Position sensitive rotatable DJ control device

• US 20100014390A1
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inmusic Brands Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stanton Magnetics, Inc. (Inmusic Brands Incorporated)
• Inventors: Flum, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,110,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/4
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a display for a device for manipulating audio in a disc jockey or similar application. A touch sensitive user rotatable member detects the position where the DJ touches the surface. Effects like needle dropping are possible for the first time without the use of a phonographic table or without a computer device which uses a phonographic turntable as a control input device. The display can show music as color coded concentric circles which represent tracks and/or record grooves. Color coded markers show current position of the music on the control surface and allows the user to set and use visual cue points. Functionality of the rotatable member can be dynamically mapped for unprecedented control. For example, the inner portion of the rotatable member can be used for needle dropping while the outer portion can be used for scratch effects. The device is capable of manipulating audio and video streams or a combination of the two. In addition, it can be used as a standard DJ control surface for scratching and the display can be used to create a beat synchronized light show or display custom messages.

Claims

1. A control device for manipulating digital audio information, comprising:

a user manipulable rotatable member;

a sensing device coupled to a surface of said member for detecting a position on the surface of said member touched by the user;

a sensor coupled to said member for detecting direction and relative position of rotation; and

processing means for manipulating a portion of an audio track to be played based on a position touched by the user on said member.

2. A device of claim 1 further comprising:

a rotating platter impinging against said rotatable member and rotating about a common axis therewith; and

a motor driving said rotating platter.

3. A device of claim 1 wherein the processor dynamically maps which portion of a musical performance can be manipulated by said member surface.

4. A device of claim 1 wherein said processing means maps a portion of said member surface where position can be detected and maps a portion of said member surface where position information is ignored.

5. A device of claim 1 wherein said sensing device for detecting position is a capacitive position sensing array.

6. A device of claim 1 wherein said sensing device for detecting position is a resistive position sensing array.

7. A device of claim 1 wherein said sensing device for detecting position is an orthogonal array of infra-red image sensors.

8. A device of claim 1 wherein a portion of said processing means is included in an externally connected device.

9. A device of claim 8 wherein said externally connected device is a computer.

10. A control device for manipulating digital audio information, comprising:

user manipulable rotatable member;

a touch screen display coupled to the top surface of said member;

said touch screen detects the position where the top surface of said member was touched;

a sensor coupled to said member for detecting direction and relative position of rotation;

processing means for manipulating a portion of the audio track to be played based on the position touched by the user on said member.

11. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays concentric rings that represent portions of a musical performance.

12. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays at least one marking that represents a current position of the music.

13. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays markings that represent song start and stop positions.

14. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays markings that represent cue points.

15. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays markings that are color coded to correspond to a display on an externally connected computer.

16. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays markings that are color coded to correspond to an information display contained within the device.

17. A device of claim 10 wherein said processing means maps a portion of said member surface where position can be detected and maps a portion of said member surface where position information is ignored.

18. A device of claim 17 wherein said touch screen displays information corresponding to the portion of said member surface where position is detected and the portion of member surface where position is ignored.

19. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen display dynamically displays images, text, or patterns that correspond to the music tempo.

20. A device of claim 10 further comprising:

a rotating platter impinging against said rotatable member and rotating about a common axis therewith; and

a motor driving said rotating platter.

21. A control device for manipulating digital video information, comprising:

a user manipulable rotatable member;

a sensing device coupled to the surface of said member for detecting the position which the surface of said member was touched by the user;

a sensor coupled to said member for detecting direction and relative position of rotation;

processing means for manipulating portion of the video track to be played based on the position touched by the user on said member.

22. A device of claim 21 wherein the processor dynamically maps a portion of said member surface to manipulate video and dynamically maps a portion of said member surface to manipulate audio.

23. A device of claim 21 wherein said processing means dynamically maps a portion of said member surface where position can be detected and dynamically maps a portion of said member surface where position information is ignored

24. A device of claim 21 wherein the processing means is an external device.

25. A device of claim 24 wherein the external device is a computer.

26. A device of claim 21 further comprising:

a rotating platter impinging against said rotatable member and rotating about a common axis therewith; and

a motor driving said rotating platter.

27. A device of claim 21 wherein the where the sensing device for detecting position is a capacitive position sensing array.

28. A device of claim 21 wherein the where the sensing device for detecting position is a resistive position sensing array.

37. A device of claim 21 wherein said processor dynamically maps a portion of said member top surface to manipulate video and maps a portion of said member top surface to manipulate audio

29. A control device for manipulating digital video information, comprising:

a rotatable user manipulable member;

a touch screen coupled to the top surface of said member;

said touch screen detects the position which the top surface of said member was touched;

a sensor coupled to said member for detecting direction and relative position of rotation;

processing means for manipulating portion of a video track to be played based on the position touched by the user on said member top surface.

30. A device of claim 29 wherein said touch screen displays concentric rings that represent portions of a video performance.

31. A device of claim 29 wherein said touch screen displays markings that represent a current position of the video.

32. A device of claim 29 wherein said touch screen displays markings that represent video start and stop position.

33. A device of claim 29 wherein said touch screen displays markings that represent cue points.

34. A device of claim 29 wherein said touch screen displays markings are color coded to correspond to a display on an externally connected computer.

35. A device of claim 29 wherein said touch screen displays markings that are color coded to correspond to an information display contained within the device.

36. A device of claim 29 wherein said processor maps a portion of said member top surface where position can be detected and maps a portion of said member top surface where position information is ignored.

38. A device of claim 36 wherein said touch screen displays information corresponding to a portion of said member top surface where position is detected and a portion of said member top surface where position is ignored.

39. A device of claim 29 wherein said touch screen dynamically displays images, text, or patterns that correspond to the music tempo.

40. A device of claim 29 further comprising:

a rotating platter impinging against said rotatable member and rotating about a common axis therewith; and

a motor driving said rotating platter.