MIDI control device combining translatory and rotatory movements

• US 10,446,301 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rele Musikk AS
• Original Assignee: RELE As
• Inventors: Staavi, Bjorn
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Kyung S
• Application Number:
  US16/311,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20190198201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/025 actuated by sliding movement
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/10 Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles G05G1/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/04 in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/14 adjustable by auxiliary driving means
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/30 the contact sliding along resistive element
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/38 the contact moving along a straight path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30

Abstract

A manual operating device (100) for providing a first and a second control signal in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation, e.g. for controlling electronic musical instruments, stage/theatre equipment and/or audio/video studio equipment. The manual operating device (100) comprises a linear position sensor device (110), providing the first control signal (120), representing a linear position of a longitudinally slidable element (130), and a rotary position sensor device (140), having a body attached to the longitudinally slidable element (130) and providing the second control signal (150) representing the rotary position of a rotatable shaft (160) to be manually operated by the user. A MIDI controller device (210) may include at least one such manual operating device (100). Converting the positions parameters to advanced studio equipment MIDI control signals and/or to legacy MIDI synthesizer tone control.

Claims

1. A manual operating device (100) for providing a first and a second control signal in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation, the manual operating device (100) comprising

a linear position sensor device (110), providing the first control signal (120), representing a linear position of a linearly slidable element (130),

a rotary position sensor device (140), having a body attached to the linearly slidable element (130) and providing the second control signal (150) representing the rotary position of a rotatable shaft (160) to be manually operated by the user, and

further comprising a top cover (220), the top cover having a longitudinal slit (170), the rotatable shaft (160) being passed through the longitudinal slit (170), the rotatable shaft (160) being attached to a knob (180) to be manually operated by the user, the top cover (220) further having a recessed, oval surface area (190) surrounding the longitudinal slit (170), in such a way that a perimeter (200) of the oval surface area (190) provides an abutting edge for the knob (180) throughout the knob'"'"'s allowed range of rotary and linear movement.

2. A manual operating device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the linear position sensor device (110) is a slide potentiometer.

3. A manual operating device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the linear position sensor device (110) is an optical, magnetic or inductive linear position sensor device.

4. A manual operating device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the rotary position sensor device (140) is a rotary potentiometer.

5. A manual operating device (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the rotary position sensor device (140) is an optical, magnetic or inductive rotary position sensor device.

6. A manual operating device (100) according to claim 1,

further comprising electronic circuitry for adapting the first and second control signals to secondary control signals for controlling electronic musical instruments, stage/theatre equipment and/or audio/video studio equipment.

7. A manual operating device (100) according to claim 6,

wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to provide the secondary control signals as digital data in accordance with the Musical Instrument Digital Interface protocol, MIDI.

8. A manual operating device (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a stabilizing rail, arranged beneath the top cover (220), providing lateral support of a movement of the linearly slidable element (130), or the body of the rotary position sensor device (140), or the rotatable shaft (160).

9. A MIDI controller device (210), comprising at least one manual operating device as set forth in claim 1.

10. A MIDI controller device (210), according to claim 9,

wherein the at least one manual operating device includes a plurality of manual operating devices.

11. A MIDI controller device (210) according to claim 10, including a processing device with a plurality of signal inputs connected to respective signal outputs of the plurality of manual operating devices.

12. A MIDI controller device (210) according to claim 11,

wherein the processing device is configured, using appropriate software included in a memory and connected to the processing device, to convert the signals provided by the manual operating devices into MIDI control messages to be transferred over a MIDI interface.

13. A MIDI controller device (210) according to claim 12, wherein the MIDI control messages are provided to a MIDI output of the MIDI controller device 210.

14. A MIDI controller device (210) according to claim 13, further comprising one or more external MIDI enabled devices, such as musical instruments, stage/theatre equipment and/or audio/video studio equipment, connected to the output of the MIDI controller device 210, enabling the MIDI controller device 210 to control the MIDI enabled device.