Electronic tone-generating system
US4067253A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 2, 1976 |
| Grant date | Jan 10, 1978 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 2, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG10H7/00
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A tone-generating system for an electronic musical instrument of the percussion type is provided wherein an audible tone closely approximating the corresponding tone of a conventional instrument is generated electronically. A single-pole, double-throw switch is actuated by a key to initiate generation of the tone and a tri-level detecting circuit coupled to the switch is utilized to determine which of the three states the switch is in; that is, the two "throws" or positions of the switch which correspond to the released and depressed positions of the key, and the state in which the switch is between the other two positions. By detecting the three states and developing corresponding control signals, counting circuitry may be utilized to determine the intensity with which the key is depressed to enable generation by a read-only memory of digital scaling signals representative of the variations in amplitude of the initiated tone with respect to the intensity with which the key is depressed. An envelope control counter responds to the control signals and a variable rate clock to drive an envelope generating read-only memory to generate a digital envelope signal. A master frequency gene…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.