US3749837A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electronic musical tone modifier for musical instruments
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-05-02
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Granted: 1973-07-31
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Expires: 1992-05-02
Abstract
Abstract A device for electrically modifying a musical tone by frequency modulation to provide effects such as the vibrato effect and the Leslie effect on the musical tone signal. The device employs a shift register through which electrical representations of the magnitude of an input signal are periodically sampled, stored, and shifted progressively through a shift register from the input to the output of the device which delays the signal. The trigger pulses which time the sampling and shifting functions of the device are frequency modulated to vary the time delay imposed, thus effecting a frequency modulation of the delayed input tone at the output of the device. In one embodiment, a digital shift register is employed which stores a digital representation of the magnitude of the signal and is connected between an analog-todigital convertor at the input of the device and a digital-toanalog converter at the output of the device. Alternatively, a bucket-brigade type analog shift register is employed which directly stores discrete analog representations of sampled input values and shifts them progressively toward the output. Plural channel devices are provided wherein the time delays are modified differently so that when the outputs of the channel are combined, an enhanced effect is provided. In a two channel device, opposite phase relationships of the modulated trigger pulse signals provide a more realistic vibrato effect.
Inventors
- 👤 J Doughty
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 03:11
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03C; H03C3/00; G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/02; G10H1/04; G10H1/043; G10H2210/00; G10H2210/155; G10H2210/195; G10H2210/201; G10H2210/265; G10H2210/281; G10H2250/00; G10H2250/041
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
238 words
An electronic device for modifying a musical tone comprising: an input for receiving an audio frequency analog electrical signal; an output; a shift register connected between said input and said output; said shift register having a plurality of sequentially connected storage elements, each capable of storing a discrete electrical representation of the amplitude of an electrical signal, said plurality of storage elements including a first storage element, a last storage element, and a plurality of intermediate storage elements; a clock for generating a periodic series of pulses at a given frequency, said clock being connected to said shift register; said first storage element having connected therewith a circuit operable to sample and store the amplitude of said audio frequency electrical signal in response to said pulses from said clock; said shift register being operative to sequentially shift stored electrical representations from each storage element to the next consecutive storage element from said first toward said last storage elements in response to said pulses from said clock; a filter connected between said last storage element and said output for generating a smooth analog signal from electrical representations sequentially shifted to said last storage element; whereby a delayed electrical analog representation of said analog input signal is produced at said output; and a modulator for varying said given frequency of said clock; whereby a delayed frequency modulated electrical analog representation of said analog input signal is produced at said output.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
238 words
An electronic device for modifying a musical tone comprising: an input for receiving an audio frequency analog electrical signal; an output; a shift register connected between said input and said output; said shift register having a plurality of sequentially connected storage elements, each capable of storing a discrete electrical representation of the amplitude of an electrical signal, said plurality of storage elements including a first storage element, a last storage element, and a plurality of intermediate storage elements; a clock for generating a periodic series of pulses at a given frequency, said clock being connected to said shift register; said first storage element having connected therewith a circuit operable to sample and store the amplitude of said audio frequency electrical signal in response to said pulses from said clock; said shift register being operative to sequentially shift stored electrical representations from each storage element to the next consecutive storage element from said first toward said last storage elements in response to said pulses from said clock; a filter connected between said last storage element and said output for generating a smooth analog signal from electrical representations sequentially shifted to said last storage element; whereby a delayed electrical analog representation of said analog input signal is produced at said output; and a modulator for varying said given frequency of said clock; whereby a delayed frequency modulated electrical analog representation of said analog input signal is produced at said output.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
235 words
A device according to claim 1 further comprising: a second shift register having a plurality of sequentially connected storage elements each capable of storing a discrete electrical representation of the amplitude of an electrical signal, said plurality of storage elements including a first storage element, a last storage element, and a plurality of intermediate storage elements; a second clock for generating a periodic series of pulses at a given frequency, said second clock being connected to said second shift register; said first storage element of said second shift register being operative to sample and store the amplitude of said audio frequency electrical signal in response to said pulses from said second clock; said second shift register being operative to sequentially shift stored electrical representations from each storage element thereof to the next consecutive storage element thereof from said first to said last storage elements thereof in response to said pulses from said second clock; said last storage element of said second shift register being connected through said filter to said output; and said filteR being operable to mix the output of said second shift register with the output from said first recited shift register, and to thereby generate a smoothed electrical signal from the combined electrical representations sequentially shifted to the last storage elements of said shift registers; whereby plural combined delay electrical analog representations of said analog input signal are produced at said output.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device according to claim 2 further comprising: means for modulating the given frequency of said second clock differently from the given frequency of said first clock.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device according to claim 3 wherein: said modulating means are operative to modulate the given frequency of said second clock in opposite relation to the modulation of said first clock.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device according to claim 2 further comprising: an inverter connected between said modulator and said second clock for varying said given frequency of said second clock.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said shift register comprises: a multi-bit digital shift register; an analog-to-digital convertor connected between said input and the first storage element of said shift register; and a digital-to-analog convertor connected between said last storage element of said shift register and said filter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device according to claim 6 wherein said sample and store circuit includes a sample and hold circuit connected between said input and said analog-to-digital convertor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said shift register comprises: an analog shift register having storage elements each capable of storing an analog representation of an electrical signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
219 words
A device according to claim 1 further comprising: a second shift register having a plurality of sequentially connected storage elements each capable of storing a discrete electrical representation of the amplitude of electrical signal, said plurality of storage elements including a first storage element, a last storage element, and a plurality of intermediate storage elements; said first storage element of said second shift register being operative to receive and store the amplitude of the stored electrical representation from the last storage element of said first recited shift register in response to said pulses from said clock; said second shift register being operative to sequentially shift stored electrical representations from each storage element thereof to the next consecutive storage element thereof from said first to said last storage elements thereof in response to said pulses from said clock; said last storage element of said second shift register being connected through said filter to said output; said filter being operable to mix the output of said second shift register with the output from said first recited shift register, and to thereby generate a smoothed electrical signal from the combined electrical representations sequentially shifted to the last storage elements of said shift registers; whereby plural combined and differently delayed electrical analog representations of said analog input signal are produced at said output.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device according to claim 9 further comprising: switch means connected in series with each of the inputs of said filter to selectively apply said differently delayed outputs to said filter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device according to claim 1 further comprising: circuit means for combining the signal from the input of said shift register with the output from said shift register to produce a combined signal from differently delayed signals whereby an echo or reverberation effect is produced.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-30 | 1977-01-29 | 1977-07-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-30 | 1981-01-29 | 1981-07-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-30 | 1985-01-29 | 1985-07-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |