US3705948A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for controlling tone-modifying circuits by muscular voltage in electronic musical instrument
Assignee: Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
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Filing: 1971-03-08
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Granted: 1972-12-12
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Expires: 1991-03-08
Abstract
Abstract An electronic musical instrument which is controlled of its tonal effect by utilizing the muscular voltages of the player generated at his will across his muscles, in addition to the control by the usual manual operation of the playing keys. To this end, a pair of muscular voltage pickup electrodes are attached to at least one selected portion of the player''s skin under which a muscular voltage appears upon contraction of the related muscle. Between the pickup electrodes and various tonemodifying circuits are provided circuits for processing the picked-up muscular voltage and for producing control signals to the modifying circuits in specific digital or analog form based on this processed voltage, to accomplish the desired tonal effect control. A wireless transmission means may be provided between the player and the instrument to transmit the picked-up voltage or the control signals to the tone-modifying circuits for more convenient and easier control.
Inventors
- 👤 Norio Tomisawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 06:22
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H5/00; G10H5/005; G10H2220/00; G10H2220/155; G10H2220/371
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
In an electronic musical instrument including tone signal modifying circuits each having a control terminal, a system comprising: pick-up means having at least one pair of electrodes adapted to be mounted on a selected portion of the skin of the player and capable of picking up a muscular voltage appearing across the related muscle upon contraction there, at least one muscular voltage processing circuit including amplifier means connected with said pick-up means for amplifying the picked-up voltage, background noise rejector means connected to said amplifier for cutting off the background noise component from the amplified voltage, and rectifier means connected to said rejector for providing a unidirectional wave signal, and transmission means provided between the output side of said muscular voltage processing circuit and at least one control terminal of said tone signal modifying circuits for transmitting said unidirectional wave signal through space thereto, whereby the tone signal modifying circuits can be controlled in response to an intended motion of the muscle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
162 words
In an electronic musical instrument including tone signal modifying circuits each having a control terminal, a system comprising: pick-up means having at least one pair of electrodes adapted to be mounted on a selected portion of the skin of the player and capable of picking up a muscular voltage appearing across the related muscle upon contraction there, at least one muscular voltage processing circuit including amplifier means connected with said pick-up means for amplifying the picked-up voltage, background noise rejector means connected to said amplifier for cutting off the background noise component from the amplified voltage, and rectifier means connected to said rejector for providing a unidirectional wave signal, and transmission means provided between the output side of said muscular voltage processing circuit and at least one control terminal of said tone signal modifying circuits for transmitting said unidirectional wave signal through space thereto, whereby the tone signal modifying circuits can be controlled in response to an intended motion of the muscle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
107 words
A system according to claim 1, in which said muscular voltage processing circuit further includes an integrator means with its input being connected to the output of said rectifier means, a clipper means with its input being connected to the output of said integrator means, a differentiator means with its input being connEcted to the output of said clipper means, a first pulse signal deriving means connected to the output side of said clipper means for deriving a pulse signal of a square waveform, and second pulse signal deriving means connected to the output of said differentiator means for providing a pulse signal of a percussive waveform.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
The system according to claim 2, in which are provided between said muscular voltage processing circuit and said control terminal of the tone signal modifying circuit counter means connected with one of said pulse signal deriving means and a plurality of monostable multivibrators each connected to an individual tone signal modifying circuits to thereby control the respective tone signal modifying circuits by pulse count.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system according to claim 2, in which a flip-flop circuit is provided between one of of said pulse signal deriving means and the control terminal of said tone signal modifying circuits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
72 words
The system according to claim 2, in which are provided between one of said pulse signal deriving means and the control terminals of said tone signal modifying circuits, a ring counter for receiving a signal from said terminals, and a plurality of monostable multivibrators each connected to the individual modifying circuits to effect predetermined sequential control of said modifying circuits in response to the number of pulses being received at said counter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system according to claim 1, in in which said pick-up means are located on different portions of the player''s skin representing different muscles and are connected with individual picked-up voltage processing circuits to provide differential control for said tone signal modifying circuits.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system according to claim 1, in which said muscular voltage processing circuit further includes a time constant circuit connected to said rectifier means to provide a decay signal in accordance with the peak amplitude of said unidirectional signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system according to claim 1, further comprising adding means connected at its input to a plurality of said muscular voltage processing circuit having individual input voltages to provide said unidirectional control signal in a large quantity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system according to claim 1, in which said muscular voltage processing circuit includes a transformer connected with a plurality of paired electrodes in output summing connection.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system according to claim 1, in which said muscular voltage processing circuit includes a plurality of transformers connected with said paired electrodes of a corresponding number in output summing connection.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
115 words
The system according to claim 1, in which said transmission means includes a modulator means for modulating a carrier with the unidirectional signal from said muscular voltage processing circuit and a transmitter means for transmitting the modulated signal in a radio wave, said modulator and said transmitter being adapted to be mounted on the skin of the player, a receiver means for receiving the transmitted signal and a demodulator for demodulating the received signal into a unidirectional signal, said receiver means and said demodulator being located in the console of the instrument and an output terminal of said demodulator being connected to at least one of said control terminals of the tone signal modifying circuits.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system according to claim 5, in which said ring counter is a reversible ring counter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
121 words
In a method of operating an electronic musical instrument of the type having a plurality of audio tone producing circuits, means for varying an audio characteristic of said tone producing circuits and means for manually operating said circuits to produce audio tones having 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, and varying an audio characteristic of the tones produced by at least one of said circuits as a function of said detected mUscular voltage, the improvement comprising the steps of, producing an electromagnetic wave signal from said muscular voltage, and transmitting said electromagnetic wave signal through space to said varying means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
121 words
In a method of operating an electronic musical instrument of the type having a plurality of audio tone producing circuits, means for varying an audio characteristic of said tone producing circuits and means for manually operating said circuits to produce audio tones having 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, and varying an audio characteristic of the tones produced by at least one of said circuits as a function of said detected mUscular voltage, the improvement comprising the steps of, producing an electromagnetic wave signal from said muscular voltage, and transmitting said electromagnetic wave signal through space to said varying means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
104 words
In an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of audio tone producing circuits, means operatively connected to said circuits for causing, when manually operated, said tone producing circuits to produce said tones, electrode means for detecting the muscular voltage produced by at least one muscle on a human body, and 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, the improvement comprising means for receiving said muscular voltage and producing an electromagnetic wave signal and means for transmitting said electromagnetic wave signal to said varying means through space.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
104 words
In an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of audio tone producing circuits, means operatively connected to said circuits for causing, when manually operated, said tone producing circuits to produce said tones, electrode means for detecting the muscular voltage produced by at least one muscle on a human body, and 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, the improvement comprising means for receiving said muscular voltage and producing an electromagnetic wave signal and means for transmitting said electromagnetic wave signal to said varying means through space.
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) | 1975-12-12 | 1976-06-12 | 1976-12-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-12-12 | 1980-06-12 | 1980-12-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-12-12 | 1984-06-12 | 1984-12-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |