Visual audio mixing system and method thereof

• US 20110271186A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Shapemix Music LLC
• Original Assignee: Shapemix Music LLC
• Inventors: Owens, John Colin
• Application Number:
  US12/799,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20110271186A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/00 Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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

A visual audio mixing system which includes an audio input engine configured to input one or more audio files each associated with a channel. A shape engine is responsive to the audio input engine and is configured to create a unique visual image of a definable shape and/or color for each of the one or more of audio files. A visual display engine is responsive to the shape engine and is configured to display each visual image. A shape select engine is responsive to the visual display engine and is configured to provide selection of one or more visual images. The system includes a two-dimensional workspace. A coordinate engine is responsive to the shape select engine and is configured to instantiate selected visual images in the two-dimensional workspace. A mix engine is responsive to coordinate engine and is configured to mix the visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace such that user provided movement of one or more of the visual images in one direction represents volume and user provided movement in another direction represents pan to provide a visual and audio representation of each audio file and its associated channel.

Claims

1. A visual audio mixing system comprising:

an audio input engine configured to input one or more audio files each associated with a channel;

a shape engine responsive to the audio input engine configured to create a unique visual image of a definable shape and/or color for each of the one or more of audio files;

a visual display engine responsive to the shape engine configured to display each visual image;

a shape select engine responsive to the visual display engine configured to provide selection of one or more visual images;

a two-dimensional workspace;

a coordinate engine responsive to the shape select engine configured to instantiate selected visual images in the two-dimensional workspace; and

a mix engine responsive to coordinate engine configured to mix the visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace such that user provided movement of one or more of the visual images in one direction represents volume and user provided movement in another direction represents pan to provide a visual and audio representation of each audio file and its associated channel.

2. The system of claim 1 further including an audio output engine configured to output one or more audio files including the audio representation of the mix.

3. The system of claim 2 in which the audio output engine is configured to output one or more composite files including the visual and audio representation of the mix.

4. The system of claim 3 in which the input audio files and/or the output audio files and/or the output composite files are stored in a marketplace.

5. The system of claim 4 in which the marketplace provides for exchanging of the input audio files and/or the output audio files and/or the output composite files by a plurality of users.

6. The system of claim 5 in which the input audio engine is configured to input the input audio files and/or the output audio files and/or the composite files from the marketplace.

7. The system of claim 1 in which the coordinate engine is responsive to an input device.

8. The system of claim 7 in which the input device include one or more of:

a mouse, a touch screen, and/or tilting of an accelerometer.

9. The system of claim 8 in which the input device is configured to position the visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace to adjust the volume and pan of the visual images in the two-dimensional workspace to create and/or modify the visual and audio representation of each audio file and its associated channel.

10. The system of claim 9 in which user defined movement of one of the visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace by the input device in a vertical direction adjusts the volume associated with the visual image and user defined movement of the visual image by the input device in a horizontal direction adjusts the pan associated with the visual image.

11. The system of claim 1 further including a physics engine responsive to the coordinate engine configured to simulate behavior of the one or more visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace.

12. The system of claim 11 in which the physics engine includes a collision detect engine configured to prevent two or more visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace from occupying the same position at the same time.

13. The system of claim 12 in which the collision detect engine is configured cause the two or more visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace which attempted to occupy the same location at the same time to repel each other.

14. The system of claim 11 in which the physics engine is configured to define four walls in the two-dimensional workspace.

15. The system of claim 14 in which the physics engine includes a movement engine responsive to user defined movement of the input device in one or more predetermined directions, the movement engine configured to cause selected visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace to bounce off one or more of the four walls.

16. The system of claim 15 in which the bouncing of the one or more visual images off one or more of the four walls causes the sounds associated with the selected visual images to shift slightly over time.

17. The system of claim 14 in which the physics engine includes an acceleration level engine responsive to user defined movement of the input device in one or more predetermined directions configured to cause visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace to be attracted to one or more of the four walls to simulate gravity.

18. The system of claim 1 in which shape select engine is configured to add a desired effect to the visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace.

19. The system of claim 18 in which shape select engine is configured to change the appearance of one or more visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace based on the desired effect.

20. The system of claim 19 in which the desired effect includes one or more of reverberation, delay and/or a low pass filter.

21. The system of claim 20 in the change of appearance of the one or more visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace includes softening of the visual image to represent the desired effect.

22. The system of claim 20 in which the change of appearance of the one or more visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace includes moving concentric rings to represent the desired effect.

23. The system of claim 20 in which the change of appearance of the one or more visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace includes shading of the one or more selected visual images.

24. The system of claim 18 in which shape select engine is configured to mute all but one visual image instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace.

25. A visual audio mixing system comprising:

an audio input engine configured to input one or more audio files each associated with a channel;

a shape engine responsive to the audio input engine configured to create a unique visual image of a definable shape and/or color for each of the one or more of audio files;

a two-dimensional workspace;

a coordinate engine responsive to the shape select engine configured to instantiate selected visual images in the two-dimensional workspace; and

a mix engine responsive to coordinate engine configured to mix the visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace such that user provided movement of one or more of the visual images in one direction represents volume and user provided movement in another direction represents pan to provide a visual and audio representation of each audio file and its associated channel.

26. A method of visual audio mixing, the method comprising:

inputting one or more audio files each associated with a channel;

creating a unique visual image of a definable shape and/or color for each of the one or more of audio files;

displaying each visual image;

selecting of one or more visual images;

instantiating selected visual images in a two-dimensional workspace; and

mixing the visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace such that user provided movement of one or more of the visual images in one direction represents volume and user provided movement in another direction represents pan to provide a visual and audio representation of each audio file and its associated channel.

27. A method of visual audio mixing, the method comprising:

inputting one or more audio files each associated with a channel;

creating a unique visual image of a definable shape and/or color for each of the one or more of audio files;

instantiating selected visual images in a two-dimensional workspace; and

mixing the visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace such that user provided movement of one or more of the visual images in one direction represents volume and user provided movement in another direction represents pan to provide a visual and audio representation of each audio file and its associated channel.