Musical Sound Generating Device Startup Time Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional musical sound generating devices require a significant amount of time to become operational after activation due to the large data transfer of waveform data from non-volatile to volatile memory, limiting the time users can start playing the device.
Innovation Solution
The device prioritizes the transfer of minimum necessary waveform data items for immediate operation, dynamically assigning and limiting operations based on transfer status, allowing users to play while data transfer is in progress by restricting the number of simultaneously producible sounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all waveform data items are transferred from non-volatile memory to volatile memory upon device activation, then complete functionality is available, but startup time becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The waveform data items are segmented into multiple groups based on tone color categories (e.g., wind instruments, string instruments, percussion instruments). The transfer process is divided into stages, where different groups are transferred at different times. This allows the system to make partial functionality available quickly while continuing to load additional tone colors in the background.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-transferring essential waveform data items that are most likely to be used first (such as common tone colors or frequently accessed sounds) before full functionality is required. This preliminary transfer enables immediate playback of critical sounds while the complete data set continues to load.
2Ease of operation
If the device allows full operational freedom immediately after activation, then user experience is improved, but data transfer completion time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts operational restrictions based on the current data transfer status. As waveform data items are transferred and become available in volatile memory, the system progressively relaxes operational restrictions, allowing more tone colors and functions to become accessible. This dynamic adaptation balances immediate usability with ongoing data loading.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that monitor the transfer status of waveform data items and use this information to control operational permissions. The feedback loop continuously updates the set of available tone colors and functions based on which data has been successfully transferred, allowing the system to optimize performance while maintaining data integrity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Upon activation by a power-on operation, a CPU (104) transfers part of waveform data items of predetermined tone colors from a waveform data storage (103) to a waveform RAM (105), and after this, transfers data items including the remaining waveform data to be transferred. Thereby, a musical sound generating device assigns the transferred waveform data items to make it playable when the transfer of the part of the waveform data has been completed, and changes the assignment of the waveform data to make it playable in an ordinary state when the transfer of the remaining waveform data has been terminated.