IP Library Granted Patent US 10,360,890
Granted Patent B2
US 10,360,890 · App. 15/877,380 · Granted Jul 23, 2019

Handheld electronic musical percussion instrument

Inventor: Stephen Suitor (Radcliff, KY)
Assignee: Rare Earth Dynamics, Inc.
G10H3/143G10D13/024G10H1/0008G10H1/0083G10H3/146G10H3/183G10H3/186G10H1/0558G10H2220/026G10H2220/395G10H2220/525G10H2230/035G10H2230/275G10H2230/281G10H2230/365G10H2240/161G10H2240/211G10H2250/055
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,360,890
App. No.
15/877,380
Granted
Jul 23, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for an electronic handheld musical instrument that generates electronic signals for processing by a processor-based module to generate musical sounds adapted to replicate non-electronic traditional hand percussion and other handheld instruments, is provided. A piezoelectric-based trigger is secured in an enclosed volume or enclosure formed in the electronic handheld musical instrument. When manipulated by a musician in a normal fashion, freely moving beads float or travel within the enclosure of the electronic handheld musical instrument and strike against a sensitive face of the piezoelectric transducer device to create a desired sound effect.

Claims (15)

1. A system for detecting analog vibrations and converting said analog vibrations for transmission as an electronic signal, the system comprising:

a housing having an exterior and an interior;

a set of striking objects disposed within the housing and adapted to generate analog vibrations when striking the housing or any object disposed within the housing;

a piezoelectric transducer disposed in the interior of the housing and adapted to generate a transducer electrical signal in response to the analog vibrations;

a transceiver in electrical communication with the piezoelectric transducer and adapted to receive the generated transducer electrical signal from the piezoelectric transducer, the transceiver further adapted to transmit the received transducer electrical signal as an electronic output signal.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an accelerometer adapted to detect acceleration in an X or Y direction and generate an accelerometer electrical signal based on the detected acceleration.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a microcontroller having a processor and a memory.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver comprises a wireless transceiver adapted to transmit the electronic output signal as a radio signal.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the memory further comprises a set of digital files.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the microcontroller is adapted to modify the electronic output signal for transmission by the transceiver based on the accelerometer electrical signal from the accelerometer.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the microcontroller is adapted to determine a digital file to send to the transceiver for transmission based on the accelerometer electrical signal from the accelerometer.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second piezoelectric transducer disposed in the interior of the housing and adapted to generate a transducer electrical signal in response to the analog vibrations.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a plurality of interior chambers.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic signal processing module adapted to receive the electronic output signal from the transceiver and generate a processed signal based on the electronic output signal.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first potentiometer adapted to modify the transducer signal and a second potentiometer adapted to modify the electronic output signal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2019
From: SUITOR, STEPHEN RILEY
To: RARE EARTH DYNAMICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 048604/0693 →
Continuity (10)
Continuation 15456471 · Mar 10, 2017
Continuation In Part 15433990 · Feb 15, 2017
Continuation In Part 14988570 · Jan 5, 2016
Provisional Application 62306306 · Mar 10, 2016
Provisional Application 62295483 · Feb 15, 2016
Provisional Application 62259047 · Nov 23, 2015
Provisional Application 62100041 · Jan 5, 2015
Provisional Application 62448388 · Jan 19, 2017
Provisional Application 62448953 · Jan 20, 2017
Related Publication 20180247630A1 · Aug 30, 2018