Computer-Aided Learning System Employing a Pitch Tracking Line

Abstract

A computer-aided learning system to facilitate a human to control the pitch and rhythm of their voice. In a preferred embodiment for learning how to sing a song in tune, a display provides visual, real-time depiction of the singer's actual pitch compared to the “target” pitch they should be singing, thereby allowing the singer to interactively raise or lower the pitch of their voice.

1 . A method for teaching a student to read, comprising the steps of: 
 determining an instructional reading level of the student; and    providing reading, speaking or singing exercises to the student at the instructional reading level.    
   
   
       2 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the student's instructional reading level comprises the steps of: 
 testing the student at an assigned instructional reading level;    determining if the student should be re-tested at a different instructional reading level than the assigned instructional reading level; and    retesting the student at the different instructional reading level.    
   
   
       3 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the step of testing the student comprises the step of: 
 displaying a passage of text wherein a plurality of words are omitted from the passage whereby the passage of text is appropriate for the assigned instructional reading level;    simultaneously displaying a listing of the plurality of words that are omitted from the passage;    requiring the student to fill in the omitted words in the passage; and    grading the student's filling in the omitted words to determine if the student is at the instructional reading level.    
   
   
       4 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the step of grading the student's filling in the omitted words comprises the steps of: 
 scoring the student's filling in the omitted words;    comparing the student's score to a low threshold value and a high threshold value;    determining the student is at the instructional reading level and should be tested at a more advanced reading level when the student's score falls at or above the high threshold value;    determining the student is at the instructional reading level and should be tested at a more advanced reading level the first time the student's score falls between the low threshold value and the high threshold value;    determining the student is at the instructional reading level and should not be tested further when the student's score falls between the low threshold value and the high threshold value a second time; and    determining the student is at a frustration reading level when the student's score falls at or below the low threshold value.    
   
   
       5 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the step of retesting the student at a different instructional reading level comprises the step of: 
 retesting the student at an instructional reading level one grade higher than the assigned instructional reading level.    
   
   
       6 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the step of retesting the student at a different instructional reading level comprises the step of: 
 retesting the student at an instructional reading level one grade lower than the assigned instructional reading level.    
   
   
       7 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing reading exercises comprises the steps of: 
 displaying a passage of text wherein a plurality of words are omitted from the passage;    simultaneously displaying a listing of the plurality of words that are omitted from the passage;    requiring the student to fill in the omitted words in the passage; and    grading the student's filling in the omitted words.    
   
   
       8 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing speaking exercises comprises the steps of: 
 displaying a passage of text to be read by the student;    requiring the student to read the passage of text;    comparing the student's reading of the passage of text to a native speaker's reading of the passage of text.    
   
   
       9 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the step of providing speaking exercises further comprises the step of: 
 audibly playing a proper reading of the passage.    
   
   
       10 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the step of audibly playing a proper reading of the passage further comprises the step of: 
 allowing the student to vary the speed of audibly playing a proper reading of the passage without altering the pitch or pronunciation.    
   
   
       11 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the step of providing speaking exercises further comprises the step of: 
 recording student's reading of the passage.    
   
   
       12 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the step of providing speaking exercises further comprises the step of: 
 playing the student's recorded reading of the passage.    
   
   
       13 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the step of providing speaking exercises further comprises the step of: 
 highlighting the letters of words mispronounced by the student.    
   
   
       14 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing singing exercises comprises the steps of: 
 displaying a series of target pitch lines representative of target pitches on a display;    displaying a target pitch area encompassed about each target pitch line;    computing a pitch tracking line from an audio input; and    displaying the pitch tracking line on the display;    whereby the pitch tracking line visually appears within respective target pitch areas when the pitch of the audio input is substantially in tune with the targeted pitch of the target pitch line therein by a predefined amount.    
   
   
       15 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the pitch tracking line is displayed in real time.  
   
   
       16 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein each target pitch line is centered within their respective target pitch area.  
   
   
       17 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the target pitch areas comprises a height indicative of the degree of the audio input being substantially in tune with the targeted pitch of the target pitch line therein.  
   
   
       18 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 17 , further comprising the step of reducing the height of at least one of the target pitch areas to increase the degree of the audio input being substantially in tune with the targeted pitch of the target pitch line therein.  
   
   
       19 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the step of reducing the height of at least one of the target pitch areas comprises the step of allowing selection of beginner, intermediate, and expert skill levels respectively corresponding to the target pitch area including an increased height, a medium height or a reduced height.  
   
   
       20 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the target pitch areas comprises a length substantially equal to the length of the respective target pitch line.  
   
   
       21 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 20 , further comprising the step of reducing the length of at least one of the target pitch areas to define a transition time with an adjacent target pitch area.  
   
   
       22 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the step of reducing the length of at least one of the target pitch areas comprises the step of allowing selection of expert, intermediate and beginner skill levels respectively corresponding to the target pitch area including an reduced length, a further reduced length and a still further reduced length.  
   
   
       23 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein the step of reducing the length of at least one of the target pitch areas occurs at the beginning of the target pitch areas.  
   
   
       24 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein the step of reducing the length of at least one of the target pitch areas occurs at the beginning and at the end of the target pitch areas.  
   
   
       25 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the audible input comprises a microphone.  
   
   
       26 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the audio input comprises a person who is making an audible sound into the microphone.  
   
   
       27 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 26 , further including the lyrics of a song to be sung being positioned proximate to the respective target pitch areas and wherein the target pitch lines represent the musical notes of the song, whereby visualization of the pitch tracking line and target pitch areas provides a real-time visual feedback of the pitch of the singer's voice relative to each note of the song being sung to aid the person to sing in tune with the notes of the song.  
   
   
       28 . The method for teaching a student to read as set forth in  claim 26 , further including text to be read being positioned proximate to the respective target pitch areas and wherein the target pitch lines represent tones of the text to be read, whereby visualization of the pitch tracking line and target pitch areas provides a real-time visual feedback of the pitch of the person's voice relative to the text being read to aid the person to better learn the text.  
   
   
       29 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the step of computing the pitch tracking line comprises a computer and wherein the steps of displaying comprise display.  
   
   
       30 . The method as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein the computer comprises a general purpose personal computer, a dedicated computer or a server computer.  
   
   
       31 . The method as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein the input and the display comprises a videophone or cell phone with a display and wherein the computer is remotely located.  
   
   
       32 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further including the steps of determining the user's actual vocal range and transposing the target pitch lines into the optimum key best corresponding to the user's actual vocal range.  
   
   
       33 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further including the steps of determining the user's actual vocal range and moving the target pitch lines up or down one or more octaves.  
   
   
       34 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprises a step of determining the user's actual vocal range comprises have the user first sing up from a low note to a high note and then sing down from a high note to a low note and defining the vocal range as the range between the high note and the low note.  
   
   
       35 . The method as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein the steps of displaying occurs in a display window in which the ordinate of the window represents the transposed key best corresponding to the user-specific vocal range and the abscissa represents the measures and their beats of the target pitch lines.  
   
   
       36 . The method as set forth in  claim 35 , further including the step of displaying diatonic notes and non-diatonic notes along the ordinate.  
   
   
       37 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further including the step of displaying words associated with each target pitch line proximate to the respective target pitch area.  
   
   
       38 . The method as set forth in  claim 37 , further including the step of displaying at least one empty area between adjacent target pitch boxes to serve as placeholders and signal when the user should take a breath.  
   
   
       39 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further including the step of computing the total time the pitch tracking line appeared within the target pitch areas relative to the cumulative length of the target pitch areas indicative of the percentage of time the pitch tracking line was in tune with the target pitch areas.  
   
   
       40 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further including the step of computing the total time the pitch tracking line appeared within the target pitch areas relative to the cumulative length of the target pitch areas indicative of the percentage of time the pitch tracking line was in tune and on beat with the target pitch areas.  
   
   
       41 . The method as set forth in  claim 40 , further including the step of displaying a score indicative of the percentage of time the pitch tracking line was in tune and on beat with the target pitch areas.  
   
   
       42 . The method as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein the steps of displaying occurs in a display window including a toolbar and a control panel.  
   
   
       43 . The method as set forth in  claim 42 , wherein the toolbar includes at least one of a singing selection button that allows the user to select among exercises, created songs, imported songs and downloaded songs, a vocal range button that allows the user to manually select a bass, baritone, tenor, alto, or soprano vocal range, a skill level button allowing the user to select the desired skill level, sing/compose button allows the user to switch between the sing and compose modes of operation, a toggle button to switch to a view containing a representation of a keyboard, to a sheet music view, to a view containing a mixing board or to return to a home screen, vertical or horizontal sliders to allow the window to be scrolled vertically and horizontally, respectively, and zoom buttons to change how much of a song appears in the window, best fit or vocal range buttons to allow the highest and lowest notes to appear in the window without scrolling and to adjust the vertical display so that the user-specific vocal range fits in the window.  
   
   
       44 . The method as set forth in  claim 42 , wherein the control panel includes at least one of a metronome toggle button to turn a metronome sound on and off, a time signature toggle button to show the currently selected time signature, a tempo selector button that displays the current tempo and allows the tempo for the current song or exercise to be increased or decreased, a key selector button that allows the user to change the key for the current song, melody and accompaniment toggle buttons to turn on and off the melody and accompaniment during playing, volume controls selector buttons, and transport buttons for clearing the display and preparing for a new session, for rewinding by moving the vertical cursor to the beginning of a song, for playing what is displayed and for stopping the playing.  
   
   
       45 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the steps of displaying further includes the step of displaying a cursor line indicating the current position being played.  
   
   
       46 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further including computing a multiple of pitch tracking lines from respective multiple audio inputs; and 
 displaying the pitch tracking lines on the display.    
   
   
       47 . The method as set forth in  claim 46 , wherein the set of displaying the pitch tracking lines on the display comprises the step of displaying the pitch tracking lines in multiple respective displays.  
   
   
       48 . The method as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the song to be played comprises a MIDI file.  
   
   
       49 . The method as set forth in  claim 48 , further including the steps of interpreting the MIDI file to ascertain the status bytes and the data bytes for each note and its duration, as well as the key, melody and the accompaniment to display to the target pitch lines.  
   
   
       50 . The method as set forth in  claim 48 , wherein as the user sings the song, the user's voice in saved in an analog file corresponding to the file.  
   
   
       51 . The method as set forth in  claim 49 , wherein the coordinates of the pitch tracking line are computed for display and saved to a control file corresponding to or along with the analog file.  
   
   
       52 . The method as set forth in  claim 50 , further including the step of changing the song's key, melody and accompaniment by changing the corresponding status and data bytes of the MIDI song file before playing.  
   
   
       53 . A method for learning a foreign language comprising the steps of: 
 listening to a pre-recorded song;    watching a first pitch tracking line whereby the first pitch tracking line visually tracks the pre-recorded song;    recording a rendition of the pre-recorded song;    watching a second pitch tracking line whereby the second pitch tracking line visually tracks the recorded rendition of the pre-recorded song.    
   
   
       54 . The method for learning a foreign language as set forth in  claim 53 , further including the step of: 
 repeatedly re-recording a rendition of the pre-recorded song while comparing an associated pitch tracking line corresponding to the re-recorded rendition of the pre-recorded song until the associated pitch tracking line closely follows the first pitch tracking line.    
   
   
       55 . The method for learning a foreign language as set forth in  claim 53  whereby the foreign language is Mandarin.  
   
   
       56 . The method for learning a foreign language as set forth in  claim 53  whereby: 
 the first pitch tracking line is a first color;    and the second pitch tracking line is a second color.    
   
   
       57 . The method for learning a foreign language as set forth in  claim 53  whereby the pre-recorded song is sung by a native speaker of the foreign language.  
   
   
       58 . The method for learning a foreign language as set forth in  claim 53  whereby the pre-recorded song is a nursery rhyme.  
   
   
       59 . A method for learning, comprising the steps of: 
 displaying a series of target pitch lines representative of target pitches on a display;    displaying a target pitch area encompassed about each target pitch line;    computing a pitch tracking line from an audio input; and    displaying the pitch tracking line on the display;    whereby the pitch tracking line visually appears within respective target pitch boxes when the pitch of the audio input is substantially in tune with the targeted pitch of the target pitch line therein by a predefined amount.    
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 59  whereby the target pitch area is a rectangular box.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 59  whereby the target pitch area is a box with rounded edges.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 59  whereby the target pitch area is an eliptical shape.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 59  whereby the target pitch area is a diamond.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 59  whereby the target pitch area is a circle.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 59  whereby the target pitch area is a polygon.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 59  further comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting the song to be sung from a plurality of server computers;    receiving the transmitted song to be sung on a plurality of client computers.    
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 66  whereby the plurality of server computers is interconnected to the plurality of client computers over a network.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 67  whereby the network is the Internet.  
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 67  whereby the software used by the plurality of client computers to receive the transmitted song is stored on and started from the plurality of server computers.  
   
   
       70 . A method for learning, comprising the steps of: 
 displaying a target pitch notehead on a music stave;    computing a pitch tracking line from an audio input; and    displaying the pitch tracking line on the display;    whereby the pitch tracking line visually appears within respective target pitch noteheads when the pitch of the audio input is substantially in tune with the targeted pitch of the target pitch line therein by a predefined amount.    
   
   
       71 . The method as set forth in  claim 70  wherein the pitch tracking line is displayed in real time.  
   
   
       72 . The method as set forth in  claim 70  wherein the audible input comprises a microphone.  
   
   
       73 . The method as set forth in  claim 72  wherein the audible input comprises a person who is making an audible sound into the microphone.  
   
   
       74 . The method as set forth in  claim 73 , further including the lyrics of a song to be sung being positioned proximate to the respective target pitch note, whereby visualization of the pitch tracking line and target pitch notes provides a real-time visual feedback of the pitch of the singer's voice relative to each note of the song being sung to aid the person to sing in tune with the notes of the song.  
   
   
       75 . The method as set forth in  claim 73 , further including text to be read being positioned proximate to the respective target pitch note, whereby visualization of the pitch tracking line and target pitch notes provides a real-time visual feedback of the pitch of the person's voice relative to the text being read to aid the person to better learn the text.