US 4,361,065 A · Integrated central processor for electronic organ

Abstract

A central processor for an electronic organ in the form of a single, forty pin integrated circuit chip employing multiplexed technology and trinary and tri-level inputs to obtain maximum usage from each pin. The solo manual keys, chord keys, rhythm pattern switches and other control functions are multiplexed externally of the chip, fed into the chip as a time division multiplexed four bit byte over four pins, and demultiplexed internally of the chip. The solo manual information is multiplexed internally of the chip to form a single serial data stream, is combined with solo fill note data generated within the chip and then brought out over a single pin for external demultiplexing. The twelve tones of a musical octave are brought into the chip over twelve pins together with various static control signals, are decoded by tri-level decoders internally of the chip, and then utilized to generate the tones of the chords, also internally of the chip. Chord tone generation is accomplished by selecting the musical fifth tone in an internal ROM, dividing this tone by a factor of three to produce the fundamental and generating the third and seventh tones also through the use of internal ROMs. Keying of the chord tones is accomplished by internal digital sustain keyers which provide an output over a single pin. There is also provided internally of the chip the capability for producing bass patterns, note patterns and rhythm percussion patterns. By suitable controls, the chip may be adapted for use in a large organ configuration, where various of the timing controls are generated externally, and in a small organ configuration, where these controls are generated internally of the chip.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An electronic organ comprising:

a keyboard having a solo portion comprising a continuous succession of linearly arranged keys customarily played by the right hand of the performer and an accompaniment portion comprising a continuous succession of linearly arranged keys customarily played by the left hand of the performer, multiplexer means for scanning the keys of the solo portion of the keyboard and generating a plurality of concurrent synchronized parallel time division multiplexed serial data streams corresponding respectively to diverse portions of the solo portion of the keyboard and each comprising time slots corresponding on a one-to-one basis to the individual keys of their respective portion of the solo portion of the keyboard and having keydown signals in the time slots thereof corresponding to actuated keys of their respective portion of the solo portion of the keyboard, said accompaniment portion including certain keys corresponding respectively to various chords, and means responsive to the accompaniment portion of said keyboard for generating parallel format multiple bit chord words, said words corresponding on a one-to-one basis to said certain keys of said accompaniment portion of the keyboard and for placing one of the chord words on a plurality of said data streams when the accompaniment key corresponding to that chord word is actuated.

An electronic organ comprising:

a keyboard having playing keys constituting a solo manual and an accompaniment manual and wherein certain of the keys of said accompaniment manual correspond respectively to chords playable by the organ,
a plurality of player operated control switches,
multiplexer means for scanning said solo manual and said control switches and generating a plurality of concurrent parallel time division multiplexed serial data streams corresponding respectively to diverse portions of said solo manual and said plurality of control switches, and containing signals in time slots corresponding to actuated keys and switches of their respective portions of said solo manual and said control switches,
said multiplexer means including means for generating parallel format multiple bit binary words corresponding on a one-to-one basis to the chords playable by said certain accompaniment keys, and for placing the respective word on said data streams when one of said certain accompaniment keys is actuated,
a single integrated circuit chip having pins and comprising:
a plurality of input pins connected to said data streams, means providing to said chip tones corresponding in frequency to the twelve tones of an octave, means for generating the tones of the chord corresponding to said respective word when it appears on said data streams and for bringing said chord tones out of said chip on an external output pin of said chip, and means for converting a portion of said data streams comprising signals corresponding to the keys of said solo manual to a single solo time division multiplexed serial data stream and bringing said solo data stream out of said chip on a single pin.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Integrated central processor for electronic organ

Life of this patent

Integrated central processor for electronic organ

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17