US3626075A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Touch-responsive tone envelope control circuit for electronic musical instruments
Assignee: Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
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Filing: 1970-07-08
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Granted: 1971-12-07
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Expires: 1990-07-08
Abstract
Abstract In a keying system for an electronic musical instrument in which an individual keyer is operative by the actuation of a corresponding playing key but a keyed tone signal has a predetermined amplitude irresponsive to a key depression intensity, there is provided in combination with the keyer a corresponding circuit means producing a tone signal of an envelope pattern or abrupt buildup and subsequent decay, a socalled attack signal, in response to the key depression intensity. The touch-responsive attack signal gives forth an effective touch-responsive auditory sensation of the total sound.
Inventors
- 👤 Ryu Hiyama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 04:14
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/02; G10H1/04; G10H1/053; G10H1/055; G10H1/0555
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
200 words
A touch-responsive keying system for an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of keys and a tone generator, said system comprising: a like plurality of voltage generating means, each being responsive to the intensity of depression of a corresponding one of said plurality of keys for generating a voltage also responsive to the intensity of depression of said corresponding key, a like plurality of keyer circuit means connected to said tone generator, each keyer circuit means being capable of producing a keyed tone signal having a predetermined amplitude irresponsive to the depression intensity of a corresponding playing key, and a like plurality of gate circuit means, each being connected to a respectively corresponding voltage generating means, to said tone generator and to a respectively corresponding keyer circuit means, each of said gate circuit means being responsive to the level of said generated voltage from the respectively corresponding one of said voltage generating means for developing a tone signal having an envelope pattern of abrupt buildup and subsequent decay and which key depression intensity responsive tone signal output is connected to combine with the predetermined amplitude output of the respectively corresponding keyer circuit for the each of said plurality of keys.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
200 words
A touch-responsive keying system for an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of keys and a tone generator, said system comprising: a like plurality of voltage generating means, each being responsive to the intensity of depression of a corresponding one of said plurality of keys for generating a voltage also responsive to the intensity of depression of said corresponding key, a like plurality of keyer circuit means connected to said tone generator, each keyer circuit means being capable of producing a keyed tone signal having a predetermined amplitude irresponsive to the depression intensity of a corresponding playing key, and a like plurality of gate circuit means, each being connected to a respectively corresponding voltage generating means, to said tone generator and to a respectively corresponding keyer circuit means, each of said gate circuit means being responsive to the level of said generated voltage from the respectively corresponding one of said voltage generating means for developing a tone signal having an envelope pattern of abrupt buildup and subsequent decay and which key depression intensity responsive tone signal output is connected to combine with the predetermined amplitude output of the respectively corresponding keyer circuit for the each of said plurality of keys.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 1, in which the input of each of the gate circuit means is connected to the input of the respectively corresponding keyer circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 1, in which the input of each of the gate circuit means is connected to a tone source generating a tone signal having a waveform different from that connected to the input of the respectively corresponding keyer circuit means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
82 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 1, in which each of said gate circuit means includes an active element having a control electrode and first and second electrodes, said control electrode being connected to an output terminal of the respectively corresponding voltage generating means, said first electrode being connected to a tone source which is also connected to the input of the respectively corresponding keyer circuit means and said second electrode being connected to the output of said keyer circuit means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 4, in which said active element is a field-effect transistor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 1, in which each of said voltage generating means includes a coil adapted to generate a damped AC voltage responsive to the actuation speed of a respectively corresponding playing key, a unidirectional conducting element for rectifying the AC voltage, and a circuit for translating the rectified voltage into a pulse signal of an approximate sawtooth waveform.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
93 words
A touch-responsive keying system as in claim 1 in which each of said gate circuit means includes an active element having a control electrode and first and second electrodes, said control electrode being connected to an output terminal of the respectively corresponding voltage generating means, said first electrode being connected to a first tone source having a first footage, the input of the respectively corresponding keyer circuit means being connected to a second tone source having a second footage, and said second electrode being connected to the output of said keyer circuit means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
140 words
In an electronic musical instrument having playing keys and tone sources, a touch-responsive keying system for each of said playing keys, said system comprising: an input terminal connected to a predetermined one of said tone sources. an output terminal, a keyer circuit means connected to said input terminal and said output terminal for keying a tone signal from said tone source to said output terminal with a predetermined amplitude irresponsive to the depression intensity of said key; voltage generating means for generating a voltage responsive to the depression intensity of said key; and a gate circuit means connected to said voltage generating means, to at least one of said tone sources and to said output terminal for developing a tone signal having an envelope pattern of an abrupt buildup and a subsequent decay with an amplitude determined by said voltage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
140 words
In an electronic musical instrument having playing keys and tone sources, a touch-responsive keying system for each of said playing keys, said system comprising: an input terminal connected to a predetermined one of said tone sources. an output terminal, a keyer circuit means connected to said input terminal and said output terminal for keying a tone signal from said tone source to said output terminal with a predetermined amplitude irresponsive to the depression intensity of said key; voltage generating means for generating a voltage responsive to the depression intensity of said key; and a gate circuit means connected to said voltage generating means, to at least one of said tone sources and to said output terminal for developing a tone signal having an envelope pattern of an abrupt buildup and a subsequent decay with an amplitude determined by said voltage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 8 in which said gate circuit means has a tone signal input connected to said input terminal for receiving a tone signal from said predetermined tone source in common with the input of said keyer circuit means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 9 in which said gate circuit includes a field-effect transistor having a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode, said gate electrode being connected to said voltage generating means, said source electrode being connected to said input terminal and said drain electrode being connected to said output terminal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 9 in which there is further provided a tone color circuit for emphasizing high harmonics of the tone signal, said tone color circuit being connected between said gate circuit means and said output terminal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 8 in which there is further provided a second input terminal connected to a tone signal input of said gate circuit means which second input terminal is connected to a different one of said tone sources.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 12 in which there is further provided a tone color circuit for emphasizing high harmonics of the tone signal, said tone color circuit being connected between said gate circuit means and said output terminal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 12 in which said gate circuit means includes a field-effect transistor having a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode, said gate electrode being connected to said voltage generating means, said source electrode being connected to said second input terminal and said drain electrode being connected to said output terminal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
A touch-responsive keying system according to claim 8 in which said voltage generating means includes a coil adapted to generate a damped AC voltage responsive to the depression speed of said key, a unidirectional conducting element for rectifying said AC voltage, and a circuit for translating the rectified voltage into a pulse signal of an approximate sawtooth waveform.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-06 | 1975-06-07 | 1975-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-06 | 1979-06-07 | 1979-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-06 | 1983-06-07 | 1983-12-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |