Low frequency oscillator providing phase-staggered multi-channel midi-output control-signals

• US 7,638,704 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NRI R&D Patent Licensing, LLC (Advanced Touchscreen and Gesture Technologies, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lester F. Ludwig
• Inventors: Ludwig, Lester F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher; Marlon T
• Application Number:
  US11/299,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20060090632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 84/672
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• 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 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/348 Switches actuated by parts of the body other than fingers
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/46 Volume control
• 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 2220/525 Piezoelectric transducers for vibration sensing or vibration excitation in the audio range; Piezoelectric strain sensing, e.g. as key velocity sensor; Piezoelectric actuators, e.g. key actuation in response to a control voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/095 Spint zither, i.e. mimicking any neckless stringed instrument in which the strings do not extend beyond the sounding board
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/101 Spint koto, i.e. mimicking any traditional asian-style plucked zither with movable bridges
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/115 Spint sitar, i.e. mimicking any long-necked plucked string instrument with a large number of additional non-playable sympathetic resonating strings or an additional gourd-like resonating chamber
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/145 Spint guitar keyboard, i.e. mimicking a combination of a guitar-like instrument, with or without strings, and a piano-like keyboard, e.g. with white and black keys arranged like on a piano
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/271 Spint gong, i.e. mimicking circular flat, nippled or bowl-shaped metallic percussion instruments G10H2230/321 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/18 using a string, e.g. electric guitar mechanical features G10D1/085
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/26 : using electric feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/10 : Feedback

Abstract

Synthesis of time-varying MIDI control signals useful in creating spatial perturbation, chase effects, new forms of rich musical timbre modulation, spatially-distributed timbre constructions, and other types of sonic animation. Phase staggered multi-channel MIDI-format control signals are created using one or more low frequency oscillators, each with a plurality of phase shifting elements. Control signal waveshapers may be included in the control signal synthesis chain. In an exemplary embodiment, frequency and phase parameters are adjustable, with values that may be recalled from stored program control and/or modulated in real-time by incoming MIDI control signals. In another exemplary embodiment, each outgoing control signal additionally may be independently assigned a selectable waveshape, which is determined by values that may be recalled from stored program control and/or modulated in real-time by incoming MIDI control signals.

Claims

1. A system for generating an adjustable phase-staggered plurality of periodically-varying control signals, said system comprising:

a low-frequency oscillator for generating a periodic reference signal;

a first adjustable phase-shifting element for applying a first adjustable phase-shift to said periodic reference signal to produce a first phase-shifted signal;

a second adjustable phase-shifting element for applying a second adjustable phase-shift to said periodic reference signal to produce a second phase-shifted signal; and

at least one output element for collectively producing a first outgoing control signal responsive to said first phase-shifted signal and a second outgoing control signal responsive to said second phase-shifted signal, wherein said first outgoing control signal and said second outgoing control signal are signals of MIDI format.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one output element is structured to produce a third outgoing control signal responsive to said periodic reference signal, wherein said third outgoing control signal is a signal of MIDI format.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a waveshaper structured to perform a waveshaping operation on said first phase-shifted signal before said first phase-shifted signal is received by said at least one output element.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said waveshaper is structured to operate responsive to an incoming MIDI control signal.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said waveshaper is further structured to perform a waveshaping operation on said second phase-shifted signal before said second phase-shifted signal is received by said at least one output element.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said low frequency oscillator is structured to adjust frequency of said periodic reference signal responsive to an incoming MIDI control signal.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said phase-shift applied by said first adjustable phase-shifting element is adjustable responsive to an incoming MIDI control signal.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said phase-shift applied by said second adjustable phase-shifting element is adjustable responsive to said incoming MIDI control signal.

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an incoming MIDI control signal for adjusting amplitude of said first outgoing control signal and said second outgoing control signal.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first outgoing control signal and said second outgoing control signal are directed to control panning of a plurality of audio signals.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said low frequency oscillator is structured to adjust frequency of said periodic reference signal responsive to a retrievable stored value.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said phase-shift applied by said first phase-shifting element is adjustable responsive to a retrievable stored value.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said phase-shift applied by said second phase-shifting element is adjustable responsive to a retrievable stored value.

14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a waveshaper structured to perform a waveshaping operation on said first phase-shifted signal before said first phase-shifted signal is received by said at least one output element, and wherein said waveshaper is structured to operate responsive to a retrievable stored value.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein amplitude of said first outgoing control signal and said second outgoing control signal is adjustable according to a retrievable stored value.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first outgoing control signal further comprises:

a first time-varying value; and

a first adjustable offset that is added to said first time-varying value before said first outgoing control signal is output from said system.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said first adjustable offset is determined responsive to an incoming MIDI control signal.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein said second outgoing control signal further comprises:

a second time-varying value; and

a second adjustable offset that is added to said second time-varying value before said second outgoing control signal is output from said system.

19. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of output elements, each for producing at least one of said first outgoing control signal and said second outgoing control signal.

20. The system according to claim 19, further comprising:

a separate connector associated with each of said plurality of output elements for providing said first outgoing control signal and said second outgoing control signal.

21. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of low-frequency oscillators for generating a corresponding plurality of periodic reference signals;

a plurality of phase-shifting elements for individually applying a phase-shift to one or more of said periodic reference signals to produce a corresponding plurality of phase-shifted signals; and

wherein said at least one output element is structured to produce a plurality of outgoing control signals, and wherein one or more of said plurality of said outgoing control signals is produced responsive to a corresponding one of said plurality of phase-shifted signals.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the number of said plurality of low-frequency oscillators is selected responsive to an incoming MIDI control signal.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the number of said plurality of phase-shifting elements is selected responsive to an incoming MIDI control signal.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein each of said plurality of low-frequency oscillators is assigned to a particular one or more of said plurality of phase-shifting elements according to an assignment, said assignment responsive to an incoming MIDI control signal.

25. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said low-frequency oscillator, said first phase-shifting element, and said second phase-shifting element operate responsive to an adjustable parameter.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said adjustable parameter is changed responsive to a retrievable stored value.

27. The system according to claim 25, wherein said adjustable parameter is changed responsive to an incoming MIDI control signal.

28. The system according to claim 25, wherein the manner in which said adjustable parameter is changed is slewed over time according to a slew rate.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein said slew rate is changed responsive to a retrievable stored value.

30. The system according to claim 25, wherein said slew rate is changed responsive to an incoming MIDI control signal.

31. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first outgoing control signal and said second outgoing control signal are directed to control panning of a plurality of audio signals having spatially-distributed timbre constructions.

32. A method for generating an adjustable phase-staggered plurality of periodically-varying control signals, said method comprising:

generating a periodic reference signal;

applying a first adjustable phase-shift to said periodic reference signal to produce a first phase-shifted signal;

applying a second adjustable phase-shift to said periodic reference signal to produce a second phase-shifted signal;

producing a first outgoing MIDI control signal responsive to said first phase-shifted signal; and

producing a second outgoing MIDI control signal responsive to said second phase-shifted signal.

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

waveshaping said first phase-shifted signal before said first phase-shifted signal is used for said producing of said first outgoing MIDI control signal.

34. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

adjusting amplitude of said first outgoing MIDI control signal and said second outgoing MIDI control signal responsive to an incoming MIDI control signal.

35. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

panning of a plurality of audio signals responsive to said first outgoing MIDI control signal and said second outgoing MIDI control signal.

36. The method according to claim 32, wherein said first outgoing MIDI control signal comprises a time-varying value and a first adjustable offset, said method further comprising:

adding said first adjustable offset to said time-varying value of said first outgoing MIDI control signal.

37. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

generating a plurality of periodic reference signals;

individually applying a phase-shift to one or more of said periodic reference signals to produce a corresponding plurality of phase-shifted signals; and

producing each of a plurality of outgoing MIDI control signals responsive to a corresponding one of said plurality of phase-shifted signals.

38. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

using an adjustable parameter to perform one or more of;

said generating of said periodic reference signal;

said producing of said first phase-shifted signal; and

said producing of said second phase-shifted signal.

39. The method according to claim 38, further comprising:

slewing a change of said adjustable parameter over time according to a slew rate.

40. The method according to claim 39, further comprising:

changing said slew rate responsive to a retrievable stored value.