US3704339A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Muscular voltage-controlled tone-modifying device
Assignee: Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
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Filing: 1971-02-17
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Granted: 1972-11-28
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Expires: 1991-02-17
Abstract
Abstract An electronic musical instrument is controlled also by the muscular voltage of the instrument player. A pair of electrodes are mounted on any selected portion of the skin of the player in order to pick up a muscular voltage appearing across a muscle upon a contraction thereof. The picked-up voltage is amplified and processed into a control signal which in turn controls the tone signal modifying circuit in the instrument. While the player is engaged in the ordinary performance using hands and feet, further effect control can be carried out at the player''s will.
Inventors
- 👤 Naoyuki Niinomi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 08:47
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H5/00; G10H5/005; G10H1/00; G10H1/02; G10H2220/00; G10H2220/155; G10H2220/371
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A muscular voltage-controlled tone-modifying device in an electronic musical instrument comprising: at least one pair of electrodes adapted for mounting on a human body adjacent a muscle of the human body for detecting a muscular voltage which is produced upon contraction of said muscle, a pair of lead conductors connected to said electrodes, at least one muscular voltage processing circuit including amplifying means connected through said lead conductors to said electrodes for receiving and amplifying said detected voltage, to produce an output voltage signal, tone signal modifying circuits having control terminals, and means for applying said output voltage signal derived from said processing circuit to said control terminals of said tone signal modifying circuits, so that said tone signal modifying circuits are controlled in response to an intended motion of the muscle to which the electrodes are attached.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A muscular voltage-controlled tone-modifying device in an electronic musical instrument comprising: at least one pair of electrodes adapted for mounting on a human body adjacent a muscle of the human body for detecting a muscular voltage which is produced upon contraction of said muscle, a pair of lead conductors connected to said electrodes, at least one muscular voltage processing circuit including amplifying means connected through said lead conductors to said electrodes for receiving and amplifying said detected voltage, to produce an output voltage signal, tone signal modifying circuits having control terminals, and means for applying said output voltage signal derived from said processing circuit to said control terminals of said tone signal modifying circuits, so that said tone signal modifying circuits are controlled in response to an intended motion of the muscle to which the electrodes are attached.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A muscular voltage-controlled tone-modifying device according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one connector provided on a casing of the instrument for detachably connecting the lead conductors to said processing circuit and said tone signal modifying circuits.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A muscular voltage-controlled tone-modifying device according to claim 1, in which said processing circuit includes rectifying means provided between said amplifying means and said tone signal modifying circuits for developing a DC signal from the amplified muscular voltage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A muscular voltage-controlled tone-modifying device according to claim 1, in which a connector assembly is provided in a chair for the player of the instrument to detachably connect the lead conductors from said pickup electrodes to said processing circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A muscular voltage-controlled tone-modifying device according to claim 4, in which said processing circuit is provided in said chair.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A muscular voltage-controlled tone-modifying device according to claim 1, in which said one pair of pickup electrodes are associated through a switching means with a plurality of said muscular voltage processing circuits of which each is connected to a different musical effect producing circuit to be controlled so as to obtain an intended effect.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A muscular voltage-controlled tone-modifying device according to claim 1 in which a plurality of said paired electrodes are provided for different muscles of the player''s body individually, each pair being associated with said muscular voltage processing circuit through a switching means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
74 words
A muscular voltage-controlled tone-modifying device according to claim 1, in which said muscular voltage processing circuit includes an amplifier for amplifying a picked-up muscular voltage, a non-linear circuit for receiving an amplified voltage from said amplifier and cutting noise component contained in this voltage, a bandpass filter connected to the output of said non-linear circuit, and a rectifier receiving and rectifying the picked-up voltage passing through the bandpass filter to provide a unidirectional voltage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
94 words
An electronic musical instrument comprising a plurality of audio tone producing circuits, means for causing, when manually operated, said tone producing circuits to produce said tones, means for connecting said producing circuits to said causing means, electrode means for detecting the muscular voltage produced by at least one muscle on a human body, means for varying an audio characteristic of the tones produced by at least one of said circuits as a function of said detected muscular voltage and means for connecting said varying means to said electrode means and to said producing circuits.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
94 words
An electronic musical instrument comprising a plurality of audio tone producing circuits, means for causing, when manually operated, said tone producing circuits to produce said tones, means for connecting said producing circuits to said causing means, electrode means for detecting the muscular voltage produced by at least one muscle on a human body, means for varying an audio characteristic of the tones produced by at least one of said circuits as a function of said detected muscular voltage and means for connecting said varying means to said electrode means and to said producing circuits.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
An instrument as in claim 9 including means for amplifying said detected muscular voltage to produce a control signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
An instrument as in claim 10 including means for reCtifying the amplified voltage to produce said control signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
An instrument as in claim 9 wherein said varying means includes means for varying the amplitude of said tones as a function of said muscular voltage.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
An instrument as in claim 9 wherein said varying means includes means for varying the color of said tones as a function of said muscular voltage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
An instrument as in claim 9 wherein said varying means includes the means for imparting a tremolo effect as a function of said muscular voltage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An instrument as in claim 9 including means for mounting a pair of electrodes on the exterior of the human body adjacent said muscle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
An instrument as in claim 15 including means for mounting a plurality of pairs of electrodes on the exterior of the human body each adjacent a muscle for each detecting the muscular voltage of the muscle which it is adjacent.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
An instrument as in claim 9 including means for mounting a pair of electrodes on an article of clothing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
An instrument as in claim 9 wherein said causing means includes a plurality of keys each operatively connected to one of said tone producing circuits.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of operating an electronic musical instrument of the type having a plurality of audio tone producing circuits and means for manually operating said circuits to produce audio tones comprising the steps of: manually operating said tone producing circuits to produce said tones, detecting the muscular voltage produced by at least one muscle on a human body, generating a control signal from said muscular voltage, applying said control signal to said tone producing circuits, and varying an audio characteristic of the tones produced by at least one of said circuits as a function of said control signal.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of operating an electronic musical instrument of the type having a plurality of audio tone producing circuits and means for manually operating said circuits to produce audio tones comprising the steps of: manually operating said tone producing circuits to produce said tones, detecting the muscular voltage produced by at least one muscle on a human body, generating a control signal from said muscular voltage, applying said control signal to said tone producing circuits, and varying an audio characteristic of the tones produced by at least one of said circuits as a function of said control signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as in claim 19 including the further step of amplifying said detected muscular voltage to produce a control signal. 21. A method as in claim 20 including the further step of rectifying the amplified voltage to produce said control signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 19 wherein said step of varying includes the step of varying the amplitude of said tones as a function of said muscular voltage.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 19 wherein said step of varying includes the step of varying the color of said tones as a function of said muscular voltage.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 19 wherein said step of varying includes the step of imparting a tremolo effect as a function of said muscular voltage.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as in claim 19 including the step of mounting a pair of electrodes on the exterior of the human body adjacent said muscle.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as in claim 25 including the step of mounting a plurality of pairs of electrodes on the exterior of the human body each adjacent a muscle for each detecting the muscular voltage of the muscle which it is adjacent.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 19 including the step of mounting a pair of electrodes on an article of clothing.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 19 wherein said step of manually operating includes manual depression of keys each operatively connected to one of said tone producing circuits.
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) | 1975-11-28 | 1976-05-29 | 1976-11-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-11-28 | 1980-05-29 | 1980-11-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-11-28 | 1984-05-29 | 1984-11-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |