Electronic Wind Instrument Tonguing Detection via Spatial Sensor Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic wind instruments lack precise control over tonguing processes, leading to inaccuracies in tone generation and silence, as they rely on threshold-based detection methods that can be triggered by lip movements, resulting in incorrect execution of tonguing operations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of plural touch sensors along a direction on the wind instrument, with a processor that uses first and second output variables representing variations in sensor outputs to differentiate between tonguing processes and tone silence, ensuring accurate control by distinguishing between tongue and lip movements based on threshold comparisons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If threshold-based detection methods are used to detect tonguing processes, then the detection simplicity is improved, but the measurement precision deteriorates because lip movements can trigger false tonguing detections
Solution Approach 1:
The reed is divided into multiple sensing zones along its length, with each zone having dedicated touch sensors. This segmentation allows the system to distinguish between tongue contact (typically at the tip zone) and lip contact (typically at the base zone) by analyzing which specific zones are activated, thereby improving detection accuracy while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from single-point threshold detection to multi-dimensional spatial detection by arranging touch sensors along the length of the reed. This creates a spatial dimension for detection, allowing the system to differentiate between tonguing and lipping actions based on the location of contact rather than relying solely on pressure threshold comparisons.
2Measurement precision
If multiple touch sensors are disposed along the reed to differentiate tongue and lip movements, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touch sensors serve multiple functions: they detect both the presence and location of contact on the reed, differentiate between tongue and lip actions, and provide spatial information for tone control. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate sensor systems for different detection purposes, thereby managing complexity while improving precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the detection of contact presence, contact location, and action type differentiation into a single integrated sensor array system. By merging these functions into one cohesive structure along the reed, the system achieves high measurement precision without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
3Measurement precision
If variation per unit time of sensor outputs is used to differentiate tonguing from lip movements, then the measurement precision is improved, but the calculation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or manual differentiation methods with automated electronic calculation of variation per unit time. The processor automatically computes the rate of change of sensor outputs and compares it against predefined thresholds, substituting what would otherwise require complex mechanical timing mechanisms or manual analysis with simple electronic differentiation and threshold comparison.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An electronic wind instrument is provided with a processor (CPU 5) and plural touch sensors (a detecting unit 12s and detecting units 13s) disposed along a first direction. A first output variable da/dt is obtained, representing a variation per unit time of an output value from a first sensor (detecting unit 12s) in the plural touch sensors disposed on the side close to first end (tip side) in the first direction. A second output variable dS/dt is obtained, representing a variation per unit time of a sum of output values from second sensors (detecting units 13s) disposed between a second end (heel side) and the first sensor in the first direction. The processor judges based on the first output variable da/dt and the second output variable dS/dt whether a tonging process should be performed.