GB2481879A

GB2481879A - Wireless LAN audio effects device for use with a musical instrument and amplifier

Info

Publication number: GB2481879A
Application number: GB1105917.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Crawford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-04-08
Filing date: 2011-04-07
Publication date: 2012-01-11
Also published as: GB201005832D0; GB201105917D0

Abstract

An audio effects device (1) comprises a wireless transceiver system (2) and an audio processor (4), for the reception, modification and re-transmission of an audio signal 11,12 to and from multiple musical instrument devices 9,14. The audio effects device (1) preferably also comprises a Media Access Controller (MAC) and baseband processor (3). Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) or Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) may be used to prevent unauthorised access. In a preferred embodiment the audio effects device (1) comprises a stompbox pedal 8 for use with a guitar 9 and amplifier 14; a signal is transmitted wirelessly from the guitar 9 to the stompbox pedal 8 where it is modified and wirelessly transmitted to the amplifier 14. The audio signals are preferably transmitted across a wireless local area network (WLAN) using the IEEE 802.11 signal format. The audio effects device (1) may optionally be connected to a computer, enabling audio signals to be sent to other devices via the Internet.

Description

Audio effects device This invention relates to an audio effects device which receives audio data across a wireless internet link known as a wireless local area network (PLAN), modifies the audio signal and then transmits the processed audio signal via PLAN. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention pertains to electric guitar effects systems.

In a wireless internet system the audio signal from an electric guitar can be wirelessly transmitted by PLAN to the audio effects device for the application of audio effects before being forwarded by PLAN to an audio rereiver device such as a guitar amplifier, guitar multi-effects device, personal computer or audio mixing desks.

Background of invention

In existing electric guitar systems, an electric analogue audio signal is generated by the guitar and this is output to a physical cable attached to the guitar by a connector jack.

Most guitar players wish to modify this electric analogue audio signal prior to amplification. To this effect the output signal from the guitar is initially sent to an audio effects device which receives the electric analogue audio signal, applies sound effects (such as delay, bass, treble and distortion) to the signal before outputting the modified electric analogue audio signal across a second physical cable to the next device in the system; this is typically another effects device, a recording device or a guitar amplifier.

Such audio effects devices, typically either foot pedals or rack mounted units, are connected in series using coaxial cables.

Physical cables have limitations in terms of physical range and electrical and mechanical issues relating to the cable, including electrical impedance and resistance.

In this document the following terms shall have the following meanings:- 12WLAN MAC and Baseband" shall refer to an electronic circuit typically but not exclusively found as a single integrated circuit consisting of a Medium Access Controller (MAC) and the baseband processor.

Transceiver" means a device capable of both transmitting and receiving.

Statement of invention

To overcome these problems the present invention proposes a wireless internet guitar audio effects device; comprising an audio processor and a wireless internet transceiver.

Devices exist today such as guitar effects pedals, which receive electrical signals from signal generating devices such as electric guitars, and apply user controllable audio effects to the signal, before transmitting the modified signal to a signal receiving device such as an electric guitar amplifier. While the prior art provides audio signal modification, there are problems associated with these designs which the present invention overcomes.

Prior art guitar effects pedals require wired connections between devices, such as the guitar and the guitar effects pedal and between the guitar effects pedal and the guitar amplifier. Unlike prior art, the present invention allows the wireless connection of the devices.

To overcome the limitations of the physical cables, devices exist today which convert the analogue signal from an analogue signal-generating device such as an electric guitar into a digital signal for transmission by radio (FM/Au/UHF/VHF) . While the prior art provides cordless audio transmission, there are problems associated with these designs which the present invention overcomes.

Prior art wireless guitar systems require a dedicated transmitter device and a dedicated receiver device, making them unsuitable for connection to multiple devices such as a guitar wirelessly connected through a wireless guitar effects pedal, to a guitar amplifier. Prior art systems are restricted to connecting only two devices such as only the guitar and the amplifier (not allowing the wireless incorporation of an effects pedal between the two) . Unlike prior art, the present invention can be used simultaneously as a transmitter and receiver, allowing the device to function as a transceiver link in the signal chain, i.e. an electric guitar connected to the present invention which in turn is connected to a guitar amplifier (all wirelessly) The present invention's use of WLAN provides easily configurable one-to-many and many-to-many connections forming networks of devices. An example of a network would be an electric guitar connected to an effect pedal, in turn connected to a guitar amplifier. The present invention's use of WLAN provides a convenient method to network multiple devices together while integrating security features such as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and encryption, ensuring that only the intended recipients of the data can decode the signal. The present invention's use of wireless internet allows the proposed device to easily connect to a range of existing and future wireless internet capable devices including personal computers and wireless internet routers, and with the inclusion of analogue-to-digital and digital-to-analogue audio converters the present invention will allow ULAN-to-WLAN, WLAN-to-analogue-audio and analogue-audio-to-WLAN connections.

Devices exist today such as the Apple Airport Express which receive digital audio data by means of PLAN; this is normally in the form of compressed files such as MP3 (for example transmitting data from a personal computer to a wireless networking device) . Such devices require a digital server system, typically a personal computer. The present invention sits apart from this prior art as it allows the user to modify a user-generated signal before retransmitting to a receiver device without the need for a personal computer.

With suitable custom software it would be possible to configure a personal computer to receive a wireless signal and apply audio effects. Such software is not currently available and the architecture of the PC wireless system and operating system's file sharing system is not currently enabled to allow this pass-through audio modification. The present invention sits apart from the prior art as it allows a simpler single function device, which requires a much simpler, cheaper system architecture and design, with a convenient user interface system.

Hence, there is the need for a device whichz- * Has a simple connection system to allow the wireless internet reception of audio data from a wireless internet capable audio signal-transmitting device * Has a system for the convenient application of user configurable audio effects to the wirelessly received audio signal * Has a simple connection system to allow wireless internet transmission of the modified audio data to a wireless internet capable audio signal-receiving device.

* Can be conveniently connected in different networks of input, output and transceiver devices.

Device Description

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the audio effects device comprising a wireless internet transceiver system and an audio processor.

Figure 2 shows an audio effects device for connection to an electric guitar, and a guitar amplifier.

Figure 3 shows one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, illustrating an audio effects device which includes analogue to digital and digital to analogue conversion capability to support existing wired connections.

In Figure 1 the audio effects device 1 receives a wireless internet signal via the WLAN radio system 2, this wireless internet signal is configured and decoded into digital audio data by the WLAN MAC and baseband 3, for transmission to the Digital Audio Processor 4, for the application of audio effects, these audio effects and the wireless network are controlled by the microcontroller 5, which is configured by an external user control system 6. The modified signal is passed back to the WLAN MAC and baseband 3 which formats the digital signal into WLAN packets and manages the connection and control of the wireless network, for transmission by the WLAN radio system 2. The device is powered by a battery or power supply 7.

In Figure 2 the audio effects device 8 is used to modify the audio signal output from an electric guitar 9 which is connected to a convertor unit 10, which converts the guitar's electric analogue audio signal into a wireless internet signal 11. This wireless internet signal is received by the audio effects device 8, where the wireless internet signal is decoded to digital audio, the audio signal is modified, then converted back to wireless internet packet format, for transmission by wireless internet 12. The modified wireless internet signal is then received by a convertor unit 13, for conversion back into analogue audio for input into a conventional analogue audio input guitar amplifier 14.

In Figure 3, one embodiment of the audio effects device 15 can receive a wireless internet signal via the WLAN radio system 16. The wireless internet signal is configured and decoded into digital audio data by the WLAN MAC and baseband 17, for transmission to the digital audio processor 18. Alternatively to connect to existing analogue audio devices the device has a standard audio input connector jack socket 19, using this connector an analogue audio signal can be input from a wired connection into the input connector jack socket and converted to digital audio by the analogue-to-digital convertor 20, for processing by the digital audio processor 18.

The nature of the audio effects can be controlled by a simple external control knob 21, and can be applied or removed by the user operating a simple foot pedal 22 both of which communicate with the microcontroller 23, to control the digital audio processor. The modified audio signal can then be output wirelessly by being passed back to the WLAN MAC and baseband 17 which formats the digital signal into WLAN packets and manages the connection and control of the wireless networkf for transmission by the WLAN radio system 16. Alternatively the audio signal can be output to a conventional wired analogue audio connection by the modified digital audio output from the digital audio signal processor being sent into the digital-to-analogue processor 24 before being output to the output connector jack socket 25. This embodiment of the audio effects device is powered by a battery 26.

Claims

C].añ.ins 1. A guitar audio effects device for the reception, modification and re-transmission of an audio signal by wireless internet, comprising a wireless internet transceiver system and an audio processor.
2. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 further comprising a microprocessor, a Media Access Controller MAC) and baseband processor and a wireless internet radio.
3. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 wherein the audio effects are controlled by a foot pedal, button system, rotatable knob or slider switch.
4. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 wherein the wireless internet system can transmit to multiple devices.
5. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 wherein the wireless internet system can receive data from multiple devices.
6. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 wherein Wired Equivalent Privacy WEP) or Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is used to prevent unauthorised access.
7. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 incorporating an electrical switch to power the device on or off.
8. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 incorporating an electrical circuit to allow the reception of wired analogue electrical audio signal inputs and output transmission of the signal in wireless internet format.
9. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 incorporating an electrical circuit to allow the transmission of a wired analogue electrical audio signal output from the reception of the signal in wireless internet format.
10. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 incorporating an electrical circuit to configure the device as a member of a wireless network.
11. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 incorporating a software program to configure the device as a member of a wireless network.
12. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 comprising a battery or wired power supply.
13. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 wherein all the components are integrated into a single integrated circuit.
14. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 wherein the wireless internet transceiver system converts digital signals into the IEEE 802.11 wireless signal format.
15. The guitar audio effects device according to claim 1 incorporating an electrical circuit to alloy connection to a computer to configure the audio effects and configure the device as a member of a wireless network.