Digital guitar system

• US 7,399,918 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gibson Brands, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gibson Guitar Corporation (Gibson Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Juszkiewicz, Henry E., Yeakel, Nathan W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US11/546,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20070089594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 847/23, 847/28, 847/35, 84741-743
• US Class Current: 84/742
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/515 Staggered, i.e. two coils side by side
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/115 Instrument identification, i.e. recognizing an electrophonic musical instrument, e.g. on a network, by means of a code, e.g. IMEI, serial number, or a profile describing its capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/285 USB, i.e. either using a USB plug as power supply or using the USB protocol to exchange data
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/295 Packet switched network, e.g. token ring circuit-switched networks, e.g. traditional analog telephone transmission G10H2240/241
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/301 Ethernet, e.g. according to IEEE 802.3
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/185 in which the tones are picked up through the bridge structure
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/188 for converting the signal to digital format transmission using a MIDI interface G10H1/0066

Abstract

A digital guitar system and method includes a digital guitar and a digital guitar interface device, and a method of converting a conventional guitar into a digital guitar. The guitar is adapted to generate analog audio signals, convert those signals into digital signals, format the digital signals according to a digital communication protocol, and to output the formatted signals. The guitar may include a novel multi-signal guitar pickup that generates some of the analog audio signals. The guitar is further adapted to receive digital signals, convert those signals into analog signals, and output the analog signals. The interface device is adapted to receive digital signals, convert those signals into analog signals, and output the analog signals.

Claims

1. A digital guitar, comprising:

a guitar body;

guitar strings mounted on the guitar body;

a guitar pickup assembly mounted on the guitar body adjacent to the guitar strings for generating analog string signals;

a digital guitar processing circuit connected to the guitar pickup assembly for processing digital string audio signals, said digital string audio signals being arrived at by conversion of the analog string signals to digital form; and

a guitar digital output assembly connected to the digital guitar processing circuit for outputting the digital string audio signals.

2. The digital guitar of claim 1, wherein the guitar pickup assembly includes a monophonic guitar pickup.

3. The digital guitar of claim 2, wherein the monophonic guitar pickup is a humbucker guitar pickup.

4. The digital guitar of claim 1, wherein the guitar pickup assembly includes a multi-signal guitar pickup.

5. The digital guitar of claim 4, wherein the multi-signal guitar pickup is a polyphonic multi-signal guitar pickup.

6. The digital guitar of claim 5, wherein the polyphonic multi-signal guitar pickup is a hexaphonic multi-signal guitar pickup.

7. The digital guitar of claim 1, wherein the guitar pickup assembly includes multiple guitar pickups.

8. The digital guitar of claim 7, wherein the guitar pickup assembly includes two or more different types of guitar pickups.

9. The digital guitar of claim 8, wherein the guitar pickup assembly includes a monophonic and a multi-signal guitar pickup.

10. The digital guitar of claim 1, wherein the digital guitar processing circuit includes a guitar analog/digital converter circuit connected to the guitar pickup assembly and the guitar digital output assembly.

11. The digital guitar of claim 10, wherein the digital guitar processing circuit includes a guitar digital communication circuit connected between the guitar analog/digital converter circuit and the guitar digital output assembly.

12. The digital guitar of claim 11, wherein the digital guitar processing circuit includes a guitar mixing circuit connected between the guitar analog/digital converter circuit and the guitar pickup assembly.

13. The digital guitar of claim 12, wherein the digital guitar processing circuit includes a guitar amplifier circuit connected between the guitar mixing circuit and the guitar pickup assembly.

14. The digital guitar of claim 1, further comprising a guitar digital input assembly connected to the digital guitar processing circuit.

15. The digital guitar of claim 1, further including a guitar control assembly.

16. A digital guitar, comprising:

a guitar body;

guitar strings mounted on the guitar body;

a guitar pickup assembly mounted on the guitar body adjacent to the guitar strings;

a digital guitar processing circuit connected to the guitar pickup assembly;

a guitar digital output assembly connected to the digital guitar processing circuit for outputting digital string signals;

wherein the digital guitar processing circuit includes a guitar analog/digital converter circuit connected to the guitar pickup assembly and the guitar digital output assembly;

wherein the digital guitar processing circuit includes a guitar digital communication circuit connected between the guitar analog/digital converter circuit and the guitar digital output assembly; and

wherein the guitar digital communication circuit includes a bi-directional interface circuit.

17. The digital guitar of claim 16, wherein the bi-directional interface circuit includes a bi-directional audio interface.

18. The digital guitar of claim 16, wherein the bi-directional interface circuit includes a bi-directional control interface.

19. A guitar, comprising:

a guitar body;

a plurality of guitar strings mounted on the guitar body;

a pickup mounted on the body under the strings, the pickup generating at least one analog electrical string audio signal corresponding to vibration of the strings;

an analog to digital converter circuit mounted on the guitar, and operably associated with the pickup, for converting the analog electrical string audio signal to a digital electrical string audio signal; and

a digital output connector, mounted on the guitar, for outputting the digital electrical string audio signal.

20. The guitar of claim 19, further comprising:

an analog output connector, mounted on the guitar, for outputting the analog electrical string audio signal.

21. The guitar of claim 20, further comprising:

a volume control and a tone control, operatively associated with the analog to digital converter circuit, so that both the analog and digital electrical string audio signals output by the guitar can be modified by the volume control and the tone control.

22. The guitar of claim 19, in combination with:

a breakout box including;

an input for receiving the digital electrical guitar audio signal from the guitar;

a digital to analog converter circuit for converting the digital electrical guitar audio signal to an analog breakout box signal; and

a breakout box output for outputting the analog breakout box signal, so that the digital guitar may be used with a conventional analog amplifier and speakers.