Patents by Inventor Masanori Katsuta

Masanori Katsuta has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240119918
    Abstract: An automatic performing apparatus being an automatic performing apparatus that automatically performs performance data segmented into a plurality of performance sections, the apparatus includes: a first automatic performing unit configured to perform automatic performance of the performance data in a first performance section at a first tempo in response to an input of a first external event; and a second automatic per unit configured to, when a second external event is input before the automatic performance in the first performance section is finished, continue the automatic performance in the first performance section at a second tempo different from the first tempo, the second automatic performing unit configured to, when the automatic performance in the first performance section is finished, perform automatic performance of the performance data in a second performance section at a third tempo.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KAWAI GAKKI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventor: Masanori KATSUTA
  • Patent number: 10810984
    Abstract: A fingering display device and a fingering display program capable of drawing a fingering moving image close to actual keyboard operations by minimizing the moving distance of the back of a hand is provided. A fingering display program to perform fingering display on a screen by drawing a fingering moving image of playing a musical instrument in a musical piece reproduction based on playing information including respective musical sounds of a musical piece and corresponding finger numbers, wherein when generating a fingering drawing based on fingering position information corresponding to a reproduction time in the musical piece reproduction, the fingering display program makes a computer execute: generating the fingering position information based on single key pressing information, and synthetic key pressing information obtained by synthesizing respective key pressing information at a plurality of different times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: KAWAI MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Publication number: 20190304424
    Abstract: A fingering display device and a fingering display program capable of drawing a fingering moving image close to actual keyboard operations by minimizing the moving distance of the back of a hand is provided. A fingering display program to perform fingering display on a screen by drawing a fingering moving image of playing a musical instrument in a musical piece reproduction based on playing information including respective musical sounds of a musical piece and corresponding finger numbers, wherein when generating a fingering drawing based on fingering position information corresponding to a reproduction time in the musical piece reproduction, the fingering display program makes a computer execute: generating the fingering position information based on single key pressing information, and synthetic key pressing information obtained by synthesizing respective key pressing information at a plurality of different times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Patent number: 9640161
    Abstract: The program of the present invention is provided for an information terminal equipped with a touch panel that is used for displaying a musical score thereon, the information terminal performing music in accordance with performance sequence data corresponding to the musical score. The program displays the musical score on the touch panel, determines a start bar for a performance sequence as the start point for performing from any bar region of the musical score by sliding a touch position in the right direction on the particular bar region, and determines an end bar for the performance sequence as an end point for ending the performance in any bar region of the musical score by sliding the touch position in the left direction on the particular bar region. Thus, the user can intuitively designate a range of performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KAWAI MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Publication number: 20160300554
    Abstract: The program of the present invention is provided for an information terminal equipped with a touch panel that is used for displaying a musical score thereon, the information terminal performing music in accordance with performance sequence data corresponding to the musical score. The program displays the musical score on the touch panel, determines a start bar for a performance sequence as the start point for performing from any bar region of the musical score by sliding a touch position in the right direction on the particular bar region, and determines an end bar for the performance sequence as an end point for ending the performance in any bar region of the musical score by sliding the touch position in the left direction on the particular bar region. Thus, the user can intuitively designate a range of performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Patent number: 8744136
    Abstract: A sound reproduction program is provided which, in performing reading and sound reproduction of a musical score, precision of musical score recognition is improved. The sound reproduction program is stored in a terminal including the image pickup unit and a display unit and makes a computer execute a function of reading a musical score image at every predetermined time as a sampling image by a camera device, a function of detecting a staff in a simple manner from the sampling image, a function of displaying the sampling image and the simply detected staff in an associated manner on the display unit, a function of instructing detection of musical symbol information from the sampling image, a function of detecting the musical symbol information from the sampling image when the musical symbol information detection is instructed, and a function of emitting a sound based on the detected musical symbol information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushi Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Patent number: 8536437
    Abstract: The musical score playing device includes a display unit 3 made up of a touch panel, a musical score image source selecting unit 10, a musical symbol detecting unit 14 detecting at least a note position and pitch information from a musical score image source, a display device 17 displaying the selected musical score image and a playing pointer 5 on the display unit 3, a touch position detecting unit 23 detecting a touch operation position on the display unit 3, a moving means moving a position of the playing pointer 5 in correspondence to the touch operation position, and a musical sound preparing unit 31 emitting a musical sound of a pitch of a note corresponding to the playing pointer position at a timing that is in accordance with the movement of the playing pointer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Publication number: 20120247305
    Abstract: The musical score playing device includes a display unit 3 made up of a touch panel, a musical score image source selecting unit 10, a musical symbol detecting unit 14 detecting at least a note position and pitch information from a musical score image source, a display device 17 displaying the selected musical score image and a playing pointer 5 on the display unit 3, a touch position detecting unit 23 detecting a touch operation position on the display unit 3, a moving means moving a position of the playing pointer 5 in correspondence to the touch operation position, and a musical sound preparing unit 31 emitting a musical sound of a pitch of a note corresponding to the playing pointer position at a timing that is in accordance with the movement of the playing pointer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventor: Masanori KATSUTA
  • Publication number: 20120250941
    Abstract: A sound reproduction program is provided which, in performing reading and sound reproduction of a musical score, precision of musical score recognition is improved. The sound reproduction program is stored in a terminal including the image pickup unit and a display unit and makes a computer execute a function of reading a musical score image at every predetermined time as a sampling image by a camera device 11, a function of detecting a staff in a simple manner from the sampling image, a function of displaying the sampling image and the simply detected staff in an associated manner on the display unit 3, a function of instructing detection of musical symbol information from the sampling image, a function of detecting the musical symbol information from the sampling image when the musical symbol information detection is instructed, and a function of emitting a sound based on the detected musical symbol information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventor: Masanori KATSUTA
  • Patent number: 7663044
    Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention improves training efficiency, and monotonous repetition of training is avoided. A unit acceptance judgment section (4) judges whether all performance of the units in the current rank have reached an acceptable standard or not. When all performance is accepted, a unit in an upper rank is designated. The performance data in the designated unit is read from a performance data storage (7) to a key depression instruction generator (8), and a key depression instruction is displayed based on the performance data. When only a part of the unit in the current rank is acceptable, a unit updating instruction is output to a lesson menu display (14), to thereby display that the unit subsequent to the currently designated is the unit to be played next. When the unit is updated, the unit having the same note information as that already accepted is not designated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Patent number: 7525035
    Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention improves training efficiency, and monotonous repetition of training is avoided. A unit acceptance judgment section (4) judges whether all performance of the units in the current rank have reached an acceptable standard or not. When all performance is accepted, a unit in an upper rank is designated. The performance data in the designated unit is read from a performance data storage (7) to a key depression instruction generator (8), and a key depression instruction is displayed based on the performance data. When only a part of the unit in the current rank is acceptable, a unit updating instruction is output to a lesson menu display (14), to thereby display that the unit subsequent to the currently designated is the unit to be played next. When the unit is updated, the unit having the same note information as that already accepted is not designated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Publication number: 20080078281
    Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention improves training efficiency, and monotonous repetition of training is avoided. A unit acceptance judgment section (4) judges whether all performance of the units in the current rank have reached an acceptable standard or not. When all performance is accepted, a unit in an upper rank is designated. The performance data in the designated unit is read from a performance data storage (7) to a key depression instruction generator (8), and a key depression instruction is displayed based on the performance data. When only a part of the unit in the current rank is acceptable, a unit updating instruction is output to a lesson menu display (14), to thereby display that the unit subsequent to the currently designated is the unit to be played next. When the unit is updated, the unit having the same note information as that already accepted is not designated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Publication number: 20040055441
    Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention improves training efficiency, and monotonous repetition of training is avoided. A unit acceptance judgment section (4) judges whether all performance of the units in the current rank have reached an acceptable standard or not. When all performance is accepted, a unit in an upper rank is designated. The performance data in the designated unit is read from a performance data storage (7) to a key depression instruction generator (8), and a key depression instruction is displayed based on the performance data. When only a part of the unit in the current rank is acceptable, a unit updating instruction is output to a lesson menu display (14), to thereby display that the unit subsequent to the currently designated is the unit to be played next. When the unit is updated, the unit having the same note information as that already accepted is not designated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Patent number: 5131308
    Abstract: A keyboard of an electronic musical instrument has the keys hinged to a chassis which has key-hole shaped openings receiving moveable switch contacts supported from below the chassis on a switch plate. Each key has an actuator for depressing the respective switch, and a projecting rod for engaging the upper surface of the switch plate to limit downward movement of the key. The key further has a side wall with a lower end portion formed as a stopper which engages the undersurface of the switch plate to limit upward movement of the key. A switch guide fitted to the chassis guides the side walls of the respective keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Kawai Gakki Seisakusho Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Patent number: 5081895
    Abstract: A keyboard in which a stopper portion of an upper limit stopper of a black key detours an upper limit stopper of an adjoining white key so as to lie away from the black key side by side with a stopper portion of the upper limit stopper of the white key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1992
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Patent number: 5070218
    Abstract: A key guide apparatus for an electronic musical instrument, having a plurality of keyboard switches, such as an electronic organ. Keyboard switches utilizing a movable contact are contained in a flexible member and stationary contacts are disposed on a switch base plate which is attached to a lower surface of a keyboard frame in a cantilevered manner. An integrally formed key guide having a plurality of key guide pieces and a retaining member is attached to the keyboard frame such that the retaining member is in contact with the switch base plate to prevent the base plate from deflecting, which would result in time delay after depression of the keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1991
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Masanori Katsuta
  • Patent number: 4890533
    Abstract: An improved key device for an electronic keyboard musical instrument of the type having a fulcrum and a chassis each mounted on a support, and having a key pivotably mounted on the fulcrum, is further provided with a rotor rotatably coupled to the chassis. A first end of the rotor is in contact with an after-fulcrum rear end of the key. A key-returning spring is arranged to couple the rotor and the chassis. A rotation shaft member is fastened to the chassis, the rotor having a recessed portion for receiving the rotation shaft member whereby the rotor is rotatable relative to the rotation shaft member. A heavy mass portion is fastened to a second end of the rotor, the first and second ends of the rotor being on opposite sides of a rotational center of the rotation shaft member. A stopper is mounted on the chassis for suppressing vibrations of the rotor generated when the key is depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masanori Katsuta, Tsutomu Yamaguchi, Yutaka Tamai, Norizo Kamimura
  • Patent number: 4856407
    Abstract: An action mechanism for a keyboard of an electronic piano which is capable of producing a touch that is nearly equal to that of an ordinary piano. The action mechanism comprises an action spring including a friction spring portion to produce a friction force which always opposes depression and restoring movements of key members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masanori Katsuta, Tsutomu Yamaguchi