1460752115-daec78cc-5daf-42fc-834c-6d3da39a4701

1-36. (canceled)
37. A semiconductor device comprising:
a first pixel over a substrate, and comprising:
a first TFT comprising:
a first portion of a first semiconductor layer comprising a first channel region, a pair of first LDD regions in contact with the first channel region, and first source and drain regions on the outside of the pair of first LDD regions;
a first gate insulating film over the first portion of the first semiconductor layer; and
a first gate electrode over the first gate insulating film, a capacitor comprising:
a first layer comprising a second portion of the first semiconductor layer;
a second layer over the first layer, and comprising a same layer as the first gate insulating film; and
a third layer over the second layer, and comprising a same layer as the first gate electrode,

an insulating film comprising silicon nitride, and over and in contact with the first gate electrode and the first gate insulating film,

wherein a third portion of the first semiconductor layer extends to a second pixel, and
wherein a thickness of the first gate insulating film over the first channel region is thicker than a thickness of the first gate insulating film over each of the first source and drain regions,
a driver circuit over the substrate, and comprising an n-channel TFT and a p-channel TFT,

wherein each of the n-channel TFT and the p-channel TFT comprises:
a second semiconductor layer comprising a second channel region, a pair of second LDD regions in contact with the second channel region, and second source and drain regions disposed on the outside of the pair of second LDD regions;
a second gate insulating film provided over the second semiconductor layer; and
a second gate electrode provided over the second gate insulating film, and

wherein a thickness of the second gate insulating film over the second channel region is thicker than a thickness of the second gate insulating film over each of the second source and drain regions.
38. A semiconductor device according to claim 37, wherein each of the first gate electrode, the second gate electrode and the third layer has a tapered portion.
39. A semiconductor device according to claim 38, wherein an angle of the tapered portion is between 5\xb0 and 45\xb0.
40. A semiconductor device according to claim 37, wherein each of the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode comprises a heat resistant conductive material and a gate wiring that is electrically connected to the first gate electrode comprises a low resistivity conductive material.
41. A semiconductor device according to claim 40, wherein the heat resistant conductive material is selected from a group consisting of an element selected from tantalum, titanium, or tungsten.
42. A semiconductor device according to claim 37, wherein each of the first gate insulating film and the second gate insulating film comprises an insulating film containing silicon.
43. A semiconductor device according to claim 37, wherein a concentration of an impurity element in each of the pair of first LDD regions are set to become higher as the distance from the first channel region increases.
44. A semiconductor device according to claim 37, wherein the semiconductor device is applied to an electronic appliance selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a portable information terminal, a digital camera, a digital video disc player, an electronic game machine, and a projector.
45. A semiconductor device according to claim 37, wherein the first TFT has a multi gate structure.
46. A semiconductor device according to claim 43, wherein the second portion of the first semiconductor layer contains the impurity element.
47. A semiconductor device according to claim 37, wherein the first pixel and the second pixel are electrically connected to a same source wiring.
48. A semiconductor device according to claim 47, wherein a fourth portion of the first semiconductor layer is connected to the source wiring.
49. A semiconductor device comprising:
a first pixel over a substrate, and comprising:
a first TFT comprising:
a first portion of a first semiconductor layer comprising a first channel region, a pair of first LDD regions in contact with the first channel region, and first source and drain regions on the outside of the pair of first LDD regions;
a first gate insulating film over the first portion of the first semiconductor layer; and
a first gate electrode over the first gate insulating film, a capacitor comprising:
a first layer comprising a second portion of the first semiconductor layer;
a second layer over the first layer, and comprising a same layer as the first gate insulating film; and
a third layer over the second layer, and comprising a same layer as the first gate electrode,

an insulating film comprising silicon nitride, and over and in contact with the first gate electrode and the first gate insulating film,

wherein a third portion of the first semiconductor layer extends to a second pixel, and
wherein a thickness of the first gate insulating film over the first channel region is thicker than a thickness of the first gate insulating film over each of the first source and drain regions,
a driver circuit over the substrate, and comprising a second TFT,
wherein the second TFT comprises:
a second semiconductor layer comprising a second channel region, a pair of second LDD regions in contact with the second channel region, and second source and drain regions disposed on the outside of the pair of second LDD regions;
a second gate insulating film provided over the second semiconductor layer; and
a second gate electrode provided over the second gate insulating film, and

wherein a thickness of the second gate insulating film over the second channel region is thicker than a thickness of the second gate insulating film over each of the second source and drain regions.
50. A semiconductor device according to claim 49, wherein each of the first gate electrode, the second gate electrode and the third layer has a tapered portion.
51. A semiconductor device according to claim 50, wherein an angle of the tapered portion is between 5\xb0 and 45\xb0.
52. A semiconductor device according to claim 49, wherein each of the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode comprises a heat resistant conductive material and a gate wiring that is electrically connected to the first gate electrode comprises a low resistivity conductive material.
53. A semiconductor device according to claim 52, wherein the heat resistant conductive material is selected from a group consisting of an element selected from tantalum, titanium, or tungsten.
54. A semiconductor device according to claim 49, wherein each of the first gate insulating film and the second gate insulating film comprises an insulating film containing silicon.
55. A semiconductor device according to claim 49, wherein a concentration of an impurity element in each of the pair of first LDD regions are set to become higher as the distance from the first channel region increases.
56. A semiconductor device according to claim 49, wherein the semiconductor device is applied to an electronic appliance selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a portable information terminal, a digital camera, a digital video disc player, an electronic game machine, and a projector.
57. A semiconductor device according to claim 49, wherein the first TFT has a multi gate structure.
58. A semiconductor device according to claim 55, wherein the second portion of the first semiconductor layer contains the impurity element.
59. A semiconductor device according to claim 49, wherein the first pixel and the second pixel are electrically connected to a same source wiring.
60. A semiconductor device according to claim 59, wherein a fourth portion of the first semiconductor layer is connected to the source wiring.
61. A semiconductor device comprising:
a first pixel over a substrate, and comprising:
a first TFT comprising:
a first portion of a first semiconductor layer comprising a first channel region, a pair of first LDD regions in contact with the first channel region, and first source and drain regions on the outside of the pair of first LDD regions;
a first gate insulating film over the first portion of the first semiconductor layer; and
a first gate electrode over the first gate insulating film, a capacitor comprising:
a first layer comprising a second portion of the first semiconductor layer;
a second layer over the first layer, and comprising a same layer as the first gate insulating film; and
a third layer over the second layer, and comprising a same layer as the first gate electrode,

an insulating film comprising silicon nitride, and over and in contact with the first gate electrode and the first gate insulating film; and
a first pixel electrode over the insulating film, and electrically connected to the first TFT,

wherein a third portion of the first semiconductor layer is overlapped with a second pixel electrode in a second pixel, and
wherein a thickness of the first gate insulating film over the first channel region is thicker than a thickness of the first gate insulating film over each of the first source and drain regions.
62. A semiconductor device according to claim 61, wherein each of the first gate electrode and the third layer has a tapered portion.
63. A semiconductor device according to claim 62, wherein an angle of the tapered portion is between 5\xb0 and 45\xb0.
64. A semiconductor device according to claim 61, wherein the first gate electrode comprises a heat resistant conductive material and a gate wiring that is electrically connected to the first gate electrode comprises a low resistivity conductive material.
65. A semiconductor device according to claim 64, wherein the heat resistant conductive material is selected from a group consisting of an element selected from tantalum, titanium, or tungsten.
66. A semiconductor device according to claim 61, wherein the first gate insulating film comprises an insulating film containing silicon.
67. A semiconductor device according to claim 61, wherein a concentration of an impurity element in each of the pair of first LDD regions are set to become higher as the distance from the first channel region increases.
68. A semiconductor device according to claim 61, wherein the semiconductor device is applied to an electronic appliance selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a portable information terminal, a digital camera, a digital video disc player, an electronic game machine, and a projector.
69. A semiconductor device according to claim 61, wherein the first TFT has a multi gate structure.
70. A semiconductor device according to claim 67, wherein the second portion of the first semiconductor layer contains the impurity element.
71. A semiconductor device according to claim 61, wherein the first pixel and the second pixel are electrically connected to a same source wiring.
72. A semiconductor device according to claim 71, wherein a fourth portion of the first semiconductor layer is connected to the source wiring.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A heater controller system for a fusing apparatus configured for fusing marking material to a substrate in a printing system, said heater controller system comprising:
a heating element having at least two sections;
a power source for supplying power to said heating element; and
at least one switch configured to selectively control at least two bidirectional switches for selectively providing current supplied by the power source to at least one of the at least two sections during operation of said heater controller system in one of at least two modes of operation, each of the at least two modes of operation corresponds to a particular size of said substrate.
2. A heater controller system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one switch is at least one diode and the at least bidirectional switches are at least two triacs.
3. A heater controller system according to claim 1, wherein the power source is an AC power source.
4. A heater controller system according to claim 1, wherein the size of the substrate is selected from the group consisting of A5 short edge feed, 11\u2033 short edge feed, and 11\u2033 long edge feed.
5. A heater controller system according to claim 4, wherein in a first mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is A5 short edge feed, in a second mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is 11\u2033 short edge feed, and in a third mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is 11\u2033 long edge feed.
6. A heater controller system according to claim 1, wherein the printing system is a xerographic printing system.
7. A heater controller system for a fusing apparatus configured for fusing marking material to a substrate in a printing system, said heater controller system comprising:
a first heating element having at least two sections;
a second heating element having at least two sections;
a power source for supplying power to the first and second heating elements; and
at least two switches configured to selectively control at least two bidirectional switches for selectively providing current supplied by the power source to at least one section of the at least two sections of at least one of the first and second heating elements during operation of said heater controller system in one of at least two modes of operation, each of the at least two modes of operation corresponds to a particular size of said substrate.
8. A heater controller system according to claim 7, wherein the at least two switches are at least two diodes and the at least two bidirectional switches are at least two triacs.
9. A heater controller system according to claim 7, wherein the power source is an AC power source.
10. A heater controller system according to claim 7, wherein the size of the substrate is selected from the group consisting of A5 short edge feed, A5 long edge feed, 11\u2033 short edge feed, and 11\u2033 long edge feed.
11. A heater controller system according to claim 10, wherein in a first mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is A5 short edge feed, in a second mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is 11\u2033 short edge feed, in a third mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is 11\u2033 long edge feed, and in a fourth mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is A4 long edge feed.
12. A heater controller system according to claim 7, wherein the printing system is a xerographic printing system.
13. A xerographic printing system comprising:
a fusing apparatus configured for fusing marking material to a substrate; and
a heater controller system comprising:
a heating element having at least two sections;
a power source for supplying power to said heating element; and
at least one switch configured to selectively control at least two bidirectional switches for selectively providing current supplied by the power source to at least one of the at least two sections during operation of said heater controller system in one of at least two modes of operation, each of the at least two modes of operation corresponds to a particular size of said substrate provided to said fusing apparatus.
14. A xerographic printing system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one switch is at least one diode and the at least bidirectional switches are at least two triacs.
15. A xerographic printing system according to claim 13, wherein the power source is an AC power source.
16. A xerographic printing system according to claim 13, wherein the size of the substrate is selected from the group consisting of A5 short edge feed, 11\u2033 short edge feed, and 11\u2033 long edge feed.
17. A xerographic printing system according to claim 16, wherein in a first mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is A5 short edge feed, in a second mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is 11\u2033 short edge feed, and in a third mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is 11\u2033 long edge feed.
18. A xerographic printing system comprising:
a fusing apparatus configured for fusing marking material to a substrate; and
a heater controller system comprising:
a first heating element having at least two sections;
a second heating element having at least two sections;
a power source for supplying power to the first and second heating elements; and
at least two switches configured to selectively control at least two bidirectional switches for selectively providing current supplied by the power source to at least one section of the at least two sections of at least one of the first and second heating elements during operation of said heater controller system in one of at least two modes of operation, each of the at least two modes of operation corresponds to a particular size of said substrate provided to said fusing apparatus.
19. A xerographic printing system according to claim 18, wherein the at least two switches are at least two diodes and the at least two bidirectional switches are at least two triacs.
20. A xerographic printing system according to claim 18, wherein the power source is an AC power source.
21. A xerographic printing system according to claim 18, wherein the size of the substrate is selected from the group consisting of A5 short edge feed, A5 long edge feed, 11\u2033 short edge feed, and 11\u2033 long edge feed.
22. A xerographic printing system according to claim 21, wherein in a first mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is A5 short edge feed, in a second mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is 11\u2033 short edge feed, in a third mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is 11\u2033 long edge feed, and in a fourth mode of operation of the at least two modes of operation the size of the substrate is A4 long edge feed.

1460752106-05dc1b28-b617-4901-80ab-b4338ab72576

1. A method of generating power comprising:
injecting lignin residue derived from the enzymatic hydrolysis of a biomass feedstock and natural gas into a combustor of a gas turbine power generator;
combusting the lignin residue and natural gas with compressed air;
inputting the resultant gases into a gas turbine to rotate a turbine shaft and generate rotational energy; and
converting the rotational energy into electrical energy.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lignin residue is derived from a process of simultaneous sachrification and fermentation of the biomass feedstock.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lignin residue comprises about 2 to about 70 percent by weight of the total amount of lignin residue and natural gas injected into the combustor.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lignin residue comprises about 25 to about 65 percent by weight of the total amount of lignin residue and natural gas injected into the combustor.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lignin residue comprises about 40 to about 60 percent by weight of the total amount of lignin residue and natural gas injected into the combustor.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lignin residue has a moisture content of about 20 percent or less.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lignin residue has a moisture content of about 10 percent or less.
8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
transporting the lignin residue to the combustor.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the lignin residue is transported with pressurized air.
10. A fuel for use in a gas turbogenerator comprising a mixture of lignin residue derived from the enzymatic hydrolysis of a biomass feedstock and natural gas.
11. The fuel according to claim 10, wherein the lignin residue is derived from a process of simultaneous sachrification and fermentation of the biomass feedstock.
12. The fuel according to claim 10, wherein the lignin residue comprises about 2 to about 70 percent by weight of the total amount of lignin residue and natural gas injected into the combustor.
13. The fuel according to claim 10, wherein the lignin residue comprises about 25 to about 65 percent by weight of the total amount of lignin residue and natural gas injected into the combustor.
14. The fuel according to claim 10, wherein the lignin residue comprises about 40 to about 60 percent by weight of the total amount of lignin residue and natural gas injected into the combustor.
15. The fuel according to claim 10, wherein the lignin residue has a moisture content of about 20 percent or less.
16. The fuel according to claim 10, wherein the lignin residue has a moisture content of about 10 percent or less.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A music difficulty level calculating apparatus comprising:
a storing unit for storing musical-tone data, wherein the musical-tone data includes pitch information of each of musical notes composing music, fingering information for playing the musical notes, and time information of each of the musical notes;
a separate difficulty level calculating unit for calculating separate difficulty levels on plural elements required for playing music respectively, based on either one of the pitch information, the fingering information and the time information stored in the storing unit; and
a whole difficulty level calculating unit for calculating a whole difficulty level of music based on the separate difficulty levels calculated by the separate difficulty level calculating unit.
2. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the separate difficulty level calculating unit comprises:
a fingering difficulty level calculating unit for calculating a fingering difficulty level concerning fingering of playing adjacent musical notes, based on the pitch information and the fingering information stored in the storing unit;
a rhythm difficulty level calculating unit for calculating a rhythm difficulty level concerning a musical-tone duration and timing of musical notes, based on the time information stored in the storing unit; and
a key difficulty level calculating unit for calculating a key difficulty level concerning a key of the music based on the pitch information stored in the storing unit.
3. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fingering difficulty level calculating unit comprises:
a first classification item value obtaining unit for obtaining a classification value of at least one of classification items, wherein the classification value is one selected from among a first classification value indicating a specific state in a first classification item concerning positions of fingers for playing adjacent musical notes, a second classification value indicating a specific state in a second classification item concerning finger spreading for playing adjacent musical notes, a third classification item indicating a specific state in a third classification item concerning finger crossing over or under another to play musical notes, and a fourth classification item indicating a specific state in a fourth classification item concerning finger changing to play adjacent musical notes; and
a first cost accumulating unit for reading from a cost table of the storing unit cost values corresponding respectively to the specific states in the respective classification items based on the classification values of the respective classification items, wherein the cost table stores the cost values corresponding to the specific states in the classification items, and for accumulating the cost values to obtain the accumulated cost value as the fingering difficulty level.
4. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the classification value in the classification item of each musical note is a predetermined value, the first classification item value obtaining unit increases a corresponding count value in a count map of the storing unit, wherein the count map stores the count value of the classification value in the classification item; and
the first cost accumulating unit refers to the count value in the count map and accumulates corresponding cost values stored in the cost table of the storing unit, when the count value is not less than 1.
5. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the rhythm difficulty level calculating unit comprises:
a second classification item value obtaining unit for obtaining a classification value of at least one of the classification items, wherein the classification value is one selected from among a fifth classification value indicating a specific state in a fifth classification item concerning musical-tone durations and a sixth classification value indicating a specific state in a sixth classification item concerning positions of musical notes in a measure; and
a second cost accumulating unit for reading from a cost table of the storing unit cost values corresponding respectively to the specific states in the respective classification items based on the classification values of the respective classification items, wherein the cost table stores the cost values corresponding to the specific states of the classification items, and for accumulating the cost values to obtain the accumulated cost value as the rhythm difficulty level.
6. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the key difficulty level calculating unit specifies a key of the music depending on the pitch information of the musical notes included in the music, and finds a degree of coincidence between a musical scale of the specified key and the pitch of the musical note in the music and a degree of inconsistency between the musical scale of the specified key and the pitch of the musical note in the music, calculating the key difficulty level based on the degree of coincidence and the degree of inconsistency.
7. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the key difficulty level calculating unit calculates the key difficulty level based on a ratio of the degree of inconsistency to a difference between the degree of coincidence and the degree of inconsistency.
8. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the musical-tone data includes data indicating tempo of music, and the whole difficulty level calculating unit applies the fingering difficulty level and the rhythm difficulty level with weight corresponding to the tempo of the music, and calculates the whole difficulty level from the weighted fingering difficulty level and rhythm difficulty level.
9. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first classification item value obtaining unit associates classification values of the respective classification items concerning fingering with respect to each musical note with each musical note and stores the classification values in the storing unit, and
the music difficulty level calculating apparatus further comprising:
a displaying unit having a screen for displaying data on the screen; and
an image producing unit for producing image data that contains a musical score with musical notes composing the music and disposed thereon, and for displaying the image data on the screen of the displaying unit, wherein when the classification value of the classification item concerning fingering, associated with each of the musical notes and stored in the storing unit, is equivalent to a predetermined value, the image producing unit produces image data that contains the musical score including symbols indicating that the musical notes correspond to the classification items.
10. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
the second classification item value obtaining unit associates classification values of the respective classification items concerning rhythm with respect to each musical note with each musical note, and stores the classification values in the storing unit, and
the music difficulty level calculating apparatus further comprising:
a displaying unit having a screen for displaying data on the screen; and
an image producing unit for producing image data that contains a musical score with musical notes composing the music and disposed thereon, and for displaying the image data on the screen of the displaying unit, wherein when the classification value of the classification item concerning rhythm, associated with each musical note and stored in the storing unit, is equivalent to a predetermined value, the image producing unit produce image data that contains the musical score including symbols indicating that the musical notes correspond to the classification values.
11. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the whole difficulty level calculating unit multiplies plural separate difficulty levels calculated by the separate difficulty level calculating unit by weighting coefficients, respectively, and accumulates the weighted difficulty levels, calculating the difficulty level of the music.
12. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:
a weighting coefficient optimizing unit for optimizing weighting coefficients, by which the plural separate difficulty levels are to be multiplied, wherein
the weighting coefficient optimizing unit calculates the weighting coefficients such that a correlation will become maximum between the difficulty level of music calculated based on the separate difficulty levels previously calculated and stored in the storing unit and a difficulty level evaluation value of the same music given by a professional and stored in the storing unit.
13. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the weighting coefficient optimizing unit obtains a weighting coefficient candidate value in the vicinity of a basic value of the weighting coefficient of each element, and calculates the difficulty level from combination of weighting coefficient candidate values of all the elements.
14. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the weighting coefficient optimizing unit calculates the weighting coefficient candidate value by multiplying the basic value by a coefficient varying within a predetermined range.
15. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the separate difficulty level calculating unit comprises a second difficulty level calculating unit and a master level map producing unit; wherein the second difficulty level calculating unit comprises a difficulty level evaluation map producing unit and a cost accumulating unit, wherein the difficulty level evaluation map producing unit produces a difficulty level evaluation map for indicating an existence of a specific state in each of classification items concerning elements composing each piece of music, and the cost accumulating unit refers to the difficulty level evaluation map to read from the cost table of the storing unit cost values corresponding to the specific states in the classification items, and accumulates the cost values, obtaining the accumulated cost value as the difficulty level of music, and
the master level map producing unit produces a master level map indicating whether or not a player has mastered a specific state in each of the classification items, and stores the master level map in the storing unit, and
the cost accumulating unit refers to the master level map produced by the master level map producing unit to obtain the cost value taking into consideration the player’s master level in the specific states in the classification items.
16. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein
the cost accumulating unit refers to the master level map produced by the master level map producing unit, and excludes the cost value corresponding to the specific state in the classification item from the cost values to be accumulated, when the player has mastered on the specific state in the classification item.
17. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the master level map producing unit refers to the difficulty level evaluation map produced by the difficulty level evaluation map producing unit, and sets a predetermined value to the specific state in the classification item in the master level evaluation map produced by the master level map producing unit, when the existence of a specific state in the classification item is indicated in the difficulty level evaluation map.
18. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the master level map producing unit refers to the difficulty level evaluation map produced by the difficulty level evaluation map producing unit with respect to each piece of music, and accumulates values with respect to the specific state in the classification item, when the existence of a specific state in the classification item is indicated in the difficulty level evaluation map, and
the cost accumulating unit refers to the master level map produced by the master level map producing unit, and weights the cost value corresponding to the specific state of the classification item based on the accumulated value, when the accumulated value is stored in the specific state of the classification item.
19. The music difficulty level calculating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the weight corresponds to a ratio of the accumulated value to a predetermined value.
20. In a music difficulty level calculating apparatus provided with a storing unit, which stores musical-tone data including pitch information of each of musical notes composing music, fingering information for playing the musical notes, and time information of each of the musical notes, a method of calculating a music difficulty level, comprising:
a separate difficulty level calculating step of calculating separate difficulty levels on plural elements required for playing music respectively, based on either one of the pitch information, the fingering information and the time information stored in the storing unit; and
a whole difficulty level calculating step of calculating a whole difficulty level of music based on the separate difficulty levels calculated at the separate difficulty level calculating step.