# US 2013/0157761 A1 · System amd method for a song specific keyboard > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0157761 A1 - Document ID: US20130157761A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/645,692 - Filed: 2012-10-05 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-05 - Assignees: Real Keys Music Inc - Inventors: BRUCE WILLIAM CICHOWLAS - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157761A1 ## CPC - G10H 1/0016: {Means for indicating which keys, frets or strings are to be actuated, e.g. using lights or leds} - A63F 13/2145: the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens - A63F 13/42: by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle - A63F 13/46: Computing the game score - A63F 13/814: Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation - G09B 15/003: {with indication of the keys or strings to be played on instruments} - G09B 15/023: {Electrically operated} - G10H 1/368: {displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part} - 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 - G10H 2220/131: for abstract geometric visualisation of music, e.g. for interactive editing of musical parameters linked to abstract geometric figures - G10H 2220/135: Musical aspects of games or videogames; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces - G10H 2220/241: on touchscreens, i.e. keys, frets, strings, tablature or staff displayed on a touchscreen display for note input purposes - G10H 2230/015: PDA [personal digital assistant] or palmtop computing devices used for musical purposes, e.g. portable music players, tablet computers, e-readers or smart phones in which mobile telephony functions need not be used - G10H 2240/325: Synchronizing two or more audio tracks or files according to musical features or musical timings - G10H: ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) ## Abstract A melody based game system includes a controller, a computing unit, and a display. The controller has a limited number of programmable real keys configured to be manipulated by a player for playing one or more song segments and thereby providing game input. Each of the song segments includes one or more pitches and one or more of the programmable real keys are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments, respectively. The computing unit communicates with the controller and includes a music application. The display is connected to the computing unit and is configured to display prompts for manipulating the one or more programmed real keys in coordination with playing of the one or more pitches of each of the song segments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A melody based game system configured to receive game input by playing one or more song segments comprising: a controller comprising a limited number of programmable real keys configured to be manipulated by a player for playing one or more song segments and thereby providing game input, and wherein each of said song segments comprises one or more pitches and wherein one or more of the programmable real keys are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments, respectively; a computing unit communicating with said controller and comprising a music application; a display connected to said computing unit and configured to display prompts for manipulating the one or more programmed real keys in coordination with playing of the one or more pitches of each of the song segments; wherein said music application simultaneously causes a song segment to be played and provides prompts indicating a manipulation sequence of the one or more programmed real keys corresponding to the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment; and wherein manipulation of the one or more programmed real keys by the player coinciding with the displayed prompts in pitch, intensity, and timing during the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment causes a positive scoring event. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The melody based game system of claim 1, wherein said computing unit comprises one of a computer, a tablet computer, an iPad™, an iPhone™, a Smartphone, a Playstation™, an Xbox™, a Wii™, a PlayStation™, a Nintendo DS™, a game controlling device or a handheld game controlling device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The melody based game system of claim 1, further comprising a database comprising musical recordings and data specific to each musical recording that associate pitches of each musical recording with a specific manipulation sequence of said real keys. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The melody based game system of claim 1, wherein said musical recordings comprise one of song segments, song fragments, musical arrangements, instrumental musical pieces, or vocal musical pieces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The melody based game system of claim 1, wherein no manipulation of the one or more programmed real keys by the player coinciding with the displayed prompts or manipulation of the programmed real keys by the player not coinciding in pitch, intensity, and timing with the simultaneously displayed prompts during the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment causes a negative scoring event. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The melody based game system of claim 1, wherein the number of the programmable real keys is in the range between 3 and 11. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The melody based game system of claim 1, wherein the number of the programmable real keys is seven. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The melody based game system of claim 1, wherein the programmable real keys comprise touch areas defined on a screen of a touch enabled display. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The melody based game system of claim 1 wherein said computing unit comprises a tablet computer having a touch enabled display screen and wherein said controller and said programmable real keys comprise touch areas defined in said touch enabled display screen. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The melody base game system of claim 1, wherein said one or more programmable real keys that are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments are designated during the playing of each of the song segments with a designation comprising one of light, colors, shapes, numbers, letters, textures, font type, font size, or key relative position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The melody based game system of claim 1, wherein a melody of any length comprising a plurality of song segments is played by sequential reprogramming of the programmable real keys. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The melody based game system of claim 1, further comprising a bidirectional communication mechanism between said computing unit and said controller. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The melody based game system of claim 1, wherein said prompts comprise lighted prompts that move along paths terminating onto the programmed real keys. ### Claim 14 A melody based game system configured to receive game input by playing one or more song segments comprising: a tablet computer comprising a touch enabled display screen and a music application; a controller comprising a limited number of programmable real keys configured to be manipulated by a player for playing one or more song segments and thereby providing game input, and wherein each of said song segments comprises one or more pitches and wherein one or more of the programmable real keys are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments, respectively; wherein said music application simultaneously causes a song segment to be played and provides prompts indicating a manipulation sequence of the one or more programmed real keys corresponding to the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment; wherein said controller and said programmable real keys comprise touch areas defined in said touch enabled display screen and wherein said prompts are displayed on said touch enabled display screen; and wherein manipulation of the one or more programmed real keys by the player coinciding with the prompts in pitch, intensity, and timing during the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment causes a positive scoring event. ### Claim 15 A method for a melody based game system configured to receive game input by playing one or more song segments comprising: providing a controller comprising a limited number of programmable real keys configured to be manipulated by a player for playing one or more song segments and thereby providing game input, and wherein each of said song segments comprises one or more pitches and wherein one or more of the programmable real keys are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments, respectively; providing a computing unit communicating with said controller and comprising a music application; providing a display connected to said computing unit and configured to display prompts for manipulating the one or more programmed real keys in coordination with playing of the one or more pitches of each of the song segments; wherein said music application simultaneously causes a song segment to be played and provides prompts indicating a manipulation sequence of the one or more programmed real keys corresponding to the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment; and wherein manipulation of the one or more programmed real keys by the player coinciding with the displayed prompts in pitch, intensity, and timing during the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment causes a positive scoring event. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said computing unit comprises one of a computer, a tablet computer, an iPad™, an iPhone™, a Smartphone a Playstation™, an Xbox™, a Wii™, a PlayStation™, a Nintendo DS™, a game controlling device or a handheld game controlling device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a database comprising musical recordings and data specific to each musical recording that associate pitches of each musical recording with a specific manipulation sequence of said real keys. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said musical recordings comprise one of song segments, song fragments, musical arrangements, instrumental musical pieces, or vocal musical pieces. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein no manipulation of the one or more programmed real keys by the player coinciding with the displayed prompts or manipulation of the programmed real keys by the player not coinciding in pitch, intensity, and timing with the simultaneously displayed prompts during the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment causes a negative scoring event. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the number of the programmable real keys is in the range between 3 and 11. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the number of the programmable real keys is seven. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said one or more programmable real keys that are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments are designated during the playing of each of the song segments with a designation comprising one of light, colors, shapes, numbers, letters, textures, font type, font size, or key relative position. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein a melody of any length comprising a plurality of song segments is played by sequential reprogramming of the programmable real keys. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said computing unit comprises a tablet computer having a touch enabled display screen and wherein said controller and said programmable real keys comprise touch areas defined in said touch enabled display screen.