Electronic musical instrument having key after-sensors and stroke sensors to determine differences between key depressions

• US 5,453,571 A
• Filed: 02/19/1993
• Issued: 09/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Adachi, Takeshi, Mishima, Jun-ichi, Suzuki, Satoshi, Asahi, Yasuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DONELS, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US08/020,858
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 84/626, 84/627, 84/629, 84/658, 84/662, 84/663, 84/687, 84/737, 84/744, 84/745, 84/DIG. 7
• US Class Current: 84/658
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/053 during execution only voice controlled instruments G10H5/005
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/344 Structural association with individual keys electrically operated wind-actuated organs G10B3/22
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/295 Switch matrix, e.g. contact array common to several keys, the actuated keys being identified by the rows and columns in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/305 using a light beam to detect key, pedal or note actuation

Abstract

An electronic musical instrument includes a key support portion, a plurality of keys pivotally supported on the key support portion, a musical tone signal generator, after sensors, and a musical tone signal control unit. The musical tone signal generator generates a musical tone signal corresponding to each of the plurality of keys. Each after sensor has a plurality of sensors and is arranged in correspondence with the plurality of keys and operated near key depression end positions to for independently generate pieces of key information. The musical signal control unit controls the musical tone signal generator on the basis of the key information.

Claims

1. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a key support portion;

a plurality of keys pivotally supported on said key support portion;

musical tone signal generating means for generating a musical tone signal corresponding to each of said plurality of keys;

a plurality of after-sensors, each being associated with a different one of the plurality of keys and including a plurality of sensors and operated near key depression end positions for detecting aftertouch representing key touch after the associated key has been depressed, to independently generate pieces of key information, wherein each after-sensor detects a difference between adjacent key depression forces outputted from two sensors arranged parallel in a direction of a width of the key;

arithmetic operation means connected to said plurality of after-sensors for performing a predetermined operation on outputs of the plurality of sensors corresponding to said associated key and outputting an operation result; and

musical tone signal control means for controlling said musical tone signal generating means in accordance with said operation result.

2. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the key information is at least one of a pressure acting on each sensor and position information in a direction of a depth of key depression.

3. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein each after-sensor comprises not less than three sensors arranged longitudinally and transversely relative to the key and detects a key depression force in a back-and-forth direction, or a depression force in an oblique direction.

4. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors of each after-sensor independently output analog signals corresponding to at least one of the pressure and the position information.

5. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors of each after-sensor independently output digital signals corresponding to at least one of the pressure and the position information.

6. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said musical tone signal control means controls at least one of a volume level and a tone color of the musical tone signal in accordance with one of outputs from said plurality of sensors of each after-sensor.

7. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising sum value arithmetic means for calculating a sum value of outputs from said plurality of sensors of each after-sensor, and wherein said musical tone signal control means controls at least one of a volume level and a tone color of the musical tone signal in accordance with an output from said sum value calculating means.

8. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising sum value arithmetic means for calculating a sum value of outputs from said plurality of sensors of each after-sensor, and wherein said musical tone signal control means comprises second musical tone parameter control means for controlling a second musical tone parameter of the musical tone signal in accordance with an output from said sum value calculating means.

9. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein each after-sensor includes an initial sensor arranged in correspondence with and operated during depression of the associated one of the plurality of keys, and wherein said musical tone signal control means controls generation of the musical tone signal in accordance with an output from said initial sensor.

10. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 9, wherein each said initial sensor comprises a key switch having first and second switches having a contact time difference, and a stroke sensor for microscopically sensing a time interval of operations of said first and second switches.

11. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 10, wherein each after-sensor includes arithmetic means for obtaining a rate of change in time between two arbitrary points within the time interval in accordance with an output from said stroke sensor and calculating output data of touch sensitivity for controlling the musical tone signal by adding the obtained rate of change thereto.

12. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 10, wherein said first switch of said key switch has a pair of contacts arranged in parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction of the keys and electrically connected in parallel to each other.

13. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 10, wherein a movable projection of said key switch and a movable projection of said stroke sensor, which are deformed upon key depression, are made of the same elastic material and located adjacent to each other.

14. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 10, wherein said key switch and said stroke sensor, which correspond to said each key, are located adjacent to each other along a longitudinal direction of the keys.

15. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 10, further comprising a printed circuit board fixed on said key support portion, and wherein a wiring pattern of a stationary portion of said stroke sensor and a wiring pattern of a stationary contact of said key switch are independently formed on both surfaces of said printed circuit board, respectively.

16. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a key support portion;

a plurality of keys pivotally supported on said key support portion;

musical tone signal generating means for generating a musical tone signal corresponding to each of said plurality of keys;

a plurality of after-sensors, each being associated with a different one of the plurality of keys and including a plurality of sensors and operated near key depression end positions for detecting aftertouch representing key touch after the associated key has been depressed, to independently generate pieces of key information;

arithmetic operation means connected to said plurality of after-sensors for performing a predetermined operation on outputs of the plurality of sensors corresponding to said associated key and outputting an operation result;

musical tone signal control means for controlling said musical tone signal generating means in accordance with said operation result; and

difference value arithmetic means for calculating a difference value between outputs from said plurality of sensors of each after-sensor, and wherein said musical signal control means controls said musical tone signal generating means on the basis of an output from said difference value calculating means.

17. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 16, wherein said musical tone signal control means controls said musical tone signal generating means to modulate the musical tone signal or assign an effect thereto.

18. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 16, wherein said musical tone signal control means comprises first musical tone parameter control means for controlling first musical tone parameter of the musical tone signal in accordance with an output from said difference value calculating means.

19. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a key support portion;

a plurality of keys pivotally supported on said key support portion;

a plurality of initial sensors, each associated with and operated during depression of a different one of the plurality of keys;

musical tone signal generating means for generating a musical tone signal corresponding to each of the plurality of keys;

a plurality of after-sensors, each being associated with a different one of the plurality of keys and comprised of a plurality of sensors and operated near key depression end positions for detecting aftertouch representing key touch after the associated key has been depressed to independently generate pieces of key information;

first musical tone parameter control means for controlling a first musical tone parameter of the musical tone signal generated by said musical tone signal generating means in accordance with a difference value between outputs from said plurality of sensors of said after-sensors;

second musical tone parameter control means for controlling a second musical tone parameter of the musical tone signal generated by said musical tone signal generating means in accordance with one or a sum of the outputs from said plurality of sensors of said after-sensors;

arithmetic operation means connected to said plurality of after-sensors for performing a predetermined operation on outputs of the plurality of sensors corresponding to said associated key and outputting an operation result; and

musical tone signal control means for controlling said musical tone signal generating means in accordance with said operation result.

20. An input apparatus for an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a plurality of keys pivotally supported on a key support portion;

a plurality of initial sensors, each arranged in correspondence with and operated during depression of a different one of the plurality of keys; and

a plurality of after-sensors, each being associated with a different one of the plurality of keys and comprised of a plurality of sensors and operated near key depression end positions for detecting aftertouch representing key touch after the associated key has been depressed, to independently generate pieces of key information in correspondence with a pressure acting thereon or position information in a direction of a depth of key depression, the plurality of sensors including plural sensors disposed in a widthwise direction of the associated key to provide a variety of outputs in response to key movement in a lateral direction, the variety of outputs being employed to control a musical tone generated by the associated key.

21. A touch sensitive apparatus for an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a plurality of keys;

a plurality of key switches, each associated with a different one of said plurality of keys and having first and second switches having a contact time difference and operated during depression of the associated key;

a plurality of stroke sensors, each microscopically sensing a time interval of operations of said first and second switches of a different one of the plurality of key switches; and

a plurality of arithmetic means, each obtaining a rate of change in time between two arbitrary points within a time interval in accordance with an output from a different one of the plurality of stroke sensors and calculating output data of touch sensitivity for controlling a musical tone signal by adding the obtained rate of change thereto,

the stroke sensors including a plurality of sensors being disposed in a widthwise direction of each of the plurality of keys, and providing a variety of outputs in response to movement of the key in the lateral direction, the variety of outputs being applied to control musical tones generated by the key.

22. A keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a plurality of keys pivotally supported on a key support portion;

stroke sensors, arranged in correspondence with said plurality of keys, for outputting signals corresponding to key depression strokes of the respective keys; and

key switches, arranged in correspondence with said plurality of keys and ON/OFF-controlled upon operations of the respective keys, for controlling generation of musical tone signals,

wherein a movable projection of said key switch and a movable projection of said stroke sensor, which are deformed upon key depression, are made of the same elastic material and located adjacent to each other, and

the stroke sensors include a plurality of sensors disposed in a widthwise direction of each of the plurality of keys, and providing a variety of outputs in response to movement of the key in the lateral direction, the variety of outputs being applied to control musical tones generated by the key.

23. A keyboard apparatus for an electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a plurality of keys pivotally supported on a key support portion;

stroke sensors, arranged in correspondence with said plurality of keys, for outputting signals corresponding to key depression strokes of the respective keys;

key switches, arranged in correspondence with said plurality of keys and ON/OFF-controlled upon operations of the respective keys, for controlling to generate musical tone signals; and

a printed circuit board fixed on said key support portion,

wherein a wiring pattern of a stationary portion of said stroke sensor and a wiring pattern of a stationary contact of said key switch are independently formed on both surfaces of said printed circuit board, respectively, and

the stroke sensors include a plurality of sensors disposed in a widthwise direction of each of the plurality of keys, and providing a variety of outputs in response to movement of the key in the lateral direction, the variety of outputs being applied to control musical tones generated by the key.