Electric instrument music control device with multi-axis position sensors

• US 8,338,689 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telonics Pro Audio, LLC
• Original Assignee: Telonics Pro Audio, LLC
• Inventors: Beaty, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): FLETCHER, MARLON T
• Application Number:
  US12/868,572
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 84/746
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0091 Means for obtaining special acoustic effects combined with modulation G10H1/043
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/348 Switches actuated by parts of the body other than fingers
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/201 for movement interpretation, i.e. capturing and recognizing a gesture or a specific kind of movement, e.g. to control a musical instrument
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/321 Garment sensors, i.e. musical control means with trigger surfaces or joint angle sensors, worn as a garment by the player, e.g. bracelet, intelligent clothing vital parameter sensing G10H2220/371; wearable interfaces in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/401 3D sensing, i.e. three-dimensional (x, y, z) position or movement sensing. movement pattern or gesture sensing G10H2220/201; geolocation sensing G10H2220/355, 3D sensing with accelerometer G10H2220/395

Abstract

An electric instrument music control device is provided having at least two multi-axis position sensors. One sensor is a reference multi-axis position sensor having at least one axis held in a fixed position. Another sensor is a moveable multi-axis position sensor rotatable about at least one axis corresponding to the at least one axis of the reference multi-axis position sensor. The electric music control device also includes a processor in communication with both the reference multi-axis position sensor and the moveable multi-axis position sensor. The processor calculates an angular difference in response to receiving the angular position of the at least one axis of the reference multi-axis position sensor and the angular position of the at least one axis of the moveable multi-axis position sensor. The angular difference correlates to a music effect of an electric instrument.

Claims

1. An electric music control foot pedal comprising:

a base portion;

a pedal portion coupled to the base portion, wherein the pedal portion is allowed to move in at least one axis with respect to the base portion;

a reference multi-axis position sensor mounted in the base portion, the reference multi-axis position sensor having at least one axis held in a fixed position, the at least of axis corresponding to the at least one axis the pedal portion is allowed to move in;

a moveable multi-axis position sensor mounted in the pedal portion, wherein the moveable multi-axis position sensor is rotatable about at least one axis, the at least one axis corresponding to the at least one axis the pedal portion is allowed to move in;

a processor in communication with both the reference multi-axis position sensor and the moveable multi-axis position sensor, wherein the processor creates an angular difference in response to receiving the angular position of the at least one axis of the reference multi-axis position sensor and the angular position of the at least one axis of the moveable multi-axis position sensor; and

, wherein the angular difference controls a music effect of an electric instrument; and

a drag adjustment device, wherein the ease of movement of the pedal portion is changed in response to adjusting the drag adjustment device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a database, wherein the database stores in a look-up table predetermined functions correlating to a desired music effect.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the processor applies at least one predetermined function to the angular difference to create a processed angular difference, wherein the processed angular difference controls a music effect of an electric instrument.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the processor applies a gain function to the angular difference.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the processor applies a polarity reverse function to the angular difference.

6. The device of claim 1 further including a tension adjustment device, wherein the pedal return time is changed in response to adjusting the tension adjustment device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the moveable multi-axis position sensor is rotatable about at least two axes, and wherein rotation about each axis correlates to a different music effect.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the angular difference controls two different musical effects of an electric instrument.

9. An electric music control foot pedal comprising:

a base portion;

a pedal portion coupled to the base portion, wherein the pedal portion is allowed to move in at least one axis with respect to the base portion;

a reference multi-axis position sensor mounted in the base portion, the reference multi-axis position sensor having at least one axis held in a fixed position, the at least of axis corresponding to the at least one axis the pedal portion is allowed to move in;

a moveable multi-axis position sensor mounted in the pedal portion, wherein the moveable multi-axis position sensor is rotatable about at least one axis, the at least one axis corresponding to the at least one axis the pedal portion is allowed to move in;

a processor in communication with both the reference multi-axis position sensor and the moveable multi-axis position sensor, wherein the processor creates an angular difference in response to receiving the angular position of the at least one axis of the reference multi-axis position sensor and the angular position of the at least one axis of the moveable multi-axis position sensor; and

, wherein the angular difference controls a music effect of an electric instrument; and

a database, wherein the database stores in a look-up table predetermined functions correlating to a desired music effect;

wherein the processor applies at least one predetermined function to the angular difference to create a processed angular difference, wherein the processed angular difference controls a music effect of an electric instrument; and

wherein the processor applies a polarity reverse function to the angular difference.