Interesting.  The patent goes on at length about a system that senses
the frequency of individual strings and transmits the information via
infrared LEDs:

"This determined value is transmitted via infrared LEDs (light emitting
diodes) 7 (see FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b)) similar to a television remote
control, to a mechanical unit, not shown, where the transmitted signal
is evaluated and appropriate mechanical action is automatically
initiated to bring the note into perfect tune."

The "mechanical unit" is only mentioned in passing.  There does not
seem to be any mention about heating piano strings.  I would have
thought that heating strings to keep them in tune would have been in
the patent.  After all, that is what was supposed to be so promising with
this concept.  The detecting of frequency and particularly the methods
shown are nothing particularly remarkable.

The only things that do seem somewhat unique are magnetic pickups being
used in a piano and sending tuning information via infrared LEDs.  But
then using magnetic pickups to receive the frequency of a vibrating
steel string is something that has been done in electric guitars for
some time now.  As for the infrared LEDs sending information, well
obviously this has been done for a long time with TV remote controls
and again is quite commonplace.

Although I am not a patent lawyer (or any kind of lawyer for that
matter), I'm not sure what is so special about this patent or how it
really protects anything from a technical standpoint, being that the
methods and circuitry shown are nothing unique.  Frankly I was a bit
disappointed.  I was hoping to get some insight into this system and to
answer some of the questions we all have asked over the last few issues
of MMD about the Self Tuning Piano.  Perhaps QRS is working on the same
questions.

Ray Finch
Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)

 [ I guess more related patents filed by Gilmore are awaiting approval
 [ and posting at the USPTO web site.  Or else the remaining elements
 [ are already patented by others!  -- Robbie