Electronic musical instrument using integrated circuit components

Claim 2

An electronic musical instrument comprising: a multi-frequency generator for generating a plurality of different frequency signals, first circuit means coupled to said multi-frequency generator for providing harmonic frequencies of said plurality of different frequencies, second circuit means coupled to said first circuit means for combining at least one of said harmonic frequencies with a selected one of said frequency signals from said multi-frequency generator means, electro-acoustic transducer means for receiving the combined signals and reproducing the same, and third circuit means coupled to said second circuit means, and responsive to said selected one of said frequency signals for producing a pulse output as a result of the selection thereof for energizing independent electronic circuitry associated with said electronic musical instrument.

Claim 3

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein harmonic frequency combined with the frequency signal from said multi-frequency generator is a subharmonic of the frequency combined therewith.

Claim 4

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second circuit means includes a plurality of output terminals each including a resistance element of the same value connected thereacross.

Claim 5

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second circuit means includes a plurality of gate circuits.

Claim 6

In an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of manually operated keys and a plurality of switch means respectively operable thereby to energize electro-acoustic transducing means, the combination comprising: multi-frequency generating means for generating a plurality of different frequency signals to be associated with selected ones of a plurality of tones to be produced by the electro-acoustic transducing means, circuit means connected to said multi-frequency generating means and having a plurality of digital signal processing electronic components arranged to form a plurality of frequency divider networks and a plurality of digital control circuits associated with said frequency divider networks, each divider network and its associated plurality of digital control circuits being adapted to provide a digital rectangular pulse train whose repetition rate corresponds to the frequency of a given musical tone, said digital control circuits being interconnected with said key operable control means, said frequency divider network and said electro-acoustic transducer means.

Claim 7

In an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of manually operated keys and a plurality of switch means respectively operable thereby to energize electro-acoustic transducing means, the combination comprising: multi-frequency generating means for generating a plurality of different frequency signals to be associated with selected ones of a plurality of tones to be produced by the electro-acoustic transducing means, circuit means connected to said multi-frequency generating means and having a plurality of digital signal processing electronic components arranged to form a plurality of frequency divider networks and a plurality of digital control circuits associated with said frequency divider networks, each divider network and its associated plurality of digital control circuits being adapted to provide a digital rectangular pulse train whose repetition rate corresponds to the frequency of a given musical tone, said digital control circuits being interconnected with said key operable control means, said frequency divider network and said electro-acoustic transducer means.

Claim 8

In the electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 5, wherein said circuit means is an integrated circuit.

Claim 9

In the electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 5 and further including a mixing circuit and a plurality of resistance elements connected between said frequency divider networks and said mixing circuit.

Claim 10

In the electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 7 wherein the resistance values of said plurality of resistance elements are on the order of 10,000 to 30,000 ohms.

Claim 11

In the electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 5, wherein said digital signal processing components include a plurality of digital gating elements.

Claim 12

In an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of manually operated keys and a plurality of key switches respectively operable thereby to energize electro-acoustic transducer means, the combination comprising: a large scale integrated circuit chip having first circuit means for developing a plurality of different audio frequencies to be reproduced by said electro-acoustic transducer means, each of said audio-frequencies being electronically developed in response to actuation of associated ones of said plurality of key switches, second circuit means to be operatively connected to each one of the plurality of key switches and responsive to the actuation thereof for producing a pulse output as a result of the actuation of any one of said plurality of key switches, and third circuit means forming a summing gate for receiving said pulse output of said second circuit means whereby said pulse output signal can be used to energize independent electronic circuitry associated with the electronic musical instrument, said second circuit means forming a plurality of shift registers to be operatively coupled to said plurality of key switches to provide a time delayed output pulse through said summing gate.

Claim 13

In an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of manually operated keys and a plurality of key switches respectively operable thereby to energize electro-acoustic transducer means, the combination comprising: a large scale integrated circuit chip having first circuit means for developing a plurality of different audio frequencies to be reproduced by said electro-acoustic transducer means, each of said audio-frequencies being electronically developed in response to actuation of associated ones of said plurality of key switches, second circuit means to be operatively connected to each one of the plurality of key switches and responsive to the actuation thereof for producing a pulse output as a result of the actuation of any one of said plurality of key switches, and third circuit means forming a summing gate for receiving said pulse output of said second circuit means whereby said pulse output signal can be used to energize independent electronic circuitry associated with the electronic musical instrument, said second circuit means forming a plurality of shift registers to be operatively coupled to said plurality of key switches to provide a time delayed output pulse through said summing gate.

Claim 14

The electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 10, wherein said shift registers include means for adjusting said time delay of said output pulse after a selected one of said plurality of key switches is closed to eliminate the possibility of erroneous signals occurring as a result of contact bounce obtained by actuation and release of the key switches.

Claim 15

The electronic musical instrument of claim 10, further including multi-frequency generator means associated with said large scale integrated circuit, to provide a base frequency at an input of each one of a plurality of frequency developing circuits formed in said first circuit means, said frequency developing circuits operating upon said base frequency to provide a different audio frequency for each of said plurality of keys.

Claim 16

In an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of manually operated keys and a plurality of key switches respectively operated thereby to energize electro-acoustic transducing means, the combination comprising: multi-frequency generating means for generating a plurality of different frequency signals to be associated with selected ones of a plurality of tones to be produced by the electro-acoustic transducing means, a plurality of input terminals arranged for connection to said multi-frequency generating means, circuit means having a first multitude of active electronic components arranged to form a plurality of frequency divider networks and a second multitude of active electronic components arranged to form a plurality of gate circuits to be associated with said frequency divider networks, each divider network and its associated plurality of gate circuits adapted to provide a given musical tone which includes the fundamental frequency and at least one sub-harmonic or second harmonic, said plurality of gates being arranged in groups and having one input thereof connected to the output of its associated divider circuit and another input thereof connected in common with other inputs of the gate within said group, said other input also being connected to said key switch to enable said gate of said group to effect a transfer of the audio signals from said divider network into said electro-acoustic transducing means, a plurality of output terminals associated with said circuit means and coupled to the output of said gates, and said passive electronic components including resistance elements connected between the output of said plurality of gates and said output terminals.

Claim 17

In an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of manually operated keys and a plurality of key switches respectively operated thereby to energize electro-acoustic transducing means, the combination comprising: multi-frequency generating means for generating a plurality of different frequency signals to be associated with selected ones of a plurality of tones to be produced by the electro-acoustic transducing means, a plurality of input terminals arranged for connection to said multi-frequency generating means, circuit means having a first multitude of active electronic components arranged to form a plurality of frequency divider networks and a second multitude of active electronic components arranged to form a plurality of gate circuits to be associated with said frequency divider networks, each divider network and its associated plurality of gate circuits adapted to provide a given musical tone which includes the fundamental frequency and at least one sub-harmonic or second harmonic, said plurality of gates being arranged in groups and having one input thereof connected to the output of its associated divider circuit and another input thereof connected in common with other inputs of the gate within said group, said other input also being connected to said key switch to enable said gate of said group to effect a transfer of the audio signals from said divider network into said electro-acoustic transducing means, a plurality of output terminals associated with said circuit means and coupled to the output of said gates, and said passive electronic components including resistance elements connected between the output of said plurality of gates and said output terminals.

Claim 18

In the electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 13, wherein said circuit means is an integrated circuit.

Claim 19

In the electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 13, wherein said plurality of resistance elements connected between said output of said plurality of gates and said output terminals are of the same resistance value.

Claim 20

In the electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 15, wherein the resistance value of said plurality of resistance elements is in the order of about 10,000 to 30,000 ohms.

Claim 21

In the electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 13, wherein said plurality of gate circuits are NOR gate circuits.

Claim 22

In the electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 13, wherein said frequency divider networks are formed of a plurality of divide-by-two flip-flop circuits.

Claim 23

An electronic musical instrument having a plurality of key operable control means adapted to energize electro-acoustic transducing means, comprising in combination: a large scale integrated circuit chip having formed thereon frequency input terminals, frequency output terminals, and a plurality of keying terminals, said keying terminals being responsive to the actuation of an associated one of said plurality of key operated control means to effect audio frequency signals at said frequency output terminals, said integrated circuit chip having a plurality of digital processing circuits for producing the audio-output signal, each of said digital processing circuits including, a first logic gate having first and second inputs and a first output, a second logic gate having third and fourth inputs and a second output, a third logic gate having fifth and sixth inputs and a third output, first and second series connected flip-flop circuits, said first input of said first logic gate and the input of said first flip-flop circuit being coupled to a selected one of said frequency input terminals to receive a first predetermined fundamental frequency, the output of said first flip-flop circuit being coupled to said third input of said second logic gate thereby providing a first sub-harmonic of said first predetermined fundamental frequency, said second flip-flop circuit having its output coupled to said fifth input terminal of said third logic gate thereby providing a second sub-harmonic of said first fundamental frequency, said second, fourth, and sixth inputs of said first, second, and third logic gates, respectively, predetermined key operated control means with said first fundamental frequency, whereby actuation of said key operated control means will enable said first, second, and third logic gates to effect a transfer of the fundamental, first sub-harmonic and second sub-harmonic frequencies to apply said composite audio-output signal to the electro-acoustic transducer means associated with the electronic musical instrument.

Claim 24

An electronic musical instrument having a plurality of key operable control means adapted to energize electro-acoustic transducing means, comprising in combination: a large scale integrated circuit chip having formed thereon frequency input terminals, frequency output terminals, and a plurality of keying terminals, said keying terminals being responsive to the actuation of an associated one of said plurality of key operated control means to effect audio frequency signals at said frequency output terminals, said integrated circuit chip having a plurality of digital processing circuits for producing the audio-output signal, each of said digital processing circuits including, a first logic gate having first and second inputs and a first output, a second logic gate having third and fourth inputs and a second output, a third logic gate having fifth and sixth inputs and a third output, first and second series connected flip-flop circuits, said first input of said first logic gate and the input of said first flip-flop circuit being coupled to a selected one of said frequency input terminals to receive a first predetermined fundamental frequency, the output of said first flip-flop circuit being coupled to said third input of said second logic gate thereby providing a first sub-harmonic of said first predetermined fundamental frequency, said second flip-flop circuit having its output coupled to said fifth input terminal of said third logic gate thereby providing a second sub-harmonic of said first fundamental frequency, said second, fourth, and sixth inputs of said first, second, and third logic gates, respectively, predetermined key operated control means with said first fundamental frequency, whereby actuation of said key operated control means will enable said first, second, and third logic gates to effect a transfer of the fundamental, first sub-harmonic and second sub-harmonic frequencies to apply said composite audio-output signal to the electro-acoustic transducer means associated with the electronic musical instrument.

Claim 25

An electronic musical instrument having a plurality of key switches adapted to energize electro-acoustic transducing means, comprising in combination: a large scale integrated circuit chip having formed thereon a plurality of frequency input terminals, a plurality of frequency output terminals, and a plurality of keying terminals, said keying terminals being responsive to the actuation of an associated one of said plurality of key switches to effect a composite audio output signal at certain ones of said plurality of frequency output terminals, said integrated circuit chip having a plurality of tone developing circuits for producing the composite audio-output signal, each of said tone developing circuits including, a first NOR gate having first and second inputs and a first output, a second NOR gate having third and fourth inputs and a second output, a third NOR gate having fifth and sixth inputs and a third output, first and second series connected flip-flop circuits, said first input of said first NOR gate and the input of said first flip-flop circuit being coupled to a selected one of said plurality of frequency input terminals to receive a first predetermined fundamental frequency, the output of said first flip-flop circuit being coupled to said third input of said second NOR gate thereby providing a first sub-harmonic of said first predetermined fundamental frequency, said second flip-flop circuit having its output coupled to said fifth input terminal of said third NOR gate thereby providing a second sub-harmonic of said first fundamental frequency, said second, fourth, and sixth inputs of said first, second, and third NOR gates, respectively, connected to a predetermined key switch associated with said first fundamental frequency, whereby actuation of said key switch will enable said first, second, and third NOR gates to effect a transfer of the fundamental, first sub-harmonic and second sub-harmonic frequencies to apply said composite audio-output signal to the electro-acoustic transducer means associated with the electronic musical instrument.

Claim 26

An electronic musical instrument having a plurality of key switches adapted to energize electro-acoustic transducing means, comprising in combination: a large scale integrated circuit chip having formed thereon a plurality of frequency input terminals, a plurality of frequency output terminals, and a plurality of keying terminals, said keying terminals being responsive to the actuation of an associated one of said plurality of key switches to effect a composite audio output signal at certain ones of said plurality of frequency output terminals, said integrated circuit chip having a plurality of tone developing circuits for producing the composite audio-output signal, each of said tone developing circuits including, a first NOR gate having first and second inputs and a first output, a second NOR gate having third and fourth inputs and a second output, a third NOR gate having fifth and sixth inputs and a third output, first and second series connected flip-flop circuits, said first input of said first NOR gate and the input of said first flip-flop circuit being coupled to a selected one of said plurality of frequency input terminals to receive a first predetermined fundamental frequency, the output of said first flip-flop circuit being coupled to said third input of said second NOR gate thereby providing a first sub-harmonic of said first predetermined fundamental frequency, said second flip-flop circuit having its output coupled to said fifth input terminal of said third NOR gate thereby providing a second sub-harmonic of said first fundamental frequency, said second, fourth, and sixth inputs of said first, second, and third NOR gates, respectively, connected to a predetermined key switch associated with said first fundamental frequency, whereby actuation of said key switch will enable said first, second, and third NOR gates to effect a transfer of the fundamental, first sub-harmonic and second sub-harmonic frequencies to apply said composite audio-output signal to the electro-acoustic transducer means associated with the electronic musical instrument.

Claim 27

The electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 20, wherein said tone developing circuit further includes a fourth NOR gate having seventh and eighth input terminals and a fourth output terminal, a fifth NOR gate having ninth and tenth input terminals and a fifth output terminal, and a sixth NOR gate having eleventh and twelfth input terminals and a sixth output terminal, said seventh input terminal receiving the output of said first flip-flop circuit which functions as a second fundamental frequency one octave lower than said first fundamental frequency, said ninth input terminal connected to the output of said second flip-flop circuit to produce the first sub-harmonic of said second fundamental frequency delivered to said fourth NOR gate, and a third flip-flop circuit connected in series with said first and second flip-flop circuits, said third flip-flop circuit having the output thereof connected to said eleventh input terminal of said sixth NOR gate to provide the second sub-harmonic of said second fundamental frequency developed within said fourth NOR gate, said eighth, tenth, and twelfth input terminals of said fourth, fifth, and sixth NOR gates being connected to a second predetermined key switch associated with said second predetermined fundamental frequency, said second predetermined key switch being displaced from said first predetermined key switch by one octave.

Claim 28

The electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 21, further including a seventh NOR gate having thirteenth and fourteenth inputs and a seventh output, an eighth NOR gate having fifteenth and sixteenth inputs and an eighth output, and a ninth NOR gate having seventeenth and eighteenth inputs and a ninth output, and a fourth flip-flop circuit connected in series with said first, second, and third flip-flop circuits, said thirteenth input receiving the output signal from said second flip-flop circuit to generate a third fundamental frequency displaced from said first fundamental frequency by two octaves, said fifteenth input being connected to the output of said third flip-flop circuit to develop the first sub-harmonic of said third fundamental frequency, said seventeenth input being connected to the output of said fourth flip-flop circuit to develop a second sub-harmonic of said second fundamental frequency, said fourteenth, sixteenth, and eighteenth input terminals being connected to a third predetermined key switch associated with said third fundamental frequency, said third predetermined key switch being displaced from said second predetermined key switch by one octave.

Claim 29

The electronic musical instrument according to claim 20, wherein said first, second, and third outputs of said first, second, and third NOR gates are coupled to their associated frequency output terminals through fixed resistors which comprise the passive electronic components formed on the large scale integrated circuit chip.

Claim 30

The electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 23 wherein said fixed resistance elements have a resistance value in the order of about 10,000 to 30,000 ohms.