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US4699038A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Touch sensitive electronic musical or sound generating instrument

Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd
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Filing: 1986-05-30
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Granted: 1987-10-13
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Expires: 2006-05-30
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Abstract

Abstract A touch sensitive electronic musical or sound generating instrument is disclosed. The invention utilizes digital techniques to sense how hard any one of a plurality of push buttons on a keyboard is depressed or actuated. The instrument generates a desired or particular sound (such as a musical note) at a desired parameter such as volume, corresponding to how hard a specific button was depressed.

Inventors

  • 👤 D. Scott Wedge

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 03:42
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/02; G10H1/04; G10H1/053; G10H1/055; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/07

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 191 words
A touch sensitive electronic musical or sound generating instrument comprising a plurality of push buttons, button interface means responsive to actuation of any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a first control signal representative of a specified sound parameter to be generated when said one push button is actuated, a single vibration sensor means for all of said plurality of push buttons, said single vibration sensor means responsive to the actuation of said any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a second control signal representative of how hard said any one of said push buttons was actuated, where said second signal corresponds to said first signal, said vibration sensor means including an amplitude detector means for detecting how hard any one of said push buttons was actuated where said amplitude detector means generates said second control signal corresponding to how hard said push button was actuated, processor means responsive to said first and second control signals for generating a third control signal representative of said specified sound parameter to be generated, and representative of how hard said any one of said push buttons was actuated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 191 words
A touch sensitive electronic musical or sound generating instrument comprising a plurality of push buttons, button interface means responsive to actuation of any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a first control signal representative of a specified sound parameter to be generated when said one push button is actuated, a single vibration sensor means for all of said plurality of push buttons, said single vibration sensor means responsive to the actuation of said any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a second control signal representative of how hard said any one of said push buttons was actuated, where said second signal corresponds to said first signal, said vibration sensor means including an amplitude detector means for detecting how hard any one of said push buttons was actuated where said amplitude detector means generates said second control signal corresponding to how hard said push button was actuated, processor means responsive to said first and second control signals for generating a third control signal representative of said specified sound parameter to be generated, and representative of how hard said any one of said push buttons was actuated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
An instrument as in claim 1, including sound generator means responsive to said third control signal for generating the particular sound in accordance with said specified parameter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 12 words
An instrument as in claim 1 wherein said specified parameter is volume.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 12 words
An instrument as in claim 1 wherein said specified parameter is timbre.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 13 words
An instrument as in claim 1 wherein said specified parameter is attack time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 12 words
An instrument as in claim 1 wherein said specified parameter is pitch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 12 words
An instrument as in claim 1 wherein said specified parameter is modulation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 212 words
A touch sensitive electronic musical or sound generating instrument comprising a plurality of push buttons, button interface means responsive to actuation of any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a first control signal representative of a specified sound parameter to be generated when said one push button is actuated, a single vibration sensor means for all of said plurality of push buttons, said single vibration sensor means responsive to the actuation of said any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a second control signal representative of how hard said any one of said push buttons was actuated, where said second signal corresponds to said first signal, said vibration sensor means including an amplitude detector means for detecting how hard any one of said push buttons was actuated where said amplitude detector means generates said second control signal corresponding to how hard said push button was actuated, digital processor means responsive to said first and second control signals for generating a third control signal representative of said specified sound parameter to be generated and representative of how hard said any one of said push buttons was actuated, and sound generator means responsive to said third signal for generating said particular sound in accordance with said specified parameter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 212 words
A touch sensitive electronic musical or sound generating instrument comprising a plurality of push buttons, button interface means responsive to actuation of any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a first control signal representative of a specified sound parameter to be generated when said one push button is actuated, a single vibration sensor means for all of said plurality of push buttons, said single vibration sensor means responsive to the actuation of said any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a second control signal representative of how hard said any one of said push buttons was actuated, where said second signal corresponds to said first signal, said vibration sensor means including an amplitude detector means for detecting how hard any one of said push buttons was actuated where said amplitude detector means generates said second control signal corresponding to how hard said push button was actuated, digital processor means responsive to said first and second control signals for generating a third control signal representative of said specified sound parameter to be generated and representative of how hard said any one of said push buttons was actuated, and sound generator means responsive to said third signal for generating said particular sound in accordance with said specified parameter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 197 words
A touch sensitive electronic musical or sound generating instrument comprising a plurality of push buttons, button interface means responsive to actuation of any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a first control signal representative of a specified sound parameter to be generated when said one push button is actuated, a single vibration sensor means for all of said plurality of push buttons, said single vibration sensor means responsive to the actuation of any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a second control signal corresponding to actuation of a specified one of said push buttons which is representative of how hard any one of said push buttons was actuated, where said second signal corresponds to said first signal, said vibration sensor means including an amplitude detector means for detecting how hard any one of said push buttons was actuated where said amplitude detector means generates said second control signal corresponding to how hard said push button was actuated, processor means responsive to said first and second signals for generating a third control signal representative of said specified sound parameter to be generated and representative of how hard said push buttons were actuated.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 197 words
A touch sensitive electronic musical or sound generating instrument comprising a plurality of push buttons, button interface means responsive to actuation of any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a first control signal representative of a specified sound parameter to be generated when said one push button is actuated, a single vibration sensor means for all of said plurality of push buttons, said single vibration sensor means responsive to the actuation of any one of said plurality of push buttons for generating a second control signal corresponding to actuation of a specified one of said push buttons which is representative of how hard any one of said push buttons was actuated, where said second signal corresponds to said first signal, said vibration sensor means including an amplitude detector means for detecting how hard any one of said push buttons was actuated where said amplitude detector means generates said second control signal corresponding to how hard said push button was actuated, processor means responsive to said first and second signals for generating a third control signal representative of said specified sound parameter to be generated and representative of how hard said push buttons were actuated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 35 words
An instrument as in claim 9 including sound generating means responsive to said third control signal for generating said particular sounds at said specified parameter for the respective actuation of each of said push buttons.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2888849A Cited
US4416178A Cited
US4627325A Cited
US4493237A Cited
US4655114A Cited
US4633750A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-10-12 1991-04-13 1991-10-13 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-10-12 1995-04-13 1995-10-13 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-10-12 1999-04-13 1999-10-13 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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