DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claims 5, 8-10 and 14-16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 5 recites “the first preset duration.” It is suggested that “the first preset duration” be amended to “a first preset duration”.
Claim 8 recites “the second preset duration” and “the third preset duration”. It is suggested that “the second preset duration” and “the third preset duration” be amended to “a second preset duration” and “a third preset duration”, respectively.
Claims 9 and 10 recites “the step of the guitar control method according to claim 1”, whereas claim 1 recites a plurality of steps. For grammatical correctness, “the step” should be amended to “the steps”.
Claims 14-16 each recite “the second preset duration” and “the third preset duration”. It is suggested that “the second preset duration” and “the third preset duration” be amended to “a second preset duration” and “a third preset duration”, respectively.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1, 6, 13, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites determining “a pressed target fret among the frets according to the pressed detection signal” and subsequently recites “determining a first target chord according to target tones corresponding to all the target frets”. However, the claim previously introduces only “a pressed target fret” and does not establish a plurality of target frets. Therefore, it is unclear what is encompassed by “all the target frets”.
For purposes of examination, “all the target frets” is interpreted as referring to the pressed target fret(s) determined according to the pressed detection signal.
Claim 6 recites “determining an accompaniment style according to the preset rhythm type”. However, neither claim 1, from which claim 6 depends, nor the preceding language of claim 6 provides antecedent basis for “the preset rhythm type”.
For purposes of examination, “the preset rhythm type” is interpreted as referring to a preset rhythm type used to determine the accompaniment style.
Claims 2-10 are rejected for the same reason as they are dependent from claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1,9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US20140290467 (Thee), hereinafter US’467, in view of US9082384 (Cohen), hereinafter US’384.
Regarding claim 1. A guitar control method, for application on a guitar (US’467, Fig. 1, ¶¶[0026]-[0032]:an electric string instrument having a body, neck, “a plurality of strings mounted over said neck”, fret-activated sensors, electronic circuitry, and a processor; the pressure data is processed “to produce an audio output comprising the played chord”), wherein the guitar comprises a fretboard module and strings (US’467, ¶¶[0031]-[0034], [0081]-[0082]; Figs. 1, 2A-2C, “individual, dynamic frets 32a-32l disposed beneath the strings of a guitar”; fret sensor system 22 is mounted on neck43), the fretboard module comprises frets (US’467, ¶¶[0081]-[0082], Figs. 2A-2C, “two rows of individual, dynamic frets 32a-321 disposed beneath the strings of a guitar”; “pressing a particular dynamic individual fret 32 activates a corresponding individual fret-activated sensor 42”),
different frets (US’467, ¶¶[0082]-[0084], Figs. 1, 2B-2C, individually distinguishable frets/sensors and that information from the relevant actuated fret sections is gathered to produce a specific chord),
and the guitar control method comprises the following steps: obtaining a pressed detection signal of the fretboard module (US’467, ¶¶[0034], [0082];Figs. 1, 2B-2C, “When the fingers depress or strum the strings, the dynamic, individual frets are pressed which activate the dynamic, individual fret-activated sensors. This generates an electrical signal which, when transmitted to a processor, is processed to identify and measure the pressure data”; data from sensors 42 is transferred “in an analog or digital manner to MIDI interface 26… for processing”)
determining a pressed target fret among the frets according to the pressed detection signal (US’467, ¶¶[0082]-[0083]:the fret sensor system is for “sensing and identifying the player's finger pressure” and that pressing “; “a particular dynamic individual fret 32 activates a corresponding individual fret-activated sensor 42”);
‘…corresponding to all the target frets (US467, ¶[0083]:the processor “gathers the information from the dynamic, individual fret sensors 42 in each of the relevant fret sections 33 so actuated” and identifies the player’s finger motion/pressure “to produce a specific chord”; ¶[0084]:the sensors detect finger movement/pressure “to call up preprogrammed or selected chords”);
US’467 does not expressly disclose ‘…correspond to different target tones,
‘when detecting a first trigger signal of the strings,
‘determining a first target chord according to the target tones’,
[and]
‘and playing the first target chord.
However, US’384 discloses ‘…correspond to different target tones (US’384, col. 8, lines 54-59: keyboard arranged to resemble a guitar fretboard in which there is an “assignment between notes and strings” and contrasts its arrangement with the typical electronic guitar that “statically associates notes on the fretboard with a particular string”, Fig. 1 illustrates scale-degree/note assignments, Fig. 4)
‘when detecting a first trigger signal of the strings (US’384, Fig. 2 and Fig. 7, keyboard 202 sends a keyboard event when a key is pressed/released; strummer 206a sends a string event message when the string is plucked; processor 210 translates these events into note-on/note-off commands; col. 2, lines 64-66:” At the time a string is plucked, the processor dynamically assigns a note to the string, based on which keys are depressed”);
‘determining a first target chord according to the target tones (US’384, col. 3, lines 15-16:”one-finger chords, where the user selects the root of a chord, and the strings are assigned individual notes within the chord”; col. 9m lines 16-26: a pressed G key causes the strings to receive G, B, D, G, B, G; memory stores note-to-string assignments “for the desired chords” and the processor performs the assignment)
‘and playing the first target chord (US’384, col. 9, lines 24-27:”When the user presses a key, processor 210 performs the note to string assignment, and waits to actuate the particular notes until one or more strings are plucked”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify US’467’s fret-sensing guitar control system with US’384’s string-triggered note/chord assignment so that detected fret inputs are associated with musical tones and the selected chord is actuated in response to a string-pluck event, thereby providing natural guitar-style chord control and playback.
Regarding claim 9, US’467 (in view of US’384) further discloses ‘A guitar comprises a fretboard module, strings and a guitar control device (US’467, ¶¶[0026]-[0032]: an electric stringed instrument having a neck/fretboard strings, sensors and associated circuitry, with pressure data transmitted to a processor to produce an audio output), wherein the strings and the fretboard module are connected with the guitar control device (US’467, ¶[0034]: finger pressure on the strings activates the dynamic fret sensors, generating electric signals that are processed by the system; ¶[0038]: the system communicating with electronic processing/output components, including MIDI/synthesizer/computer functionality),
the fretboard module comprises a plurality of frets (US’467, ¶¶[0081]-[0082]: “rows of dynamic frets located under the guitar strings, with sensors associated with the respective frets”;¶[0087]: a PCB attached to the neck “in place of a standard fretboard” with sensors beneath individual frets),
and different frets (US’467, ¶¶[0082]-[0084], Figs. 1, 2B-2C, individually distinguishable frets/sensors and that information from the relevant actuated fret sections is gathered to produce a specific chord) correspond to different target tones (US’384, col. 8, lines 54-59: keyboard arranged to resemble a guitar fretboard in which there is an “assignment between notes and strings” and contrasts its arrangement with the typical electronic guitar that “statically associates notes on the fretboard with a particular string”, Fig. 1 illustrates scale-degree/note assignments, Fig. 4);
and the guitar control device (US’467, ¶¶[0037]-[0038] and [0062]-[0069]; [0038]:” The system comprises a string instrument with a fret-activated sensor system … a user interface … a MIDI interface, for processing of the digital signals received from both the fret-activated sensor system and user interface … and a synthesizer module … the entire process controlled by computer”): comprises:
a memorizer, a processor (US’384, col. 4, lines 32-36:” A memory or instrument memory 212 containing recorded samples of notes played on one or more instruments is connected to instrument processor 210 … instrument memory 212 contains recordings or note samples of a guitar played with various techniques), and a guitar control program stored on the memorizer and executable on the processor (US’384, col. 6, lines 13-18: The strummer output message queue module dequeues the strummer output event indications or strummer messages 614 and transmits them serially or in parallel to an instrument processor 210. Any data formatting or protocol may be used to transmit the strummer messages: for example MIDI, USB, or a proprietary format), and the guitar control program (US’384, col. 6, lines 23-26:” FIG. 2 shows the case where instrument processor 210 implements the synthesizer as well as the guitar event handler”) is configured for realizing the step of the guitar control method according to claim 1, as disclosed by US’467 (in view of US’384).
Regarding claim 10, US’467 (in view of US’384) discloses ‘A storage medium, wherein a guitar control program is stored on the storage medium, and when the guitar control program is executed by a processor (US’384, col. 9, lines 22-27:”Software on processor 210 is put in a one-finger chord mode by configuration block 222. Memory 212 stores a table of note-to-string assignments for the desired chords. When the user presses a key, processor 210 performs the note to string assignment, and waits to actuate the particular notes until one or more strings are plucked”), the step of the guitar control method according to claim 1, as disclosed by US’467 (in view of US’384), is realized.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US’467, in view of US’384 and in further view of US8912418 (Cohen), hereinafter US’418.
Regarding claim 2, US’467 (in view of US’384) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384) further discloses ‘wherein when the first trigger signal of the strings is detected, before obtaining the pressed detection signal of the fretboard module (US’384, Figs. 2 and 7, separate keyboard and strummer events, [Abstract]:”At the time a string is plucked, the processor dynamically assigns a note to the string, based on which keys are depressed”; col. 9, lines 24-27: the processor performs note-to-string assignment and waits to actuate the notes until a string is plucked).
US’467 (in view of US’384) does not expressly disclose ‘obtaining the key of the guitar as the tonic,
and determining a preselected tone corresponding to each of the frets according to a major scale;
when the pitch of the preselected tone is within a preset pitch interval, determining the preselected tone as the target tone corresponding to the fret;
and when the pitch of the preselected tone is higher than the preset pitch interval, lowering the pitch of the preselected tone to obtain the target tone corresponding to the fret.
However, US’418 discloses ‘obtaining the key of the guitar as the tonic (US’418, Fig. 7, col. 4, lines 58-59: ”the root key 700 is tuned to the root of the musical key of the song to be played”; col. 4, lines 41-42: key 700 is marked “1” because it is the “root of the major scale”),
and determining a preselected tone corresponding to each of the frets according to a major scale (US’418, Fig. 7, col. 4, lines 39-41:”each key labeled with the scale degree of its note in the major scale whose root is assigned to root key 700”; col. 4, lines 36-38:all pitches are assigned relatively while maintaining the same interval relationships regardless of the starting pitch of the root key);
when the pitch of the preselected tone is within a preset pitch interval, determining the preselected tone as the target tone corresponding to the fret (US’418, Figs. 1, 2, and 7, col. 3, lines 62-64: keyboard is divided into defined low, middle and high octave rows; col. 3, lines 51-58:Fig. 2 identifies the pitches using MIDI note numbers, col. 4, lines 13-14: the notes can be played when they are “in the tuning range of a handboard”);
and when the pitch of the preselected tone is higher than the preset pitch interval, lowering the pitch of the preselected tone to obtain the target tone corresponding to the fret (US’418, Figs. 1-2: col. 4, lines 30-32: “The octave down switch 108 causes the right handboard to be tuned down an octave”; col. 3, lines 52-56: for a pitch represented by MIDI note N, “a note an octave lower will have MIDI note number N-12”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the tone assignments of the modified US’467 system according to US’418’s key-relative major-scale and octave teachings to maintain the assigned tones within a desired playable pitch range.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US’467, in view of US’384 and in further view of US8330034 (LaBarbera), hereinafter US’034.
Regarding claim 3, US’467 (in view of US’384) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’467 further discloses ‘wherein a step of determining the first target chord according to the target tones corresponding to all the target frets (US’467, ¶[0083]: Fig. 2B: a processor that “gathers the information from the dynamic, individual fret sensors 42 in each of the relevant fret sections 33 so actuated” and identifies the player’s finger motion/pressure “to produce a specific chord”).
US’467 does not expressly disclose ‘determining a corresponding chord type according to a number and configuration features of the target frets;
determining one of all the target tones as a chord root note of the first target chord;
and determining the first target chord according to a chord type and the chord root note.
However, US’034 discloses ‘determining a corresponding chord type according to a number and configuration features of the target frets (US’034, col. 8, lines 1-7:”various combinations of designated fret sections resulting from corresponding fingerings” to MIDI note selections for “various chord forms on the instrument neck”; col. 8, lines 41-45: chord-form variations, including “major, minor, dominant seventh, or other variation”);
determining one of all the target tones as a chord root note of the first target chord (US’034, col. 8, lines 29-33: for a first position G chord, the “root G note designation by the E string fret sections E3, E2 takes precedence” and is selected as MIDI note #31; col. 8, lines 41-43:”the AFS/ASC method chooses the lowest pitch string that is fingered, since this fingering typically forms the root of the chord in popular music”);
and determining the first target chord according to a chord type and the chord root note (US’034, col. lines 41-43:the identified root-note selection with the identified chord form/variation; col. 8, lines 41-45: bar chords that may be major, minor, dominant seventh, or other variation while selecting the appropriate accompaniment note from the root-related fret pair).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the chord determination of US’467 (in view of US’384) according to US’034’s fret-configuration and root-note teachings to more reliably identify the intended chord from the detected fingering configuration.
Claims 4,7,8,11 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US’467, in view of US’384 and in further view of US20160343362 (Brosius), hereinafter US’362.
Regarding claim 4, US’467 (in view of US’384) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384) further discloses ‘wherein a step of playing the first target chord (US’384, col. 2 lines 61-67, col. 3, lines 1-3: assigns individual notes of a chord to the strummer strings and actuates the assigned notes when strings are plucked) comprises:
US’467 (in view of US’384) does not expressly disclose ‘determining a play order of the multiple target tones of the first target chord according to a preset rhythm type;
and playing the first target chord according to the play order.
However, US’362 discloses ‘determining a play order of the multiple target tones of the first target chord according to a preset rhythm type (US’362, ¶¶[0081]-[0083]: multiple predetermined modes, including a “rhythmic guitar” improvisation mode, “different ways of strumming and different chord structures”; ¶[0102] , in an 8th-note rhythmic condition, “8th note arpeggio”, a technique “where notes in a chord are played in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously”);
and playing the first target chord according to the play order (US’362, ¶[0102]: outputting the arpeggio in which the chord notes are “played in a sequence, one after the other”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the chord playback of US’467 (in view of US’384) according to US’362’s rhythmic sequential-play teachings to provide a varied and selectable rhythm type, such as an arpeggio.
Regarding claim 7, US’467 (in view of US’384) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384) does not expressly disclose ‘wherein the step of playing the first target chord comprises: obtaining a detection time difference between the first trigger signal and a second trigger signal, the second trigger signal being a trigger signal of the last string detected before the first trigger signal; determining a target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference; and playing the first target chord according to the target playing method.
However, US’362 discloses ‘wherein the step of playing the first target chord comprises: obtaining a detection time difference between the first trigger signal and a second trigger signal (US’362, ¶[0123]: strumming input 704 including information regarding the rate at which the player is strumming, including “real-time inputs” and processed data indicating whether the player is strumming below eight-note speed, at eighth-note speed, at sixteenth-note speed, or faster), the second trigger signal being a trigger signal of the last string detected before the first trigger signal (US’362, ¶[0123]: processes real-time strumming inputs to determine the rate at which the player is strumming);
determining a target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference (US’362, ¶[0079]: “the speed at which the player strums can affect the sound that is output”, including a slow strumming speed causing single notes to be output in real time; ¶[0123]: distinguishes below-eighth, eighth, sixteenth, and faster-than-sixteenth-note strumming rates);
and playing the first target chord according to the target playing method (US’362, ¶[0125]: slow strumming results in a single note being immediately sent to synthesizer 716, while eighth-note, sixteenth-note, or extremely fast strumming causes the corresponding lick to be selected and sequenced for output).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the guitar control method of US’467 (in view of US’384) to determine a target playing method based on the timing of successive string-trigger inputs, as taught by US’362, in order to vary the generated musical output according to the player’s strumming speed and thereby provide responsive guitar-like musical expression.
Regarding claim 8, US’467 (in view of US’384 and US’362) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 7, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384 and US’362) further discloses ‘wherein a step of determining the target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference (US’362, ¶[0079]: “the speed at which the player strums can affect the sound that is output”; ¶[0123]: distinguishes multiple strumming-rate ranges: below eighth-note, eighth-note, sixteenth-note, and faster-than-sixteenth-note) comprises:
determining broken chord as the target playing method when the detection time difference is greater than the second preset duration (US’362, ¶[0079]: at a slow strumming speed (below eight-note speed) the system outputs individual “single notes in real time”);
determining arpeggio as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the second preset duration and the detection time difference is greater than the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0102]: an “8th note arpeggio” involves notes of a chord being “played in a sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously”);
determining strumming as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0123]: distinguishes sixteenth-note and faster-than-sixteenth-note strumming rates; ¶[0125]: selecting corresponding musical output for eighth-note, and extremely fast strumming inputs);
and wherein, the second preset duration is greater than the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0123]: ordered strumming-rate ranges of below eighth-note, eighth-note, sixteenth-note, and faster than sixteenth-note speeds).
Regarding claim 11, US’467 (in view of US’384 and US’362) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 4, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384 and US’362) further discloses ‘wherein the step of playing the first target chord (US’362, ¶[0082]:”the system generates custom audio based on the player's frets, strumming, and/or the musical composition to provide audio output that is based on the player's actuation of the input device”) comprises:
obtaining a detection time difference between the first trigger signal and a second trigger signal, the second trigger signal being a trigger signal of the last string detected before the first trigger signal (US’362, ¶[0123]: strumming input includes the “rate at which the player is strumming”, including real-time inputs from strum bar inputs and processed data identifying whether the player is strumming below 8th-note speed, at 8th-note speed, 16th-note speed, etc);¶[0079]: “average strumming speed over a window of time” against minimum and maximum speed thresholds);
determining a target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference (US’362, ¶[0079]:”the speed at which the player strums can affect the sound that is output” and distinguishes outputs based on slow, 8th-note, 16th-note, and faster strumming; selecting different rhythmic outputs depending on strum speed, including real-time rhythm below a threshold and quantized rhythm above a threshold);
and playing the first target chord according to the target playing method (US’362, ¶[0079]: when the strumming input indicates slow playing, the system outputs a single note in real time; at 8th-note, 16th-note, or “gibberish” speed, it selects the corresponding 8th-note lick, 16th-note lick, or fast style and sequences the notes accordingly).
Regarding claim 14, US’467 (in view of US’384 and US’362) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 11, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384 and US’362) further discloses ‘wherein a step of determining the target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference (US’362, ¶[0079]: selecting different output behavior according to strumming speed, ¶[0080]: multiple predetermined speed regions including approximately 8th-note speed approximately 16th-note speed, and an extremely fast speed above a threshold) comprises:
determining broken chord as the target playing method when the detection time difference is greater than the second preset duration (US’362, ¶[0079]: “slow strumming speed (below 8th note speed) can cause the rhythm-action game to output single note(s) in real time”; when the player strums slowly, the system can output individual note(s) in real time rather than the faster rhythmic outputs);
determining arpeggio as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the second preset duration and the detection time difference is greater than the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0102]: “8th note arpeggio” and is a technique “where notes in a chord are played in a sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing simultaneously”; an arpeggio as an output associated with an 8th-note strumming condition; ¶[0080]:8th-note speed is defined by a range bounded by an 8th-note minimum and maximum speed threshold; bounded intermediate speed ranges);
determining strumming as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0079]: successively faster strumming regions: at approximately 16th-note speed, the system can output pre-written 16th-note licks; when the player strums extremely fast, i.e., above the “”fast “note maximum speed threshold”, the system can output an extremely fast guitar passage; faster strumming regions, including 16th-note and extremely-fast strumming, with corresponding musical outputs);
and wherein, the second preset duration is greater than the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0080]: ordered thresholds, including an “8th note maximum speed threshold”, “16th note maximum speed threshold” and “fast note speed threshold”; successively ordered speed thresholds separating slower, intermediate, and faster strumming regions).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US’467, in view of US’384 and in further view of US4658690 (Aitken), hereinafter US’690.
Regarding claim 5, US’467 (in view of US’384) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384) further discloses ‘wherein after obtaining the pressed detection signal of the fretboard module when the first trigger signal of the strings is detected (US’467, ¶[0034]:”When the fingers depress or strum the strings, the dynamic, individual frets are pressed which activate the dynamic, individual fret-activated sensors. This generates an electrical signal which, when transmitted to a processor, is processed to identify and measure the pressure data and related parameters of the finger motions of a player; ¶[0082]),
‘and after playing the first target chord (US’384, col. 9, lines 24-27: after the selected chord/note assignment, processor 210 “waits to actuate the particular notes until one or more strings are plucked”),
[and]
‘…the step of obtaining the pressed detection signal of the fretboard module when the first trigger signal of the strings is detected (US’384, col. 7, lines 9-16: Keyboard 202 sends a keyboard event message to instrument processor 210 whenever a key is pressed or released” and “Strummer 206a sends a string event message to processor 210 whenever” a string is plucked; lines 24-27:the processor implements the guitar event handler that processes these keyboard and strummer event messages and converts them into note-control).
US’467 (in view of US’384) does not expressly disclose ‘the method further comprises: ceasing to detect the first trigger signal of the strings and starting timing to obtain timing duration;
the method further comprising: when the timing duration is greater than or equal to the first preset duration,
‘starting detecting the first trigger signal,
[and]
‘and returning to execute [the step].
However, US’690 discloses ‘the method further comprises: ceasing to detect the first trigger signal of the strings (US’690, col. 28, lines 54-59: the circuitry determines that a string has triggered, the trigger pulse is maintained so as “to mask further triggers that may be caused by the string continuing to vibrate in its naturally damped oscillatory mode”) and starting timing to obtain timing duration (US’690, col. 28, lines 59-64:”time inhibits applied to the generation of subsequent triggers must not be so long as to cause undue delays for a player trying deliberately to create rapid triggers. The compromise is thought to be best at between 50-100 ms of masking before a new trigger can be generated”);
the method further comprising: when the timing duration is greater than or equal to the first preset duration (US’690, col. 28, lines 62-64:”The compromise is thought to be best at between 50-100 ms of masking before a new trigger can be generated”),
[and]
starting detecting the first trigger signal (US’690, col. 28, lines 54-64: the masking period, “a new trigger can be generated”),
[and]
‘and returning to execute [the step] (US’690, col. 28, lines 54-64: masking subsequent triggers for approximately 50-100 ms “before a new trigger can be generated”, col. 30, lines 4-8:after which the circuitry is reset “all ready for the next trigger action”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the guitar control method of US’467 (in view of US’384) to temporarily cease detecting subsequent string-trigger signals for a preset duration and thereafter resume trigger detection, as taught by US’690, in order to prevent unintended subsequent triggers caused by continued vibration of the string while permitting a new intentional trigger after expiration of preset duration.
Claims 12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US’467, in view of US’384 and in further view of US’690 and US’362.
Regarding claim 12, US’467 (in view of US’384 and US’690) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 5, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384 and US’690) does not expressly disclose ‘wherein the step of playing the first target chord comprises: obtaining a detection time difference between the first trigger signal and a second trigger signal, the second trigger signal being a trigger signal of the last string detected before the first trigger signal; determining a target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference; and playing the first target chord according to the target playing method.
However, US’362 discloses ‘wherein the step of playing the first target chord (US’362, ¶[0082]:”the system generates custom audio based on the player's frets, strumming, and/or the musical composition to provide audio output that is based on the player's actuation of the input device”) comprises:
obtaining a detection time difference between the first trigger signal and a second trigger signal, the second trigger signal being a trigger signal of the last string detected before the first trigger signal (US’362, ¶[0123]: strumming input includes the “rate at which the player is strumming”, including real-time inputs from strum bar inputs and processed data identifying whether the player is strumming below 8th-note speed, at 8th-note speed, 16th-note speed, etc);¶[0079]: “average strumming speed over a window of time” against minimum and maximum speed thresholds);
determining a target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference (US’362, ¶[0079]:”the speed at which the player strums can affect the sound that is output” and distinguishes outputs based on slow, 8th-note, 16th-note, and faster strumming; selecting different rhythmic outputs depending on strum speed, including real-time rhythm below a threshold and quantized rhythm above a threshold);
and playing the first target chord according to the target playing method (US’362, ¶[0079]: when the strumming input indicates slow playing, the system outputs a single note in real time; at 8th-note, 16th-note, or “gibberish” speed, it selects the corresponding 8th-note lick, 16th-note lick, or fast style and sequences the notes accordingly).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the guitar control method of US’467 (in view of US’384 and US’690) to determine the playing method based on the timing of successive string-trigger inputs, as taught by US’362, in order to vary the generated musical output according to the player’s strumming speed and thereby provide responsive guitar-like musical expression.
Regarding claim 15, US’467 (in view of US’384, US’690 & US’362) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 12, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384 and US’690) does not expressly disclose ‘wherein a step of determining the target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference comprises: determining broken chord as the target playing method when the detection time difference is greater than the second preset duration; determining arpeggio as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the second preset duration and the detection time difference is greater than the third preset duration; determining strumming as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the third preset duration; and wherein, the second preset duration is greater than the third preset duration.
However, US’362 discloses ‘wherein a step of determining the target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference (US’362, ¶[0079]: selecting different output behavior according to strumming speed, ¶[0080]: multiple predetermined speed regions including approximately 8th-note speed approximately 16th-note speed, and an extremely fast speed above a threshold) comprises:
determining broken chord as the target playing method when the detection time difference is greater than the second preset duration (US’362, ¶[0079]: “slow strumming speed (below 8th note speed) can cause the rhythm-action game to output single note(s) in real time”; when the player strums slowly, the system can output individual note(s) in real time rather than the faster rhythmic outputs);
determining arpeggio as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the second preset duration and the detection time difference is greater than the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0102]: “8th note arpeggio” and is a technique “where notes in a chord are played in a sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing simultaneously”; an arpeggio as an output associated with an 8th-note strumming condition; ¶[0080]:8th-note speed is defined by a range bounded by an 8th-note minimum and maximum speed threshold; bounded intermediate speed ranges);
determining strumming as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0079]: successively faster strumming regions: at approximately 16th-note speed, the system can output pre-written 16th-note licks; when the player strums extremely fast, i.e., above the “”fast “note maximum speed threshold”, the system can output an extremely fast guitar passage; faster strumming regions, including 16th-note and extremely-fast strumming, with corresponding musical outputs);
and wherein, the second preset duration is greater than the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0080]: ordered thresholds, including an “8th note maximum speed threshold”, “16th note maximum speed threshold” and “fast note speed threshold”; successively ordered speed thresholds separating slower, intermediate, and faster strumming regions).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the different timing-dependent playing methods taught by US’362 in the method of US’467 (in view of US’384 and US’690), such that different chord-playing effects are selected according to respective ranges of successive string-trigger timing, in order to vary the generated musical output according to the player’s strumming speed and provide responsive guitar-like musical expression.
Claims 6,13 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US’467, in view of US’384 and in further view of US’034 and US’362.
Regarding claim 6, US’467 (in view of US’384) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384) further discloses ‘wherein a step of playing the first target chord (US’384, col. 9, lines 22-28: one-finger chord in which a single key indicates the chord root, each string is assigned a note and octave withing the chord, memory stores note-to-string assignments for desired chords, and processor 210 waits to actuate the assigned notes until the string are plucked) comprises:
US’467 (in view of US’384) does not expressly disclose ‘determining an accompaniment style according to the preset rhythm type; determining a number of playing steps of notes included in the first target chord, each of the notes corresponding to each of the steps, and a playing time of each of the steps according to the accompaniment style; and playing the first target chord according to the number of the playing steps, each of the notes corresponding to each of the steps and the playing time.
However, US’034 discloses ‘determining an accompaniment style according to the preset rhythm type (US’034, col. 3, lines 64-65:”The rhythm that is "tapped out" is the rhythm in which the bass or accompaniment sound is generated”; col. 4, lines 18-20:” musician sets the second rhythm by tapping on the fret-designated actuator according to the desired rhythm accompaniment”);
US’362 discloses ‘determining a number of playing steps of notes included in the first target chord, each of the notes corresponding to each of the steps (US’362, ¶[0124]: table 712 determines a note or “a plurality of notes 713” and that the notes can be “a sequence of notes that defines a lick”; ¶[0125]: sequencer 714 “convert the notes 713 into a series of messages that are sequenced in time” and “determine the proper sequence of notes in time”)
and a playing time of each of the steps according to the accompaniment style (US’362, ¶[0125]: sequencer 714 “determine the proper sequence of notes in time” and generates note-on/note-off messages that “instruct the synthesizer 716 when to play certain notes and when to stop playing said notes”; the sequencer can also “quantize” the notes “into a particular rhythm to match the background song’s tempo and beat”);
and playing the first target chord according to the number of the playing steps, each of the notes corresponding to each of the steps and the playing time (US’362, ¶[0125]: a rhythmic input is selected, table 712 chooses the corresponding lick and “sequencer 714 can then sequence the set of notes in the lick in time so that the synthesizer 716 can output audio signals … at points in time that would coincide with the rhythmic pulse of the background song”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the chord-playing method of US’467 (in view of US’384) according to the accompaniment and sequencing teachings of US’034 and US’362 to provide different rhythmic accompaniment styles and to sequence the constituent chord notes according to the selected rhythmic treatment, including their order and playing times, thereby providing varied rhythmic chord accompaniment responsive to the selected playing style.
Regarding claim 13, US’467 (in view of US’384, US’034 & US’362) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 6, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384) does not expressly disclose ‘wherein the step of playing the first target chord comprises: obtaining a detection time difference between the first trigger signal and a second trigger signal, the second trigger signal being a trigger signal of the last string detected before the first trigger signal; determining a target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference; and playing the first target chord according to the target playing method.
However, US’362 discloses ‘wherein the step of playing the first target chord comprises: obtaining a detection time difference between the first trigger signal and a second trigger signal (US’362, ¶[0123]: strumming input 704 including information regarding the rate at which the player is strumming, including “real-time inputs” and processed data indicating whether the player is strumming below eight-note speed, at eighth-note speed, at sixteenth-note speed, or faster), the second trigger signal being a trigger signal of the last string detected before the first trigger signal (US’362, ¶[0123]: processes real-time strumming inputs to determine the rate at which the player is strumming);
determining a target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference (US’362, ¶[0125]: slow strumming results in a single note being immediately sent to synthesizer 716, while eighth-note, sixteenth-note, or extremely fast strumming causes the corresponding lick to be selected and sequenced for output);
and playing the first target chord according to the target playing method (US’362, ¶[0125]: slow strumming results in a single note being immediately sent to synthesizer 716, while eighth-note, sixteenth-note, or extremely fast strumming causes the corresponding lick to be selected and sequenced for output).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the successive-input timing taught by US’362 in the control method of US’467 as modified of claim 6 to determine the target playing method according to the timing between consecutive string-trigger inputs, thereby varying the generated musical output according to the player’s strumming speed and providing responsive guitar-like musical expression.
Regarding claim 16, US’467 (in view of US’384, US’034 & US’362) discloses ‘The guitar control method according to claim 13, as discussed above.
US’467 (in view of US’384) does not expressly disclose ‘wherein a step of determining the target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference comprises: determining broken chord as the target playing method when the detection time difference is greater than the second preset duration; determining arpeggio as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the second preset duration and the detection time difference is greater than the third preset duration; determining strumming as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the third preset duration; and wherein, the second preset duration is greater than the third preset duration.
However, US’362 discloses ‘wherein a step of determining the target playing method of the first target chord according to the detection time difference (US’362, ¶[0079]: “the speed at which the player strums can affect the sound that is output”; ¶[0123]: distinguishes multiple strumming-rate ranges: below eighth-note, eighth-note, sixteenth-note, and faster-than-sixteenth-note) comprises:
determining broken chord as the target playing method when the detection time difference is greater than the second preset duration (US’362, ¶[0079]: at a slow strumming speed (below eight-note speed) the system outputs individual “single notes in real time”);
determining arpeggio as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the second preset duration and the detection time difference is greater than the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0102]: an “8th note arpeggio” involves notes of a chord being “played in a sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously”);
determining strumming as the target playing method when the detection time difference is less than or equal to the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0123]: distinguishes sixteenth-note and faster-than-sixteenth-note strumming rates; ¶[0125]: selecting corresponding musical output for eighth-note, and extremely fast strumming inputs);
and wherein, the second preset duration is greater than the third preset duration (US’362, ¶[0123]: ordered strumming-rate ranges of below eighth-note, eighth-note, sixteenth-note, and faster than sixteenth-note speeds).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to further utilize the ordered strumming-speed ranges taught by US’362 in the modified guitar control method of US’467 of claim 13 to associate different chord-playing techniques with respective ranges of successive string-trigger timing, thereby providing different musical outputs corresponding to the player’s manner and speed of strumming.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US9208726 teaches a guitar-style musical interface having a fretboard and strings, wherein chords are assigned to regions of the fretboard and touching or swiping across the strings causes corresponding notes of an assigned chord to be played.
US9018505 teaches automatic chord determination from performance information, automatic accompaniment according to the selected chord.
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/NICOLE K GILLESPIE/Examiner, Art Unit 2837
/DEDEI K HAMMOND/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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