Optical sensor and electric stringed musical instrument with digital interface (MIDI) equipped with optical sensor

Abstract

The inventions relate to the field of electric musical instruments, more particularly, to an optical sensor for a stringed musical instrument with a digital interface and to a stringed musical instrument with a digital interface equipped with said sensor (MIDIMusical Instrument Digital Interface). Implementation of the disclosed inventions allows to obtain a signal corresponding to vibrations (deflections) of a string in two mutually perpendicular planes, with the influence of the device generating such signals on string vibration parameters being reduced, without signals generated by different strings being mixed and with dimensions of the optical sensor being reduced to allow for its compact placement on a stringed musical instrument.

Claims

1. An optical sensor for a stringed musical instrument with a digital interface comprising: a housing configured to be fixed to the surface of the stringed musical instrument, at least one optical emitter and at least one optical receiver located on said housing so that a light beam of at least one optical emitter forms a light spot that completely covers a photosensitive surface of at least one optical receiver, the at least one optical emitter and at least one optical receiver being located under the same string, wherein said optical emitter generates light beams, said optical receiver comprises at least two photosensitive surfaces, forming, together with said optical emitter, at least two optical pairs, a lower one and an upper one respectively, a light beam modulator located between said optical pairs, covering a part of each of the photosensitive surfaces, and configured to be fixed to a string and configured to adjust an area of an illuminated part of the upper photosensitive surface and an area of an illuminated part of the lower photosensitive surface when a string, with said modulator attached thereto, deflects in horizontal and vertical planes, respectively.

2. An optical sensor according to claim 1 wherein said optical sensor is equipped with a string vibration damper having the form of an elastic element.

3. An optical sensor according to claim 1 wherein the light beams coming from said optical emitter to said optical receiver are parallel to each other and to a string.

4. An optical sensor according to claim 1 wherein said optical emitter is configured as two LEDs.

5. An optical sensor according to claim 1 wherein said optical sensor comprises additional optical emitters.

6. An optical sensor according to claim 1 wherein said optical receiver is configured as a photodiode or as a phototransistor, or as a photoresistor, or as a photomatrix.

7. An optical sensor according to claim 1 wherein said modulator is configured as an opaque element.

8. An optical sensor according to claim 1 wherein said modulator overlaps at least half of each of the photosensitive surfaces in a state when a string does not vibrate.

9. An optical sensor according to claim 1 wherein said light beam modulator is configured to be L- or T-shaped.

10. An optical sensor according to claim 1 wherein a lower part of said light beam modulator is configured to have an additional elastic element to fix the modulator to the surface of a stringed musical instrument.

11. A stringed musical instrument with a digital interface comprising: a body, at least one string stretched over said body, an optical sensor comprising a housing attached to the surface of said body of the stringed musical instrument, at least one optical emitter and at least one optical receiver located on said housing so that a light beam of at least one optical emitter forms a light spot that completely covers a photosensitive surface of at least one optical receiver, with at least one optical emitter and at least one optical receiver being located under the same string, wherein said optical emitter generates light beams, said optical receiver comprises at least two photosensitive surfaces, forming, together with said optical emitter, at least two optical pairs, a lower one and an upper one respectively, a light beam modulator located between said optical pairs, covering a part of each of the photosensitive surfaces, and configured to be fixed to a string and configured to change an area of an illuminated part of the upper photosensitive surface and an area of an illuminated part of the lower photosensitive surface when a string, with said modulator attached thereto, deflects in horizontal and vertical planes, respectively.

12. The stringed musical instrument with a digital interface according to claim 11 wherein said optical sensor is equipped with a string vibration damper having the form of an elastic element.

13. The stringed musical instrument with a digital interface according to claim 11 wherein light beams coming from said optical emitter to said optical receiver are parallel to each other and to a string.

14. The stringed musical instrument with a digital interface according to claim 11 wherein said optical emitter is configured as two LEDs.

15. The stringed musical instrument with a digital interface according to claim 11 wherein said optical sensor comprises additional optical emitters.

16. The stringed musical instrument with a digital interface according to claim 11 wherein said optical receiver is configured as a photodiode or as a phototransistor, or as a photoresistor, or as a photomatrix.

17. The stringed musical instrument with a digital interface according to claim 11 wherein said modulator is configured as an opaque element.

18. The stringed musical instrument with a digital interface according to claim 11 wherein said modulator overlaps at least half of each of the photosensitive surfaces in a state when a string does not vibrate.

19. The stringed musical instrument with a digital interface according to claim 11 wherein said light beam modulator is configured to be L- or T-shaped.

20. The stringed musical instrument with a digital interface according to claim 11 wherein a lower part of said light beam modulator is configured to have an additional elastic element to fix the modulator to the surface of a stringed musical instrument.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The inventions disclosed herein will be more clearly understood from the following exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of the modulator, optical receivers and a string (along the axis of the string).

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a string, the modulator and optical pairs.

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the modulator, optical receivers, a string (along the axis of the string) and an additional elastic element to fix the modulator to the surface of the stringed musical instrument.

(5) FIG. 4 is a view of optical sensors with strings from the side where the optical receivers are placed.

(6) FIG. 5 is a view of optical sensors with modulators.

(7) FIG. 6 is a view of optical sensors with strings from the side where the optical emitters are placed.

(8) FIG. 7 is a view of string vibration dampers located on the body, with modulators of different shapes (L- or T-shaped) installed on strings.

(9) FIG. 8 is a view of the frame with plates without any string vibration dampers installed thereon.

(10) FIG. 9 is a view of the stringed musical instrument, in particular an electric guitar, with optical sensors.

(11) Figurative materials that illustrate the inventions disclosed herein as well as particular embodiments are in no way intended to limit the claims appended hereto but to explain the essence of the inventions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (INFORMATION CONFIRMING THE POSSIBILITY OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION)

(12) An optical sensor for a stringed musical instrument with a digital interface comprises a housing 1, made of two parts 1a and 1b, which are interconnected.

(13) An optical emitter 2 and an optical receiver 3 having a photosensitive surface are located on the housing 1 on the same axis, in particular an optical emitter 2 is located on the part 1a of the housing 1, and the optical receiver 3 is located on the part 1b of the housing 1. The optical emitter 2 is configured as two LEDs. The optical receiver 3 can be configured as a photodiode. The optical receiver 3 can also be configured as a phototransistor, or a photoresistor, or a photomatrix. Further, the optical emitter 2 and the optical receiver 3 can be configured in any way known in the art.

(14) The housing 1 is fixed to the surface of a stringed musical instrument with either side by any method known in the art, with the optical emitter 2 and the optical receiver 3 being located under the same string 4. In the proposed embodiment, the housing 1 is fixed to the surface of the stringed musical instrument using one of the types of mechanical fixing known in the art or using an adhesive joint, in particular by means of a screw connection.

(15) As noted above, the optical emitter 2 is configured as two LEDs, which form two light beams, respectively. Further, the optical receiver 3 comprises two photosensitive surfaces located one above the other. Thus, the optical emitter 2 and the optical receiver 3 form two optical pairs, the lower one and the upper one respectively. Further, in another embodiment of the invention, the optical emitter 2 can comprise any number of light sources forming at least two light beams.

(16) With such location of the optical sensor elements, light beams between the optical pairs are directed parallel to each other and to the string 4, with each of the light beams illuminating the corresponding photosensitive surface.

(17) In the proposed embodiment, the optical sensor can comprise additional optical emitters 2.

(18) A light beam modulator 5 installed on the side of the housing 1, opposite to the side of the fixing to the surface of a stringed musical instrument, is located between the optical pairs. The modulator 5 is configured as an opaque element having the form of a plate, either L- or T-shaped. On one of its sides, the modulator 5 is configured to be fixed to the string 6, having the form of a groove wherein the string 4 is tightly inserted, so that the modulator 5 is fixed to the string 4.

(19) In a static state, the modulator 5, fixed to the string 4, overlaps with its shape a part of each of the photosensitive surfaces of the optical receiver 3, in particular a half of each of the photosensitive surfaces.

(20) In another embodiment of the invention, an additional elastic element to fix the modulator 7 to the surface of the stringed musical instrument, such as a spring, is located in the lower part of the light beam modulator 5.

(21) In yet another embodiment, the optical sensor is equipped with a spring vibration damper 8, having the form of an elastic lining. Said damper 8 is inserted in the frame 9, in particular between two plates 10 of the frame 9, which are bent as the string 4 vibrates, and is fixed to it by any method known in the art, for example, by means of a catch. In the proposed embodiment, the frame 9 is fixed to the surface of the stringed musical instrument using a screw connection.

(22) Other embodiments of the present invention include a stringed musical instrument with a digital interface comprising a body, at least one string 4 stretched over the body and an optical sensor as disclosed above.

(23) A stringed musical instrument with a digital interface can be any MIDI instrument known in the art.

(24) In the proposed embodiment, a string musical instrument with a digital interface has the form of an electric guitar.

(25) The electric guitar comprises a body 11, strings 4 stretched over the body 11, and optical sensors 12 fixed to the surface of the body 11. The body 11 comprises a neck 13 and a main body 14.

(26) The number of optical sensors 12 corresponds to that of strings 4. The design of the optical sensor 12 is described above. In the proposed embodiment, the base 1 of the optical sensor 12 is fixed to the body of an electric guitar with one of the known types of mechanical fixing or using adhesive joints, in particular by means of a screw connection.

(27) The optical sensor 12 works as follows. The base 1, on which the optical emitter 2 and the optical receiver 3 are located on the same axis, is installed directly under the string 4 and is fixed to the body of the stringed musical instrument having a digital interface.

(28) While in operation, the optical emitter 2 forms two light beams, parallel to a string, and the optical receiver 3, with two photosensitive surfaces, reads the vibrations (deflections) of the string as a response to a change in light intensity.

(29) The modulator 5 is located on a string between the optical emitter 2 and the optical receiver 3. Any vibration (deflection) of the string 4, horizontally or vertically, causes a corresponding movement of the modulator 5, which changes the area of the illuminated part of the upper photosensitive surface in the horizontal plane and the area of the illuminated part of the lower photosensitive surface in the vertical plane.

(30) Thus, the signal is differentiated in two mutually perpendicular planes.

(31) The electric guitar works as follows. The optical sensor 12 located under the string 4 is fixed to the body 11. The number of optical sensors 12 corresponds to that of the strings 4.

(32) While playing the electric guitar, one exerts influence on the strings 4 causing vibrations thereof and a signal is picked up with the optical sensor 12 operated as described above.

(33) Thus, the application of the disclosed inventions allows to obtain a signal corresponding to vibrations (deflections) of a string in two mutually perpendicular planes, with the influence of the device generating such signals on string vibration parameters being reduced, without signals generated by different strings being mixed and with dimensions of the optical sensor being reduced to allow for its compact placement on a stringed musical instrument.