Musical Tone Generating Apparatus

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a musical tone generating apparatus, and more particularly to a musical tone generating apparatus which generates a musical tone signal based on a movement of a player such as a movement of a holding, a touching, a beating (or clapping hands), a depressing, a pulling, or a lifting up or down.

2. Prior Art

Conventionally, a musical tone is generated by playing the piano, the violin, the bass drum and the like. Or, the musical tone is accompanied with a voice generated from the vocal chords of the player who sings. Meanwhile, the conventional musical tone generating apparatus controls tone characteristics, such as a tone color, a tone pitch and a tone volume of the musical tone in response to the playing of an electronic musical instrument, for example. However, the conventional musical tone generating apparatus cannot convert the movement of the player into the musical tone.

It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a musical tone generating apparatus which converts the movement of the player into the musical tone.

In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a musical tone generating apparatus comprising: (a) detecting means for detecting a movement of a moving man; and (b) means for generating a musical tone signal corresponding to a detecting result of the detecting means, the musical tone signal representing a tone pitch, a tone volume or a tone color of a musical tone to be generated.

In a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a musical tone generating apparatus comprising: (a) speed detecting means for detecting a moving speed of a man; and (b) means for generating a musical tone signal corresponding to a detecting result of the speed detecting means, the musical tone signal representing a tone pitch, a tone volume or a tone color of a musical tone to be generated.

In a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a musical tone generating apparatus comprising: (a) position detecting means for detecting a position of a moving man; and (b) means for generating a musical tone signal corresponding to a detecting result of the position detecting means, the musical tone signal representing a tone pitch, a tone volume or a tone color of a musical tone to be generated.

In a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a musical tone control apparatus comprising: (a) detecting means for detecting a direction to which a predetermined portion of a man turns; and (b) means for generating musical tone control data which control a musical tone in response to a detecting result of the detecting means.

In a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a musical tone control apparatus comprising: (a) detecting means for detecting a direction of a light emitted from light emitting means mounted at a predetermined portion of a man; and (b) means for generating musical tone control data which control a musical tone in response to a detecting result of the detecting means.

In a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a musical tone control apparatus comprising: (a) detecting means for detecting a jumping movement of a man; and (b) means for generating musical tone control data which control a musical tone signal based on a detecting result of the detecting means.

In a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a musical tone control apparatus comprising: (a) speed detecting means for detecting a jumping speed of a man; and (b) means for generating musical tone control data which control a musical tone signal based on a detecting result of the detecting means.

In an eighth aspect of the invention, there is provided a musical tone control apparatus comprising; (a) height detecting means for detecting a jumping height of a man; and (b) means for generating musical tone control data which control a musical tone signal based on a detecting result of the detecting means.

In a ninth aspect of the invention, there is provided a musical tone control apparatus comprising: (a) detecting means for detecting heat produced by a movement of a man; and (b) means for generating musical tone control data which control a musical tone signal based on a detecting result of the detecting means.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an appearance of a first embodiment of the musical tone generating apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the circuit construction of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and a fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 3 shows a main portion of a second embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the second embodiment;

FIG. 5 shows a main portion of a third embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the third embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows an appearance of the fourth embodiment;

FIGS. 8(a) to 8(e) show waveforms of signals at several points of the circuit shown in FIG. 2 according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 9 shows an appearance of a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the fifth embodiment;

FIGS. 11A and 11B show thermal detectors mounted on player's hands according to a sixth embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing the thermal detector shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B; and

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the sixth embodiment.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views description will be given with respect to several embodiments of the present invention in order.

FIG. 1 shows an appearance of a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit constitution of the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, 1a and 2a designate light emitting elements, 1b and 2b designate light receiving elements for respectively receiving lights emitted from the light emitting elements 1a and 2a. The light emitting elements 1a and 2a are stored in a unit U.sub.A, and the light receiving elements 1b and 2b are stored in a unit U.sub.B The light emitting elements 1a and 2a are arranged opposite to the light receiving elements 1b and 2b so that the lights emitted from the elements 1a and 2a can be received by the elements 1b and 2b respectively, and these elements 1a, 2a, 1b and 2b are all arranged at the same height identical to a height of a human waist. More specifically, the height where these elements 1a, 2a, 1b and 2b are arranged is approximately equal to 80 cm height from the floor. When a man M passes through a path between the light emitting elements 1a, 2a and the light receiving elements 1b, 2b in a direction A, the light emitted from the light emitting element 1a is first shut out by the man M, and then, the light emitted from the light emitting element 2a is shut out by the man M. When the light emitted from the light emitting element 1a is shut out, an output level of the light receiving element 1b turns up to a high (H) level. Similarly, when the light emitted from the light emitting element 2a is shut out, an output level of the light receiving element 2b turns up to the "H" level.

Next, in FIG. 2, a differentiation circuit 3 outputs a pulse signal to a set input terminal S of a flip-flop 5 to thereby set the flip-flop 5 at a leading edge timing of the output signal of the light receiving element 1b, and another differentiation circuit 4 outputs another pulse signal to a reset input terminal R of the flip-flop 5 to thereby reset the flip-flop 5 at a leading edge timing of the output signal of the light receiving element 2b. More specifically, this flip-flop 5 is set when the man M shuts out the light emitted from the light emitting element 1a, and this flip-flop 5 is reset when the man M shuts out the light emitted from the light emitting element 2a. As a result, a pulse width of an output signal outputted from an output terminal Q of the flip-flop 5 corresponds to a moving speed of the man M who moves in the direction A. Next, an AND gate 6 is subjected to an open state while the output level of the flip-flop 5 is at the "H" level, whereby a clock pulse CP is supplied to a clock input terminal CK of a counter 7 via the AND gate 6. Therefore, the moving speed of the man M can be represented by a count value of the counter 7 at a trailing edge timing of the output signal of the flip-flop 5 (i.e., at a timing when the differentiation circuit 4 outputs the pulse signal therefrom). Count data representative of such count value of the counter 7 are supplied to and read by a musical tone signal generating circuit 8 at the timing when the differentiation circuit 4 outputs the pulse signal. Hence, the musical tone signal generating circuit 8 generates a musical tone signal having a tone pitch corresponding to the above count value. This musical tone signal is supplied to a speaker 9 wherein a musical tone having a tone pitch corresponding to the moving speed of the man M is generated.

The above-mentioned first embodiment generates the musical tone when the man M moves in a predetermined one direction (i.e., the direction A). However, it is possible to generate the musical tones respectively when the man M moves forward and backward between the units U.sub.A and U.sub.B. On the other hand, the first embodiment varies the tone pitch of the musical tone in response to the moving speed of the man M. However, it is possible to vary a tone volume or a tone color in response to the moving speed of the man M.

Next, description will be given with respect to a second embodiment in conjunction with FIGS. 3 and 4. As shown in FIG. 3, a certain square area is surrounded by four walls 11 to 14. Light emitting elements 11-1 to 11-N (where N denotes an integral number) are arranged on the wall 11 by certain intervals, and other light emitting elements 12-1 to 12-N are arranged on the wall 12 by certain intervals. On the other hand, light receiving elements 13-1 to 13-N are arranged on the wall 13 by certain intervals such that the lights emitted from the elements 11-1 to 11-N are respectively received by the elements 13-1 to 13-N, and light receiving elements 14-1 to 14-N are arranged on the wall 14 by certain intervals such that the lights emitted from the elements 12-1 to 12-N are respectively received by the elements 14-1 to 14-N. All of above-mentioned elements are arranged on the walls 11 to 14 approximately at the same 80 cm height from the floor. As shown in FIG. 4, output signals of the light receiving elements 13-1 to 13-N are supplied to a position detecting circuit 16, and output signals of the light receiving elements 14-1 to 14-N are supplied to another position detecting shown in FIG. 1, the light receiving elements 13-1 to 13-N output "H" level signals respectively when the lights emitted from the light emitting elements 11-1 to 11-N are shut out. Similarly, the light receiving elements 14-1 to 14-N output "H" level signals respectively when the lights emitted from the light emitting elements 12-1 to 12-N are shut out.

The position detecting circuit 16 detects a position in a direction X (i.e., an X-position) of a man M1 who moves within the square area surrounded by the four walls 11 to 14 based on a position of one light receiving element outputting the "H" level signal among the light receiving elements 13-1 to 13-N, and the position detecting circuit 16 outputs X-position data Dx representative of the detected X-position of the man M1 to a musical tone signal generating circuit 18. Similarly, the position detecting circuit 17 detects a position in a direction Y (i.e., a Y-direction) of the man M1 based on a position of one light receiving element outputting the "H" level signal among the light receiving elements 14-1 to 14-N, and the position detecting circuit 17 outputs Y-position data Dy representative of the detected Y-position of the man M1 to the musical tone signal generating circuit 18. The musical tone signal generating circuit 18 generates a musical tone signal having a tone pitch corresponding to the value of the X-position data Dx, and the amplitude level of such musical tone signal is controlled by the value of the Y-direction data Dy. Such musical tone signal is supplied to a speaker 19. Thus, the speaker 19 generates a musical tone having a tone pitch corresponding to the X-position of the man M1 and also having a tone volume corresponding to the Y-direction of the man M1.

Incidentally, the above-mentioned second embodiment determines the tone pitch of the musical tone based on the X-position data Dx and also determines the tone volume of the musical tone based on the Y-direction data Dy. On the contrary, it is possible to determine the tone volume of the musical tone based on the X-position data Dx and also determine the tone pitch of the musical tone based on the Y-direction data Dy. In addition, it is possible to determine a tone color of the musical tone based on one of the data Dx and Dy. Furthermore, it is possible to control the tone pitch (or the tone color or the tone volume) of the musical tone based on a combination of the data Dx and Dy.

Next, description will be given with respect to a third embodiment in conjunction with FIGS. 5 and 6. In FIG. 5, an infrared (ray) oscillator 101 is fixed at a brow of a man M2 by use of a band 101a, and infrared (ray) sensors 102-1 to 02-N (where N denotes an integral number) are attached and disposed on surrounding walls of a room at the same height approximately identical to a height of the brow of the man M2 by predetermined intervals. Each infrared sensor outputs the "H" level voltage when infrared rays radiated from the infrared oscillator 101 are received by the infrared sensor, and each infrared sensor outputs the "L" (low) level voltage when the infrared rays are not received by the infrared sensor. Such output voltages of the infrared sensors 102-1 to 102-N are respectively supplied to a position detecting circuit 103 shown in FIG. 6. The position detecting circuit 103 detects a direction to which the infrared oscillator 101 turns (i.e., a direction to which a face of the man M2 turns) based on a position of the infrared sensor outputting the "H" level voltage within the infrared sensors 102-1 to 102-N. Hence, the position detecting circuit 103 outputs data HD representative of the detected direction to a musical tone signal generating circuit 104 as musical tone control data. The musical tone signal generating circuit 104 generates a musical tone signal having a tone pitch corresponding to the value of the data HD. Such musical tone signal is supplied to a speaker 105. Thus, the speaker 105 generates a musical tone having a tone pitch corresponding to the direction to which the man M2 turns based on the musical tone signal.

As described above, the third embodiment generates the musical tone corresponding to the direction to which the man M2 turns. In other words, the third embodiment can convert a "turning" movement of the man M2 into the musical tone.

Incidentally, the third embodiment provides the infrared oscillator 101 mounted on the brow of the man M2 so as to detect the direction to which the man M2 turns. Instead, it is possible to mount the infrared oscillator 101 on a breast or a trunk of the man M2 so as to detect a direction to which a body of the man M2 turns. In this case, the infrared sensors 102-1 to 102-N must be fixed at positions having the same height approximately identical to a height of the breast or the trunk of the man M2.

In addition, the third embodiment controls the tone pitch of the musical tone based on the data HD. Instead, it is possible to control a tone length, the tone color or the tone volume of the musical tone. Furthermore, it is possible to select one of a plurality of preset states of the tone colors based on the data HD.

Next, description will be given with respect to a fourth embodiment in conjunction with FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a position detecting section of the fourth embodiment. In FIG. 7, stands 201 and 202 are stood vertically to the floor. This stand 201 provides a light emitting element 203a (such as a light emitting diode (LED) and the like) at the lowest portion thereof and also provides a light emitting element 204a (such as the LED) at the highest portion thereof. On the other hand, the stand 202 provides light receiving elements 203b and 204b (such as photodiodes and the like) at the lowest and highest portions thereof respectively. The elements 203a and 203b are placed at the same height position so that an optical axis of the element 203a is set identical to that of the element 203b. Similarly, the elements 204a and 204b are placed at the same height position so that an optical axis of the element 204a is set identical to that of the element 204b. Further, a predetermined distance is formed between the stands 201 and 202.

Next, description will be given with respect to the operation of the fourth embodiment. The electric circuit construction of the fourth embodiment is identical to that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2, hence, description thereof will be given with respect to different points between the first and fourth embodiments.

When a man M3 stands at a position between the stands 201 and 202, lights respectively emitted from the light emitting elements 203a and 204a are shut out by the man M3. Hence, levels of output signals S1 and S2 (shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b); in FIG. 8, a horizontal axis represents the time and the vertical axis represents the signal level) of the light receiving elements 204a and 204b turn down to the, "L" levels. Next, when the man M3 jumps up and his feet leap off the floor at a time t1, the light emitted from the light emitting element 203a is radiated to the light receiving element 203b wherein the level of the output signal S1 thereof turns up to the "H" level. At a next time t2 when a jumping height of the feet of the man M3 exceeds over the height of the light receiving element 204b, the light emitted from the light emitting element 204a is radiated to the light receiving element 204b wherein the level of the output signal S2 thereof turns up to the "H" level. Thereafter, at a time t3 when the jumping height of the feet of the man M3 becomes lower than the height of the light receiving element 204b, the light emitted from the light emitting element 204a must be shut out by the man M3, whereby the level of the signal S2 turns down to the "L" level. Lastly, at a time t4 when the feet of the man M3 lands at the floor, the light emitted from the light emitting element 203a is shut out by the man M3, whereby the level of the signal S1 turns down to the "L" level.

The above-mentioned signals S1 and S2 are supplied to the differentiation circuits 3 and 4 (shown in FIG. 2) wherein the leading edge portions of the signals S1 and S2 are differentiated. The differentiation circuit 3 outputs a pulse signal S3 (shown in FIG. 8(c)) at the time t1 when the feet of the man M3 leap off the floor, and another differentiation circuit 4 outputs a pulse signal S4 (shown in FIG. 8(d)) at the time t2 when the height of the feet of the man M3 exceeds the height of the light receiving element 204b. The flip-flop 5 is set by the leading edge timing t1 of the signal S3 and reset by the leading edge timing t2 of the signal S4. Therefore, a pulse width of a signal S5 (shown in FIG. 8(e)) outputted from the output terminal Q of the flip-flop 5 corresponds to a jumping speed of the man M3. Next, the AND gate 6 is subjected to the open state in a high level period of the signal S5, hence, the clock pulse CP is supplied to the clock input terminal CK of the counter 7 in such period. This counter 7 is reset at the leading edge timing t1 of the signal S3 when the feet of the man M3 leaps off the floor, and the counter 7 starts to count up the count value thereof from that time and outputs the count data. The count value of the count data at the trailing edge timing t2 of the signal S5 corresponds to the jumping speed of the man M3. Such count data are supplied to the musical tone signal generating circuit 8 as the musical tone control data. The musical tone signal generating circuit 8 inputs the count data of the counter 7 at the leading edge timing t2 of the signal S4 outputted from the differentiation circuit 4 to thereby output the musical tone signal having the tone pitch corresponding to the count data. This musical tone signal drives the speaker 9 as described before.

Next, description will be given with respect to a fifth embodiment in conjunction with FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a position detecting section of the musical tone generating circuit according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 9, stands 205 and 206 are stood vertically to the floor. The stand 205 provides a light emitting element 207-1 (identical to the light emitting elements 203a and 204a shown in FIG. 7) at the lowest portion thereof, and light emitting elements 207-2 to 207-N are sequentially arranged above the light emitting element 207-1 by forming a predetermined interval between two adjacent light emitting elements. On the other hand, the stand 206 provides light receiving elements 208-1 to 208-N (identical to the light receiving elements 203b and 204b) each of which corresponds to each of the light emitting elements 207-1 to 207-N. These light receiving elements 208-1 to 208-N are arranged within the stand 206 such that each of optical axes of the light emitting elements 207-1 to 207-N coincides with each of those of the light receiving elements 208-1 to 208-N.

The overall operation of the fifth embodiment is as follows. When the man M3 stands at a position between the stands 205 and 206, the lights emitted from the light emitting elements 207-1 to 207-N are shut out by the man M3. Hence, all levels of output signals Sa1 to SaN of the light receiving elements 208-1 to 208-N turn to the "L" levels. Next, when the man M3 jumps up and the highest jumping height thereof is approximately equal to or slightly higher than a height of a light receiving element 208-M (where M denotes an integral number, and M is set equal to or smaller than N), the levels of the output signals Sa1 to SaM of the light receiving elements 208-1 to 208-M turn to the "H" levels but other levels of the output signals of the light receiving elements 208-M+1 to 208-N are maintained at the "L" levels.

The above-mentioned signals Sa1 to SaN are supplied to a position detecting circuit 209 shown in FIG. 10. The position detecting circuit 209 checks levels of the signals Sa1 to SaN to thereby generate position data representative of the highest jumping height of the man M3. Such position data are supplied to a musical tone signal generating circuit 210 as the musical tone control data. After the position detecting circuit 209 detects a trailing edge timing of the signal Sa1 (i.e., a timing when the man M3 lands at the floor), the position detecting circuit 209 is reset. The musical tone signal generating circuit 210 inputs the position data outputted from the position detecting circuit 209 at the trailing edge timing of the signal Sa1 inputted into a control terminal 210a thereof. In other words, the musical tone signal generating circuit 209 inputs the position data when the man M3 lands at the floor after the man M3 jumps up. Hence, this musical tone signal generating circuit 209 generates a musical tone signal having a tone pitch corresponding to the inputted position data. This musical tone signal drives a speaker 211 as described before.

As described heretofore, both of the fourth and fifth embodiments controls the musical tone based on the "jumping" movement of the man M3. More specifically, the fourth embodiment controls the tone pitch of the musical tone based on the jumping speed of the man M3, while the fifth embodiment controls the tone pitch of the musical tone based on the jumping height of the man M3.

Incidentally, the fourth embodiment controls the tone pitch of the musical tone based on the count data of the counter 7, while the fifth embodiment controls the tone pitch of the musical tone based on the position data of the position detecting circuit 209. Instead, it is possible to control the tone length, the tone color or the tone volume of the musical tone based on the above count data or the position data. In addition, it is also possible to modify the fourth and fifth embodiments such that one of plural preset states of tone colors is selected based on the above count data or the position data.

Next, description will be given with respect to a sixth embodiment. FIGS. 11A and 11B show player's left and right hands the palms of which are mounted by thermal detectors 301a and 301b respectively. Each of these thermal detectors 301a and 301b is constructed by an outside frame 302, a temperature sensor 303 and a belt 304 as shown by a sectional view in FIG. 12. The outside frame 302 shapes like a square plate and has a hollow construction. In addition, an upper plate 302a of the outside frame 302 is formed by use of a metal having a relatively large thermal conductivity and the like, and a lower side surface thereof is mounted with the temperature sensor 303 constituted by a semiconductor and the like. In addition, a lower side surface of a bottom plate 302b of the outside frame 302 is fixed at a certain portion of the belt 304. Hence, each thermal detector is fixed at the palm of the player's hand by use of the belt 304.

Next, the overall operation of the sixth embodiment is as follows. When an upper side surface of the upper plate 302a of the thermal detector 301a (or 301b) is rubbed by a certain object, heat must be produced by friction between the thermal detector 301a (or 301b) and the certain object. Such produced heat is transmitted to the temperature sensor 303 (shown in FIG. 13) wherein such produced heat is converted into a voltage and such voltage is supplied to a musical tone signal generating circuit 305 as the musical tone control data. Hence, the musical tone signal generating circuit 305 generates a musical tone signal having a tone pitch corresponding to an output level of the temperature sensor 303. Such musical tone signal is supplied to a speaker 306. Thus, the speaker 306 generates a musical tone having a tone pitch corresponding to a value of heat produced by the friction between the upper side plate 302a of the thermal detector 301a (or 301b) and the certain object. For example, the sixth embodiment can generate the musical tone having the tone pitch which becomes higher as the value of heat produced by the above friction becomes larger.

Incidentally, the above-mentioned sixth embodiment controls the tone pitch of the musical tone based on a frictional heat. Instead, it is possible to control the tone color, the tone volume, the tone length or a tempo based on the frictional heat. In addition, it is also possible to select one preset state from plural preset states of tone colors in response to the frictional heat. Further, it is possible to modify the sixth embodiment such that the output level of the temperature sensor 303 is converted into digital data representative of the musical tone control data in an analog-to-digital converter and such digital data are supplied to the musical tone signal generating circuit 305. Furthermore, the sixth embodiment detects the heat produced by a rubbing movement of the player's hands. However, it is possible to detect heat produced by a beating movement of the player.

The above is the description of preferred embodiments of the present invention. According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain specific characteristics in a rhythm gymnastics field and other fields.

Lastly, this invention may be practiced or embodied in still other ways without departing from the spirit or essential character thereof. The preferred embodiments described herein are therefore illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims and all variations which come within the meaning of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.