JP2001117561A - Musical instrument using range finding sensors - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to generate various sound only by moving his/her hands in the air without touching a keyboard. SOLUTION: This musical instrument is characterized in comprising range finding sensors 1-7 for measuring distances to an object, a sound source means 15, and a control circuit 11 for controlling the sound source means according to the distances to the object measured by the range finding sensors.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional musical instrument, for example, a piano, a user can emit sound by pressing a keyboard with a finger.

[0003]

However, in the conventional piano, the user needs training for operating the keyboard with his / her finger, and there is room for improvement in that the sound cannot be easily generated.

Therefore, an instrument called "thermin" has been devised which allows the user to play the keyboard without operating the keyboard with his / her finger. However, since this instrument uses radio waves, the circuit scale becomes large and cost increases. There was room for improvement.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to enable a user to emit various sounds simply by moving his / her hand in the air without touching the keyboard. I do.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a distance measuring sensor (1-7) for measuring a distance to an object, a sound source means (15), and a distance measuring sensor are provided. And a control circuit (11) for controlling the sound source means in accordance with the measured distance to the object.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the distance measuring sensor has a linear shape, a ring shape, a piano keyboard shape, a zigzag shape,
It is characterized by being arranged in an arc shape or a concave shape.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the control circuit controls the sound source means by making the distance to the object measured by the distance measuring sensor correspond to the octave value of the sound source means (15). Features.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the control circuit controls the sound source means by associating the distance to the object measured by the distance measuring sensor with the chord code of the sound source means (15). Features.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the control circuit controls the sound source means by making the distance to the object measured by the distance measuring sensor correspond to the sound effect of the sound source means (15). Features.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the control circuit controls the sound source means by making the distance to the object measured by the distance measuring sensor correspond to the strength of the sound of the sound source means (15). It is characterized by.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the distance measuring sensor is a distance measuring sensor using infrared rays.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a CPU circuit 11 performs various controls such as input processing from the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7 and sound generation processing, and plays a central role of the system.

The distance measuring sensors 1 to 7 radiate infrared rays from the light emitting section 1a (FIG. 2), reflect the infrared rays from the user's hand (reflecting object) and return to the light receiving section 1b (FIG. 2). Measure the distance to your hand (reflector). The A / D conversion circuit 13 converts the analog voltage output from the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7 into a digital value. The switch circuit 14 is used to allow the user to select a musical instrument, adjust a volume, and the like. The tone generator circuit 15 stores tone generator data of each musical instrument, and outputs the tone generator data to the amplifier / volume circuit 16 according to a command from the CPU circuit 11. The amplifier / volume circuit 16 supplies the electric signal output from the sound source circuit 15 to the speaker 17, converts the electric signal into air vibration by the speaker 17, and outputs the sound as audible sound.

The program ROM 20 contains a CPU circuit 1
1 program is stored. Also, work RAM
Is used as a work area for the CPU circuit 11 to temporarily store data.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of the arrangement of the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7. The distance measuring sensors 1 to 7 are arranged in a straight line, and measure the distance to a user's hand (reflective object) located above each of the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7. In the example of FIG. 2, when the user moves the hand up, down, left, and right, a sound corresponding to the value detected by the distance measurement sensors 1 to 7 is output from the speaker 17.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing another example of the arrangement of the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7. The distance measuring sensors 1 to 7 are arranged in a ring shape, and measure the distance to the user's hand (reflector) located near each of the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7. In the example of FIG. 3, when the user moves the hand freely in the ring, a sound corresponding to the value detected by the distance measurement sensors 1 to 7 is output from the speaker 17.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another example of the arrangement of the distance measuring sensors 1 to 13a. Distance sensors 1 to 13a
Is arranged equivalently to the keyboard of a piano.
The distance to the user's hand (reflective object) located near to 13a is measured. In the example of FIG. 4, when the user moves his hand as if he were on the keyboard of a piano, a sound corresponding to the value detected by the distance measurement sensors 1 to 13 a is output from the speaker 17.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another example of the arrangement of the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7. The distance measuring sensors 1 to 7 are arranged in a zigzag shape, and measure the distance to the user's hand (reflective object) located near each of the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7. In the example of FIG. 3, when the user freely moves his / her hand above the ranging sensors 1 to 7, a sound corresponding to the value detected by the ranging sensors 1 to 7 is output from the speaker 17.

In FIGS. 2 to 5, only the distance measuring sensor 1 has a light emitting portion 1a and a light receiving portion 1b. However, the other distance measuring sensors 2 to 7 have the same light emitting portion and light receiving portion. And Further, the distance measuring sensors may be arranged in an arrangement different from the arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5, for example, in an arc shape or a concave shape.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a program of the CPU circuit 11. When the program starts, first, in step S1, input processing of the distance measurement sensors 1 to 7 is performed. That is, the output voltage value of the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7 is A
It is read into the CPU circuit 11 as a digital value via the / D conversion circuit 13. In step S2, the switch circuit 14
The user selects an instrument set in advance by the user, such as a piano or a trumpet, and reads it into the CPU circuit 11. In step S3, the distance between each of the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7 and the user's hand (reflected object) is divided into n stages (n is an integer) from the value obtained in step S1. At this time, a determination is also made when the user's hand (reflector) does not exist. Step S
In step 4, it is determined whether or not the user's hand (reflecting object) has changed from absent to an existing state, that is, whether or not there is a newly pronounced sound. If No, the process moves to step S6. If Yes, the process moves to step S5.

In step S5, the type and tone of the musical instrument are determined from steps S2 and S3, and a tone generation process is performed by instructing the tone generator circuit 15 to output corresponding tone generator data (sound generation command). . In step S6, it is determined whether or not the state of the user's hand (reflecting object) has changed from the existing state to the non-existent state, that is, whether or not there is a sound for newly stopping. If No, step S1
And the above processing is repeated.

In the case of Yes, the process moves to step S7. In step S7, steps S2 and S
Then, the sound source circuit 15 is instructed to stop the output of the corresponding sound source data by discriminating the type of the musical instrument and the name of the musical tone from the sound source circuit 3 (sound stop command), thereby performing the sound stop process. Thereafter, the process returns to step S1, and the above processing is repeated.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a first operation example of the CPU circuit 11 (steps S1 to S3). In this example, the distance between the distance measuring sensor and the reflection object detected in n stages is made to correspond to the octave stage.

According to the distance from the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7 to the reflection object (user's hand), "do", "re", "mi", ...
・ Each piano sound is Rima Shima. If no reflected object (user's hand) can be detected on each of the distance measuring sensors 1 to 7, no sound is produced. If the reflection object (the user's hand) cannot be detected from the detection state, the sound generation is stopped (the sound generated when the reflection object is detected). Distance sensor 1
The vertical distance from ７7 increases the pitch by one octave.

A plurality of sounds, for example, "do", "mi", and "so" may be simultaneously generated (C code). In this case, the reflector will be placed on the sensors 1, 3, and 5. Instrument sounds other than the piano, for example, trumpets, bass guitars, and drum sets may also be used. In FIG. 7, the distance is divided into three stages. However, the distance may be larger than three stages or may be smaller. In FIG. 7, seven distance measuring sensors are mounted, but may be less than seven or more than seven.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a second operation example of the CPU circuit 11 (steps S1 to S3). In this example, the distance between the distance measuring sensor and the reflector detected in n stages is associated with a chord code.

For example, when the distance measuring sensor 1 detects the distances b to c, a C code (simultaneous sound of "do", "mi" and "so") is generated. When distances a and b are detected,
Produces Cm chords (simultaneous sounds of "do", "flat-mi", "so"). When distances 0 to a are detected,
C7 code ("do", "mi", "so", "flat-shi"
Sounds simultaneously).

It should be noted that instrument sounds other than the piano, for example, trumpet, bass guitar, and drum set may be used. In FIG. 8, the distance is divided into three stages. However, the distance may be more than three stages or less. In FIG. 8, seven distance measuring sensors are mounted, but may be less than seven or more than seven.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a third operation example of the CPU circuit 11 (steps S1 to S3). In this example, the distance between the distance measuring sensor and the reflector detected in n stages is made to correspond to the sound effect.

For example, when the distance measuring sensor 1 detects the distances bc, it emits a "machine gun firing sound".
When the distances a and b are detected, a "pistol firing sound" is generated. When the distances 0 to a are detected, a "continuous firing sound of a pistol gun" is generated.

Although the distance is divided into three steps in FIG. 9, the distance may be more than three steps or may be smaller. In FIG. 8, seven distance measuring sensors are mounted.
The number may be smaller than the number of pieces, or may be larger than the number.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a fourth operation example of the CPU circuit 11 (steps S1 to S3). In this example, the distance between the distance measuring sensor and the reflection object detected in n stages is made to correspond to the intensity of the sound.

For example, when the distance measuring sensor 1 detects the distances b to c, the fortissimo C4 is pronounced. When the distances a and b are detected, the meso forte C
Pronounce 4. When the distances 0 to a are detected, C4 of Bianissimo is pronounced.

It is to be noted that, instead of the fortissimo, a forte fortissimo may be used. Further, it may be an instrument sound other than the piano, for example, a trumpet, a bass guitar, or a drum set. Further, in FIG. 10, the distance is divided into three steps, but may be more than three steps or conversely smaller. Further, in FIG. 10, seven distance measuring sensors are mounted, but may be less than seven or more than seven.

[0038]

As described above, according to the musical instrument using the distance measuring sensor of the present invention, various sounds can be emitted simply by moving the hand in the air without touching the keyboard. .

Further, when a distance measuring sensor using infrared rays is used, the circuit configuration can be simplified as compared with a musical instrument such as theremin, and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an embodiment of a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing an embodiment of a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing an embodiment of a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing an embodiment of a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing an embodiment of a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an embodiment of a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Distance measuring sensor 1a Light emitting part 1b Light receiving part 2-7 Distance measuring sensor 11 CPU circuit 13 A / D conversion circuit 14 Switch circuit 15 Sound source circuit 16 Amplifier / volume circuit 17 Speaker 20 Program ROM

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A distance measuring sensor (1 to 7) for measuring a distance to an object, a sound source means (15), and a distance to the object measured by the distance measuring sensor.
A musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor, comprising: a control circuit (11) for controlling the sound source means. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance measuring sensor comprises:
Linear, annular, piano keyboard, zigzag, arc,
Or a musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor, which is arranged in a concave shape. 3. The sound source means according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit controls the sound source means by making a distance from the object measured by the distance measuring sensor correspond to an octave value of the sound source means. Musical instrument using a ranging sensor characterized by: 4. The sound source means according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit controls the sound source means by associating a distance to the object measured by the distance measuring sensor with a chord code of the sound source means (15). Musical instrument using a ranging sensor characterized by: 5. The control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit controls the sound source means in accordance with a distance from the object measured by the distance measuring sensor to a sound effect of the sound source means (15). Musical instrument using a ranging sensor characterized by: 6. The sound source means according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit controls the sound source means in accordance with the distance from the object measured by the distance measuring sensor to the strength of the sound of the sound source means (15). An instrument using a distance measuring sensor. 7. A musical instrument using a distance measuring sensor according to claim 1, wherein said distance measuring sensor is a distance measuring sensor using infrared rays.