Sensor-based percussion device

• US 9,721,553 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2016
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BeBop Sensors, Inc.
• Original Assignee: BeBop Sensors, Inc.
• Inventors: Stinnett, Maxime, Allen, Brent, Wille, Gregory, McMillen, Keith A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US15/287,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20170110103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 84618
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/18 using properties of piezo-resistive materials, i.e. materials of which the ohmic resistance varies according to changes in magnitude or direction of force applied to the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0052 measuring forces due to impact G01L5/0061, G01L5/14 take precedence; impact testing of structures G01M7/08; impact testing of material G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/22 for suppressing tones; Preference networks
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/161 with 2D or x/y surface coordinates sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/561 Piezoresistive transducers, i.e. exhibiting vibration, pressure, force or movement -dependent resistance, e.g. strain gauges, carbon-doped elastomers or polymers for piezoresistive drumpads, carbon microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/565 Shielding, electromagnetic or magnetic, e.g. for transducers, i.e. for controlling, orienting or suppressing magnetic fields or for preventing unintentional generation, propagation and reception of electromagnetic energy in electrophonic musical instruments, their vicinity or their interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/275 Spint drum
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/143 characterised by the use of a piezoelectric or magneto-strictive transducer
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/146 using a membrane, e.g. a drum; Pick-up means for vibrating surfaces, e.g. housing of an instrument

Abstract

Percussion devices are described employing sensor arrays based on piezoresistive materials.

Claims

1. A percussion device, comprising:

a dielectric substrate having an array of conductive traces formed on a first surface of the dielectric substrate;

a piezoresistive substrate aligned with the dielectric substrate and in contact with the first surface of the dielectric substrate and the conductive traces, wherein the conductive traces and the piezoresistive substrate form a plurality of sensor regions of the percussion device, each of the sensor regions including a plurality of sensors, each of the sensors having a corresponding sensor output; and

sensor circuitry configured to sequentially drive the sensors, to sequentially sample the sensor outputs, and to detect hit events on a top surface of the percussion device, the sensor circuitry being configured to determine, for each hit event, one of the sensor regions corresponding to the hit event, a location of the hit event relative to the array, and a velocity of the hit event, the sensor circuitry also being configured to repeatedly calculate an offset value for each sensor during operation of the percussion device.

2. The percussion device of claim 1, wherein the array of conductive traces is substantially circular, wherein each of the sensor regions corresponds to a quadrant of the array, and wherein the location for each hit event is a radial distance relative to the center of the array.

3. The percussion device of claim 2, wherein the conductive traces of the array are arranged in concentric circles, first ones of the conductive traces being configured for driving the sensors, second ones of the conductive traces being configured for sampling the sensor outputs, the first and second conductive traces corresponding to alternating ones of the concentric circles.

4. The percussion device of claim 3, wherein the first conductive traces associated with each sensor region are discontinuous with the first conductive traces associated with other sensor regions, and wherein the first conductive traces for each sensor region are electrically connected to each other by a radial conductive trace.

5. The percussion device of claim 3, wherein the second conductive traces are continuous through all of the sensor regions.

6. The percussion device of claim 1, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a first hit event for a first sensor region based on multiple values of the sensor outputs for the first region, each of the values corresponding to one of the sensors included in the first sensor region, the sensor circuitry being further configured to determine the location of the first hit event by interpolating the values.

7. The percussion device of claim 6, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to interpolate the values using a sensor location associated with each of the values and a magnitude of each of the values.

8. The percussion device of claim 1, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a first hit event for a first sensor region based on multiple values of the sensor outputs for the first region, each of the values corresponding to one of the sensors included in the first sensor region, the sensor circuitry being further configured to determine the velocity of the first hit event based on a first one of the values having a greatest magnitude of the values.

9. The percussion device of claim 1, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a hit event for a first sensor in a first sensor region by determining that the sensor output for the first sensor exceeds an amplitude threshold for longer than a specified duration.

10. The percussion device of claim 1, wherein the piezoresistive substrate is a piezoresistive fabric.

11. The percussion device of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the percussion device is a silicone substrate in a stack of components including the dielectric substrate and the piezoresistive substrate.

12. The percussion device of claim 1, wherein at least some of the sensor circuitry is included on a circuit board disposed in a notch in the dielectric substrate, conductors of the circuit board being connected to at least some of the conductive traces on the dielectric substrate.

13. The percussion device of claim 1, further comprising electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding adjacent a second surface of the dielectric substrate opposite the first surface of the dielectric substrate.

14. The percussion device of claim 13, wherein the EMI shielding comprises a conductive mesh integrated with the second surface of the dielectric substrate.

15. A percussion device, comprising:

a piezoresistive substrate having an array of conductive traces formed thereon, wherein the conductive traces and the piezoresistive substrate form a plurality of sensor regions of the percussion device, each of the sensor regions including a plurality of sensors, each of the sensors having a corresponding sensor output; and

sensor circuitry configured to sequentially drive the sensors, to sequentially sample the sensor outputs, and to detect hit events on a top surface of the percussion device, the sensor circuitry being configured to determine, for each hit event, one of the sensor regions corresponding to the hit event, a location of the hit event relative to the array, and a velocity of the hit event, the sensor circuitry also being configured to repeatedly calculate an offset value for each sensor during operation of the percussion device.

16. The percussion device of claim 15, wherein the array of conductive traces is substantially circular, wherein each of the sensor regions corresponds to a quadrant of the array, and wherein the location for each hit event is a radial distance relative to the center of the array.

17. The percussion device of claim 16, wherein the conductive traces of the array are arranged in concentric circles, first ones of the conductive traces being configured for driving the sensors, second ones of the conductive traces being configured for sampling the sensor outputs, the first and second conductive traces corresponding to alternating ones of the concentric circles.

18. The percussion device of claim 17, wherein the first conductive traces associated with each sensor region are discontinuous with the first conductive traces associated with other sensor regions, and wherein the first conductive traces for each sensor region are electrically connected to each other by a radial conductive trace.

19. The percussion device of claim 17, wherein the second conductive traces are continuous through all of the sensor regions.

20. The percussion device of claim 15, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a first hit event for a first sensor region based on multiple values of the sensor outputs for the first region, each of the values corresponding to one of the sensors included in the first sensor region, the sensor circuitry being further configured to determine the location of the first hit event by interpolating the values.

21. The percussion device of claim 20, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to interpolate the values using a sensor location associated with each of the values and a magnitude of each of the values.

22. The percussion device of claim 15, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a first hit event for a first sensor region based on multiple values of the sensor outputs for the first region, each of the values corresponding to one of the sensors included in the first sensor region, the sensor circuitry being further configured to determine the velocity of the first hit event based on a first one of the values having a greatest magnitude of the values.

23. The percussion device of claim 15, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a hit event for a first sensor in a first sensor region by determining that the sensor output for the first sensor exceeds an amplitude threshold for longer than a specified duration.

24. The percussion device of claim 15, wherein the piezoresistive substrate is a piezoresistive fabric.

25. The percussion device of claim 15, wherein the top surface of the percussion device is a silicone substrate in a stack of components including the piezoresistive substrate.

26. The percussion device of claim 15, wherein at least some of the sensor circuitry is included on a circuit board disposed in a notch in the piezoresistive substrate, conductors of the circuit board being connected to at least some of the conductive traces on the piezoresistive substrate.

27. The percussion device of claim 15, further comprising electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding.

28. The percussion device of claim 27, wherein the EMI shielding comprises a conductive mesh integrated with a dielectric substrate and electrically isolated from the piezoresistive substrate.

29. The percussion device of claim 24, further comprising a force diffusing substrate aligned with the piezoresistive substrate, the force diffusing substrate being configured to spread forces associated with the hit events over the piezoresistive substrate.

30. The percussion device of claim 24, further comprising an elastic substrate aligned with the piezoresistive substrate, the elastic substrate being configured to allow the piezoresistive substrate to distend.

31. A percussion device, comprising:

a dielectric substrate having an array of conductive traces formed on a first surface of the dielectric substrate;

a piezoresistive substrate aligned with the dielectric substrate and in contact with the first surface of the dielectric substrate and the conductive traces, wherein the conductive traces and the piezoresistive substrate form a plurality of sensor regions of the percussion device, each of the sensor regions including a plurality of sensors, each of the sensors having a corresponding sensor output; and

sensor circuitry configured to sequentially drive the sensors, to sequentially sample the sensor outputs, and to detect hit events on a top surface of the percussion device, the sensor circuitry being configured to determine, for each hit event, one of the sensor regions corresponding to the hit event, a location of the hit event relative to the array, and a velocity of the hit event, the sensor circuitry also being configured to detect a first hit event for a first sensor in a first sensor region by determining that the sensor output for the first sensor exceeds an amplitude threshold for longer than a specified duration.

32. The percussion device of claim 31, wherein the array of conductive traces is substantially circular, wherein each of the sensor regions corresponds to a quadrant of the array, and wherein the location for each hit event is a radial distance relative to the center of the array.

33. The percussion device of claim 32, wherein the conductive traces of the array are arranged in concentric circles, first ones of the conductive traces being configured for driving the sensors, second ones of the conductive traces being configured for sampling the sensor outputs, the first and second conductive traces corresponding to alternating ones of the concentric circles.

34. The percussion device of claim 33, wherein the first conductive traces associated with each sensor region are discontinuous with the first conductive traces associated with other sensor regions, and wherein the first conductive traces for each sensor region are electrically connected to each other by a radial conductive trace.

35. The percussion device of claim 33, wherein the second conductive traces are continuous through all of the sensor regions.

36. The percussion device of claim 31, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a first hit event for a first sensor region based on multiple values of the sensor outputs for the first region, each of the values corresponding to one of the sensors included in the first sensor region, the sensor circuitry being further configured to determine the location of the first hit event by interpolating the values.

37. The percussion device of claim 36, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to interpolate the values using a sensor location associated with each of the values and a magnitude of each of the values.

38. The percussion device of claim 31, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a first hit event for a first sensor region based on multiple values of the sensor outputs for the first region, each of the values corresponding to one of the sensors included in the first sensor region, the sensor circuitry being further configured to determine the velocity of the first hit event based on a first one of the values having a greatest magnitude of the values.

39. The percussion device of claim 31, wherein the piezoresistive substrate is a piezoresistive fabric.

40. The percussion device of claim 31, wherein the top surface of the percussion device is a silicone substrate in a stack of components including the dielectric substrate and the piezoresistive substrate.

41. The percussion device of claim 31, wherein at least some of the sensor circuitry is included on a circuit board disposed in a notch in the dielectric substrate, conductors of the circuit board being connected to at least some of the conductive traces on the dielectric substrate.

42. The percussion device of claim 31, further comprising electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding adjacent a second surface of the dielectric substrate opposite the first surface of the dielectric substrate.

43. The percussion device of claim 42, wherein the EMI shielding comprises a conductive mesh integrated with the second surface of the dielectric substrate.

44. A percussion device, comprising:

a piezoresistive substrate having an array of conductive traces formed thereon, wherein the conductive traces and the piezoresistive substrate form a plurality of sensor regions of the percussion device, each of the sensor regions including a plurality of sensors, each of the sensors having a corresponding sensor output; and

sensor circuitry configured to sequentially drive the sensors, to sequentially sample the sensor outputs, and to detect hit events on a top surface of the percussion device, the sensor circuitry being configured to determine, for each hit event, one of the sensor regions corresponding to the hit event, a location of the hit event relative to the array, and a velocity of the hit event, the sensor circuitry also being configured to detect a first hit event for a first sensor in a first sensor region by determining that the sensor output for the first sensor exceeds an amplitude threshold for longer than a specified duration.

45. The percussion device of claim 44, wherein the array of conductive traces is substantially circular, wherein each of the sensor regions corresponds to a quadrant of the array, and wherein the location for each hit event is a radial distance relative to the center of the array.

46. The percussion device of claim 45, wherein the conductive traces of the array are arranged in concentric circles, first ones of the conductive traces being configured for driving the sensors, second ones of the conductive traces being configured for sampling the sensor outputs, the first and second conductive traces corresponding to alternating ones of the concentric circles.

47. The percussion device of claim 46, wherein the first conductive traces associated with each sensor region are discontinuous with the first conductive traces associated with other sensor regions, and wherein the first conductive traces for each sensor region are electrically connected to each other by a radial conductive trace.

48. The percussion device of claim 46, wherein the second conductive traces are continuous through all of the sensor regions.

49. The percussion device of claim 44, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a first hit event for a first sensor region based on multiple values of the sensor outputs for the first region, each of the values corresponding to one of the sensors included in the first sensor region, the sensor circuitry being further configured to determine the location of the first hit event by interpolating the values.

50. The percussion device of claim 49, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to interpolate the values using a sensor location associated with each of the values and a magnitude of each of the values.

51. The percussion device of claim 44, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to detect a first hit event for a first sensor region based on multiple values of the sensor outputs for the first region, each of the values corresponding to one of the sensors included in the first sensor region, the sensor circuitry being further configured to determine the velocity of the first hit event based on a first one of the values having a greatest magnitude of the values.

52. The percussion device of claim 44, wherein the piezoresistive substrate is a piezoresistive fabric.

53. The percussion device of claim 44, wherein the top surface of the percussion device is a silicone substrate in a stack of components including the piezoresistive substrate.

54. The percussion device of claim 44, wherein at least some of the sensor circuitry is included on a circuit board disposed in a notch in the piezoresistive substrate, conductors of the circuit board being connected to at least some of the conductive traces on the piezoresistive substrate.

55. The percussion device of claim 44, further comprising electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding.

56. The percussion device of claim 55, wherein the EMI shielding comprises a conductive mesh integrated with a dielectric substrate and electrically isolated from the piezoresistive substrate.

57. The percussion device of claim 52, further comprising a force diffusing substrate aligned with the piezoresistive substrate, the force diffusing substrate being configured to spread forces associated with the hit events over the piezoresistive substrate.

58. The percussion device of claim 52, further comprising an elastic substrate aligned with the piezoresistive substrate, the elastic substrate being configured to allow the piezoresistive substrate to distend.