Appeal No. 2001-1124
Application 08/885,468
suitable as a welfare musical instrument for physically
handicapped persons. See page 1 of Appellant’s specification.
Figure 1 is a plan view of an electronic piano according to
an embodiment of the present invention. See page 4 of
Appellant’s specification. As shown in figure 1, a keyboard 1 is
divided into plural zones 2, 3, 4. For each zone, one tone is
assigned. The zone 2 has four keys 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. Zone 2 is
allocated the tone “do”. See page 5 of Appellant’s
specification.
In each of the zones 2, 3, 4, the keys located at end
portions do not generate any tone. This is for preventing the
generation of a tone of another zone adjacent to one zone
simultaneous with the generation of a tone of the one zone when a
key in another zone is struck together with the key of the one
zone. For example, the zone 2 comprises four keys 2a, 2b, 2c and
2d. Keys 2a and 2d do not generate a tone, while only the two
central keys 2b and 2c generate the tone of “do”. See page 5 of
Appellant’s specification.
The only independent claim, 10, present in the application
is reproduced as follows:
10. A method of varying the tonal arrangement of the
keyboard of an electric piano comprising the steps of:
dividing the keyboard into a plurality of divided zones
2
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