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US4563933A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Dynamically illuminated guitar

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1982-06-30
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Granted: 1986-01-14
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Expires: 2002-06-30
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Abstract

Abstract A dynamically illuminated guitar (10) for producing visual and sequential lighting effects on the guitar body (20) caused by spontaneous or deliberate hand and body movements of the guitarist and by external light sources. A plurality of light-emitting diodes (30) through (93) embedded into the guitar face and arranged in aesthetically pleasing designs serve as the display medium. A variety of different light display modes is selected by changing the orientation of the guitar (20) to cause a group of mercury tilt switches (120), (130), (140) to control the digital pulse format of an electronic pulse-forming circuit. Light-dependent resistors (160), (170) embedded on the guitar face further cause the guitar visual lighting display to be controlled by external variable lighting.

Inventors

  • 👤 Chung C. Kim

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 20:34
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63J; A63J17/00; G; G10; G10D; G10D3/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 748 words
A dynamically illuminated guitar, comprising: (a) a guitar; (b) a plurality of lamps, embedded into or mounted on the face of said guitar; (c) an internal microphone, mounted in the interior or on the face of said guitar; (d) a plurality of light-dependent resistors, embedded into or mounted on the face of said guitar; (e) a pulse-forming circuit that produces a train of digital pulses in various formats consisting of: (1) a first format consisting of a series of pulses whose time spacing is proportional to and varied by the electric signals produced by the pitch of the musical and vocal sounds into the internal microphone, (2) a second format consisting of a series of pulses whose time spacing is proportional to and varied by electrical signals produced by the amount of light energy received by the light-dependent resistors, (3) a third format consisting of pulses produced when the sound volume into the interior microphone exceeds an upper threshold, the pulse rate being equivalent to the frequency of the sound signals, (4) a fourth format consisting of a time period of a few seconds when no pulses appear, followed by a brief burst of very high frequency pulses, further followed by a train of pulses similar to the first format, and (5) a fifth format consisting of a time period of a few seconds when no pulses appear, followed by a very brief burst of very high frequency pulses, further followed by a train of pulses similar to the second format; (f) a first two-terminal mercury tilt switch, equivalent to an electrical single-pole, single-throw switch having open and closed positions that are determined by the physical orientation of the switch, for switching between formats of said pulse-forming circuit, the closed position allowing either of the first two formats, and the open position allowing any of the latter three formats; (g) a second two-terminal mercury tilt switch of similar construction as said first mercury tilt switch for switching between the third, fourth and fifth formats, the closed position allowing the third format and the open position allowing either the fourth or fifth formats; (h) a single-pole, double position electromechanical switch for switching between pulse formats of said pulse-forming circuit, the first position allowing the first pulse format to appear if the first mercury tilt switch is in the closed position and the second mercury tilt switch is in the open position, or the first position allowing the fourth pulse format to appear if both said first and second mercury tilt switches are in the open position, the second position allowing the second pulse format to appear if said first mercury tilt switch is in the closed position and said second mercury tilt switch is in the open position, or the second position allowing the fifth pulse format to appear if both said first and second mercury tilt switches are in the open position; (i) a sequential lighting circuit capable of accepting pulses at a forward input port and lighting each of the plurality of said lamps in a fixed sequential order, each pulse causing only one lamp to be lit at a time, said sequential lighting circuit also being capable of accepting pulses at a reverse input port and lighting each of the plurality of said lamps in a fixed sequential order that is the reverse of the sequence produced by pulses at the forward input port; (j) a three-terminal mercury tilt switch equivalent to a single-pole, double position switch whose two positions are determined by the physical orientation of the switch, the first position of the switch allowing pulses from said pulse-forming circuit to be sent to the forward input port of said sequential lighting circuit, the second position of the switch allowing pulses from said pulse-forming circuit to be sent to the reverse input port of said sequential lighting circuit; (k) an electric battery for supplying electrical power to said pulse-forming circuit and said sequential lighting circuit; (l) a single-pole, single-throw electromechanical switch having an open and closed position, the closed position allowing electrical power to be supplied to said pulse-forming circuit and said sequential lighting circuit, the open position preventing the power from being supplied to the circuits; and (m) an electronics and battery compartment mounted in the guitar, for housing said pulse-forming circuit, said sequential lighting circuit, said first and second two-terminal mercury tilt switches, said three-terminal mercury tilt switch, said single-pole, double position electromechanical switch, said single-pole, single-throw electromechanical switch, and said electric battery.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 748 words
A dynamically illuminated guitar, comprising: (a) a guitar; (b) a plurality of lamps, embedded into or mounted on the face of said guitar; (c) an internal microphone, mounted in the interior or on the face of said guitar; (d) a plurality of light-dependent resistors, embedded into or mounted on the face of said guitar; (e) a pulse-forming circuit that produces a train of digital pulses in various formats consisting of: (1) a first format consisting of a series of pulses whose time spacing is proportional to and varied by the electric signals produced by the pitch of the musical and vocal sounds into the internal microphone, (2) a second format consisting of a series of pulses whose time spacing is proportional to and varied by electrical signals produced by the amount of light energy received by the light-dependent resistors, (3) a third format consisting of pulses produced when the sound volume into the interior microphone exceeds an upper threshold, the pulse rate being equivalent to the frequency of the sound signals, (4) a fourth format consisting of a time period of a few seconds when no pulses appear, followed by a brief burst of very high frequency pulses, further followed by a train of pulses similar to the first format, and (5) a fifth format consisting of a time period of a few seconds when no pulses appear, followed by a very brief burst of very high frequency pulses, further followed by a train of pulses similar to the second format; (f) a first two-terminal mercury tilt switch, equivalent to an electrical single-pole, single-throw switch having open and closed positions that are determined by the physical orientation of the switch, for switching between formats of said pulse-forming circuit, the closed position allowing either of the first two formats, and the open position allowing any of the latter three formats; (g) a second two-terminal mercury tilt switch of similar construction as said first mercury tilt switch for switching between the third, fourth and fifth formats, the closed position allowing the third format and the open position allowing either the fourth or fifth formats; (h) a single-pole, double position electromechanical switch for switching between pulse formats of said pulse-forming circuit, the first position allowing the first pulse format to appear if the first mercury tilt switch is in the closed position and the second mercury tilt switch is in the open position, or the first position allowing the fourth pulse format to appear if both said first and second mercury tilt switches are in the open position, the second position allowing the second pulse format to appear if said first mercury tilt switch is in the closed position and said second mercury tilt switch is in the open position, or the second position allowing the fifth pulse format to appear if both said first and second mercury tilt switches are in the open position; (i) a sequential lighting circuit capable of accepting pulses at a forward input port and lighting each of the plurality of said lamps in a fixed sequential order, each pulse causing only one lamp to be lit at a time, said sequential lighting circuit also being capable of accepting pulses at a reverse input port and lighting each of the plurality of said lamps in a fixed sequential order that is the reverse of the sequence produced by pulses at the forward input port; (j) a three-terminal mercury tilt switch equivalent to a single-pole, double position switch whose two positions are determined by the physical orientation of the switch, the first position of the switch allowing pulses from said pulse-forming circuit to be sent to the forward input port of said sequential lighting circuit, the second position of the switch allowing pulses from said pulse-forming circuit to be sent to the reverse input port of said sequential lighting circuit; (k) an electric battery for supplying electrical power to said pulse-forming circuit and said sequential lighting circuit; (l) a single-pole, single-throw electromechanical switch having an open and closed position, the closed position allowing electrical power to be supplied to said pulse-forming circuit and said sequential lighting circuit, the open position preventing the power from being supplied to the circuits; and (m) an electronics and battery compartment mounted in the guitar, for housing said pulse-forming circuit, said sequential lighting circuit, said first and second two-terminal mercury tilt switches, said three-terminal mercury tilt switch, said single-pole, double position electromechanical switch, said single-pole, single-throw electromechanical switch, and said electric battery.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 37 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising: (a) a battery charger jack mounted on said electronics and battery compartment; and (b) a battery charger circuit connected between said battery charger jack and said electric battery.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 54 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising an external microphone jack mounted on said electronics and battery compartment for connecting an external microphone to said pulse-forming circuit, the connection of an external microphone plug to the external microphone jack causing an interruption of the connection between said microphone and the pulse-forming circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 13 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said lamps are light-emitting diodes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 30 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a sensitivity control potentiometer used to adjust the level of the electrical signal produced by the sound volume from said microphone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a 10 K ohm potentiometer used to adjust the average time spacing of the pulse formats.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said internal microphone is of the dynamic cartridge type.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said internal microphone is of the inductive pick-up type.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said electric battery is comprised of a rechargeable nickel-cadmium battery.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4236191A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-01-13 1989-07-15 1990-01-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-01-13 1993-07-15 1994-01-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-01-13 1997-07-15 1998-01-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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