US 5,438,529 A · Percussion input device for personal computer systems

Abstract

A percussion system including at least one force transducer developing a variable resistance output based upon a force exerted upon its surface, an interface providing an interface output based upon the analog output of the force transducer, and a digital processing system coupled to the interface. The analog input is preferably a variable resistance, and the interface output is preferably a pulse having a width related to the variable resistance. The interface preferably includes a capacitive member to form an RC circuit with the force transducer, and circuitry responsive to the RC circuit to produce a digital output. The digital processing system stores the digital output of the interface in memory and processes the digital output with other digital outputs of the interface to perform a computer implemented process such as producing a synthesized drum sound. The percussion device preferably includes a transducer element sandwiched between two elastomeric members which are configured and sized to operate both as a percussive input device and as a mouse pad for the personal computer system.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A percussion system comprising:

at least one force transducer developing a variable resistance output based upon a percussive force exerted upon a surface thereof;
an interface having at least at least one input and at least one output, said input being coupled to said output of said force transducer, said interface having a capacitive member coupled to said input such that said force transducer and said capacitive member together form an RC circuit, and means responsive to said RC circuit and operative to produce an output signal on said at least one output of said interface which is responsive to said percussive force exerted on said surface of said force transducer;
and
a digital processing system including memory means, said digital processing system being coupled to said output of said interface such that a digital value at said output can be stored in a memory location of said memory means, whereby said value at said memory location is reflective of said percussive force being exerted on said surface of said force transducer.

1 more element

A percussion input device for personal computer systems comprising:

a percussion transducer element having an upper surface and a lower surface and a pair of nodes, wherein a signal developed at said pair of nodes is dependent upon a percussive force applied to substantially any portion of said upper surface without regard to the location of said percussive force on said upper surface;
an elastomeric member having an upper section with an upper surface coupled to a lower section with a lower surface, said upper surface of said transducer element being responsive to percussive forces transmitted to said lower surface of said elastomeric member from said upper surface of said elastomeric member, said transducer element being mechanically coupled to said lower surface of said elastomeric member, said elastomeric member having a consistency that transmits percussive forces to said transducer element with a substantially linear response, said upper surface providing a good surface for a mouse-type pointing device to engage and move across, said lower section being made of a resilient material;
a cable having a plurality of mutually insulated conducting wires, wherein first ends of a pair of said wires are coupled to said pair of nodes;
and
a connector having a plurality of conductive connector means, wherein two of said connector means are coupled to second ends of said pair of wires, and
whereby said cable and said connector are operable to input said signal to a personal computer system.

3 more elements

A percussion system comprising:

a computer system having an input/output (I/O) bus and a plurality of memory locations;
a percussion input device operative to develop an analog output signal in response to a force being applied to a percussion surface;
an interface having an input coupled to said analog output signal of said percussion input device, said interface providing a interface output signal of said analog output signal and being operative to place said interface output signal on said I/O bus;
means for storing said interface output signal that is on said I/O bus in a designated memory location of said computer system;
means for detecting a change in said designated memory location corresponding to a force being applied to said percussion input device, said means for detecting a change including a computer implemented process having the steps of
(a) initializing a current count value which is used to count to a count limit;
(b) detecting a change in at least one bit of said designated memory location corresponding to a force being exerted on said percussion input device;
(c) assigning said current count value to a percussion value if a change is detected in said at least one bit for the first time since step (a) was last performed;
and
(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until the current count is at said count limit;
and
means for providing a computer system implemented result upon said detection of a change in said designated memory location.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Percussion input device for personal computer systems

Life of this patent

Percussion input device for personal computer systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29