Key multi-dimensional touch sensing unit and keyboard instrument multi-key signal acquisition system

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of key multi-dimension touch sensing unit and keyboard instrument multi-key signal acquisition system, it is related to musical instrument technical field, including key main body, intensity sensing layer, signal acquisition circuit board and flat cable, the flat cable is connected with the signal acquisition circuit board;The key main body is equipped with sensing area, the intensity sensing layer is laid in the sensing area and is connected with the signal acquisition circuit board, the intensity sensing layer is used to collect the multi-channel electric signal on the sensing area, and the multi-channel electric signal is sent to the signal acquisition circuit board;The intensity sensing layer includes printed circuit board and at least two intensity sensing units. Adopt the utility model, multi-channel electric signal can be accurately collected, and portability is strong.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of musical instrument technology, and in particular to a key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit and a multi-key signal acquisition system for keyboard instruments. Background Technology

[0002] When upgrading traditional pianos and electronic keyboards to be intelligent, a common approach is to add devices such as long strip-shaped optical gratings, magnetoresistive sensors, Hall effect sensors, or single-point pressure switches below the keyboard to detect key presses. Other solutions involve installing sensors such as accelerometers or laser displacement meters in the action or hammers to estimate force. These approaches generally have the following shortcomings:

[0003] 1. Highly invasive installation: Requires disassembly of the keyboard assembly or modification of the key blank, resulting in a large amount of on-site construction work;

[0004] 2. Limited information dimensions: Only binary switch signals or a small amount of displacement data can be obtained, making it difficult to reflect the key position distribution and the actual force.

[0005] 3. Complex wiring and difficult maintenance: The sensor strip is highly coupled with the core mechanism, and once it fails, the entire unit needs to be replaced, resulting in high maintenance costs;

[0006] 4. Poor portability: The body structure of different models varies greatly, resulting in insufficient versatility.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a touch sensing solution with rich information dimensions and simple wiring to better serve scenarios such as teaching assessment, performance data analysis and digital music interaction. Utility Model Content

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit and a multi-key signal acquisition system for keyboard musical instruments, which can accurately acquire multi-channel electrical signals and has strong portability.

[0009] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this utility model provides a key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit, comprising a key body, a force sensing layer, a signal acquisition circuit board, and a ribbon cable, wherein the ribbon cable is connected to the signal acquisition circuit board; the key body has a sensing area, the force sensing layer is laid within the sensing area and connected to the signal acquisition circuit board, the force sensing layer is used to acquire multi-channel electrical signals on the sensing area and send the multi-channel electrical signals to the signal acquisition circuit board; the force sensing layer includes a printed circuit board and at least two force sensing units.

[0010] As an improvement to the above solution, the force sensing layer is encapsulated inside the key body or laid on top of the key body, and the force sensing layer is connected to the signal acquisition circuit board through the ribbon cable.

[0011] As an improvement to the above solution, the force sensing layer and the signal acquisition circuit board are both encapsulated within the key body, and the signal acquisition circuit board is connected to an external device via the ribbon cable.

[0012] As an improvement to the above solution, the key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit further includes at least one inertial sensor connected to the signal acquisition circuit, the inertial sensor being used to acquire acceleration information or angular velocity information of the key body.

[0013] As an improvement to the above solution, the ribbon cable includes a power line, a ground line, and a pair of differential communication lines.

[0014] As an improvement to the above scheme, the force sensing unit array is distributed within the sensing area.

[0015] As an improvement to the above solution, the force sensing unit is a piezoresistive thin film or a capacitive array.

[0016] Accordingly, this utility model also provides a multi-key signal acquisition system for keyboard instruments, which includes a keyboard instrument, a bus processor and several key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing units. The key bodies are disposed on the key positions of the keyboard instrument and correspond one-to-one with the key positions. The signal acquisition circuit board is connected to the bus processor.

[0017] As an improvement to the above solution, the signal acquisition circuit board is connected to the bus processor in parallel or daisy chain.

[0018] As an improvement to the above solution, the keyboard instrument multi-key signal acquisition system also includes a server connected to the bus processor.

[0019] This invention can be applied to keyboard musical instruments. By combining a force-sensing layer, a signal acquisition circuit board, and the key body, a multi-key signal acquisition system for keyboard musical instruments based on several key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing units is constructed. The system is compact, has simple wiring, and is easy to maintain, making it particularly suitable for the intelligent upgrade of keyboard instruments such as pianos and electronic keyboards. Specifically, the beneficial effects of implementing this invention are as follows:

[0020] Low-invasive upgrade: Only the keycaps are replaced; no need to disassemble the keyboard frame or modify the key wood.

[0021] High-resolution force and position acquisition: The array channels cover 8 to 48 points, supporting more accurate touch analysis;

[0022] Minimal wiring: The cabling simultaneously provides power and differential communication;

[0023] Modular maintenance: Damaged single keys can be replaced independently, with an average repair time of less than 2 minutes;

[0024] Multi-protocol compatibility: Differential interfaces such as USB-CDC, CAN, and RS-485 are available for easy integration with existing software platforms;

[0025] Highly scalable: Optional inertial sensors can meet different cost and functional requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the multi-key signal acquisition system for keyboard musical instruments of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the following will describe this utility model in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is hereby declared that the terms "up," "down," "left," "right," "front," "back," "inner," and "outer," etc., appearing or about to appear in this document, are based solely on the accompanying drawings and are not intended to specifically limit this utility model.

[0029] See Figure 1 , Figure 1 An embodiment of the key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit of the present invention is shown, which includes a key body 1, a force sensing layer 2, a signal acquisition circuit board 3 and a ribbon cable. The ribbon cable is connected to the signal acquisition circuit board 3. The key body 1 is provided with a sensing area. The force sensing layer 2 is laid in the sensing area and connected to the signal acquisition circuit board 3. The force sensing layer 2 is used to collect multi-channel electrical signals on the sensing area and send the multi-channel electrical signals to the signal acquisition circuit board 3.

[0030] The following sections provide detailed descriptions of the key body 1, the force sensing layer 2, the signal acquisition circuit board 3, and the ribbon cable:

[0031] I. Key Body 1

[0032] This embodiment can be applied to traditional pianos, electronic keyboards and other equipment; wherein, the key body 1 is a key skin structure, which is consistent with the original key size and appearance, and can directly replace the original key skin without changing the key wood blank, which is convenient for later maintenance and expansion.

[0033] Generally, the key body 1 can be made of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene plastic) plastic, or it can be made of high-end lightweight materials such as aluminum alloy CNC (Computer Numerical Control) + laser cladding ceramic layer.

[0034] II. Force Sensing Layer 2

[0035] The force sensing layer 2 includes a printed circuit board and at least two force sensing units 21.

[0036] It should be noted that the number of force sensing units 21 (i.e. the number of channels of multi-channel electrical signals) can be set according to the key surface area and the required resolution. Generally, it can be set to 8 to 48 to acquire 8 to 48 channels of multi-channel electrical signals.

[0037] For example, for white keys with a large area, 16 to 48 force sensing units 21 can be arranged to collect 16 to 48 channels of multi-channel electrical signals;

[0038] For example, for black keys with a smaller area, 8 to 24 force sensing units 21 can be arranged to collect 8 to 24 channels of multi-channel electrical signals.

[0039] In order to better collect the force at different positions on the key surface, the force sensing units 21 are arrayed in the sensing area, which is convenient to arrange and easy to wire.

[0040] Furthermore, the force sensing unit 21 is a piezoresistive film, a capacitive array, or a combination of both, used to output a multi-channel electrical signal corresponding to the key surface position, thereby achieving high-resolution force / position detection;

[0041] In this embodiment, the force sensing layer 2 is encapsulated inside the key body 1 or laid on top of the key body 1 by injection molding, and the force sensing layer 2 is connected to the signal acquisition circuit board 3 by a ribbon cable.

[0042] During processing, the force sensing layer 2 is first pre-placed in the injection mold of the key body 1, and then injection molding is performed to cover the edges with plastic and solidify the force sensing layer 2, thereby achieving an integrated structure, preventing the printed circuit board and force sensing unit 21 from shifting and improving durability.

[0043] In other embodiments, the force sensing layer 2 and the signal acquisition circuit board 3 are both encapsulated in the key body 1 by injection molding, and the signal acquisition circuit board 3 is connected to external devices via ribbon cables.

[0044] III. Signal Acquisition Circuit Board 3

[0045] Under normal circumstances, the signal acquisition circuit board 3 can be encapsulated in the key body 1 by injection molding, or it can be housed in the receiving cavity at the bottom of the key body 1.

[0046] The signal acquisition circuit board 3 is connected to the force sensing layer 2 and is used to store and forward multi-channel electrical signals. It can also perform conditioning, analog-to-digital conversion and digital encoding of multi-channel electrical signals.

[0047] Specifically, the signal acquisition circuit board 3 integrates an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a microcontroller (MCU), and necessary communication interface chips; the ADC can adopt a Σ-Δ (Sigma-Delta) structure with a resolution of 16~24 bits; the microcontroller has a main frequency of 40~240MHz and a built-in USB-FS / CAN-FD controller.

[0048] IV. Cable routing

[0049] In this embodiment, the ribbon cable includes at least four wires: a power wire, a ground wire, and a pair of differential communication lines. The differential communication lines support any one of USB-CDC (full speed), CAN-FD (2Mbps), RS-485 (up to 3Mbps), or other differential serial communication protocols.

[0050] Generally, ribbon cables are made of FFC (flexible flat cable) or FPC (flexible printed circuit board), with a spacing of 0.5~1.0mm between the center lines of two adjacent conductors (pins, wires, pads, contacts), and a bending life of more than 10,000 cycles.

[0051] Furthermore, the key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit also includes at least one inertial sensor connected to the signal acquisition circuit. The inertial sensor is used to acquire acceleration or angular velocity information of the key body 1 when it is pressed or rebounds. Preferably, the inertial sensor is a triaxial accelerometer with a range of ±16g.

[0052] Therefore, this utility model of a key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit combines the key body 1, force sensing layer 2, signal acquisition circuit board 3 and ribbon cable, which can be replaced and installed without modifying the key blank. It is easy to operate, has high acquisition accuracy, and is convenient for later maintenance and expansion.

[0053] See Figure 2 , Figure 2 An embodiment of the multi-key signal acquisition system for keyboard musical instruments of this utility model is shown. It includes a keyboard musical instrument, a bus processor 4 and several key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing units. The key body 1 is disposed on the key position of the keyboard musical instrument and corresponds one-to-one with the key position. The signal acquisition circuit board 3 is connected to the bus processor 4.

[0054] For example, when the force sensing layer 2 and the signal acquisition circuit board 3 are both encapsulated in the key body 1 by injection molding, the signal acquisition circuit board 3 is connected to the bus processor 4 via a ribbon cable.

[0055] For example, when the force sensing layer 2 is encapsulated in the key body 1 or laid on top of the key body 1 by injection molding, the force sensing layer 2 and the signal acquisition circuit board 3 can be connected by a ribbon cable; at the same time, the signal acquisition circuit board 3 can also be connected to the bus processor 4 by a ribbon cable.

[0056] For example, when the force sensing layer 2 is encapsulated in the key body 1 or laid on top of the key body 1 by injection molding, only one signal acquisition circuit board 3 can be used, and the bus processor 4 can be integrated on the signal acquisition circuit board 3. Each force sensing layer 2 is connected to the same signal acquisition circuit board 3 through a ribbon cable.

[0057] Furthermore, the signal acquisition circuit board 3 is connected to the bus processor 4 in parallel or daisy chain, and the bus processor 4 provides unified power supply, manages addresses, and converts multi-channel electrical signals into MIDI, OSC, or network protocol outputs.

[0058] More preferably, the keyboard instrument multi-key signal acquisition system also includes a server connected to the bus processor 4. During operation, the bus processor 4 can package multi-channel electrical signals into data formats such as MIDI 2.0 Note On / Off + Poly Pressure or OSCJSON, and transmit them to the teaching analysis software on the server via USB, Ethernet, or BLE, thereby enabling intelligent teaching, performance evaluation, and human-computer interaction. The bus processor 4 and the server can communicate over long distances via 10 / 100M Ethernet-PoE.

[0059] Accordingly, the performance and reliability indicators of the multi-key signal acquisition system for keyboard musical instruments of this utility model are shown in Table 1 below:

[0060] Table 1

[0061]

[0062] As can be seen from the above, this utility model can be applied to keyboard musical instruments. By combining the force sensing layer 2, the signal acquisition circuit board 3, and the key body 1, a multi-key signal acquisition system for keyboard musical instruments based on several key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing units is constructed. The system has a compact structure, simple wiring, and convenient maintenance, making it particularly suitable for the intelligent upgrading of keyboard instruments such as pianos and electronic keyboards. Specifically, the beneficial effects of implementing this utility model are as follows:

[0063] Low-invasive upgrade: Only the keycaps are replaced; no need to disassemble the keyboard frame or modify the key wood.

[0064] High-resolution force and position acquisition: The array channels cover 8 to 48 points, supporting more accurate touch analysis;

[0065] Minimal wiring: The cabling simultaneously provides power and differential communication;

[0066] Modular maintenance: Damaged single keys can be replaced independently, with an average repair time of less than 2 minutes;

[0067] Multi-protocol compatibility: Differential interfaces such as USB-CDC, CAN, and RS-485 are available for easy integration with existing software platforms;

[0068] Highly scalable: Optional inertial sensors can meet different cost and functional requirements.

[0069] The above description is the preferred embodiment of this utility model. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit, characterized in that, It includes a key body, a force sensing layer, a signal acquisition circuit board, and a ribbon cable, wherein the ribbon cable is connected to the signal acquisition circuit board; The key body is provided with a sensing area, and the force sensing layer is laid in the sensing area and connected to the signal acquisition circuit board. The force sensing layer is used to collect multi-channel electrical signals on the sensing area and send the multi-channel electrical signals to the signal acquisition circuit board. The force sensing layer includes a printed circuit board and at least two force sensing units.

2. The key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The force sensing layer is encapsulated within the key body or laid on top of the key body, and the force sensing layer is connected to the signal acquisition circuit board via the ribbon cable.

3. The key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The force sensing layer and the signal acquisition circuit board are both encapsulated within the key body, and the signal acquisition circuit board is connected to an external device via the ribbon cable.

4. The key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes at least one inertial sensor connected to the signal acquisition circuit, the inertial sensor being used to acquire acceleration or angular velocity information of the key body.

5. The key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cable includes a power line, a ground line, and a pair of differential communication lines.

6. The key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The force sensing unit array is distributed within the sensing area.

7. The key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The force sensing unit is a piezoresistive thin film or a capacitive array.

8. A multi-key signal acquisition system for a keyboard musical instrument, characterized in that, The device includes a keyboard instrument, a bus processor, and several key-type multi-dimensional touch sensing units as described in any one of claims 1 to 7. The key body is disposed on the key position of the keyboard instrument and corresponds one-to-one with the key position. The signal acquisition circuit board is connected to the bus processor.

9. The keyboard instrument multi-key signal acquisition system as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The signal acquisition circuit board is connected to the bus processor in parallel or daisy chain.

10. The keyboard instrument multi-key signal acquisition system as described in claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, It also includes a server connected to the bus processor.

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