Music – Instruments – Electrical musical tone generation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-31
2002-12-31
Donels, Jeffrey (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Electrical musical tone generation
C341S031000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06501012
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is electronic musical apparatuses such as electronic musical instruments, music-related sound generation devices, music-related sound modification devices, and their controllers, including, for example, synthesizers, keyboards, drum machines, effects processors, effects pedals, sequencers and sound modules. More specifically, the electronic musical apparatus embodying the invention is controlled by detecting the location and/or movement of an object (e.g., a hand) within a space by using a plurality of light beams, including infrared light beams.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An electronic musical apparatus which detects reflected light to control the musical tone signal is known. Such a device was disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Publication Number SHO 58-195296.
Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Publication Number SHO 58-195296 discloses attaching a light quantity detection apparatus in order to detect and sense the amount of ambient light outside an electronic musical apparatus. It reacts to the amount of light that has been sensed by the light quantity detection apparatus and controls parameters that are related to the musical tone (hereinafter, simply referred to as “parameters”) such as the musical interval, timbre and volume.
However, in the device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Publication Number SHO 58-195296, the amount of light is detected by a single light quantity detection apparatus, and there is no disclosure in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Publication Number SHO 58-195296 of the detection of a plurality of light quantities.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,687 discloses that a space is irradiated with light such as infrared light, mutually different sound pitches are assigned in advance to the multiple number of light beams reflected from the specified objects in the space, said multiple number of reflected light beams are detected and musical tone signals are produced that possess pitches which conform to the reflected light beams that have been detected.
However, in the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,687, if a plurality of reflected light beams are detected, the device controls the musical tone signal based only on one of the reflected light beams, the one that is detected first. U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,687 does not disclose that controlling musical tone signals by means of the joint action of a multiple number of reflected light beams.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first, separate aspect of the present invention is a new control mode for musical tone signals where the musical tone signal is controlled by means of the joint action of a plurality of reflected light beams.
A second, separate aspect of the present invention is a musical apparatus which has a plurality of light sources to radiate light into a space and a single light detector which detects light reflected off an object in space.
A third, separate aspect of the present invention is a musical apparatus which sets conditions and determines whether the results of the detection of light reflected off an object in space satisfy those conditions.
A fourth, separate aspect of the present invention is a musical apparatus which controls a musical tone based on whether conditions are satisfied by the results of the detection of light reflected off an object in space.
A fifth, separate aspect of the present invention is a musical apparatus which controls a musical tone based on which conditions are satisfied by the results of the detection of light reflected off an object in space.
A sixth, separate aspect of the present invention is a musical apparatus which has a single detector which detects light beams from a plurality of light sources such as infrared radiation such that the results of this detection controls a variety of parameters of musical tones.
A seventh, separate aspect of the present invention is a musical apparatus that uses a plurality of light detectors to detect light beams from a single light source such that the results of this detection controls a variety of parameters of musical tones.
An eighth, separate aspect of the present invention is a musical apparatus which locates two light emitters in an outwardly inclined manner on the casing of the musical apparatus in order to reduce the size of the casing.
A ninth, separate aspect of the present invention are steps formed in an opened port in the casing of the musical apparatus which prevent diffused reflection from being received by the light detector.
A tenth, separate aspect of the present invention is a musical apparatus which controls the order in which types of parameters of musical tones are changed.
An eleventh, separate aspect of the invention is a musical apparatus which uses the sum, difference, ratio or other relationship between the detection results of two detected light beams to control a parameter of a musical tone.
A twelfth, separate aspect of the present invention is a musical apparatus which does not require a one-to-one correspondence of light emitters to light detectors.
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Takahashi Shigeru
Toba Yoshihiro
Donels Jeffrey
Foley & Lardner
Roland Corporation
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