Method and apparatus for controlling electronic tone generation in accordance with a detected type of performance gesture
First Claim
1. A method of controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture used by a player to contact a performance surface, comprising the steps of:
- providing a performance surface including an array of pressure sensors, each of which provides an output;
analyzing the output from each sensor of the array to determine a pattern of plural sensors which have been substantially simultaneously activated by a player, said pattern corresponding to a type of gesture used by a player to contact the performance surface; and
controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture determined to have been used by the player to contact the performance surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling electronic tone generation determines a type of gesture used by a player to contact a performance surface provided with an array of pressure sensors. The performance surface repeatedly is scanned to determine which of the sensors has been activated at each scan time. When a player contacts the performance surface, parameter data associated with the incoming gesture is compared with gesture recognition rules corresponding to various reference gestures. The gesture recognition rules may be preset, and/or the control system may be provided with an optional programming capability which allows the player to establish individualized gesture recognition rules in accordance with reference gestures input by the player. An electronic tone generator is controlled in accordance with the reference gesture which is determined to best fit an incoming gesture. Furthermore, the electronic tone generator may be controlled to generate a tone having a particular tone characteristic determined in accordance with a corresponding parameter of a particular gesture type such that a player may achieve a timbral variation simply by modifying the corresponding parameter of the particular reference gesture.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture used by a player to contact a performance surface, comprising the steps of:
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providing a performance surface including an array of pressure sensors, each of which provides an output; analyzing the output from each sensor of the array to determine a pattern of plural sensors which have been substantially simultaneously activated by a player, said pattern corresponding to a type of gesture used by a player to contact the performance surface; and controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture determined to have been used by the player to contact the performance surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture used by a player to contact a pressure sensitive surface, comprising the steps of:
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providing a pressure sensitive surface including an array of pressure sensors to detect a type of gesture used by a player to contact the performance surface, the array of pressure sensors respectively detecting pressures applied thereto; detecting the substantially simultaneous activation of plural ones of the pressure sensors to which at least a threshold amount of pressure is applied when a player contacts the surface; determining a type of gesture used by a player to contact the surface in accordance with the detected activation of said plural pressure sensors; and controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture determined to have been used by the player to contact the surface.
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9. A method of controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture used by a player to contact a performance surface, comprising the steps of:
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providing a performance surface comprising an array of pressure sensors, each of which generates an output signal when activated; detecting the output of each sensor of the array of sensors; determining a type of gesture used by the player to contact the array in accordance with the detected output of plural sensors substantially simultaneously activated by a players; and controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture determined to have been used by the player to contact the array.
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10. A method of controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture used by a player to contact a performance surface, comprising the steps of:
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providing a performance surface comprising an array of pressure sensors, each of which generates an output signal representative of an amount of pressure applied by the player; detecting a position of each sensor based upon the sensor output; detecting an amount of pressures applied to each sensor based upon the sensor output; determining a pressure pattern of plural activated sensors corresponding to the type of gesture used by a player to contact the array in accordance with the detected position and the detected amount of pressure for each sensor output; and controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture determined to have been used by the player to contact the array.
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11. A method of controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture used by a player to contact a performance surface, comprising the steps of:
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providing a performance surface comprising an array of pressure sensors, each of which generates an output signal representative of an amount of applied pressure when activated; programming parameter data for reference gestures; storing the parameter data in memory; detecting a pattern of activated sensors when a player contacts the array; comparing a detected pattern of activated sensors with the parameter data stored in memory; determining a best fit of the detected pattern with the parameter data stored in memory; and controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a determined best fit.
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12. A control system for controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture used by a player to contact a performance surface, the control system comprising:
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a performance surface comprising an array of pressure sensors, each generating an output signal representative of an amount of applied pressure when activated; detecting means for detecting a pattern of sensor output; a memory capable of storing parameter data for various reference gestures; comparing means for comparing a detected pattern of sensor output with parameter data stored in the memory; determining means for determining a best fit of the detected pattern with the parameter data stored in the memory; and control means for controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a determined best fit.
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13. A control system for controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture used by a player to contact a pressure sensitive surface, the control system comprising:
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a pressure sensitive surface comprising an array of sensors, each of which provides an output; detecting means for detecting a surface contact pattern from the sensor output, the surface contact pattern comprising the part of the surface to which at least a threshold amount of pressure is applied; a memory capable of storing parameter data representative of plural types of reference surface contact patterns; comparing means for comparing a detected surface contact pattern associated with an incoming gesture with the parameter data stored in the memory, an incoming gesture being a gesture presently contacting the pressure sensitive surface; determining means for determining which of the reference surface contact patterns best fits the detected surface contact pattern; and control means for controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a determined best fit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A control system for controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture used by a player to contact a performance surface, the control system comprising:
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a performance surface comprising an array of pressure sensors, each of which generates an output signal when activated; and a computer comprising a memory storing preset data for various reference gestures, wherein the computer scans the array, each scan of the array constituting a frame, and within each frame detects for each sensor whether or not the sensor has been activated, wherein data is collected for each frame and plural frames of data are collected for each incoming gesture; wherein the computer compares data collected within frames associated with an incoming gesture with parameter data stored in the memory and determines which one of the reference gestures corresponds most closely to the incoming gesture and outputs a control signal corresponding to the reference gesture providing the best fit; wherein the control signal may be used to control an electronic tone generator. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A control system for controlling an electronic tone generator in accordance with a type of gesture used by a player to contact a performance surface, the control system comprising:
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a performance surface comprising an array of sensors, each of which generates an output signal when activated; a selector by which a player may select at least one of a program mode and a play mode, wherein in the program mode the control system establishes parameter data for reference gestures input by a player and in the play mode the control system determines which one of the reference gestures most closely corresponds to an incoming gesture, an incoming gesture being a gesture presently contacting the performance surface; a computer which scans the array, each scan of the array constituting a frame, and within each frame detects for each sensor whether or not the sensor has been activated, wherein data is collected for each frame and plural frames of data are collected for each incoming gesture in both of the program and play modes, and further wherein a predetermined number of frames defines a window and data for an incoming gesture is captured within a corresponding window; wherein the computer comprises a memory for storing collected data, and in the program mode, the computer establishes parameter data for each type of reference gesture in accordance with windows of data collected for the reference gesture, and in the play mode, the computer compares data collected within a window associated with an incoming gesture with parameter data established for the reference gestures and determines which one of the reference gestures corresponds most closely to the incoming gesture and outputs a control signal corresponding to the reference gesture providing the best fit; wherein the control signal may be used to control an electronic tone generator. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification