Automatic on-off control

Claim 2

For use with an electrical musical instrument, first and second circuits adapted to pass a musical instrument input signal, a movable control member, said first circuit comprising means operable in response to motion of said control member for modulating said musical input signal, and switching means responsive to motion of said control member for automatically enabling said first circuit and concomitantly disabling said second circuit, said first circuit including a formant circuit having a variable resistance connected to be operated by said control member, said switching means comprising a first variable impedance device connected in circuit with said formant circuit, a second variable impedance device connected in circuit with said second circuit, first and second potentiometers having the wiper arms thereof ganged for operation by said control member in unison with operation of the variable resistance of said formant circuit, said first and second potentiometers being oppositely poled whereby voltage on the wiper arm of said first potentiometer increases as voltage on the wiper arm of said second potentiometer decreases, a first series connected capacitor and diode connected between the wiper arm of the first potentiometer and both of said variable impedance dEvices, a second series connected capacitor and diode connected between the wiper arm of the second potentiometer and both said variable impedance devices, said first and second diodes being of like polarity whereby one conducts upon motion of the wiper arms of the first and second potentiometers in a first direction and the other of said diodes conducts upon motion of the wiper arms of said first and second potentiometers in the opposite direction.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 including a temporary signal storage device connected to momentary retain the value of the voltage generated by said first and second potentiometers, said storage means being connected to provide said stored signal to said variable impedance devices.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 including a parallel resistance capacitance circuit connected to both said diodes at the junction thereof with said variable impedance devices.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 including a variable resistor connected across one of said variable impedance devices.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said variable impedance devices are field effect transistors.

Claim 7

In combination, a formant circuit, a motion operated control for the formant circuit, a second circuit connected in parallel with the formant circuit, and means responsive to motion of said control for automatically enabling the formant circuit and concomitantly substantially disabling said second circuit, said means including means for automatically disabling said formant circuit and enabling said second circuit by cessation of motion of said control and maintaining such disabled and enabled conditions when said control is not in motion and is at rest in any one of a number of its positions.

Claim 8

In combination, a formant circuit, a motion operated control for the formant circuit, a second circuit connected in parallel with the formant circuit, and means responsive to motion of said control for automatically enabling the formant circuit and concomitantly substantially disabling said second circuit, said means including means for automatically disabling said formant circuit and enabling said second circuit by cessation of motion of said control and maintaining such disabled and enabled conditions when said control is not in motion and is at rest in any one of a number of its positions.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 6 including means for momentarily retaining said formant circuit enabled and said second circuit disabled after termination of motion of said control.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 6 including a housing, said control for said formant circuit and said means for automatically enabling and disabling being mounted on said housing, an operating member movably mounted on the housing, and mechanical motion transfer means for causing motion of said control in response to motion of said operating member.

Claim 11

In combination, a modulating circuit, a movable control member connected to operate said modulating circuit when the member is in motion, switch means for maintaining said modulating circuit in disabled condition in the absence of a switching signal applied to said switch means, a derivative circuit responsive to said control member for generating a switching signal only when said control member is in motion, and means for applying said switching signal to said switch means to enable said modulating circuit when said control member is in motion and to cause said switch means to disable said modulating circuit in the absence of said switching signal, a second circuit connected in parallel with said modulating circuit, second switch means for maintaining said second circuit in enabled condition in the absence of a switching signal applied to said second switch means, said means for applying said switching signal including means for applying said switching signal to said second switch means to disable said second circuit when said control member is in motion and to cause said second control means to enable said second circuit in the absence of said switching signal.

Claim 12

In combination, a modulating circuit, a movable control member connected to operate said modulating circuit when the member is in motion, switch means for maintaining said modulating circuit in disabled condition in the absence of a switching signal applied to said switch means, a derivative circuit responsive to said control member for generating a switching signal only when said control member is in motion, and means for applying said switching signal to said switch means to enable said modulating circuit when said control member is in motion and to cause said switch means to disable said modulating circuit in the absence of said switching signal, a second circuit connected in parallel with said modulating circuit, second switch means for maintaining said second circuit in enabled condition in the absence of a switching signal applied to said second switch means, said means for applying said switching signal including means for applying said switching signal to said second switch means to disable said second circuit when said control member is in motion and to cause said second control means to enable said second circuit in the absence of said switching signal.

Claim 15

A control circuit comprising a signal modulating circuit, an operating member movably mounted for bidirectional motion, modulating means responsive to said operator to cause said circuit to modulate upon motion imparted to said operating member, means responsive to motion of said member for selectively enabling said circuit only during said motion, and in either direction of said motion, said means including means for maintaining said modulating circuit in disabled condition whenever said operating member is at rest, a second circuit connected in parallel with said signal modulating circuit, said means for enabling said signal modulating circuit including means for concomitantly disabling said second circuit by and during motion of said member in either direction of its motion, and means for maintaining said second circuit in disabled condition whenever said operating member is in motion.

Claim 16

A control circuit comprising a signal modulating circuit, an operating member movably mounted for bidirectional motion, modulating means responsive to said operator to cause said circuit to modulate upon motion imparted to said operating member, means responsive to motion of said member for selectively enabling said circuit only during said motion, and in either direction of said motion, said means including means for maintaining said modulating circuit in disabled condition whenever said operating member is at rest, a second circuit connected in parallel with said signal modulating circuit, said means for enabling said signal modulating circuit including means for concomitantly disabling said second circuit by and during motion of said member in either direction of its motion, and means for maintaining said second circuit in disabled condition whenever said operating member is in motion.

Claim 17

The control circuit of claim 11 wherein said means for enabling said modulating circuit and said means for disabling said second circuit comprises first and second variable impedance devices each having an impedance controlling input, means responsive to motion of said operator in either direction for generating an impedance control signal, and means for applying said control signal to the inputs of both of said devices.

Claim 18

The circuit of claim 12 including means for momentarily extending the duration of said impedance control signal.

Claim 19

Apparatus for handling a musical signal comprising a first circuit responsive to said musical signal for generating a first signal representing a musical sound, a second circuit responsive to said musical signal for generating a second signal representing a musical sound, common output means connected to receive said first and second signals, a movable operator, said first circuit including means for producing an output that varies in accordance with motion of said operator, means for normally disabling said first circuit, and means responsive to said operator for enabling said first circuit only during motion of said operator.

Claim 20

Apparatus for handling a musical signal comprising a first circuit responsive to said musical signal for generating a first signal representing a musical sound, a second circuit responsive to said musical signal for generating a second signal representing a musical sound, common output means connected to receive said first and second signals, a movable operator, said first circuit including means for producing an output that varies in accordance with motion of said operator, means for normally disabling said first circuit, and means responsive to said operator for enabling said first circuit only during motion of said operator.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 14 including means for normally enabling said second circuit, and means responsive to said operator for disabling said second circuit only during motion of said operator.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first circuit is a formant circuit having a frequency response peak that varies with position of said operator.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said operator is movably mounted, said first circuit comprising a formant circuit that varies in frequency response as said operator is moved, said means for enabling and disabling said first circuit comprising a variable impedance coupled with said first circuit, means responsive to motion of said operator for developing a control voltage, and means responsive to said control voltage for varying said impedance.

Claim 24

A control circuit comprising a signal modulating circuit a movably mounted operating member connected to cause said circuit to modulate upon motion imparted to said operating member, said member being mounted for bi-directional motion, and means responsive to motion of said member for selectively enabling said circuit only during said motion of said member in either direction of its motion, a second circuit connected entirely with said signal modulating circuit, said means for enabling said signal modulating circuit including means for concomitantly disabling said second circuit, and said means for enabling and said means for disabling comprising first and second variable impedance devices eAch having an impedance controlling input, means responsive to motion of said operator in either direction for generating an impedance control signal, and means for applying said control signal to the inputs of both of said devices, said signal modulating circuit further comprising a formant circuit having a potentiometer for varying the frequency response thereof, said operating member being connected to operate said potentiometer, said means for enabling said circuit comprising a variable impedance device connected in circuit with the formant circuit, first and second potentiometers, each having wiper arms ganged for operation in unison with the said formant circuit potentiometer upon motion of said operating member, a first series connected capacitor and diode connected between the wiper arm of said first potentiometer and said variable impedance device to control impedance thereof, a second series connected capacitor and diode connected between the wiper arm of the second potentiometer and the variable impedance device to control impedance thereof, said first and second potentiometers being connected in mutually opposite polarity whereby the voltage on the wiper arms thereof varies in mutually opposite sense as said wiper arms are operated.

Claim 25

A control circuit comprising a signal modulating circuit a movably mounted operating member connected to cause said circuit to modulate upon motion imparted to said operating member, said member being mounted for bi-directional motion, and means responsive to motion of said member for selectively enabling said circuit only during said motion of said member in either direction of its motion, a second circuit connected entirely with said signal modulating circuit, said means for enabling said signal modulating circuit including means for concomitantly disabling said second circuit, and said means for enabling and said means for disabling comprising first and second variable impedance devices eAch having an impedance controlling input, means responsive to motion of said operator in either direction for generating an impedance control signal, and means for applying said control signal to the inputs of both of said devices, said signal modulating circuit further comprising a formant circuit having a potentiometer for varying the frequency response thereof, said operating member being connected to operate said potentiometer, said means for enabling said circuit comprising a variable impedance device connected in circuit with the formant circuit, first and second potentiometers, each having wiper arms ganged for operation in unison with the said formant circuit potentiometer upon motion of said operating member, a first series connected capacitor and diode connected between the wiper arm of said first potentiometer and said variable impedance device to control impedance thereof, a second series connected capacitor and diode connected between the wiper arm of the second potentiometer and the variable impedance device to control impedance thereof, said first and second potentiometers being connected in mutually opposite polarity whereby the voltage on the wiper arms thereof varies in mutually opposite sense as said wiper arms are operated.

Claim 26

The circuit of claim 18 including a parallel resistance capacitance circuit connected to the junction of said diodes and said variable impedance devices.

Claim 27

For use with an electrical musical instrument first and second circuits adapted to pass a musical input signal, a movable control member, said first circuit comprising means operable in response to motion of said control member for modulating said musical input signal, and switching means responsive to said motion of said control member for automatically enabling said first circuit and concomitantly disabling said second circuit, said switching means including means for maintaining said first circuit in disabled condition in the absence of said motion of said control member.

Claim 28

For use with an electrical musical instrument first and second circuits adapted to pass a musical input signal, a movable control member, said first circuit comprising means operable in response to motion of said control member for modulating said musical input signal, and switching means responsive to said motion of said control member for automatically enabling said first circuit and concomitantly disabling said second circuit, said switching means including means for maintaining said first circuit in disabled condition in the absence of said motion of said control member.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said first circuit includes a formant circuit having a variable resistance connected to be operated by said control member.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said switching means comprises first and second switching devices respectively connected in circuit with said first and second circuits, a first voltage generator for producing a first switch control signal upon motion of said control member in a first direction, a second voltage generator for producing a second switch control signal in response to motion of said control member in a second direction, and means for feeding said switch control signals to both said switching devices to effect concomitant opposite sense operation thereof.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 22 including storage means for momentarily continuing operation of said switching means for a relatively short time after termination of motion of said control member.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 21 including means connected with said switching means for retaining a portion of the output of the second circuit during operation of said formant circuit.