Modular electronic keyboard with improved signal generation

Abstract

An improved percussive action electronic keyboard for play as a musical instrument of the type having pivoted playing keys having camming surfaces distal from finger contact surfaces thereof, pivoted hammers having cam follower surfaces for following the playing key camming surfaces, hammer stop for stopping the swing of the hammer in response to depression of its associated key, includes an electronic sensor for generating an electrical signal for each key which is related in amplitude to the pressure with which the key is depressed during play of the keyboard, and a scanning keyboard state monitor connected to said sensor including a keyboard scanner for scanning each of the keys of the keyboard to determine if a key event has occurred, an amplitude comparator for determining when a key depression causes a said key depression signal amplitude to pass predetermined minimum and maximum amplitude threshold values, a scan counter for counting the number of scans occurring between the scans when the key depression amplitude signal passes between the minimum and maximum amplitude threshold values and a digital output for putting out the number of scans as a digital value. A programmed microprocessor is connected to receive the digital value scan count for a key and converts the scan count into a key velocity signal. A keyboard setup memory is connected to the microprocessor for recording user provided setup parameters for operation of the keyboard, and the microprocessor is programmed to operate the keyboard in accordance with the setup parameters recorded in the keyboard setup memory. A programmable output path is connected to the microprocessor for putting out the key velocity signal to music generation equipment.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.