Digital guitar system

• US 7,952,014 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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:
  US12/164,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20080276794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 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 guitar, comprising:

an audio transducer assembly adapted to generate at least one pair of mixed analog string signals representative of string vibrations of guitar strings mounted on the guitar when the guitar strings are strummed, each mixed analog string signal further comprises an x-plane signal component and a y-plane signal component;

a guitar processing circuit in communication with the audio transducer assembly, the guitar processing circuit adapted to generate a predetermined number of digital string signals based on the analog string signals and to format the digital string signals generated by the processing circuit to be compatible with a predetermined number of digital communication protocols; and

a guitar output assembly in communication with the guitar processing circuit and adapted to output the digital string signals generated by the guitar processing circuit;

wherein the audio transducer assembly includes at least two out of phase coils adapted to generate the at least one pair of mixed analog string signals; and

wherein the x-plane signal components of the at least one pair of mixed analog string signals have inverted polarities.

2. The guitar of claim 1, wherein the guitar output assembly is further adapted to output one or more of the mixed analog string signals generated by the audio transducer assembly.

3. The guitar of claim 1, wherein:

the audio transducer assembly is adapted to generate a single pair of mixed analog string signals when one or more guitar strings are strummed;

the guitar processing circuit is adapted to convert the pair of mixed single analog string signals into a single digital string signal and to format the single digital string signal to be compatible with the predetermined number of digital communication protocols; and

the guitar output assembly is adapted to output the single digital string signal.