# US 8,785,761 B2 · Sound-generation controlling apparatus, a method of controlling the sound-generation controlling apparatus, and a program recording medium

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- Number: US 8,785,761 B2
- Document ID: US8785761B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/845,025
- Filed: 2013-03-17
- Published: 2013-09-19
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-19
- Assignees: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yuji Tabata
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785761B2

## CPC

- G10H 1/46: Volume control
- G10H 1/32: Constructional details
- G10H 1/348: {Switches actuated by parts of the body other than fingers}
- G10H: ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE

## Abstract

An electronic drum set is provided, which allows a user to give a performance, feeling as if the user is playing acoustic drums. The electronic drum set DS is provided with a foot board, a potentiometer, and CPU. The foot board is pressed down by the user. When the user presses the foot board down, the potentiometer mounted on the foot board obtains an angular rate and angular acceleration of the foot board. CPU determines based on the obtained angular acceleration, a timing, at which an instruction of generating a musical tone is given. Further, CPU controls based on the obtained angular rate, a generating state of a musical tone, the generation of which is instructed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sound-generation controlling apparatus comprising:
a pedal adapted to be pressed down by a user;
an angular data obtaining unit provided on the pedal for obtaining an angular rate and an angular acceleration of the pedal when the pedal has been pressed down by the user;
a sound-generation instructing unit for determining a timing at which an instruction of generating a musical tone is given based on the angular acceleration of the pedal obtained by the angular data obtaining unit; and
a sound-generation controlling unit for controlling a sound volume of the musical tone, the generation of which is instructed by the sound-generation instructing unit, based on the angular rate of the pedal obtained by the angular data obtaining unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sound-generation controlling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the angular data obtaining unit comprises:
a potentiometer for obtaining a moving distance of the pedal when the pedal is pressed down by the user to detect an angle of the pedal;
an angular rate obtaining unit for obtaining a variation per unit time of the angle detected by the potentiometer to obtain the angular rate of the pedal; and
an angular acceleration obtaining unit for obtaining a variation per unit time of the angular rate of the pedal obtained by the angular rate obtaining unit to obtain the angular acceleration of the pedal.

### Claim 3

A computer readable non-transitory recording medium having stored thereon a program for controlling a control unit of a sound-generation controlling apparatus, wherein the sound-generation controlling apparatus comprises a computer, a pedal adapted to be pressed down by a user, and an angular data obtaining unit provided on the pedal for obtaining an angular rate and angular acceleration of the pedal caused when the pedal has been pressed down by the user, and wherein the computer program, when executed on the computer, controls the computer to implement a method comprising:
determining a timing at which an instruction of generating a musical tone is given, based on the angular acceleration of the pedal obtained by the angular data obtaining unit; and
controlling a sound volume of the musical tone, the generation of which is instructed based on the angular rate of the pedal obtained by the angular data obtaining unit.

### Claim 4

A method of controlling a sound-generation controlling apparatus, wherein the sound-generation controlling apparatus comprises a pedal adapted to be pressed down by a user, and an angular data obtaining unit provided on the pedal for obtaining an angular rate and angular acceleration of the pedal caused when the pedal has been pressed down by the user, and wherein the method comprises:
determining a timing at which an instruction of generating a musical tone is given, based on the angular acceleration of the pedal obtained by the angular data obtaining unit; and
controlling a sound volume of the musical tone, the generation of which is instructed based on the angular rate of the pedal obtained by the angular data obtaining unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The computer readable non-transitory recording medium according to claim 3, wherein the angular data obtaining unit comprises:
a potentiometer for obtaining a moving distance of the pedal when the pedal is pressed down by the user to detect an angle of the pedal;
an angular rate obtaining unit for obtaining a variation per unit time of the angle detected by the potentiometer to obtain the angular rate of the pedal; and
an angular acceleration obtaining unit for obtaining a variation per unit time of the angular rate of the pedal obtained by the angular rate obtaining unit to obtain the angular acceleration of the pedal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the angular data obtaining unit comprises:
a potentiometer for obtaining a moving distance of the pedal when the pedal is pressed down by the user to detect an angle of the pedal;
an angular rate obtaining unit for obtaining a variation per unit time of the angle detected by the potentiometer to obtain the angular rate of the pedal; and
an angular acceleration obtaining unit for obtaining a variation per unit time of the angular rate of the pedal obtained by the angular rate obtaining unit to obtain the angular acceleration of the pedal.

### Claim 7

A sound-generation controlling apparatus comprising:
a pedal adapted to be pressed down by a user;
an angular data obtaining unit provided on the pedal for obtaining an angular rate and an angular acceleration of the pedal when the pedal has been pressed down by the user;
a sound-generation instructing unit for determining a timing at which an instruction of generating a musical tone is given based on the angular acceleration of the pedal obtained by the angular data obtaining unit; and
a sound-generation controlling unit for controlling a generating state of the musical tone, the generation of which is instructed by the sound-generation instructing unit, based on the angular rate of the pedal obtained by the angular data obtaining unit;
wherein the angular data obtaining unit comprises:
a potentiometer for obtaining a moving distance of the pedal when the pedal is pressed down by the user to detect an angle of the pedal;
an angular rate obtaining unit for obtaining a variation per unit time of the angle detected by the potentiometer to obtain the angular rate of the pedal; and
an angular acceleration obtaining unit for obtaining a variation per unit time of the angular rate of the pedal obtained by the angular rate obtaining unit to obtain the angular acceleration of the pedal.