US4236434A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for producing a vocal sound signal in an electronic musical instrument
Assignee: Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co Ltd
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Filing: 1979-04-19
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Granted: 1980-12-02
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Expires: 1999-04-19
Abstract
Abstract An electronic musical instrument for producing a vocal sound signal comprising a musical tone signal generator connected to a passing circuit for passing a musical tone signal under the selection of a key. A formant filter is connected in the passing circuit and includes a plurality of filters connected in parallel to one another. A control system is operative to produce two output signals in the passing circuit after the formant filter in sequence upon operation of the key, one of the output signals being a vowel sound and the other a consonant sound.
Inventors
- 👤 Koji Nishibe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 14:48
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/02; G10H1/04; G10H1/053; G10H1/057; G10H2250/00; G10H2250/471; G10H2250/481; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
An electronic musical instrument for producing a vocal sound signal comprising musical tone signal generator means, a passing circuit connected to said musical tone signal generator means to pass a musical tone signal produced thereby, key means for selecting the musical tone signal to be fed from the musical tone signal generator means to said passing circuit, formant filter means connected in said passing circuit and including a plurality of filters connected in parallel to one another, and means coupled to said key means and to said formant filter means for producing in said passing circuit, after said formant filter means, two output signals in sequence, upon operation of said key means, one of said output signals being a vowel sound and the other of said output signals being a consonant sound whereby a vocal sound is obtained by the combination of the consonant and vowel sounds in sequence.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
An electronic musical instrument for producing a vocal sound signal comprising musical tone signal generator means, a passing circuit connected to said musical tone signal generator means to pass a musical tone signal produced thereby, key means for selecting the musical tone signal to be fed from the musical tone signal generator means to said passing circuit, formant filter means connected in said passing circuit and including a plurality of filters connected in parallel to one another, and means coupled to said key means and to said formant filter means for producing in said passing circuit, after said formant filter means, two output signals in sequence, upon operation of said key means, one of said output signals being a vowel sound and the other of said output signals being a consonant sound whereby a vocal sound is obtained by the combination of the consonant and vowel sounds in sequence.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
An electronic musical instrument as claimed in claim 1 comprising low frequency oscillator means coupled to said musical tone signal generator means for vibratomodulating the tone signals produced thereby.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
110 words
An electronic musical instrument as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for producing two output signals comprises a voltage controlled filter connected in said passing circuit to said formant filter means, said voltage controlled filter having a control electrode, and control signal generating means connected to said key means. for being operated thereby and for producing an output signal having an attack portion and a subsequent decay portion, said control signal generating means having an output connected to said control electrode of said voltage controlled filter to produce a shift in the peak of the filter in sequence upon arrival of the attack portion and the subsequent decay portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
An electronic musical instrument as claimed in claim 3 wherein said output signal has a constant sustaining portion following said decay portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
An electronic musical instrument as claimed in claim 3 wherein the time of attack portion is 10 ms and the time of the decay portion is 20 ms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
80 words
An electronic musical instrument as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for producing two output signals comprises a voltage controlled filter constituting one of said filters of said formant filter means and control signal generating means connected to said key means for being operated thereby and connected to said voltage controlled filter to shift the peak of the voltage controlled filter from a lower frequency to a higher frequeny and then to maintain the peak at a sustained frequency.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A electronic musical instrument as claimed in claim 6 wherein said control signal generating means includes circuit means for producing an output signal whose voltage gradually increases after a first time interval after operation of said key means and after a second time interval maintains the voltage at a constant value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
An electronic musical instrument as claimed in claim 7 wherein said second time interval is 30 m sec.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
108 words
An electronic musical instrument as claimed in claim 1 wherein said formant filter means comprises a first formant filter means for producing a consonant signal and a second formant filter means for producing a vowel signal, said means for producing two output signals in sequence comprising first and second gate means in said passing circuit respectively connected to said first and second formant filter means for controlling passage of output signals therefrom, and first and second control signal generating means coupled to said key means for being operated thereby and connected to said first and second gate means to open said first and second gate means in sequence.
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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) | 1983-12-02 | 1984-06-02 | 1984-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-12-02 | 1988-06-02 | 1988-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-12-02 | 1992-06-02 | 1992-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |