Voice-controlled electronic musical instrument
US6653546B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 18, 2002 |
| Grant date | Nov 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG10H2250/135
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
An electronic, voice-controlled musical instrument called the Vocolo, in which the player hums into the mouthpiece, and the device imitates the sound of a musical instrument whose pitch and volume change in response to the player's voice is disclosed. The player is given the impression of playing the actual instrument and controlling it intimately with the fine nuances of his voice. The invention comprises techniques for pitch quantization that provide esthetically pleasing note transitions, mechanisms for song recording that are suited for rhythmic repeated playback and performance evaluation of the player's pitch control, techniques related to expressive control and pitch detection, and techniques for mitigating the effect of pitch detection errors. Embodiments are disclosed for providing finger/hand interaction for expressive control, a microphone enclosure that mitigates audio feedback, and for providing rhythmic feedback to the player through mechanical vibrations induced in the device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.