The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 14, 1984
Filed:
Aug. 22, 1979
William Pepper, Jr, Bethesda, MD (US);
Peptek, Incorporated, Bethesda, MD (US);
Abstract
A hand-held electronic musical instrument and system has a plurality of resistance elements that have adjacent thereto indentations or notches, or other tactile structures for locating discrete notes. Each resistance element is connected to a circuit for translating the position of the musician's finger on the element into an electrical signal, the frequency of the signal corresponding to the position touched. Transducers convert the electrical signals into sounds, which are modified by an acoustic cavity within the instrument. At least one control panel is provided on a side of the instrument engaged by the thumb or thumbs of the musician, each control panel also being a one-dimensional touch panel with the control axis perpendicular to the long axis of the panel so that the musician's thumb can slide along the panel parallel to the long axis without changing its position in the control axis. The musician controls the volume of the sound by adjusting the position of the thumb transverse to the instrument.