# US 9,519,733 B2 · System and method for designing and fabricating string instruments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,519,733 B2 - Document ID: US9519733B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/050,709 - Filed: 2013-10-10 - Published: 2014-04-10 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-10-10 - Assignees: 3D Systems, Inc. - Applicants: 3D Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Scott Summit - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519733B2 ## CPC - G06F 30/12: characterised by design entry means specially adapted for CAD, e.g. graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for CAD - G06F 30/00: Computer-aided design [CAD] - G10H 1/0008: {Associated control or indicating means} - G10H 3/188: {for converting the signal to digital format (transmission using a MIDI interface G10H1/0066)} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - 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 A computer provides a graphical user interface that allows designers to design string instruments. The dimensions and shape of the string instrument design can be altered using controls. The wind instrument design can be stored in a database and transmitted to a 3 dimensional printer which can fabricate the string instrument. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for designing an acoustic string instrument comprising: a user interface of a computer that displays a digital representation of a body of the acoustic string instrument that includes a soundboard with a sound hole and an internal body volume, the user interface having a plurality of controls that allows altering a design of the body of the acoustic string instrument; and a database that stores the design of the body, the soundboard, the soundboard and the internal body volume of the acoustic string instrument. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising: a sound prediction program on the computer for predicting a sound of the acoustic string instrument. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein a description of the sound of the acoustic string instrument predicted by the sound prediction program is output by the computer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein audio signals of the sound of the acoustic string instrument predicted by the sound prediction program are output by the user interface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of controls includes a first control for changing a first dimension of the body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of controls includes a second control for changing a convex curvature of a back of the body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of controls includes a third control for changing a convex curvature of the soundboard of the body. ### Claim 8 A system for designing an acoustic string instrument comprising: a server coupled to a plurality of client computers through a network, the server providing a user interface to each client computer that displays a digital representation of a body of the acoustic string instrument that includes a soundboard with a sound hole and an internal body volume, the user interface having a plurality of controls that allows altering a design of the body of the acoustic string instrument; and a database coupled to the server that stores the design of the body, the soundboard, the soundboard and the internal body volume of the acoustic string instrument. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 further comprising: a sound prediction program on the server for predicting a sound of the acoustic string instrument. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9 wherein a description of the sound of the acoustic string instrument predicted by the sound prediction program is output on the client computer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9 wherein audio signals of the sound of the acoustic string instrument predicted by the sound prediction program are output to the client computers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of controls includes a first control for changing a first dimension of the body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of controls includes a second control for changing a convex curvature of a back of the body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of controls includes a third control for changing a convex curvature of the soundboard of the body. ### Claim 15 A method for designing an acoustic string instrument comprising: providing a user interface on a computer that displays a digital representation of at least a body of the acoustic string instrument that includes a soundboard with a sound hole and an internal body volume, the user interface having a plurality of controls; using the plurality of controls to design of the body of the acoustic string instrument; and storing the design of the body, the soundboard, the soundboard and the internal body volume of the acoustic string instrument in a database. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further comprising: providing a sound prediction program on the computer for predicting a sound of the acoustic string instrument. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising: displaying a description of the sound of the acoustic string instrument predicted by the sound prediction program on the computer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising: outputting audio signals of the sound of the acoustic string instrument predicted by the sound prediction program from the user interface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further comprising: changing a first dimension of the acoustic string instrument using the plurality of controls. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further comprising: changing a convex curvature of a back or the soundboard of the body using the plurality of controls.