System for simultaneous multiple keyboard teaching using closed-circuit television

This invention concerns a "System for simultaneous multiple keyboard teaching using closed-circuit television."

The technical sector where, according to the inventors, this could be included is the International Patents Classification's combined items G09B 15/00 and H04N 7/18, as well as other simi­lar items.

By means of investigations conducted in the document collec­tion of the Industrial Property Register of Spain and external sources (CIBERPAT, INPADOC, DERWENT), it has been confirmed that there are just two references in INPADOC that together co­ver the classifications in question:

First

Second

CC

JP

JP

PUBLIC. DAT.

79-03-16

85-08-09

KD

A 2

A 2

DOC. NO.

54036120

60151883

CC

JP

A-JP

PRIOR. DAT.

77-08-26

84-01-19

KP

A

A

PRIOR.

77

84

NO.

101723

7598

APPLICANT.

TEIRUDO-KK

DAIICHI KOUSHIY OU.KK

TITLE

KONBAATAASOCHI

DISPLAY SYSTEM OF LYRICS IN VIDEO ACCOMPANIMENT DEVICE.

Of these, only the second appears in DERWENT, although the­re is a note of the first.

From the summaries contained in the documentation of the a­bove mentioned files and in others consulted, it is deduced that the invention that is the purpose of this Patent Applica­tion is not included within the current state of the art and is an innovative invention.

A major problem in the teaching of keyboard musical instru­ments is the need for the teacher to attend to each pupil in­dividually, instructing him and correcting his mistakes sepa­rately while the others are left inactive.

The impossibility of visually monitoring several pupils at the same time hinders collective instruction, a procedure that is feasible and standard in other types of school education.

Up until now, some music teaching centers have mitigated the problem slightly by positioning a small number of instruments (three, four, five...) opposite to the teacher keyboard. This has the inconvenince of what is called the "mirror effect", in which the pupil sees the teacher's right hand on his left-hand left and viceversa, creating quite a lot of confusion among ve­ry young pupils.

Another complication, by no means negligible, derives from the acoustic nature of the methods being used, which do not a­llow the different exercises or different levels being simul­taneously practised by a group of pupils in the same classroom to be mutually isolated from each other.

Even though almost all electronic musical instruments have a headset socket for silent study on one's own, this does not a­llow the instructive process to be monitored by the teacher, who cannot hear the pupils' performance.

These situations bring with them numerous inconveniences in this kind of teaching: very little time is devoted to each be­ginner in conservatories and academies, with a consequent limi­tation on the number of pupils enrolling, a huge imbalance be­tween the number of places available and the demand for them, very high cost of private classes when greater teacher atten­tion is desired or needed, etc...

This invention produces a satisfactory solution to the obs­tacles pointed out above, making collective mass teaching fea­sible in keyboard instrument classes, in addition to making it possible for pupils to receive more hours of instruction in a pleasant fashion.

Furthermore, as a consequence of the above, general teaching of music can, from its earliest stages, be carried out in ac­cordance with the most modern guidelines in this respect, which advocate handling the instrument from the very first class, mi­xing solfeggios with instrument work.

With the methods used these days, this is not possible becau­se of the enormous number of teachers and classrooms it requi­res.

The system for simultaneous multiple keyboard teaching sub­ mitted here includes and is characterized by a facility that combines keyboards, closed-circuit television, audio intercom­munication, circuits for internally illuminating each key and microphone-headsets, all in a single operating unit.

Its detailed description is as follows:

• a) TEACHER CONSOLE, consisting of..........................
  
  

  - Piano-keyboard with sound generated by electro-musical cir­cuitry. Each key is, moreover, a switch which, when pressed, closes a circuit allowing the equivalent key in the pupil con­sole to illuminate, either for all pupils or selectively.
  
  

  - Television monitors, of no fixed size or number, placed ver­tically in rows behind the keyboard and in the middle distance with respect to..............................................
  
  

  - Audio and video camera controls. These controls include the following functions: monitoring each pupil-to-teacher music out­puts; monitoring teacher-to-pupil music outputs; monitoring pu­pil-to-pupil; verbal communication-call with all, several or o­ne pupil; oral pupil-to-pupil intercommunication; volume, tre­ble and bass controls for each sound source; pupil call LED; telecontrols for camera zoom and movement; and sending signals to different television monitors. All switches will have LED to indicate when they are in operation and, for the "pupil call" will be flashing.
  
  

  - Cassette recorder for recording and playing back to and from any console in the system. This equipment has only a recording button, giving easier operation.
  
  

  - Microphone-headset connector.
  
  

  Naturally, this console also has appropriate electronics for the functions described above. Amplification and build-in spea­ker can be included for listening without headsets, as can an output to external speakers.

• b) PUPIL CONSOLES, the same in number as the teacher console television monitors. Each consists of........................
  
  

  - Piano-keyboard with the same characteristics as that of the teacher.
  
  

  - Teacher call button, with a flashing LED illuminating on the teacher's table.
  
  

  - System for illuminating each key when the teacher presses the corresponding key on his keyboard.
  
  

  - Volume pedal-control, generally known as the "swell".
  
  

  - Microphone-headset connector.
  
  

  As with console a), these consoles contain the electronics that their functions need and an optional built-in speaker.

• c) VIDEO CAMERAS with remote control for zoom and spatial orientation.
  
  

  These are focused vertically above each keyboard, of both teacher and pupils, and connected by closed-circuit to the tea­cher console monitors and to.................................

• d) LARGE TV MONITOR, a screen easily seen by the pupils that receives a signal from each camera as decided by the teacher. This can be replaced by the console monitors b).
• e) MICROPHONE-HEADSETS, as many as there are consoles, allo­wing monitorized listening of any of the several sound sources.
  
  

  This system's components have a well-known desing, so they do not need to be described for the invention to be understood. They can operate mechanically or via pre-programmed microproce­ssors.

Some drawings are attached to aid understanding of the above.

In a diagrammatic way, and solely for the purpose of provi­ding an example, they show a practical situation of use of the equipment.

Figure number one shows the teacher console with: (1) Piano-­keyboard that can have between four and seven octaves; (2) Te­levision monitors, sixteen in number; (3) Audio and camera con­trols; (4) Cassette recorder; (5) Multi-feed headset connector.

Figure number two shows the system in use, with just two pu­pil consoles for reasons of space. Here can be seen: (1) Tea­cher with microphone-headset; (2) Teacher console; (3) Pupils with microphone-headsets; (4) Pupil consoles; (5) Large tele­vision monitor; (6) Video cameras.

In this figure, one pupil is concentrating on his keyboard and another is paying attention to visual examples on the lar­ge screen placed behind the teacher.

As can be deduced easily from the explanations and drawings provided, the instructor at all times monitors the pupils, both visually and aurally, yet without one pupil being acoustically disturbed by another.

The music-sound examples through the headsets and the visual displays of fingering on the large screen provided by the tea­cher are reinforced by illumination of the actual keys that should be pressed and also by verbal instructions given to the pupil via the microphone.

As well as being used for communication with the teacher to clarify doubts, the pupil microphone is useful for singing the music (solfeggio) that he is practising or any other music, in line with the most advanced psychological theories of music te­aching.

The interconnections between pupils, which route via the tea­cher's table, allow one or other to be heard selectively as ne­cessary.

Furthermore, the pupil can listen to his own performance pre­viously recorded on the instructor's console. The recording may also be heard via external amplification.

Given the facility's characteristics described above, it wo­uld be equally applicable for a range of teaching processes taht use other types of keyboard, such as typewriters and com­puters, merely by replacing these keyboards for the piano-key­board and omitting the musical-artistic parameters.

This would consequently imply greater industrial application for the invention.