Electronic device to detect and generate music from biological microvariations in a living organism

• US 6,743,164 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Music of the Plants Inc.
• Original Assignee: Music Of The Plants, LLP
• Inventors: Weinstein, Lee, Rognas, Roger, Airaudi, Oberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Application Number:
  US10/282,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20030106260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 600/27-28, 600/544-546, 128/905, 128/897, 47/581.R, 47/13, 846/00
• US Class Current: 600/27
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/00 Botany in general
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 17/00 Apparatus for performing colour-music
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/351 Environmental parameters, e.g. temperature, ambient light, atmospheric pressure, humidity, used as input for musical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/371 Vital parameter control, i.e. musical instrument control based on body signals, e.g. brainwaves, pulsation, temperature or perspiration; Biometric information

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for using microvariations of a biological living organism to generate a sequence of environmental changes perceptible through one of the human senses. The method includes the steps of transforming microvariations within a living organism into an analog electrical signal and generating the sequence of environmental changes perceptible through the human senses based on said analog signal. The sequence of changes can include the generation of music based on the signal, or the control of lighting, aromas, or air movement in the environment of the organism. One example application is the generation of music from electrical microvariations detected in a house plant.

Claims

1. A method of using microvariations of a biological living organism to generate a sequence of environmental changes perceptible through one of the human senses, such method comprising the steps of:

transforming microvariations within a living organism into an analog electrical signal; and

generating the sequence of environmental changes perceptible through the human senses based on said analog signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises generating music in an environment of said organism.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises generating a sequence of different lighting conditions in an environment of said organism.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of generating the sequence of different lighting conditions further comprises generating a sequence of different lighting intensities in the environment of said organism.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of generating the sequence of different lighting conditions further comprises generating a sequence of different lighting color spectrums in the environment of said organism.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises generating a sequence of different moisture levels in an environment of said organism.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises generating a sequence of air movement conditions in an environment of said organism.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of generating the sequence of air movement conditions further comprises controlling a fan speed.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of generating the sequence of air movement conditions further comprises controlling the orientation of a fan.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises generating a sequence of different aroma conditions in an environment of said organism.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating the sequence of different aroma conditions in the environment of said organism further comprises evaporating a sequence of different aroma chemicals into the air in the environment of said organism.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating the sequence of different aroma conditions further comprises Varying over time the evaporation rate of an aroma chemical in the environment of said organism.

13. The method of claim 1, where the step of generating the sequence of environmental changes based on said analog signal comprises:

periodically converting said analog signal to a digital signal using an analog to digital converter;

utilizing said periodically converted digital signal as an input to a sequence generating program running on a microprocessor; and

outputting digital environmental control data from said microprocessor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises generating music in the environment of said organism.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said digital environmental control codes comprise MIDI synthesizer control codes.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of controlling a MIDI music synthesizer with said MIDI synthesizer control codes.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said digital environmental control codes comprise compact disc player control codes, and further comprising the step of controlling the sequence of musical tracks played on a compact disc player using said compact disc player control codes.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said digital environmental control codes comprise music volume control codes, and further comprising controlling the volume of a music source through said music volume control codes.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating a sequence of environmental changes further comprises generating a sequence of air movement conditions in an environment of said organism.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of generating a sequence of air movement conditions in the environment of said organism comprises controlling a fan speed.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of generating a sequence of air movement conditions in the environment of said organism comprises controlling the orientation of a fan.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating a sequence of environmental changes further comprises generating a sequence of different moisture levels in an environment of said organism.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating a sequence of environmental changes further comprises generating a sequence of different aroma conditions in an environment of said organism.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of generating a sequence of different aroma conditions further comprises evaporating a sequence of different aroma chemicals into the air in an environment of said organism.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of generating a sequence of different aroma conditions in the environment of said organism comprises varying over time the evaporation rate of an aroma chemical in the environment of said organism.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating a sequence of environmental changes further comprises generating a sequence of different lighting conditions in an environment of said organism.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of generating a sequence of different lighting conditions in the environment of said organism comprises generating a sequence of different lighting intensities in the environment of said organism.

28. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating a sequence of different lighting conditions further comprises generating a sequence of different lighting color spectrums in the environment of said organism.

29. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a digital feedback signal from said microprocessor;

applying said digital feedback signal to a DAC to produce an analog feedback signal;

using said analog feedback signal to level-shift the range of the analog signal applied to said analog to digital converter; and

periodically updating said digital feedback signal to keep said analog signal in-range for said analog to digital converter.

30. An apparatus that uses microvariations of a biological living organism to generate a sequence of environmental changes perceptible through one of the human senses, such apparatus comprising:

means for transforming microvariations within a living organism into an analog electrical signal; and

means for generating a sequence of changes perceptible through the human senses based on said analog signal.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means for generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises means for generating music in an environment of said organism.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means for generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises means for generating a sequence of different lighting conditions in the environment of said organism.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the means for generating the sequence of different lighting conditions further comprises means for generating a sequence of different lighting intensities in the environment of said organism.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the means for generating the sequence of different lighting conditions further comprises means for generating a sequence of different lighting color spectrums in the environment of said organism.

35. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means for generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises means for generating a sequence of different moisture levels in the environment of said organism.

36. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means for generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises means for generating a sequence of air movement conditions in the environment of said organism.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for generating the sequence of air movement conditions further comprises means for controlling a fan speed.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for generating the sequence of air movement conditions further comprises means for controlling the orientation of a fan.

39. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means for generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises means for generating a sequence of different aroma conditions in the environment of said organism.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the means for generating the sequence of different aroma conditions in the environment of said organism further comprises means for evaporating a sequence of different aroma chemicals into the air in the environment of said organism.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the means for generating the sequence of different aroma conditions further comprises means for varying over time the evaporation rate of an aroma chemical in the environment of said organism.

42. The apparatus of claim 30, where the means for generating the sequence of environmental changes based on said analog signal comprises:

means for periodically converting said analog signal to a digital signal using an analog to digital converter;

means for utilizing said periodically converted digital signal as an input to a sequence generating program running on a microprocessor; and

means for outputting digital environmental control data from said microprocessor.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for generating the sequence of environmental changes further comprises means for generating music in the environment of said organism.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said digital environmental control codes comprise MIDI synthesizer control codes.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising the controlling a MIDI music synthesizer with said MIDI synthesizer control codes.

46. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein said digital environmental control codes comprise compact disc player control codes, and further comprising the means for controlling the sequence of musical tracks played on a compact disc player using said compact disc player control codes.

47. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein said digital environmental control codes comprise music volume control codes, and further comprising means for controlling the volume of a music source through said music volume control codes.

48. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the step of generating a sequence of environmental changes further comprises means for generating a sequence of air movement conditions in an environment of said organism.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the means for generating a sequence of air movement conditions in the environment of said organism comprises means for controlling a fan speed.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the means for generating a sequence of air movement conditions in the environment of said organism comprises means for controlling the orientation of a fan.

51. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the step of generating a sequence of environmental changes further comprises means for generating a sequence of different moisture levels in an environment of said organism.

52. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for generating a sequence of environmental changes further comprises means for generating a sequence of different aroma conditions in an environment of said organism.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the means for generating a sequence of different aroma conditions further comprises means for evaporating a sequence of different aroma chemicals into the air in an environment of said organism.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the means for generating a sequence of different aroma conditions in the environment of said organism comprises means for varying over time the evaporation rate of an aroma chemical in the environment of said organism.

55. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for generating a sequence of environmental changes further comprises means for generating a sequence of different lighting conditions in an environment of said organism.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the means for generating a sequence of different lighting conditions in the environment of said organism comprises means for generating a sequence of different lighting intensities in the environment of said organism.

57. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for generating a sequence of different lighting conditions further comprises means for generating a sequence of different lighting color spectrums in the environment of said organism.

58. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:

means for providing a digital feedback signal from said microprocessor;

means for applying said digital feedback signal to a DAC to produce an analog feedback signal;

means for using said analog feedback signal to level-shift the range of the analog signal applied to said analog to digital converter; and

means for periodically updating said digital feedback signal to keep said analog signal in-range for said analog to digital converter.

59. An apparatus that uses microvariations of a biological living organism to generate a sequence of environmental changes perceptible through one of the human senses, such apparatus comprising:

signal conditioning electronics adapted to transform microvariations within a living organism into an analog electrical signal; and

an environment enhancing processor adapted to generate the sequence of environmental changes perceptible through the human senses based on said analog signal.