Abstract: An apparatus and method for selecting combinations of pickups on a guitar or other stringed instrument allows a performer to control the pickup selections without interrupting instrument play. Combinations of pickups are selected by a processor according to measurements of orientation, position, and/or rate of movement made by an accelerometer. The accelerometer measurements can be filtered. Any or all elements of the system can be contained in a hollow space within the instrument. A manual control can be included to override the processor. Pickup combinations and/or accelerometer measurement ranges can be specified by manual controls while in a training mode. In a sequential mode, pickup combinations are selected in a preset order and for preset time periods. The accelerometer sampling rate can be between 1000 and 100 samples per second, and the sampled data can be stored in an 11 by 11 array.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for selecting combinations of pickups on a guitar or other stringed instrument allows a performer to control the pickup selections without interrupting instrument play. Combinations of pickups are selected by a processor according to measurements of orientation, position, and/or rate of movement made by an accelerometer. The accelerometer measurements can be filtered. Any or all elements of the system can be contained in a hollow space within the instrument. A manual control can be included to override the processor. Pickup combinations and/or accelerometer measurement ranges can be specified by manual controls while in a training mode. In a sequential mode, pickup combinations are selected in a preset order and for preset time periods. The accelerometer sampling rate can be between 1000 and 100 samples per second, and the sampled data can be stored in an 11 by 11 array.

Abstract: A serial controller for use in controlling various radio frequency (RF) modules within an RF integrated circuit is disclosed. The serial controller is coupled to an serial bus that internal to the RFIC that transmits commands and data from a microcontroller to a data receiver module within the serial controller. The serial commands and data are transmitted across the serial bus in a data packet format having an address-overhead portion and a data portion, wherein the data receiver module removes the address-overhead bits from the packet and provides the data portion of the packet as output data. A decoder/coder logic module coupled to the data receiver receives the serial data and is operative to process the serial data and in response thereto activate one or more control signals. An RF module includes at least one circuit and one or more switching elements that are coupled to the one or more control signals.

Abstract: A serial controller for use in controlling various radio frequency (RF) modules within an RF integrated circuit is disclosed. The serial controller is coupled to an serial bus that internal to the RFIC that transmits commands and data from a microcontroller to a data receiver module within the serial controller. The serial commands and data are transmitted across the serial bus in a data packet format having an address-overhead portion and a data portion, wherein the data receiver module removes the address-overhead bits from the packet and provides the data portion of the packet as output data. A decoder/coder logic module coupled to the data receiver receives the serial data and is operative to process the serial data and in response thereto activate one or more control signals. An RF module includes at least one circuit and one or more switching elements that are coupled to the one or more control signals.