System and method for providing a musical instrument having a monitor therein

• US 7,504,578 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benjamin T. Lewry
• Original Assignee: Benjamin T. Lewry
• Inventors: Lewry, Benjamin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US11/927,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20080098877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 847/24, 847/30, 847/31, 846/00, 847/43, 842/90, 842/91
• US Class Current: 84/743
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/32 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/005 Non-interactive screen display of musical or status data
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/143 characterised by the use of a piezoelectric or magneto-strictive transducer

Abstract

A musical instrument, having a monitor therein, contains a musical instrument body having a body cavity therein, and the monitor having a front face and a back, where the monitor fits within the body cavity of the musical instrument body. A screen cover is situated above the front face of the monitor and a cover plate positions the screen cover above the front face of the monitor, where the cover plate covers at least a portion of the screen cover. A bridge is located on a front face of the screen cover, where the bridge contains a pickup that does not use electromagnetic induction, and that senses vibrations of strings, suspended on said bridge, above the monitor, and translates the vibrations into audio signals.

Claims

1. A musical instrument, comprising:

a musical instrument body having a body cavity therein;

a monitor having a front face and a back, wherein said monitor fits within said body cavity of said musical instrument body;

a screen cover situated above said front face of said monitor;

a cover plate positioning said screen cover above said front face of said monitor, wherein said cover plate covers at least a portion of said screen cover; and

a bridge located on a front face of said screen cover, wherein said bridge comprises a pickup that senses vibrations of strings, suspended on said bridge, above said monitor, and translates said vibrations into audio signals.

2. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said screen cover is comprised of a hard clear material.

3. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said signals are analog audio signals.

4. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said bridge is transparent.

5. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said monitor is a liquid crystal display (LCD) type of monitor.

6. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said monitor is a light emitting diode (LED) matrix type of monitor.

7. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of said monitors fitting within said body cavity of said musical instrument body.

8. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said pickup is a photo-optical pickup.

9. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said audio is transmitted from said pickup to a computer for processing and used to generate and interact with images displayed on said monitor.

10. The musical instrument of claim 9, wherein said computer is located within said musical instrument.

11. The musical instrument of claim 9, wherein said computer is located external to said musical instrument.

12. The musical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a vibrato device for varying pitch of said musical instrument.

13. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said pickup is a piezo-electric pickup.

14. A musical instrument, comprising:

a musical instrument body having a body cavity therein;

a monitor having a front face and a back, wherein said monitor fits within said body cavity of said musical instrument body;

a cover plate; and

a bridge located on said front face of said monitor, wherein said bridge comprises a pickup that senses vibrations of strings, suspended on said bridge, above said monitor, and translates said vibrations into audio signals.

15. The musical instrument of claim 14, wherein said signals are analog audio signals.

16. The musical instrument of claim 14, wherein said bridge is transparent.

17. The musical instrument of claim 14, wherein said monitor is a liquid crystal display (LCD) type of monitor.

18. The musical instrument of claim 14, wherein said monitor is a light emitting diode (LED) matrix type of monitor.

19. The musical instrument of claim 14, wherein there are a plurality of said monitors fitting within said body cavity of said musical instrument body.

20. The musical instrument of claim 14, wherein said pickup is a photo-optical pickup.

21. The musical instrument of claim 14, wherein said audio is transmitted from said pickup to a computer for processing and used to generate and interact with images displayed on said monitor.

22. The musical instrument of claim 21, wherein said computer is located within said musical instrument.

23. The musical instrument of claim 21, wherein said computer is located external to said musical instrument.

24. The musical instrument of claim 14, further comprising a vibrato device for varying pitch of said musical instrument.

25. A musical instrument, comprising:

a musical instrument body having a body cavity therein;

a monitor having a front face and a back, wherein said monitor fits within said body cavity of said musical instrument body; and

a bridge located on said front face of said monitor, wherein said bridge comprises a pickup that senses vibrations of strings, suspended on said bridge, above said monitor, and translates said vibrations into audio signals.