Apparatus for displaying sheet music

Abstract

An improved apparatus for displaying sheet music is an electronic tablet having the ability to upload and download sheet music to the device as well as having the ability to provide a music composer with the tools to put the music easily and conveniently in printed form. Sound recognition allows the tablet to recognize audio sequences of music and locate the place in the electronic music sheets on the tablet to keep the proper location displayed for the user-performer, including automatically turning electronic pages during the playing of a piece of music.

Claims

1. An improved apparatus for displaying sheet music, comprising: a computer module including: a housing having an interior volume; a display screen; wherein said display screen is located upon an exterior surface of said housing and is adapted to electronically display sheet music; computer circuitry; wherein said computer circuitry is located within said interior volume of said housing, is electronically connected to said display screen, and includes software coding thereon adapted to store and display said sheet music upon said display screen; and a music stand including: a base portion; wherein said base portion is adapted to support said music stand on a supporting surface; a post portion; wherein said post portion is attached to and extends upwardly from said base portion; and a sheet music holding portion; wherein said sheet music holding portion is adapted to retain said computer module thereon, such that a user can view sheet music on said display screen while playing an instrument; wherein said computer module further includes a microphone member attached to said housing and is adapted to send electronic signals to said computer circuitry; and wherein said computer circuitry of said computer module is adapted to interpret said electronic signals from said microphone member to determine which instrument said user is playing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said software coding is adapted to electronically display sheet music on said display screen in a timed sequence.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer circuitry is adapted to provide appropriate sheet music to said display screen for said instrument detected.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer circuitry is pre-programmed with works of music.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer module further includes a USB connector member adapted to allow uploading music to said computer circuitry.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer module further includes a wireless internet connection member adapted to allow wireless internet connection to and from said computer module.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display screen is formed as an LCD screen.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display screen is formed as a plasma panel.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display screen includes touch screen technology.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer module further includes a power source located within said interior volume of said housing and is electronically connected to said display screen and said computer circuitry.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer circuitry is re-programmable.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said post portion is formed as two elongated members telescopingly releasably connected to one another to allow height adjustment of said sheet music holding portion.

13. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said computer circuitry is adapted to highlight notes as they are played by the user, and automatically advancing the pages of said sheet music as said user comes to the end of a specific segment or measure of said sheet music.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer circuitry is adapted to allow a user to write and create their own music.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base portion includes three elongated leg members forming a tripod.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer module further includes a light source attached thereto for use by said user.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein sheet music holding portion includes at least one attachment member adapted to securely and releasably hold said computer module thereon.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, improved apparatus for displaying sheet music, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view illustrating an improved apparatus for displaying sheet music according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an improved apparatus for displaying sheet music with a music stand according to an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an improved apparatus for displaying sheet music with sheet music displayed according to an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.

(5) The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to sheet music and more particularly to an improved apparatus for displaying sheet music as used to improve the convenience of locating and displaying sheet music as well as backlighting and automatic page turning.

(7) Generally speaking, an improved apparatus for displaying sheet music is an electronic tablet having the ability to upload and download sheet music to the device as well as having the ability to provide a music composer with the tools to put the music easily and conveniently in printed form. Sound recognition allows the tablet to recognize audio sequences of music and locate the place in the electronic music sheets on the tablet to keep the proper location displayed for the user-performer, including automatically turning electronic pages during the playing of a piece of music.

(8) Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference there is shown in FIG. 1, a perspective view illustrating improved apparatus for displaying sheet music 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(9) Improved apparatus for displaying sheet music 100 preferably comprises computer module 105 that includes housing 106 having interior volume 107, display screen 110 located upon exterior surface 111 of housing 106 that is adapted to electronically display sheet music, computer circuitry 115 located within interior volume 107 of housing 106 that is electronically connected to display screen 110 that includes software coding 116 adapted to store and to display sheet music 170 upon display screen 110, and music stand 120 that includes base portion 121 for supporting music stand 120 on a supporting surface, post portion 122 that is attached to and extends upwardly from base portion 121, and sheet music holding portion 123 to retain computer module 105 on so that the user can view sheet music 170 on display screen 110 while playing an instrument.

(10) Referring now to FIG. 2, is a perspective view illustrating improved apparatus for displaying sheet music 100 with music stand 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.

(11) Display screen 110 may be an LCD screen or a plasma panel but is adapted to have touch screen technology. A feature of computer circuitry 115 is that it is adapted to highlight the notes as they are played by the user, and to automatically advance the pages of sheet music 170 as the user comes to the end of a specific segment or measure of sheet music 170. The sound recognition software provides for software coding 116 to recognize sound patterns being played and locate in sheet music 170 the recognized patterns. The user may also touch display screen 110 to quickly locate and highlight the desired location in sheet music 170. Computer circuitry 115 is preferably adapted to allow a user to write and create music besides just having the preloaded or downloaded sheet music 170.

(12) Base portion 121 includes three elongated members 140 forming a tripod. Post portion 122 is formed as two elongated members 140 telescopingly and releasably connected to one another to allow height adjustment of sheet music holding portion 123. Sheet music holding portion 123 includes at least one attachment member 124 adapted to securely and releasably hold computer module 105 thereon. Computer module 105 further may include light source 150 attached thereto for use by the user.

(13) Referring now to FIG. 3, is a perspective view illustrating improved apparatus for displaying sheet music 100 with sheet music displayed according to an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.

(14) Software coding 116 preferably is adapted to electronically display sheet music 170 on display screen 110 in a timed sequence that is adjustable by the user. Computer module 105 further may include a microphone member 155 attached to housing 106 that is adapted to send electronic signals to computer circuitry 115 that includes sound recognition and is adapted to interpret the electronic signals from microphone member 155 to determine which instrument the user is playing. Computer module 105 further includes USB connector member 125 adapted to allow uploading music to computer circuitry 115. Computer module 105 further includes power source 135 located within interior volume 107 of housing 106 that is electronically connected to display screen 110 and computer circuitry 115. Computer module 105 further may include wireless internet connection member 175 that is adapted to allow wireless internet connection to and from computer module 105. Computer circuitry 115 may be adapted to provide the appropriate sheet music 170 to display screen 110 for the instrument detected. Computer circuitry 115 is pre-programmed with works of music and is re-programmable to change or to add other sheet music 170 as desired.

(15) Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods of use arrangements such as, for example, different orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc., may be sufficient.

(16) The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.