Continuous music keyboard

• US 6,703,552 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lippold Haken
• Original Assignee: Lippold Haken
• Inventors: Haken, Lippold
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher, Marlon T.
• Application Number:
  US09/908,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20030015087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 846/00, 846/09--12, 846/15--17, 846/22--25, 846/45, 846/49--52, 846/53--55, 846/58--60, 847/18--20, 847/43--45, 844/23.R, 844/24, 844/39
• US Class Current: 84/658
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0555 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/161 with 2D or x/y surface coordinates sensing graphical user interface or touchscreen input G10H2220/091; microtonal keyboard G10H2210/401
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/521 Hall effect transducers or similar magnetic field sensing semiconductor devices, e.g. for string vibration sensing or key movement sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/311 MIDI transmission G10H2240/056 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method for continuous keyboard system. The Continuous Music Keyboard resembles a traditional keyboard in that it is approximately the same size and is played with ten fingers. It also resembles a fretless string instrument in that it has no discrete pitches; any pitch and any tuning may be played, and finger movements produce smooth glissandi and vibrato. The Continuous Music Keyboard comprises a plurality of rods, each of which has a magnet on each end. The displacement of each rod is measured through mounted Hall-Effect sensors. The sensor values are then analyzed to identify the three-dimensional location of the fingers depressing upon a control surface. Additionally, predictive analysis is conducted on values collected to identify whether a new depression on the control surface has occurred, or rather if a previously placed finger is simply moving alone the Continuous Music Keyboard.

Claims

1. A continuous keyboard system, comprising:

a flat control surface;

a plurality of rods proximate to said flat control surface, said rods connected with springs mounted to a chassis;

a plurality of first end magnets, each of said first end magnets coupled to a first end of a rod;

a plurality of second end magnets, each of said second end magnets coupled to a second end of a rod;

a plurality of first end Hall-Effect sensors responsive to the movement of said first end magnets;

a plurality of second end Hall-Effect sensors responsive to the movement of said second end magnets; and

a controller operable to receive sensor values from said first and second end Hall-Effect sensors, generate coordinates corresponding to a depression in said flat control surface and predict a potential new position of said depression in said flat control surface;

wherein the potential new position of said depression is calculated using at least one set of previously generated coordinates and a computed derivative of the at least one set of previously generated coordinates.

2. The continuous keyboard system of claim 1, wherein said springs extend into holes in said rods.

3. The continuous keyboard system of claim 1, wherein each rod is connected to the chassis with two springs.

4. The continuous keyboard system of claim 1, wherein said first and second end Hall-Effect sensors are mounted on said chassis.

5. The continuous keyboard system of claim 1, wherein a first end magnet, a second end magnet and a rod are aligned along a longitudinal axis, and said first and second end Hall-Effect sensors are aligned parallel to a said longitudinal axis.

6. The continuous keyboard system of claim 1, wherein a first end magnet, a second end magnet and a rod are aligned along a longitudinal axis, and said first and second end Hall-Effect sensors are aligned perpendicular to a said longitudinal axis.

7. The continuous keyboard system of claim 1, further comprising a removable cover mounted on a bracket.

8. The continuous keyboard system of claim 1, further comprising a synthetic velvet cover.

9. The continuous keyboard system of claim 1, further comprising a pitch reference pattern proximate to said flat control surface.

10. The continuous keyboard system of claim 1, wherein said first end magnets and Hall-Effect sensors are located proximate to the front of said flat control surface and said second end magnets and Hall-Effect sensors are located proximate to the back of said flat control surface.

11. A method for controlling a continuous keyboard system, comprising the acts of:

providing a flat control surface;

providing a plurality of rods coupled with magnets and proximate to said flat control surface;

providing a plurality of Hall-Effect sensors operable to output sensor values responsive to movement of at least one of said magnets;

receiving a plurality of sensor values;

identifying a three-dimensional coordinate corresponding to a depression in the flat surface;

calculating a predicted three-dimensional coordinate using at least one three-dimensional coordinate and a computed derivative of the at least one three-dimensional coordinate; and

comparing an identified three-dimensional coordinate with a predicted three-dimensional coordinate.

12. The method of controlling a continuous keyboard system of claim 11, further comprising the act of normalizing received sensor values.

13. The method of controlling a continuous keyboard system of claim 11, further comprising the act of determining whether said three-dimensional coordinate constitutes a new depression in a flat surface.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of identifying said three-dimensional coordinate corresponding to a depression in a flat surface comprises the acts of:

computing a sum of values from sensors at each end of at least one of said plurality of rods;

calculating a parabola from said sum of values from sensors at each end of at least one of said plurality

determining a minimum point on said parabola; and

identifying X-plane and Z-plane coordinates corresponding to said minimum point on said parabola.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of identifying said three-dimensional coordinate corresponding to a depression in a flat surface comprises the acts of:

computing a sum of a first series of sensor values, said first series of sensor values corresponding to magnets proximate to a first end of a flat control surface;

computing a sum of a second series of sensor values, said second series of sensor values corresponding to magnets proximate to a second end of said flat control surface;

computing a ratio of said sum of a first series of sensor values to said sum of second series of sensor values; and

identifying a Y-plane coordinate.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of identifying said three-dimensional coordinate corresponding to a depression in a flat surface comprises the acts of:

computing a sum of a first series of sensor values, said first series of sensor values corresponding to magnets proximate to a first end of a flat control surface;

multiplying said sum of a first series of sensor values by a fractional exponent;

computing a sum of a second series of sensor values, said second series of sensor values corresponding to magnets proximate to a second end of said flat control surface;

multiplying said sum of a second series of sensor values by a fractional exponent;

computing a ratio of said sum of a first series of sensor values multiplied by a fractional exponent to said sum of second series of sensor values multiplied by a fractional exponent; and

identifying a Y-plane coordinate.

17. A method for controlling a continuous keyboard system, comprising the acts of:

providing a plurality of rods coupled with magnets;

providing a plurality of Hall-Effect sensors operable to output sensor values responsive to the movement of at least one of said magnets;

receiving a plurality of sensor values;

computing a plurality of rod values;

calculating a parabola from said plurality of rod values;

determining a minimum point on said parabola;

computing a sum of a first series of sensor values, said first series of sensor values corresponding to magnets proximate to a first end of a flat control surface;

multiplying said sum of a first series of sensor values by a fractional exponent;

computing a sum of a second series of sensor values, said second series of sensor values corresponding to magnets proximate to a second end of said flat control surface;

multiplying said sum of a second series of sensor values by a fractional exponent; and

computing the ratio of said sum of a first series of sensor values multiplied by a fractional exponent to said sum of second series of sensor values multiplied by a fractional exponent.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the act of outputting a coordinate position.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said coordinate position comprises a Y-plane coordinate.

20. A continuous keyboard system, comprising:

a flat control surface;

a plurality of rods proximate to said flat control surface;

a plurality of first end magnets, each of said first end magnets coupled to a first end of a rod;

a plurality of second end magnets, each of said second end magnets coupled to a second end of a rod;

means for generating voltages in response to movements of said first end and second end magnets;

means for receiving the voltages;

means for normalizing the voltages;

means for generating coordinates corresponding to a depression in said flat control surface; and

means for predicting a potential new position of said depression in said flat control surface;

wherein the potential new position of said depression is calculated using at least one set of previously generated coordinates and a computed derivative of the at least one set of previously generated coordinates.