Patents Issued in January 19, 1987
  • Patent number: 4719834
    Abstract: In a method for providing musical accompaniment in response to playing of a processor-controlled musical instrument, a plurality of processes corresponding to different musical components of the accompaniment are executed in a pseudo-concurrent manner. Each component includes a plurality of musical events related according to a tempo at which the accompaniment is to be sounded. A portion of one of the processes is executed to perform at least one of the musical events, whereupon the process is suspended for a musically appropriate period of time substantially equal to the time before the next event of the process. While the first process is suspended, a portion of at least one other process is executed to perform another musical event. The other process is then suspended for another musically appropriate period of time. Execution of the processes is continued in this manner, one portion of a process at a time, such that the processes overlap to produce a coherent musical accompaniment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1987
    Inventors: Robert J. Hall, George R. Hall, Jack C. Cookerly