Keyboard Pedal Control for Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electromagnetic pedal driving in keyboard musical instruments leads to high power consumption and unnecessary motion reproduction, especially in the fully released region, due to variations in pedal position and depression force, causing wasteful energy use.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a control mechanism that stabilizes the pedal at a shallower depth within the fully released region by converting pedal control data to maintain the pedal at a hold depth after reaching a limit value, utilizing the hysteresis characteristic of the pedal motion mechanism to reduce power consumption without affecting tone reproduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pedal is electromagnetically driven to exactly reproduce the recorded performance data, then the reproduction fidelity is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of pedal position by introducing a hold depth value that is shallower than the limit value. When the pedal reaches the limit value, the controller limits further depression and holds the pedal at the hold depth, thereby reducing the depth of pedal depression while maintaining functional equivalence in the fully released region.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by not fully reproducing the excessive pedal depression recorded in the performance data. Since any pedal position in the fully released region produces the same tone, the controller selectively reproduces only the necessary pedal action (holding at hold depth) rather than exactly replicating the performer's actual pedal movements, thereby reducing power consumption without affecting tone reproduction.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the pedal position is stabilized at a shallower hold depth, then the power consumption is reduced, but the pedal motion control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the pedal position and comparing it with the hold depth value. The controller adjusts the electromagnetic actuator based on the difference between the actual pedal position and the target hold depth, ensuring the pedal is maintained at the correct position while reducing unnecessary motion and power consumption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively reduces power consumption by stabilizing the pedal at a shallower position within the fully released region, minimizing unnecessary motion and energy waste while maintaining faithful tone reproduction.
Implementation Method 1
The pedal is driven generally using an electromagnetic actuator.
Implementation Method 2
utilizing the hysteresis characteristic of the pedal motion mechanism to reduce power consumption
Data Source
AI summary
A keyboard musical instrument, including: keys; a pedal; an input portion configured to input performance data including tone generation control data that specifies generation and halt of a musical tone and pedal control data that specifies a depression depth of the pedal; a drive portion configured to drive the pedal; and a controller configured to control the drive portion on the basis of the pedal control data in the performance data inputted by the input portion, wherein the controller is configured to control the drive portion such that, where the depression depth of the pedal exceeds a first depth by controlling the drive portion, the pedal is located at a third depth that is shallower than a second depth after the pedal has reached the second depth that is deeper than the first depth.