Mixer and communication connection setting method therefor

• US 20080175413A1
• Filed: 08/08/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Okabayashi, Masaaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,457,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/119
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Mixer and one or more external devices, related to audio signal processing, are interconnected via a communication network, such as a LAN. For a particular one of the external devices for which communication with the mixer via the communication network is to be established, a network address unique to the particular external device and a communication protocol to be used for data communication with the particular external device are designated by entry operation by a user. Logical connection is established such that data communication is performed, in accordance with the designated communication protocol, between the mixer and the particular external device corresponding to the designated network address. Thus, data communication is performed, via the communication network, between the mixer and the particular external device for which the logical connection has been established.

Claims

1. A mixer comprising:

a connection section that connects one or more external devices, related to audio signal processing, to said mixer via a communication network;

a designation section that, for a particular one of the external devices for which communication with said mixer via the communication network is to be established, designates, in response to entry operation by a user, a network address unique to the particular external device and a communication protocol to be used for data communication with the particular external device;

a logical connection establishment section that establishes logical connection such that data communication is performed, in accordance with the communication protocol designated via said designation section, between said mixer and the particular external device corresponding to the network address designated via said designation section,

wherein data communication is performed, via the communication network, between said mixer and the particular external device for which the logical connection has been established.

2. A mixer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said designation section displays, on a display device, an image for prompting the user to enter a network address and designates the network address of the particular external device in response to the user entering a network address, and

wherein said designation section also displays a list of a plurality of communication protocols on the display device, prompts the user to select any one of the communication protocols from the list and designates the communication protocol, selected by the user from the list, as the communication protocol to be used for data communication with the particular external device.

3. A mixer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said designation section displays, on a display device, an image for prompting the user to enter a network address or communication protocol and designates the network address or communication protocol of the particular external device in response to the user entering a network address or communication protocol upon prompting by the image.

4. A mixer as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises a display control section that receives data indicative of a state of the particular external device, for which the logical connection has been established, from the particular external device via the communication network and said connection section and causes the display device to display the state of the particular external device on the basis of said received data indicative of a state of the particular external device.

5. A mixer as claimed in claim 4 wherein the external device is a receiver that wirelessly receives an audio signal transmitted by a wireless microphone, and said data indicative of a state of the particular external device is data indicative of a state of the wireless microphone.

6. A mixer as claimed in claim 5 wherein said data indicative of a state of the particular external device is data indicative of at least one of remaining battery power, wireless communication frequency band, wireless communication condition and audio signal gain level of the wireless microphone.

7. A mixer as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least of audio signals to be mixed and mixed audio signals are transmitted between the external devices and said mixer via dedicated audio signal transmission paths.

8. A mixer as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least of audio signals to be mixed and mixed audio signals are transmitted between the external devices and said mixer via the communication network.

9. A computer-implemented method for performing, in a mixer, a setting for connecting one or more external devices, related to audio signal processing, to the mixer via a communication network, said method comprising:

a prompting step of, for a particular one of the external devices for which communication with the mixer via the communication network is to be established, prompting a user to designate a network address unique to the particular external device and a communication protocol to be used for data communication with the particular external device;

a step of determining that user'"'"'s entry operation has been performed for designating a network address unique to the particular external device and a communication protocol to be used for data communication with the particular external device; and

a step of establishing logical connection such that data communication is performed, in accordance with the communication protocol designated by the user, between the mixer and the particular external device corresponding to the network address designated by the user,

wherein data communication is performed, via the communication network, between the mixer and the particular external device for which the logical connection has been established.

10. A computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said prompting step comprises displaying, on a display device, an image for prompting the user to enter a network address and displaying, on the display device, a list of a plurality of communication protocols to thereby prompt the user to select any one of the communication protocols from the list, and

wherein said step of determining comprises determining whether the user has entered a network address and whether the user has selected any one of the communication protocols from the list.

11. A computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 9 which further comprises a step of receiving data indicative of a state of the particular external device, for which the logical connection has been established, from the particular external device via the communication network and causing the display device to display the state of the particular external device on the basis of said received data indicative of a state of the particular external device.

12. A computer-readable storage medium containing a group of instructions for causing a computer for executing a procedure for performing, in a mixer, a setting for connecting one or more external devices, related to audio signal processing, to the mixer via a communication network, said procedure comprising:

a prompting step of, for a particular one of the external devices for which communication with the mixer via the communication network is to be established, prompting a user to designate a network address unique to the particular external device and a communication protocol to be used for data communication with the particular external device;

a step of determining that user'"'"'s entry operation has been performed for designating a network address unique to the particular external device and a communication protocol to be used for data communication with the particular external device; and

a step of establishing logical connection such that data communication is performed, in accordance with the communication protocol designated by the user, between the mixer and the particular external device corresponding to the network address designated by the user,

wherein data communication is performed, via the communication network, between the mixer and the particular external device for which the logical connection has been established.

13. A computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 12 wherein said prompting step comprises displaying, on a display device, an image for prompting the user to enter a network address and displaying, on the display device, a list of a plurality of communication protocols to thereby prompt the user to select any one of the communication protocols from the list, and

wherein said step of determining comprises determining whether the user has entered a network address and whether the user has selected any one of the communication protocols from the list.

14. A computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 12 which further comprises a step of receiving data indicative of a state of the particular external device, for which the logical connection has been established, from the particular external device via the communication network and causing the display device to display the state of the particular external device on the basis of said received data indicative of a state of the particular external device.