US3901120A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic tuning device for musical instruments
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-10-11
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Granted: 1975-08-26
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Expires: 1993-10-11
Abstract
Abstract A miniaturized electronic device for tuning musical instruments includes a pick-up microphone and an array of light emitting diodes. A phase lock loop connected to the microphone locks to the fundamental, a harmonic or subharmonic of the tone produced by a musical instrument and produces a corresponding output. A tone reference generator and associated frequency selector produce a reference output at a frequency n times that of the fundamental of the correct tone, there being n display diodes in the array. A sequencing device connects the two outputs to the display diodes so that when the tone is sharp the diodes are sequentially energized in one direction and are sequentially energized in the opposite direction when the tone is flat. When the tone produced by the musical instrument is in pitch, a stationary display is produced by periodic energization of only one of the diodes.
Inventors
- 👤 John S Youngquist
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:45
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10G; G10G7/00; G10G7/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
282 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments, comprising in combination: periodic display means for visually indicating the relative tune of a note produced by a musical instrument, said display means comprising an array of at least three visual indicator devices and sequence switching means having first and second input terminals for respectively enabling said visual indicator devices sequentially in consonance with the frequency of an input signal at said first input terminal aNd for energizing that visual display device enabled by the input signal at said first input terminal in consonance with coincidence of an input signal at said second terminal with an input signal at said first input terminal; transducer means for producing an electrical signal representing the frequency content of a tone produced by a musical instrument; converter means connecting said transducer means to one of said input terminals for producing a first pulse train output at such one input terminal whose pulse repetition frequency represents a component of said frequency content; and reference generator means connected to the other of said input terminals for producing a second pulse train output whose pulse repetition frequency represents the correct tone to be produced by the musical instrument; the frequencies of said first and second pulse train outputs being harmonically related when the tone produced by the musical instrument is in pitch with respect to said reference generator means whereby one only of said visual indicator devices is repetitively energized when the tone is in pitch, said visual indicator devices are energized sequentially in one direction when the tone of the musical instrument is sharp, and said visual indicator devices are energized sequentially in the opposite direction when the tone is flat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
282 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments, comprising in combination: periodic display means for visually indicating the relative tune of a note produced by a musical instrument, said display means comprising an array of at least three visual indicator devices and sequence switching means having first and second input terminals for respectively enabling said visual indicator devices sequentially in consonance with the frequency of an input signal at said first input terminal aNd for energizing that visual display device enabled by the input signal at said first input terminal in consonance with coincidence of an input signal at said second terminal with an input signal at said first input terminal; transducer means for producing an electrical signal representing the frequency content of a tone produced by a musical instrument; converter means connecting said transducer means to one of said input terminals for producing a first pulse train output at such one input terminal whose pulse repetition frequency represents a component of said frequency content; and reference generator means connected to the other of said input terminals for producing a second pulse train output whose pulse repetition frequency represents the correct tone to be produced by the musical instrument; the frequencies of said first and second pulse train outputs being harmonically related when the tone produced by the musical instrument is in pitch with respect to said reference generator means whereby one only of said visual indicator devices is repetitively energized when the tone is in pitch, said visual indicator devices are energized sequentially in one direction when the tone of the musical instrument is sharp, and said visual indicator devices are energized sequentially in the opposite direction when the tone is flat.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 1 wherein said converter means comprises a phase lock loop.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 2 wherein said reference generator means produces said second pulse train output signal at a frequency of nf where n is the number of visual indicator devices and f is the frequency of the correct tone to which the musical instrument is to be tuned.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 3 wherein said reference generator means comprises a stable crystal oscillator having a frequency output many times higher than the frequency range of tuning, counter means driven by the output of said oscillator, and gate means for producing an output pulse upon attainment of a predetermined count by said counter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 4 including means for selectively altering the apparent count of said counter means whereby to change the pluse repetition frequency of said second pulse train output.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 1 wherein said reference generator means produces said second pulse train output signal at a frequency of nf where n is the number of visual indicator devices and f is the frequency of the correct tone to which the musical instrument is to be tuned.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 6 wherein said reference generator means comprises a stable crystal oscillator having a frequency output many times higher than the frequency range of tuning, counter means driven by the output of said oscillator, and gate means for producing an output pulse upon attainment of a predetermined count by said counter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 7 including means for selectively altering the apparent count of said counter means whereby to change the pulse repetition frequency of said second pulse train output.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 2 wherein said reference generator means comprises a stable crystal oscillator having a frequency output many times higher than the frequency range of tuning, counter means driven by the output of said oscillator, and gate means for producing an output pulse upon attainment of a predeteremined count by said counter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 9 including means for selectively altering the apparent count of said counter means whereby to change the pulse repeTition frequency of said second pulse train output.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 1 wherein said reference generator means comprises a stable crystal oscillator having a frequency output many times higher than the frequency range of tuning, counter means driven by the output of said oscillator, and gate means for producing an output pulse upon attainment of a predetermined count by said counter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 11 including means for selectively altering the apparent count of said counter means whereby to change the pulse repetition frequency of said second pulse train output.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
135 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments, comprising in combination: transducer means for producing an electrical signal representative of the frequency content of a tone produced by a musical instrument; phase lock loop means connected to said transducer means for producing a first pulse train output signal which is locked to a component of said frequency content; a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in a sequential array thereof; reference frequency generator means for producing a second output pulse train of fixed frequency; and gating means connected to said generator means and to said first pulse train output for enabling said light emitting devices sequentially at the pulse repetition frequency of said second output pulse train and for energizing a light emitting device upon coincidence of pulses of said first and second output pulse trains.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
135 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments, comprising in combination: transducer means for producing an electrical signal representative of the frequency content of a tone produced by a musical instrument; phase lock loop means connected to said transducer means for producing a first pulse train output signal which is locked to a component of said frequency content; a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in a sequential array thereof; reference frequency generator means for producing a second output pulse train of fixed frequency; and gating means connected to said generator means and to said first pulse train output for enabling said light emitting devices sequentially at the pulse repetition frequency of said second output pulse train and for energizing a light emitting device upon coincidence of pulses of said first and second output pulse trains.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
49 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments as defined in claim 13 wherein the pulse repetition frequency of said second pulse train output is nf where n is the number of said light emitting devices and f is the frequency to which the musical instrument is to be tuned.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
263 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments comprising, in combination: transducer means for producing an electrical signal representing the frequency content of a tone produced by a musical instrument; converter means connected to said electrical signal for producing a first pulse train output whose pulse repetition frequency represents a component of said frequency content; reference generator means for producing a second pulse train output whose pulse repetition frequency represents the correct tone to be produced by the musical instrument and which is related by a multiplication factor m to the pulse repetition frequency of the pulse train output first mentioned when said first mentioned pulse train output corresponds to the correct tone, m being greater than one; at least three visual indicator devices arranged in an array; switching means connected to said second pulse train output for producing sequential enabling signals corresponding sequentially to said visual indicator devices, said switching means having at least three output terminals at which said enabling signals sequentially appear; and coincidence means associating each said output terminal with a different one of said indicating devices and connected to said first pulse train output for energizing said indicator devices in consonance with coincidence of said enabling signals and the pulses of said first pulse train output whereby one only of said visual indicator devices is repetitively energized when the tone is in pitch, said visual indicator devices are energized sequentially in one direction when the tone of the musical instrument is sharp, and said visual indicator devices are energized sequentially in the opposite direction when the tone is flat.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
263 words
An electronic device for tuning musical instruments comprising, in combination: transducer means for producing an electrical signal representing the frequency content of a tone produced by a musical instrument; converter means connected to said electrical signal for producing a first pulse train output whose pulse repetition frequency represents a component of said frequency content; reference generator means for producing a second pulse train output whose pulse repetition frequency represents the correct tone to be produced by the musical instrument and which is related by a multiplication factor m to the pulse repetition frequency of the pulse train output first mentioned when said first mentioned pulse train output corresponds to the correct tone, m being greater than one; at least three visual indicator devices arranged in an array; switching means connected to said second pulse train output for producing sequential enabling signals corresponding sequentially to said visual indicator devices, said switching means having at least three output terminals at which said enabling signals sequentially appear; and coincidence means associating each said output terminal with a different one of said indicating devices and connected to said first pulse train output for energizing said indicator devices in consonance with coincidence of said enabling signals and the pulses of said first pulse train output whereby one only of said visual indicator devices is repetitively energized when the tone is in pitch, said visual indicator devices are energized sequentially in one direction when the tone of the musical instrument is sharp, and said visual indicator devices are energized sequentially in the opposite direction when the tone is flat.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
47 words
An electronic tuning device as defined in claim 15 wherein the pulse repetition frequency of said second output pulse train is nf where n is the number of indicator devices and f is the frequency of the tone to which the musical instrument is to be tuned.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
An electronic tuning device as defined in claim 16 wherein Said converter means comprises a phase lock loop.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-25 | 1979-02-24 | 1979-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-25 | 1983-02-24 | 1983-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-25 | 1987-02-24 | 1987-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |