Musical ball

• US 7,435,894 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2007
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ann Elizabeth Veno
• Original Assignee: Ann Elizabeth Veno
• Inventors: Veno, Ann Elizabeth
• Primary Examiner(s): Warren; David S.
• Application Number:
  US11/724,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20070214939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 846/00, 84609-610, 846/15, 846/22, 846/45, 846/49, 846/50, 846/53, 846/59, 847/23, 847/35, 847/42
• US Class Current: 84/615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0633 without electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/52 modulated by measured values
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0083 using wireless transmission, e.g. radio, light, infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/135 Musical aspects of games or videogames; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces game background music G10H2210/026; musical game scoring or performance evaluation G10H2210/091
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/395 Acceleration sensing or accelerometer use, e.g. 3D movement computation by integration of accelerometer data, angle sensing with respect to the vertical, i.e. gravity sensing. conductor baton movement sensing G10H2220/206, angle sensing without reference to gravity G10H2220/391; player body joint angle sensing G10H2220/321
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/311 MIDI transmission G10H2240/056 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for the production of sound includes a a ball that includes an impact sensor that is activated by a deceleration such as impact of the ball upon a floor and upon activation of the impact sensor, an output signal is transmitted to a receiver and wherein the output signal includes information the impact such as the timing and rate of deceleration, and wherein the receiver acts as both a radio frequency receiver and also as a musical synthesizer that is programmable to respond to the first radio frequency signal to produce an amplified first synthesized sound that is output through a speaker that is either attached to the receiver or locate remotely with respect thereto, and wherein the process can include multiple balls producing multiple simultaneous sounds to replicate an orchestra or composite performance when more than one person is bouncing a ball on the floor.

There is also an acoustic or acoustic electronic version of the ball described.

Claims

1. A music system comprising:

(a) a plurality of musical balls each assigned a single predetermined specific note wherein each ball includes a sensor therein that is adapted to detect deceleration and to produce an output signal indicative of said predetermined specific note in response to said deceleration when said deceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold, and including means to transmit said output signal to a location that is remote with respect to said ball; and

(b) a receiver adapted to receive said output signal from each of said plurality of musical balls and to produce each of said predetermined specific notes as audio output signals in response thereto that replicates the sound of a musical instrument;

(c) wherein at least two of said plurality of musical balls have different assigned predetermined specific notes or sounds; and

(d) wherein said predetermined threshold is selected so that said output signals are produced on impact with a surface or object.

2. The music system of claim 1 wherein said receiver is adapted to produce said audio output signals from each of said plurality of musical balls simultaneously.

3. The music system of claim 1 wherein sound-manipulating features connected to the impact may be added to the predetermined specific note.

4. The music system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of musical balls are provided with an electronic device inside the balls that can trigger a musical note from another sound source using MIDI.