDean VanDruffinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method to change the mode of computer keyboard use from alpha-numeric language orientation to become a musical input keyboard where the keys change meaning for this purpose is provided. The apparatus and method implements a unique musical mapping for a standard computer keyboard such that the musical notes that are most often used in musical composition are mapped to keys of a home row of the standard keyboard. Musical notes that are the next most often utilized in musical composition are mapped to keys in the rows above and below the home row. All other musical notes are mapped based on their relative probability of being used in combination with the notes mapped in the home row and the rows above and below the home row.
Claims20
A method of outputting musical notes with a computer keyboard, comprising:
- mapping keys of the computer keyboard to musical notes;
- identifying an actuation of at least one key of the standard computer keyboard;
- and
- outputting a musical note based on the at least one key that is actuated and the mapping of the keys, wherein the step of mapping keys includes mapping keys such that musical notes that are most often played in musical compositions are mapped to keys in a home row of the computer keyboard
An apparatus for outputting musical notes with a computer keyboard, comprising:
- a keyboard having a plurality of actuatable keys;
- a processor coupled to the keyboard;
- and
- an audio output device coupled to the processor, wherein the processor identifies an actuation of at least one key of the plurality of keys, maps the at least one key of the computer keyboard to a musical note, and instructs the audio output device to output the musical note, wherein the processor maps the at least one key using a musical mapping wherein musical notes that are most likely to be played in musical compositions are mapped to the home row of the computer keyboard.
A computer program product in a computer readable medium for outputting musical notes with a computer keyboard, comprising:
- first instructions for identifying an actuation of at least one key of the computer keyboard;
- second instructions for mapping the at least one key of the computer keyboard to a musical note;
- and
- third instructions for outputting the musical note, wherein the second instructions include instructions for using a musical mapping wherein musical notes that are most often played in musical compositions are mapped to keys in a home row of the computer keyboard
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.