Position-based controller for electronic musical instrument
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic musical instrument, comprising:
- a performance unit controlled by a performer that is freely movable within a three-dimensional performance region which includes said performance unit and said performer;
position-detecting means for setting a reference point within the performance region, detecting an absolute position of the performance unit in the performance region with respect to said reference point, and generating a position signal; and
musical tone generating means for generating a musical tone based on such position signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A performance unit is provided that is freely movable within a three-dimensional performance region. Control circuitry is used to detect a position of the performance unit with respect to a reference point in the performance region and to generate a position signal. The position signal may be used as the basis either for generating a musical tone by an electronic musical instrument or for controlling a device that imparts an effect to, or otherwise controls a parameter of, a musical tone output from a musical instrument.
54 Citations
50 Claims
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1. An electronic musical instrument, comprising:
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a performance unit controlled by a performer that is freely movable within a three-dimensional performance region which includes said performance unit and said performer; position-detecting means for setting a reference point within the performance region, detecting an absolute position of the performance unit in the performance region with respect to said reference point, and generating a position signal; and musical tone generating means for generating a musical tone based on such position signal.
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2. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 1, further comprising:
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orientation-detecting means for setting at least one axis containing the reference point, detecting the orientation of the performance unit with respect to such axis and generating an orientation signal; and wherein said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone on the basis of the position signal and the orientation signal.
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3. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 1, further comprising origin-selecting means for selecting a point within the performance region to function as said reference point, thereby permitting a performer to select such point during a performance.
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4. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 1, further comprising MIDI instruction means for generating a musical tone control instruction conforming to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface standard on the basis of said position signal, and wherein said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone on the basis of said musical tone control instruction.
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5. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 1, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a correspondence of a characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal and for controlling the musical tone generating means, whereby said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone having such characteristic when the position signal has a value in accordance with such correspondence.
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6. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 2, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a first correspondence of a first characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a second characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the orientation signal, and controlling the musical tone generating means, whereby said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone having such first characteristic when the position signal has a value in accordance with such first correspondence and having such second characteristic when the orientation signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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7. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 1, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a first correspondence of a characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a said characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the orientation signal, and controlling the musical tone generating means, whereby said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone having such characteristic only when both the position signal has a value in accordance with such first correspondence and when the orientation signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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8. An electronic musical instrument, comprising:
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a performance unit that is freely movable within a three-dimensional performance region, and having motion-sensing means including a plurality of accelerometers for detecting a characteristic of a motion of said performance unit in the performance region and generating a motion data signal based on said detected characteristic; position-determining means for setting a reference point within the performance region, and determining an absolute position of the performance unit in the performance region with respect to said reference point based on said motion data signal, said position-determining means generating a position signal indicative of said absolute position; and musical tone generating means for generating a musical tone based on such position signal.
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9. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 8, wherein said plurality of accelerometers are linear accelerometers.
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10. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 8, wherein said motion-sensing means includes means for generating a translational motion data signal and a rotational motion data signal, and said position-detecting means detects a position of the performance unit on the basis of said translational motion data signal and said rotational motion data signal.
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11. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 8, further comprising:
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orientation-determining means for setting at least one axis containing the reference point, determining the orientation of the performance unit with respect to such axis on the basis of the motion data signal and generating an orientation signal; and wherein said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone on the basis of the position signal and the orientation signal.
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12. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 11, wherein said plurality of accelerometers are linear accelerometers.
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13. An electronic musical instrument in claim 8, further comprising:
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motion characteristic-determining means for determining at least one characteristic of a motion of the performance unit on the basis of the motion data signal and generating a motion characteristic signal; and wherein the musical tone generating means generates a musical tone on the basis of the position signal and the motion characteristic signal.
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14. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 13, wherein said plurality of accelerometers are linear accelerometers.
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15. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 11, further comprising:
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motion characteristic-determining means for determining at least one characteristic of a motion of the performance unit on the basis of the motion data signal and generating a motion characteristic signal; and wherein the musical tone generating means generates a musical tone on the basis of the position signal, the orientation signal and the motion characteristic signal.
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16. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 15, wherein said plurality of accelerometers are linear accelerometers.
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17. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 8, further comprising origin-selecting means for selecting a point within the performance region to function as said reference point, thereby permitting a performer to select such point during a performance.
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18. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 8, further comprising MIDI instruction means for generating a musical tone control instruction conforming to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface standard on the basis of said position signal, and wherein said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone on the basis of said musical tone control instruction.
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19. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 11, further comprising MIDI instruction means for generating a musical tone control instruction conforming to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface standard on the basis of said position signal and orientation signal, and wherein said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone on the basis of said musical tone control instruction.
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20. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 13, further comprising MIDI instruction means for generating a musical tone control instruction conforming to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface standard on the basis of said position signal and motion characteristic signal, and wherein said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone on the basis of said musical tone control instruction.
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21. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 8, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a correspondence of a characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal and for controlling the musical tone generating means, whereby said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone having such characteristic when the position signal has a value in accordance with such correspondence.
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22. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 11, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a correspondence of a first characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a second characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the orientation signal, and controlling the musical tone generating means, whereby said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone having such characteristic when the position signal has a value in accordance with such correspondence and having such second characteristic when the orientation signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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23. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 13, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a first correspondence of a first characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a second characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the motion characteristic signal, and controlling the musical tone generating means, whereby said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone having such first characteristic when the position signal has a value in accordance with such first correspondence and having such second characteristic when the motion characteristic signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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24. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 8, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a first correspondence of a characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a said characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the orientation signal, and controlling the musical tone generating means, whereby said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone having such characteristic only when both the position signal has a value in accordance with such first correspondence and when the orientation signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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25. An electronic musical instrument as in claim 8, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a first correspondence of a characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a said characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the motion characteristic signal, and controlling the musical tone generating means, whereby said musical tone generating means generates a musical tone having such characteristic only when both the position signal has a value in accordance with such first correspondence and when the motion characteristic signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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26. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument, comprising:
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a performance unit controlled by a performer that is freely movable within a three-dimensional performance region which includes said performance unit and said performer; position-detecting means for setting a reference point within the performance region, detecting an absolute position of the performance unit in the performance region with respect to said reference point, and generating a position signal; and tone control means for generating a parameter control signal based on the position signal, wherein said parameter control signal is used to control a musical tone output by the musical instrument.
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27. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 26, further comprising:
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orientation-detecting means for setting at least one axis containing the reference point, detecting the orientation of the performance unit with respect to such axis and generating an orientation signal; and wherein said tone control means generates a parameter control signal on the basis of the position signal and the orientation signal.
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28. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 26, further comprising origin-selecting means for selecting a point within the performance region to function as said reference point, thereby permitting a performer to select such point during a performance.
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29. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 26, further comprising MIDI instruction means for generating a musical tone control instruction conforming to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface standard on the basis of said position signal, and wherein said tone control means generates a parameter control signal on the basis of said musical tone control instructions.
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30. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 26, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a correspondence of a characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal and for controlling the tone control means, whereby said tone control means generates a parameter control signal causing a musical tone produced by the musical instrument to have such characteristic when the position signal has a value in accordance with such correspondence.
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31. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 26, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a first correspondence of a first characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a second characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the orientation signal, and controlling the tone control means, whereby said tone control means generates a parameter control signal causing a musical tone produced by the musical instrument to have such first characteristic when the position signal has a value in accordance with such first correspondence and to have such second characteristic when the orientation signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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32. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 26, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a first correspondence of a characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a said characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the orientation signal, and controlling the tone control means, whereby said tone control means generates a parameter control signal causing a musical tone produced by the musical instrument to have such characteristic only when both the position signal has a value in accordance with such first correspondence and when the orientation signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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33. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument comprising:
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a performance unit that is freely movable within a three-dimensional performance region, and having motion-sensing means including a plurality of accelerometers for detecting a characteristic of a motion of said performance unit in the performance region and generating a motion data signal based on said detected characteristic; position-determining means for setting a reference point within the performance region, and determining an absolute position of the performance unit in the performance region with respect to said reference point based on said motion data signal, said position-determining means generating a position signal indicative of said absolute position; and tone control means for generating a parameter control signal based on the position signal, wherein said parameter control signal is used to control a musical tone output by the musical instrument.
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34. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 31, wherein said plurality of accelerometers are linear accelerometers.
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35. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 33, wherein said motion-sensing means includes means for generating a translational motion data signal and a rotational motion data signal, and said position-detecting means detects a position of the performance unit on the basis of said translational motion data signal and said rotational motion data signal.
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36. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 33, further comprising:
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orientation-determining means for setting at least one axis containing the reference point, determining the orientation of the performance unit with respect to such axis on the basis of the motion data signal and generating an orientation signal; and wherein said tone control means generates a parameter control signal on the basis of the position signal and the orientation signal.
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37. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 36, wherein said plurality of accelerometers are linear accelerometers.
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38. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument in claim 33, further comprising:
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motion characteristic-determining means for determining at least one characteristic of a motion of the performance unit on the basis of the motion data signal and generating a motion characteristic signal; and wherein the tone control means generates a parameter control signal on the basis of the position signal and the motion characteristic signal.
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39. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 38, wherein said plurality of accelerometers are linear accelerometers.
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40. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 36, further comprising:
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motion characteristic-determining means for determining at least one characteristic of a motion of the performance unit on the basis of the motion data signal and generating a motion characteristic signal; and wherein the tone control means generates a parameter control signal on the basis of the position signal, the orientation signal and the motion characteristic signal.
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41. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 40, wherein said plurality of accelerometers are linear accelerometers.
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42. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 33, further comprising origin-selecting means for selecting a point within the performance region to function as said reference point, thereby permitting a performer to select such point during a performance.
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43. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 33, further comprising MIDI instruction means for generating a musical tone control instruction conforming to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface standard on the basis of said position signal, and wherein said tone control means generates a parameter control signal on the basis of said musical tone control instructions.
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44. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 36, further comprising MIDI instruction means for generating a musical tone control instruction conforming to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface standard on the basis of said position signal and orientation signal, and wherein said tone control means generates a parameter control signal on the basis of said musical tone control instructions.
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45. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 38, further comprising MIDI instruction means for generating a musical tone control instruction conforming to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface standard on the basis of said position signal and motion characteristic signal, and wherein said tone control means generates a parameter control signal on the basis of said musical tone control instruction.
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46. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 33, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a correspondence of a characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal and for controlling the tone control means, whereby said tone control means generates a parameter control signal causing a musical tone produced by the musical instrument to have such characteristic when the position signal has a value in accordance with such correspondence.
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47. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 33, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a first correspondence of a first characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a second characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the orientation signal, and controlling the tone control means, whereby said tone control means generates a parameter control signal causing a musical tone produced by the musical instrument to have such first characteristic when the position signal has a value in accordance with such first correspondence and to have such second characteristic when the orientation signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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48. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 38, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a first correspondence of a first characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a second characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the motion characteristic signal, and controlling the tone control means, whereby said tone control means generates a parameter control signal causing a musical tone produced by the musical instrument to have such first characteristic when the position signal has a value in accordance with such first correspondence and to have such second characteristic when the motion characteristic signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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49. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 33, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a first correspondence of a characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a said characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the orientation signal, and controlling the tone control means, whereby said tone control means generates a parameter control signal causing a musical tone produced by the musical instrument to have such characteristic only when both the position signal has a value in accordance with such first correspondence and when the orientation signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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50. A musical tone control apparatus for use with a musical instrument as in claim 33, further comprising:
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mapping selection means for selecting a first correspondence of a characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the position signal, selecting a second correspondence of a said characteristic of a musical tone to a value of the motion characteristic signal, and controlling the tone control means, whereby said tone control means generates a parameter control signal causing a musical tone produced by the musical instrument to have such characteristic only when both the position signal has a value in accordance with such first correspondence and when the motion characteristic signal has a value in accordance with such second correspondence.
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Specification