Abstract:
A method for using a device that has a user interface to control the speed of a rotating sound speaker, which has rotating rotors, between predetermined speeds, is disclosed herein. The method includes the steps of providing a user input through the user interface, adjusting some parameters associated with the device in response to the user input, generating a power output, processing the output through a control circuit and continuously varying the speeds of the rotors accordingly. A rotating speaker system is also disclosed herein. The system includes a rotating speaker and a device that controls the speed of the rotating rotors of the speaker between predetermined speeds.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Certain Leslie® speakers are well known in the industry and music field. Famous rock bands and guitarists rocked and rolled on grinding and beautiful riffs coming from Leslie® speakers. Such bands and musicians include The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jim Peterik, and Pink Floyd. 
         [0002]    Speakers are known that include motor control boards for controlling the movement of components in the speakers to modify the sound produced by musical instruments providing input to the speakers. As is known in the industry, a musician often fine tunes his music to generate various sound effects. This may be accomplished by varying the speed of rotors via a single, or dual, button foot switch so as not to interrupt the playing of the instrument. The switch may include buttons, such as a STOP button and a FAST/SLOW button. Though the industry is familiar with switches that allow some varying of output, the industry is in need to a switch that allows greater variation and control speed. The industry is also in need of systems and methods to allow a musician to maintain the rotors at a desired sweet spot. There is a need for an improved switch that will allow greater variation and control of rotors without disruption during the play of an instrument. Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exist in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The objects mentioned above, as well as other objects, are solved by the present invention, which overcomes disadvantages while providing new advantages not previously obtainable in the prior art. 
         [0004]    In a preferred embodiment, a method for using a device, that may include a user interface, to control the speed of a rotating speaker between pre-set minimum and maximum speeds is provided. The sound speaker may include an upper rotating horn connected to a lower drum through a crossover network. The method may include the steps of providing a user input through the user interface of the device, adjusting one or more parameters associated with the device in response to the user input, generating an output according to these parameters, processing the generated output through a circuit and continuously varying the speed of the rotors according to the output. These parameters may include the amount of resistance in a potentiometer that may be coupled to the device or the amount of light passing through a photocell that may be coupled to the device and so forth. Adjusting one or more of these parameters may generate a power output that may be transmitted to a circuit via a variety of means, such as an electromagnetic transmission, a radio frequency transmission, an infrared transmission, a microwave transmission, an acoustic transmission, a wire transmission, a cable transmission, a wireless, a network transmission and so forth. The circuit may process and amplify the power output to control speeds of the rotors of the speaker. 
         [0005]    The invention also includes a speaker system that has a rotating speaker, that includes a horn speaker that has a horn rotor and connected to a drum speaker that has a drum rotor, and a device that has a user interface to continuously control the speed of the rotors between pre-set minimum and maximum speeds of the rotors. The device may be a speed pedal, a slider, a knob, a switch, a variable selector or a wheel and so forth. The device may include a user interface configured to receive a user input. The device may be configured to adjust one or more parameters associated with the device in response to the user input. The change in the parameters may generate output that may be transmitted to a circuit. The circuit may process the output and may vary the speeds of the rotors accordingly. 
         [0006]    Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be, or will become, apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The novel features which are characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself however, together with further objects and attendant advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is side view of a preferred embodiment of the device associated with a potentiometer showing the position of the device at a slow speed position; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the device; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the device associated with a potentiometer showing the position of the device at a fast speed position; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is side view of a preferred embodiment of the device associated with an optical device showing the position of the device at a slow speed position; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the device; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the device associated with an optical device showing the position of the device at a fast speed position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is schematic diagram of a speed control circuit according to the principles of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a block showing a musical instrument and the device connected to a rotating speaker having a speed control circuit; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a block diagram illustrating a method for controlling the speed of a rotating speaker. 
       
    
    
       [0017]    The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    Set forth below is a description of what are believed to be the preferred embodiments and/or best examples of the invention claimed. Future and present alternatives and modifications to this preferred embodiment are contemplated. Any alternatives or modifications which make insubstantial changes in function, in purpose, in structure, or in result are intended to be covered by the claims of this patent. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a device  1  according to the principles of the invention at a minimum or slow speed position. The device  1  may be a speed pedal, a slider, a knob, a switch, a variable selector or a wheel and so forth. One preferred embodiment is a speed pedal  10 . The speed pedal  10  may include a user interface in the form of a pedal shoe  12 . A user interface may include a variety of user input devices, such as buttons and adjustable controls, switches or other device that may be configured to receive a user input. Speed pedal  10  may include a pedal base  14  that may be connected to user interface  12  via a pivot shaft  13 . User interface  12  may be configured to be responsive to a user input in a variety of methods. One method may include the use of a potentiometer  16 . Potentiometer  16  may rotate around a shaft  17 , which may engage shaft linkage  20 . The position of shaft  17  may be fixed to shaft linkage  20  by means of a linkage adjustment screw  15 . Shaft linkage  20  may be coupled to an actuating arm  18 . When user interface  12  receives a user input, such as a press, one or more parameters, such as resistance of potentiometer  16 , may change. User interface  12  may rotate around shaft  13  and applies pressure through actuating arm  18  to shaft linkage  20 . Shaft  17  of potentiometer  16  may rotate until the resistance of potentiometer  16  reaches a pre-determined resistance. Linkage adjustment screw  15  may then be tightened to maintain the maximum resistance setting at a pre-determined level. A small current supplied by a control circuit  31 , shown in  FIG. 7 , may cause a low voltage output to be generated and may be developed across any associated output. 
         [0020]    Alternative embodiment may include a potentiometer that has a small toothed gear that may be coupled to a potentiometer&#39;s shaft instead of shaft linkage  20 . Actuating arm  18  may include a toothed surface that may engage the toothed gear on the potentiometer&#39;s shaft. When user interface  12  receives a user input, the toothed actuating arm may cause the potentiometer&#39;s shaft to rotate and thereby change its electrical resistance. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows a top view of speed pedal  10  and a section cut  29  illustrates the top view of potentiometer  16 . Potentiometer  16  may be rotate around shaft  17 , which may be coupled to shaft linkage  20 . Shaft linkage  20  may be connected to actuating arm  18 . Output wires  19  may be provided to communicate generated output to other components. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  shows a device  1  according to the principles of the invention, such as speed pedal  10 , at a maximum or fast speed position. When speed pedal  10  receives a user input, user interface  12  may move in a downward direction. The action of actuating arm  18  and shaft linkage  20  may cause potentiometer shaft  17  to rotate. The rotation of potentiometer shaft  17  may adjust one or more parameters associated with speed pedal  10 , such as resistance measured at output wires  19 , to increase to high value, may be 9,000 ohms or higher. The maximum value of potentiometer  16  may be set beforehand by the manufacturer of speed pedal  10 . As potentiometer shaft  17  rotates, one or more of the parameters, such as the resistance measured at output wires  19  may increase in response to a user input. The increase in resistance may generate an output, such as a voltage, across output wires  19 . The output voltage may be transmitted in a variety of ways, wired or wireless, to control circuit  31  to control speed of upper horn rotor  51  and lower drum rotor  54  (shown in  FIG. 8 ). Thus, a user may control speeds of rotors  51  and  54  via a user input on user interface  12 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  shows another embodiment of device  1  according to the principles of the invention. A speed pedal  10  may include user interface  12 , which may be configured to be responsive to a user input, in the form of a pressure. One or more parameters associated with speed pedal  10  may be adjusted, such as the amount of lights received through optic sensor  21 , in response to a user input. Optic sensor  21  may include lamp  30  and may be housed inside a housing  28 . Housing  28  may also include photocell  26 , which may be separated from lamp  30  by a light shutter  22 . When speed pedal  10  is in its upright position or minimum pre-set speed, the amount of light passing through open shutter area  23  is at it maximum value and so resistance of photocell  26  may be at lowest value. The low resistance may generate lower voltage output at photocell wires  27 . The low voltage may be transmitted to circuit  31  via wired, wireless, electromagnetic and other ways. The low voltage may be applied to control or influence an upper horn rotor control signal  45  and a lower drum rotor control signal  46  to rotate upper rotating horn rotor  51  and lower drum rotor  54  at their lowest speed. 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  shows a top view of speed pedal  10  and shows a section cut  48 . Section cut  48  shows housing  24  including lamp  30  and photocell  26  that may be separated by light shutter  22 . Output wires  27  and input wires  25  maybe provided accordingly. 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  shows speed pedal  10  at a maximum pre-set speed. As user interface  12  responds to a user input, light shutter  22  may allow less light to be passed through open shutter  23 . As the amount of light decreases, the resistance of photocell  26  may increase and may increase the voltage output measured at photocell wires  27 . The power output may be transmitted to circuit  31 . Circuit  31  may process and amplify the output and apply it to rotors  51  and  54 . Rotors  51  and  54  may continuously vary their speeds accordingly. 
         [0026]      FIG. 7  shows a circuit  31  according to the principles of the invention. When device  1  is connected to circuit  31 , transistor stage  32  may be activated and may turn on transistor  33  to supply a small current to a speed pedal variable resistor  34 . The current may cause a voltage to appear on potentiometer wires  19  or photocell wires  27  when connected to potentiometer  16  or photocell  26 . The voltage may vary depending on the user input. The maximum speed of rotors  51  and  54  may occur when the resistance of speed pedal  10  is at its maximum value resulting in the highest output voltage. When the user input is minimum, the resistance of speed pedal  10  may be at its minimum value and that may cause the voltage across output wires  10  and  27  to be at a minimum value. The low voltage may cause rotors  51  and  54  to run at their minimum speed. The voltage may be amplified by transistors  35  and  36  to generate horn motor control signal  45  for upper horn rotor  51  and may also be amplified by transistors  37  and  38  to generate drum motor control signal  46  for lower drum rotor  54 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 8  shows a traditional rotating sound speaker  50 , such as Leslie® speaker model  122 A. Speaker  50  has an upper rotating horn rotor  51 , which may be connected, by a crossover network  53 , to a lower drum rotor  54 , and may include speaker  52 . Rotor  51  and rotor  54  may include a DC motor or any other type of motors. 
         [0028]      FIG. 9  is a block diagram illustrating a method for controlling the speed of a rotating speaker, such as speaker  50  in  FIG. 8 . Speaker  50  may be controlled from pre-set minimum to maximum speeds. The method may include a step of receiving a signal  56 , for example receiving a signal from a device  1  that may have a user interface  12 , for example speed pedal  10 , receiving a user input. User interface may include buttons and adjustable controls, switches, mechanical, optical, electromechanical or acoustic elements that may be configured to receive a user input. A user input may be mechanical, acoustic, optical, electromagnetic, thermal, and so forth. 
         [0029]    Once the user input is received by device  1 , the step of adjusting parameter(s)  58  associated with device  1  may occur in response to the specific user input. If the user input is mechanical, changes in resistivity of a potentiometer that may be associated with device  1  may occur; if the user input is optical, changes in quantity of light received by an optical device that may be associated with device  1  may occur, and so forth. 
         [0030]    The method may also include the step of outputting  60  changes in one or more parameters. The output may be in the form of power, voltage, thermal, electromagnetic, or any other forms. The output may be a direct result of adjusting parameter(s)  58 . The output may be a voltage generated as a result of changes in the electrical, optical, thermal or acoustic properties of device  1 . The output may also include other forms of power. 
         [0031]    The method may also include processing the output  62 , which may be performed by speed control circuit  31 . Circuit  31  may include discrete circuitry such as passive or active analog components including resistors, capacitors, inductors, transistors, operational amplifiers, and so forth, as well as discrete digital components and so forth. Circuit  31  may process the output in a variety of ways, such as developing and amplifying the power, and so forth. 
         [0032]    The method may also include the step of providing a rotor control signal  64 . The power may be transmitted to speaker rotors  51  and  54  to control the rotation speed in a continuum between slow and fast speeds. 
         [0033]    The above description is not intended to limit the meaning of the words used in the following claim that define the invention. For example while preferred embodiments involving devices adapted to control speed of rotating speakers and method of using these devices have been described above, persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that a variety of other designs still falling within the scope of the following claims may be envisioned and used. It is contemplated that future modifications in structure, function, or result will exist that are not substantial changes and that all such insubstantial changes in what is claimed are intended to be covered by the claims.