ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 3,584,530 A
• Filed: 05/26/1969
• Issued: 06/15/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clifford W. Andersen
• Original Assignee: Clifford W. Andersen
• Inventors: Andersen, Clifford W.
• Application Number:
  US04/827,854
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• US Class Current: 84/470.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means

Abstract

An electronic communication system for use in combination with a plurality of electronic keyboard instruments to provide intercommunication between an instructor seated at one of the keyboard instruments and a group of students each seated at a corresponding one of the other instruments. The instruments are interconnected by means of cables and switching circuits to provide private line verbal and musical communication between the instructor and any selected one of the students, to allow the instructor to communicate verbally and musically with selected groups of students, to connect audio aids such as tape recorders or the like to any selected group of instruments, and to connect groups of instruments together on a common communication channel for performing together in ensemble.

Claims

1. An electronic communication system for use in combination with a plurality of electronic keyboard instruments to provide intercommunication between an instructor seated at one of the keyboard instruments and a plurality of students each seated at a corresponding one of the other instruments, each of said electronic keyboard instruments including transducer means for selectively generating electrical musical signals corresponding to the audio tones of that instrument and transceiver means for transmitting and receiving electrical voice signals corresponding to verbal communications, said communication system comprising cable means for connecting said instructor'"'"''"'"'s instrument to each of said student'"'"''"'"'s instruments, said cable means containing at least N+ 1 conductors where N is the number of student'"'"''"'"'s instruments, plug means on each of said keyboard instruments for receiving said cable means, means for coupling the transceiver means of each student'"'"''"'"'s instrument to a corresponding one of said conductors to establish a private line communication link with said instructor'"'"''"'"'s instrument, whereby N of said N+ 1 conductors are utilized as private line conductors, means for selectively coupling the transducer means of each student'"'"''"'"'s instrument to the corresponding private line conductor or to the N+ 1st conductor of said cable means, whereby said N+ 1st conductor is utilized as a common line conductor, means for connecting the transceiver and transceiver and transducer means of said instructor'"'"''"'"'s instrument to any selected one of said private line conductors for private line voice and/or musical communication with any selected one of said students, and means for coupling said common line conductor to a plurality of said private line conductors to enable a corresponding plurality of students to simultaneously monitor the musical signals of each other'"'"''"'"'s instruments when the transducer means of said instruments are switched to said common line conductor, thereby enabling the said plurality of students to play their instruments in ensemble.

2. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 1 wherein said communication system comprises a plurality of groups of student instruments, each of said groups containing N instruments, and wherein said cable means includes a plurality of cables each extending from said instructor'"'"''"'"'s instrument to a corresponding group of student instruments, each of said cables containing N+1 conductors, each of said stUdent instruments being coupled to their respective cable as defined in claim 1, and further comprising means for connecting the transducer and transceiver means of said instructor'"'"''"'"'s instrument to any selected one of said private line conductors in any selected one of said cables for private line voice and/or musical communication with any selected one of said students, and means for coupling the common line conductor of any selected one of said cables to a plurality of the private line conductors of the same cable to enable a corresponding plurality of students in the same group to simultaneously monitor the musical signals of each other'"'"''"'"'s instruments when the transducer means of said instruments are switched to said common line conductor, thereby enabling the said plurality of students to play their instruments in ensemble.

3. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 2 and further comprising means for coupling the common line conductors of any selected plurality of said cables together to enable a corresponding plurality of students in different groups to simultaneously monitor the musical signals of each other'"'"''"'"'s instruments when the transducer means of said instruments are switched to said common line conductor, thereby enabling the said plurality of students to play their instruments in ensemble.

4. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 3 and further comprising means for selectively coupling the transducer and transceiver means of said instructor'"'"''"'"'s instrument to all of the private line conductors of any selected cable or group of cables to enable the instructor to communicate verbally and/or musically with a corresponding group of students simultaneously.

5. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 4 and further comprising means for selectively coupling at least one external audio aid to all of the private line conductors of any selected cable or group of cables to simultaneously couple said audio aid to a corresponding plurality of student instruments.

6. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 5 and further comprising a plurality of audio amplifiers each coupled to a corresponding one of said private line conductors for amplifying said signals which are simultaneously applied to a group of said private line conductors.

7. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 6 and further comprising an additional plurality of audio amplifiers each coupled to a corresponding one of said common line conductors for amplifying signals applied thereto from the corresponding student instruments.

8. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for selectively coupling the transceiver and transducer of said instructor'"'"''"'"'s instrument to any selected one of said private line conductors comprises a first and a second plurality of switch banks, the first plurality of switch banks containing N switch banks, the second plurality of switch banks containing K switch banks where K is the number of said groups of student instruments, and means for interconnecting the switches of said first and second switch banks to selectively couple the transceiver and transducer of said instructor'"'"''"'"'s instrument to a corresponding private line conductor when one switch bank of said first plurality of switch banks and one switch bank of said second plurality of switch banks are actuated simultaneously.

9. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for coupling said common line conductors to a plurality of said private line conductors comprises K ensemble switches each operable when actuated in a first position to couple a corresponding common line conductor to all of the private line conductors of the same cable.

10. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 9 and further comprising K audio amplifiers each coupled to a corresponding one of said K ensemble switches for amplifying the signals of the corresponding common line conducTor and applying the amplified signals to all of the private line conductors of the same cable.

11. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 10 and further comprising an additional plurality of audio amplifiers connected in K groups with N amplifiers in each group, the inputs of each group of N amplifiers being coupled together in parallel, and the outputs thereof being coupled to a corresponding one of the private line conductors in a corresponding one of said cables, and switch means for selectively coupling the transceiver and transducer means of said instructor'"'"''"'"'s instrument to the input of any selected amplifier group for simultaneous communication with all of the instruments in any selected group of student instruments.

12. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 11 and further comprising K audio aid switches each operable when actuated to apply the output of an audio aid to the input of a corresponding amplifier group for simultaneous transmission to all of the instruments in the corresponding group of student instruments.

13. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 12 wherein the output of said K audio amplifiers are coupled via the corresponding ensemble switch to the input of the corresponding group of N amplifiers when the corresponding ensemble switch is actuated in said first position thereof.

14. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 13 and further comprising means associated with each of said K ensemble switches for coupling the inputs of the corresponding ones of said K audio amplifiers together when the corresponding ensemble switches are actuated in a second position thereof.

15. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 14 wherein all of said switches and switch banks are mounted on the fall board of said instructor'"'"''"'"'s keyboard instrument.

16. An electronic communication system as defined in claim 1 wherein said transceiver means of each of said instruments includes a microphone jack and a headphone jack, both of said jacks being mounted adjacent to one of the outer panels of the instrument housing and positioned such that plugs can only be inserted into or withdrawn from said jacks when the adjacent panel is removed from the instrument housing.