Patent US5814748A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5814748A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Pitch raise tuning for digital aural musical instrument tuning
Assignee: Reyburn Piano Service Inc
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Filing: 1997-06-04
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Granted: 1998-09-29
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Expires: 2017-06-04
Abstract
Abstract Methods and apparatus determine tuning frequencies for an instrument, such as a piano, by sounding at least three musical notes of the instrument. The sounded notes are recorded and digitally filtered to generate directly partial ladders representative of the sounded notes. The partial ladders are equalized with respective to a reference frequency or one another to determine tuning frequencies for the sounded notes. Tuning frequencies for the remaining notes of the instrument are then determined from the equalized partial ladders. Tone generators which produce the musical notes, such as strings on a piano, are then adjusted to conform the musical notes which they generate to the tuning frequencies. Preferably, the tone generators are adjusted using a display which provides highly accurate macro and micro tuning information in a single display by graphically and dynamically displaying pitch differences of the musical notes generated by the tone generators relative to pitches of the tuning frequencies. Reference to the display facilitates adjustment of the tone generators to make the pitch differences substantially zero. Automatically note switching is preferably performed as is pitch raise tuning using a table of pitch raise overpull percentages for the musical notes of an instrument to be tuned.
Inventors
- 👤 Dean Laurence Reyburn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:48
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10G; G10G7/00; G10G7/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for pitch raise tuning a musical instrument having a plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators for generating a like plurality of musical notes, said method comprising the steps of: setting up a table of pitch raise overpull percentages for the musical notes of an instrument to be tuned in an electronic instrument tuning device; operating said tuning device using said table of pitch raise overpull percentages to determine pitch raise tuning frequencies for musical notes of an instrument to be tuned; and adjusting said plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators to conform their musical notes to said pitch raise tuning frequencies.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for pitch raise tuning a musical instrument having a plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators for generating a like plurality of musical notes, said method comprising the steps of: setting up a table of pitch raise overpull percentages for the musical notes of an instrument to be tuned in an electronic instrument tuning device; operating said tuning device using said table of pitch raise overpull percentages to determine pitch raise tuning frequencies for musical notes of an instrument to be tuned; and adjusting said plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators to conform their musical notes to said pitch raise tuning frequencies.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method for pitch raise tuning as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of setting a bass overpull cap in said tuning device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method for pitch raise tuning as claimed in claim 2 further comprising the step of setting a treble overpull cap in said tuning device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method for pitch raise tuning as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of operating said tuning device using said table of pitch raise overpull percentages comprises the steps of: recording the original pitches of notes as they are tuned; and taking the pitch raise overpull percentages of the average original pitches of the previous N notes to determine said pitch raise tuning frequencies.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method for pitch raise tuning as claimed in claim 4 further comprising the step of setting N equal to six or as many previous notes as are available.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method for pitch raise tuning as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of operating said tuning device using said table of pitch raise overpull percentages comprises the steps of: recording the original pitches of notes as they are tuned; and taking the pitch raise overpull percentages of the average original pitches of the note being tuned and the previous N notes to determine said pitch raise tuning frequencies.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method for pitch raise tuning as claimed in claim 6 further comprising the step of setting N equal to six or as many previous notes as are available.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
110 words
A method for pitch raise tuning a musical instrument as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of setting up a table of pitch raise overpull percentages for the musical notes of an instrument to be tuned in an electronic instrument tuning device comprises the step of setting up a first table of pitch raise overpull percentages for a weak musical instrument, and said step of operating said tuning instrument using said table of pitch raise overpull percentages to determine pitch raise tuning frequencies for musical notes of an instrument to be tuned comprises the step of using said first table of pitch raise overpull percentage for a weak instrument.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
111 words
A method for pitch raise tuning a musical instrument as claimed in claim 8 wherein said step of setting up a table of pitch raise overpull percentages for the musical notes of an instrument to be tuned in an electronic instrument tuning device further comprises the step of setting up a second table of pitch raise overpull percentages for an average musical instrument, and said step of operating said tuning instrument using said table of pitch raise overpull percentages to determine pitch raise tuning frequencies for musical notes of an instrument to be tuned comprises the step of using said second table of pitch raise overpull percentages for an average instrument.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
111 words
A method for pitch raise tuning a musical instrument as claimed in claim 9 wherein said step of setting up a table of pitch raise overpull percentages for the musical notes of an instrument to be tuned in an electronic instrument tuning device further comprises the step of setting up a third table of pitch raise overpull percentages for a stiff musical instrument, and said step of operating said tuning device using said table of pitch raise overpull percentages to determine pitch raise tuning frequencies for musical notes of an instrument to be tuned comprises the step of using said third table of pitch raise overpull percentages for a stiff instrument.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for pitch raise tuning a musical instrument having a plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators for generating a like plurality of musical notes, said method comprising the steps of: setting up a table of pitch raise overpull percentages for the musical notes of an instrument to be tuned in an electronic instrument tuning device; recording the original pitches of notes in said tuning instrument as they are tuned; operating said electronic instrument tuning device to take the pitch raise overpull percentages of the average original pitches of the preceding notes up to N preceding notes to determine said pitch raise tuning frequencies; and adjusting said plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators to conform their musical notes to said pitch raise tuning frequencies.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for pitch raise tuning a musical instrument having a plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators for generating a like plurality of musical notes, said method comprising the steps of: setting up a table of pitch raise overpull percentages for the musical notes of an instrument to be tuned in an electronic instrument tuning device; recording the original pitches of notes in said tuning instrument as they are tuned; operating said electronic instrument tuning device to take the pitch raise overpull percentages of the average original pitches of the preceding notes up to N preceding notes to determine said pitch raise tuning frequencies; and adjusting said plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators to conform their musical notes to said pitch raise tuning frequencies.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for pitch raise tuning a musical instrument having a plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators for generating a like plurality of musical notes, said method comprising the steps of: setting up a table of pitch raise overpull percentages for the musical notes of an instrument to be tuned in an electronic instrument tuning device; recording the original pitches of notes in said tuning instrument as they are tuned; operating said tuning instrument to take the pitch raise overpull percentages of the average original pitches of each note and notes preceding each note up to N preceding notes to determine said pitch raise tuning frequencies; and adjusting said plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators to conform their musical notes to said pitch raise tuning frequencies.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for pitch raise tuning a musical instrument having a plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators for generating a like plurality of musical notes, said method comprising the steps of: setting up a table of pitch raise overpull percentages for the musical notes of an instrument to be tuned in an electronic instrument tuning device; recording the original pitches of notes in said tuning instrument as they are tuned; operating said tuning instrument to take the pitch raise overpull percentages of the average original pitches of each note and notes preceding each note up to N preceding notes to determine said pitch raise tuning frequencies; and adjusting said plurality of adjustable frequency tone generators to conform their musical notes to said pitch raise tuning frequencies.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
166 words
A method for pitch raise tuning a musical instrument as claimed in claim 12 wherein said step of setting up a table of pitch raise overpull percentages for the musical notes of an instrument to be tuned in an electronic instrument tuning device comprises the step of setting up the following table: __________________________________________________________________________
Note Names
C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B
__________________________________________________________________________
Oct# 0,
4,
8,
1 12,
12,
12,
12,
12,
12 12,
12,
12,
12,
12,
12,
2 12,
12,
12,
12,
12,
12,
12,
12,
12,
12,
12,
35,
3 34,
33,
32,
31,
30,
30,
30,
30,
30,
30,
30,
30,
4 30,
30,
30,
29,
29,
28,
28,
28,
27,
27,
27,
27,
5 27,
27,
28,
28,
29,
29,
30,
30,
31,
32,
33,
34,
6 35,
36,
37,
38,
38,
38,
38,
38,
38,
38,
38,
38,
7 38,
38,
38,
38,
37,
35,
33,
31,
29,
27,
25,
23,
8 21.
__________________________________________________________________________
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-09-28 | 2002-03-30 | 2002-09-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-09-28 | 2006-03-30 | 2006-09-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-09-28 | 2010-03-30 | 2010-09-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |