Abstract:
An automatic tuning device including a plurality of universal attachment clamp and tuning motor assemblies, a head-mounted electronics enclosure, and a power pedal. A stringed instrument analog signal is processed by electronics in the power pedal, which calculates and then wirelessly sends information about what string is being played and whether it is in tune. The information is received by a head-mounted electronics enclosure, which then actuates a motor to turn a corresponding tuning peg as needed. The tuning motors are disposed on a universal attachment clamp, which is designed to remain on the instrument headstock securely and unobtrusively.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/677,475, filed Jul. 31, 2013 (Jul. 31, 2012). 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       THE NAMES OR PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
       [0004]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0006]    The present invention relates generally to accessories for musical instruments, and more particularly to musical instrument tuning devices, and still more particularly to automatic musical instrument tuning devices. 
         [0007]    2. Background Discussion 
         [0008]    The following patents describing automatic tuning devices use electromechanical devices to change or maintain pitch. 
         [0009]    US Patent Application Pub. No. 20080006140, by Adams, discloses an automatic tuning device for a guitar which includes a recording device for recording a tone generated by striking a string and for the output of a digital signal corresponding to the recorded tone, a memory device for storage of given digital signals which correspond to a desired tone, a comparator device for comparison of the digital signal output by the recording device with a digital signal corresponding to the desired tone stored in the memory device, an adjuster device for altering the tension of the strings, at least one actuator, for operating the adjuster device, a controller connected to the comparator device, which controls the at least one actuator using a bus line, by means of a difference determined in the comparator device between the signals representing the generated tone and the desired tone. 
         [0010]    US Patent Application Pub. No. 20070240554, by Hany, teaches an attachable string tension control device for adjusting the pitch of each string of a musical instrument. The invention purportedly allows a user to switch instantly between a variety of pre-selected tunings and includes a housing with a plurality of string tension and string height adjustment elements, an attaching system to attach the tuning system to a musical instrument, and a clamping system, and a shaft having a handle for connecting the manual force applied to it to the string tension elements. 
         [0011]    US Patent Application Pub. No. 20070214935, by Lyles, teaches a stringed musical instrument tuning device using springs to apply tension to corresponding musical strings. Each spring is chosen and configured to impart a string tension generally matched to the appropriate tension of the string at perfect tune. The spring is selected and arranged so that the tension in the string maintains at or near perfect tune even as the string elongates or contracts over time. In one embodiment, once a string is placed in appropriate tune, a mechanical visual indicator is set. As such, if the string tune changes due to elongation or contraction, the change is reflected by misalignment of the mechanical visual indicator even if the change cannot be aurally detected. Lyles claims to reestablish and maintain perfect tune by realigning the indicator or interposing a force modulating member between a spring and its corresponding musical string such that the tension applied to the string by the spring is not linearly related to the force exerted by the spring as the spring changes in length. 
         [0012]    US Patent Application Pub. No. 20060037459, by Skinn, describes an apparatus and a method for self-tuning stringed musical instruments with an accompanying vibrato mechanism. The tuning system includes a detector for detecting a first musical tone produced by a string and for producing a signal value corresponding to that tone; a processor coupled to the detector to compare the signal to a reference frequency value associated with a desired frequency and to produce an electrical control signal, which is a function of the difference between the signal value and the reference frequency value; and a string adjustment assembly coupled to the processor and to the string for adjusting the tension of the string in accordance with the electrical control signal. The string adjustment assembly comprises a motor and gear assembly pivotally attached to a housing. 
         [0013]    The above-described systems and devices mentioned all require considerable permanent alterations of the musical instrument in or on which they are installed (viz., guitars). The effect is that the tuning systems cannot be easily moved from one guitar to another, and permanent alterations to the guitar can be expected to adversely affect the sound of the instrument. 
         [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,047 describes an apparatus for tuning stringed instruments in which each string of the instrument is connected to a corresponding sensor and a tensioning driver. The sensor provides to a microprocessor controller a real time value of the tension in the string. A computer receives the real time tension value from the microprocessor and compares it to a predetermined reference value. Feedback information is provided to the microprocessor, which commands the driver to adjust the string tension accordingly. The tuner does not remain coupled to the instrument. Rather, it is attached, operated, and detached when the tuning operation is completed. This gives it the advantage of being adaptable for use with a number of different kinds of stringed instruments, but it also lacks mobility and ease of use. Every time a user wants to tune an instrument, he or she must unplug everything and connect the instrument to the tension sensing device. After tuning, he or she can then continue using the instrument. 
         [0015]    The foregoing patents and patent applications reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents is intended to aid in discharging Applicant&#39;s acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    The present invention is an automatic tuning device made up of three principal subcomponents: (1) a universal attachment clamp and tuning motor assembly (“clamp and motor mount”); (2) a head-mounted electronics enclosure; and (3) a power pedal. A plurality of the clamp and motor mount assemblies are combined with the head-mounted electronics enclosure and the power pedal to comprise a tuning system for stringed instruments having a plurality of strings and a headstock with tuning pegs. The device can be easily attached to and detached from any electric bass guitar, though the apparatus may be adapted for use with all stringed instruments. It is designed to remain installed on an electric bass during practice and performances without at all interfering with, or adversely affecting, the playability of the instrument. When the device is on, the user only needs to play a string and the device determines which string is being played and whether it is in tune or not. If the string is not in tune, the device turns the corresponding tuning peg as necessary to correct the error. When the device is off, the electric bass functions normally. 
         [0017]    The foregoing summary broadly sets out the more important features of the present invention so that the detailed description that follows may be better understood, and so that the present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0018]    Accordingly, before explaining the preferred embodiment of the disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and the arrangements set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The inventive apparatus described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be used as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims are regarded as including such equivalent constructions as far as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the fundamental aspects of the invention, along with the various features and structures that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the present invention, its advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated the preferred embodiment. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is an upper left front perspective view of the inventive universal attachment clamp and tuning motor assembly of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2A  is a left side view in elevation thereof; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2B  is a left side view in elevation showing a clamp and motor mount assembly installed on a guitar headstock and operatively disposed over a tuning peg, the guitar structures shown in phantom; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is an upper front perspective view of a head-mounted electronics enclosure as used in the automatic tuning system of the present invention, here shown without wires for connection to tuning motors; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4A  is a rear view in elevation of a bass guitar headstock showing the structural features of the back of the headstock and the tuning pegs with which the inventive system is engaged when installed; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4B  is an upper front perspective view showing a plurality of the clamp and tuning motor assemblies of  FIG. 1  and the head-mounted electronics enclosure of  FIG. 3  mounted on the backside of a bass guitar headstock; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a power pedal of an automatic tuning device of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is an upper front perspective view of a power pedal of  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is a schematic block diagram showing the processing steps accomplished by the microcontrollers employed in the inventive system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 7 , wherein like reference numerals refer to like components in the various views, there is illustrated therein a new and improved automatic guitar tuner. The first major component is the universal attachment clamp and tuning motor assembly, generally denominated  10  herein. Referring first to  FIGS. 1-2B , it will be seen that the universal attachment clamp and tuning motor assembly  10  (referred to herein as the “clamp and motor mount assembly”) includes a frame  12  having a vertical support  14 , a motor mount arm  16  preferably integral with and extending forwardly from the upper end  18  of the vertical support  14 . The motor mount arm  16  may be configured to accommodate the housing of a tuning motor  20 , or it may simply be provided with through holes that can be aligned with holes in mounting flanges  22  disposed on the tuning motor housing so that mounting bolts  24  can be passed. 
         [0030]    Operatively attached to the tuning motor drive shaft  26  via a drive shaft coupling plate  28  is a tuning peg channel bar  30  (or tuning peg connector), which engages the tuning pegs extending from a guitar headstock. 
         [0031]    Disposed on and extending forwardly from the lower end  32  of the vertical support  14  is a headstock mounting arm  34  which includes a downwardly depending rear clamping boss  36  and two downwardly depending fingers, including a short front finger  38 , and a long front finger  40 . The rear clamping boss  36  has a threaded through hole in which a tightening screw  42  can be passed. The rear clamping boss  36  and the short and long front fingers  38 ,  40 , are spaced apart so as to define a channel  44  into which the edge of a headstock can be inserted and clamped. The interior surfaces of these elements include rubber bumpers  46  to prevent damage to the headstock. The space between the short and long fingers  38 ,  40  also forms a channel  45  into which a tuning peg stem TS can be vertically disposed, such that positioning the clamp and motor assembly on the guitar headstock H enables the tuning key post to extend between short and long fingers  38 ,  40  such that the tuning key knob T is straddled by the tuning peg channel bar  30 . In this configuration, the long finger  40  of the universal attachment clamp extends substantially down to the tuning peg gear housing TH, which is, of course, operatively connected to the tuning peg post P around which the corresponding string is wrapped. 
         [0032]    The universal attachment clamp  12  may be fabricated from high-strength plastic or any other sufficiently rigid, strong, and lightweight material, such as a lightweight metal. The tuning peg channel  30  is preferably made from any high-strength plastic. The rubber bumpers  46  may be made of any pliable rubber or rubber-like material. 
         [0033]    Referring next to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a head-mounted electronics enclosure  50  having a button  52  for user input, and four LEDs,  54   a,    54   b,    54   c,  and  54   d,  to provide visual indications to the user. Inside the low profile and generally rectangular enclosure is an electronics board with a microcontroller and wireless transceiver. The wireless transceiver receives frequency information via wireless signals from a power pedal  70 , discussed in detail in connection with  FIG. 5 . The microcontroller compares the frequency received from the power pedal with the four frequencies of correctly tuned bass guitar strings and determines which it is closest to. It will assume a match between a string having a correct frequency closest to the actual frequency of the string being played. The microcontroller then calculates an error based on how far the frequency received is from the desired frequency and from this, the device can determine whether the string is sharp, flat, or acceptably in tune. 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , it will be seen that in an implementation for use on an electric bass guitar, four clamp and tuning motor assemblies s  10   a,    10   b,    10   c,  and  10   d,  are mounted on the upper edge He of the guitar headstock H. such that the four tuning peg stems TSa, TSb, TSc, and TSd are disposed through channels  45   a,    45   b,    45   c,  and  45   d,  and the tuning key knobs Ta, Tb, Tc, and Td are straddled by the respective tuning peg channel bars,  30   a,    30   b ,  30   c,  and  30   d.  The head-mounted electronics enclosure  50  is mounted on the back side Hb of the headstock H and is electrically connected to the four tuning motors  20   a,    20   b,    20   c,    20   d  via individual wires,  24   a,    24   b,    24   c,    24   d.  The microcontroller in the electronics enclosure sends control signals to the tuning motors to turn the tuning pegs specified amounts according to the calculated errors. 
         [0035]    While in a preferred embodiment the electronic connected between the electronics in electronic enclosure  50  is accomplished through physical wires, it will be appreciated that wireless signaling using a number of suitable small area wireless communications technologies is also possible and is contemplated in the instant disclosure, including Bluetooth, wireless induction, infrared wireless, ZigBee, and the like. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 4B , it will also be seen that a head-mounted electronics enclosure  50  is mounted on the backside of the headstock H, preferably below one or more of the tuning peg gear housings THa, THb, THc, THd. The clamp and motor assemblies are positioned such that each tuning peg Ta, Tb, Tc, and Td, of the instrument fits into and is disposed upwardly through the tuning peg channel  45   a,    45   b,    45   c,    45   d,  of one of the four universal attachment clamps, and thus each tuning peg stem is straddled by the short and long fingers  38   a - 38   d,  and  40   a - 40   d,  respectively. In this configuration, each tuning peg gear housing THa, THb, THc, THd, is generally disposed under the long front finger  40   a - 40   d,  respectively. Importantly, each tuning peg is operatively disposed within the corresponding tuning peg channel bar  30   a,    30   b ,  30   c,  and  30   d.  The head-mounted electronics enclosure  50  may be attached to the headstock in a number of suitable ways, though attachment using hook and loop fastener material is simple and sufficient. It will be appreciated that mounting brackets, fasteners, and several alternative attachment means may be employed. 
         [0037]    The control electronics in the head-mounted electronics enclosure are turned on with a long-press to the power button  52 . Under normal operation the automatic tuning device will determine which string is being played. However, if the electric bass guitar is unusually out of tune, the microcontroller may have difficulty determining which string is being played. Therefore, the user may use the power button  52  to override the device and select a particular string to tune. The corresponding LED  54   a - 54   d  will turn on indicating which string is currently being tuned. The head-mounted electronics can be turned off by a sustained press to the button  52 . 
         [0038]    The head-mounted electronics enclosure  50  may be fabricated from lightweight plastic or any other sufficiently lightweight material such as a lightweight metal. 
         [0039]    Referring now to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , there are shown a power pedal  70  having four string-indicating LEDs  72   a,    72   b,    72   c,    72   d,  five tune-indicating LEDs  74   a,    74   b,    74   c,    74   d,    74   e , and various input and output jacks, including a power input jack  76  into which a user plugs a transformer to provide power to the device, a guitar input jack  78  into which the user connects the electric bass guitar cord. On an opposing side of the power pedal is an output jack  80  from which the user can connect a cord to an amp, preamp, pedal, and so forth. When the automatic tuning device is off, the signal from the electric bass guitar bypasses the power pedal and goes directly to any other devices the user may have it connected to (e.g. amp, preamp, other pedals, etc.). When the automatic tuning device is turned on via the stomp switch  82 , however, the signal is cut from other devices and is instead used to tune the device. As will be appreciated, the power pedal  70  may be made of metal or any sufficiently rigid and strong material such as a high-strength plastic. 
         [0040]    Referring next to  FIG. 7 , when the inventive tuning device is properly installed on an instrument, as shown in  FIG. 4B , and then when a string is activated, the power pedal receives an input electric analog signal  90  from the guitar and converts it  92  into a digital square wave with a frequency equal to the frequency of the string being played. It does this via signal conditioning circuitry in the power pedal. A power pedal microcontroller  94  then calculates the frequency of the square wave  96  and transmits this information in a wireless signal  98  to the head-mounted electronics enclosure  50 . The power pedal microcontroller then also determines which string is being played  100  (similarly to the head-mounted electronics enclosure) and lights  102  one of four string-indicating LEDs  72   a - 72   d  indicating which string the power pedal microcontroller calculates as being played. Furthermore, the power pedal microcontroller  94  in the power pedal  70  determines whether the strings is sharp, flat, or in tune  104  (similarly to the head-mounted electronics enclosure) and lights  106  one of the five tune-indicating LEDs  74   a - 74   e  indicating whether the string is flat (left LEDs), sharp (right LEDs), or in tune (middle LED). Thus, the user is provided with visually perceivable information indicating when the device is finished tuning a string when the middle LED is finally lit up. 
         [0041]    As earlier indicated, the user may use the power button  52  to override  116  the automatic tuner and select a particular string to tune. The corresponding LED  54   a - 54   d  on the head mounted electronics enclosure will turn on indicating which string is currently being tuned. In either case, the head mounted microcontroller  110  calculates the tuning error and sends  118  a motor control signal  120  (optionally wireless) to the appropriate drive motor  20   a - 20   d  disposed on a corresponding clamp and tuning motor assembly  10   a,    10   b,    10   c,  and  10   d,  to turn the engaged tuning peg as necessary to bring the string into proper tune. 
         [0042]    As previously noted, and referring still to  FIG. 7 , the head mounted microcontroller  110  in head-mounted electronics enclosure  50  compares the frequency received from the power pedal with the four frequencies of correctly tuned bass guitar strings and determines  112  which it is closest to. It will assume a match between the string having a correct frequency closest to is the string being played. The head mounted microcontroller  110  then calculates an error  114  based on how far the frequency received is from the desired frequency and from this, the head mounted microcontroller can determine whether the string is sharp, flat, or acceptably in tune. 
         [0043]    The above disclosure is sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention, and provides the best mode of practicing the invention presently contemplated by the inventor. While there is provided herein a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of this invention, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, dimensional relationships, and operation shown and described. Various modifications, alternative constructions, changes and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be employed, as suitable, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such changes might involve alternative materials, components, structural arrangements, sizes, shapes, forms, functions, operational features or the like. 
         [0044]    Therefore, the above description and illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.