Control apparatus for electronic musical instrument

• US 4,776,253 A
• Filed: 05/30/1986
• Issued: 10/11/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patrick G. Downes
• Original Assignee: Patrick G. Downes
• Inventors: Downes, Patrick G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Witkowski, S. J.
• Application Number:
  US06/869,205
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 84/1.01, 84/1.03, 84/1.27, 84/DIG. 12, 84/1.11, 84/1.19, 84/1.24, 446/242, 446/247
• US Class Current: 84/645
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/391 Angle sensing for musical purposes, using data from a gyroscope, gyrometer or other angular velocity or angular movement sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/395 Acceleration sensing or accelerometer use, e.g. 3D movement computation by integration of accelerometer data, angle sensing with respect to the vertical, i.e. gravity sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/401 3D sensing, i.e. three-dimensional (x, y, z) position or movement sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/311 MIDI transmission G10H2240/056 takes precedence

Abstract

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a control unit which is freely moveable in space is equipped with three sensors to measure motion (e.g. velocity, acceleration, or the time derivative of acceleration) along three substantially orthogonal axes. The sensors may be meter movements configured to output motion signals indicative of their movement in free space, which signals are amplified, digitized, processed by a microprocessor to detect relative minima and maxima. Processed motion signals are converted to standard MIDI control signals for controlling an electronic musical instrument.

Claims

1. A device capable of controlling an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a freely moveable control unit;

at least one sensor means responsive to the rotational acceleration of said control unit about one axis for generating motion signals;

said sensor means being substantially non-responsive to linear acceleration;

said sensor means comprising a rotational accelerometer;

processor means, responsive to said motion signals, for generating control signals to control the electronic musical instrument; and

means for transmitting said control signals to the electronic musical instrument.

2. A device as in claim 1 including a plurality of said sensor means.

3. A device as in claim 1 including three said sensor means.

4. A device as in claim 2, wherein said plurality of said sensor means measure rotational acceleration about substantially orthogonal axes.

5. A device as in claim 3, wherein said three said sensor means measure rotational acceleration about three substantially orthogonal axes.

6. A device as in claim 1, wherein said control unit is capable of being hand-held.

7. A device as in claim 1, wherein said control unit is mounted in a substantially cylindrical housing.

8. A device as in claim 7, wherein said housing is capable of being hand-held.

9. A device capable of controlling an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a freely moveable control unit;

at least one sensor means responsive to the time-derivative of rotational acceleration of said control unit about one axis for generating motion signals;

said sensor means being substantially non-responsive to linear acceleration;

said sensor means including a moving coil, a permanent magnet, a bearing axis and a biasing means;

said moving coil arranged so as to be capable of rotation on said bearing axis and about said permanent magnet;

said biasing means mounted coaxial with said bearing axis and capable of biasing said moving coil toward a rest position about said bearing axis;

processor means, responsive to said motion signals, for generating control signals to control the electronic musical instrument; and

means for transmitting said control signals to the electronic musical instrument.

10. A device as in claim 9 including a plurality of said sensor means.

11. A device as in claim 10, wherein said plurality of said sensor means measure the time-derivative of rotational acceleration about substantially orthogonal axes.

12. A device as in claim 9 wherein said sensor means is a meter movement.

13. A device capable of controlling an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a freely moveable control unit;

at least one sensor means capable of generating a first signal;

said first signal corresponding to the time-derivative of rotational acceleration of said control unit about a preselected axis;

said sensor means being substantially non-responsive to linear acceleration;

processor means, responsive to said first signal, for generating a second signal to control the electronic musical instrument; and

means for transmitting said second signal to the electronic musical instrument.

14. A device as in claim 13 wherein said first signal is a motion signal and said second signal is a control signal.

15. A device as in claim 13 including a plurality of said sensor means.

16. A device as in claim 13 including three said sensor means.

17. A device as in claim 14 wherein said plurality of said sensor means measure the time-derivative of rotational acceleration about substantially orthogonal axes.

18. A device capable of controlling an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a freely moveable control unit;

at least one sensor means capable of generating a first signal;

said sensor means including a moving coil, a permanent magnet, a bearing axis and a biasing means;

said moving coil arranged so as to be capable of rotation on said bearing axis and about said permanent magnet;

said biasing means mounted coaxial with said bearing axis and capable of biasing said moving coil toward a rest position about said bearing axis;

said first signal corresponding to the time-derivative of rotational acceleration of said control unit about a preselected axis;

processor means, responsive to said first signal, for generating a second signal to control the electronic musical instrument; and

means for transmitting said second signal to the electronic musical instrument.

19. A device as in claim 18 wherein said first signal is a motion signal and said second signal is a control signal.

20. A device as in claim 18 including a plurality of said sensor means.

21. A device as in claim 18 including three said sensor means.

22. A device as in claim 20 wherein said plurality of said sensor means measure the time-derivative of rotational acceleration about substantially orthogonal axes.

23. A device capable of controlling an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a freely moveable control unit;

at least one sensor means responsive to the time-derivative of rotational acceleration of said control unit about an axis for generating motion signals;

said sensor means including a moving coil, a permanent magnet, a bearing axis and a biasing means;

said moving coil arranged so as to be capable of rotation on said bearing axis and about said permanent magnet;

said biasing means mounted coaxial with said bearing axis and capable of biasing said moving coil toward a rest position about said bearing axis;

said motion signals corresponding to the time-derivative of rotational acceleration of said control unit about said axis of said control unit;

processor means, responsive to said motion signals, for generating control signals to control the electronic musical instrument; and

means for transmitting said control signals to the electronic musical instrument.

24. A device as in claim 23 including a plurality of said sensor means.

25. A device as in claim 23 including three said sensor means.

26. A device as in claim 24 wherein said plurality of said sensor means measure the time-derivative of rotational acceleration about substantially orthogonal axes.

27. A device as in claim 25 wherein said three said sensor means measure the time-derivative of rotational acceleration about three substantially orthogonal axes.

28. A device for providing an electronic musical instrument with control signals corresponding to peaks in the right-rotational time-derivative of acceleration and left-rotational time-derivative of acceleration of a freely moveable and hand holdable control unit about an axis comprising:

at least one sensor means responsive to the time-derivative of rotational acceleration of the control unit about the axis for generating motion signals;

said sensor means including a moving coil, a permanent magnet, a bearing axis and a biasing means;

said moving coil arranged so as to be capable of rotation on said bearing axis and about said permanent magnet;

said biasing means mounted coaxial with said bearing axis and capable of biasing said moving coil toward a rest position about said bearing axis;

processor means, responsive to said motion signals, for generating control signals to control the electronic musical instrument;

means for transmitting said control signals to the electronic musical instrument.

29. A device as in claim 28 wherein said control signals comprise first and second control signals.

30. A device as in claim 29 wherein said first control signal corresponds to peaks in the right-rotational time-derivative of rotational acceleration of the control unit about the axis and said second control signal corresponds to peaks in the left-rotational time derivative of rotational acceleration of the control unit about the axis.

31. A device capable of controlling an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a control unit;

at least one sensor means responsive to the position of said control unit about a predetermined axis;

said sensor means including a bearing axis, a biasing means, a measuring means, and a mass;

said mass mounted on said bearing axis;

said mass disposed so as to be capable of rotation about said bearing axis;

said biasing means disposed so as to bias said mass to a rest position about said bearing axis;

said measuring means capable of generating motion signals corresponding to the position of said mass about said predetermined axis;

processor means, responsive to said motion signals, for generating control signals to control the electronic musical instrument; and

means for transmitting said control signals to the electronic musical instrument.

32. A device as in claim 31 wherein said measuring means includes a hall effect sensor.

33. A device capable of controlling an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a control unit;

at least one sensor means responsive to the rotational velocity of said control unit about a predetermined axis;

said sensor means including a bearing axis, a biasing means, a measuring means, and a mass;

said mass mounted on said bearing axis;

said mass disposed so as to be capable of rotation about said bearing axis;

said biasing means disposed so as to bias said mass to a rest position about said bearing axis;

said measuring means capable of generating motion signals corresponding to the rotational velocity of said mass about said predetermined axis;

processor means, responsive to said motion signals, for generating control signals to control the electronic musical instrument; and

means for transmitting said control signals to the electronic musical instrument.

34. A device capable of controlling an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a control unit;

at least one sensor means responsive to the rotational acceleration of said control unit about a predetermined axis;

said sensor means including a bearing axis, a biasing means, a measuring means, and a mass;

said mass mounted on said bearing axis;

said mass disposed so as to be capable of rotation about said bearing axis;

said biasing means disposed so as to bias said mass to a rest position about said bearing axis;

said measuring means capable of generating motion signals corresponding to the rotational acceleration of said mass about said predetermined axis;

processor means, responsive to said motion signals, for generating control signals to control the electronic musical instrument; and

means for transmitting said control signals to the electronic musical instrument.

35. A device capable of controlling an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a control unit;

at least one sensor means responsive to the time-derivative of rotational acceleration of said control unit about a predetermined axis;

said sensor means including a bearing axis, a biasing means a measuring means, and a mass;

said mass mounted on said bearing axis;

said mass disposed so as to be capable of rotation about said bearing axis;

said biasing means disposed so as to bias said mass to a rest position about said bearing axis;

said measuring means capable of generating motion signals corresponding to the time-derivative of rotational acceleration of said mass about said predetermined axis;

processor means, responsive to said motion signals, for generating control signals to control the electronic musical instrument; and

means for transmitting said control signals to the electronic musical instrument.

36. A device as in claim 35 wherein said measuring means includes a moving coil and said mass is a permanent magnet.