MODULAR AUDIO CONTROL SURFACE

• US 20140277647A1
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Milne, Steven H., Kloiber, Martin, Vercellotti, Paul A., Tremblay, David M., Jones, Edward, Boyer, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,952,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/61 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A user-configurable modular audio control surface comprises master modules for controlling global surface properties and channel modules for controlling one or more individual audio channels. The modules are disposed in a two-dimensional spatial arrangement such that any module can occupy a location within the control surface not occupied by another module. The modules are connected to each other and to external platforms hosting media applications and plug-ins via a network. Control surface users can interact with external applications via remote graphical user interfaces displayed on modules within the surface, and can automate multiple external applications using an automation system built into the surface. Automation line graphs and metadata for both internal and external applications are displayed over the corresponding waveform displays that can include audio ahead of a current playback location.

Claims

1. A media control surface comprising:

one or more modules, wherein at least one of the one or more modules includes;

a network interface that connects the module to a network;

an output display for displaying properties of one or more media processing applications hosted on one or more platforms external to the media control surface, wherein each of the one or more platforms is in communication with the media control surface via the network; and

an automation system capable of automating the one or more media processing applications, wherein automating a given one of the one or more media processing applications includes;

at the automation system, receiving control parameter adjustments via one or more input controls of the media control surface, wherein the control parameter adjustments are applied to the processing of media data by the given one of the one or more media processing applications;

recording the control parameter adjustments; and

applying the recorded control parameter adjustments while the media data is being played back.

2. The audio control surface of claim 1, wherein a user is able to select a parameter of one of the one or more media processing applications, and following the selection, the automation system is capable of recording and playing back automation of the selected parameter, wherein the selected parameter is assigned to an input control of one of the plurality of modules.

3. The audio control surface of claim 1, wherein the automation system time-stamps and records adjustments of a selected control parameter when the adjustments are made.

4. The audio control surface of claim 1, wherein the output display receives from the automation system time-based automation information for one or more of the one or more media processing applications and displays a graphical representation of the time-based automation information.

5. The audio control surface of claim 1, wherein the output display:

receives from the automation system time-based automation information a of media processing application hosted by the control surface;

receives over the network time-based automation information for one or more of the one or more externally hosted media processing applications; and

displays on the output display a graphical representation of the time-based information for both the media processing application hosted by the control surface and the one or more externally hosted media processing applications.

6. The audio control surface of claim 1, wherein:

a first parameter of a given one of the one or more media processing applications is automated by the automation system;

the given one of the one or more externally hosted media processing applications includes a second automation system; and

a second parameter of the given one of the one or more externally hosted media processing applications is automated by the second automation system.

7. The audio control surface of claim 6, wherein the output display receives automation information for the first and second parameters, and displays a graphical representation of the automation information for the first and second parameters.

8. The audio control surface of claim 1, wherein the audio control surface receives over the network a graphical audio waveform representing audio data being processed by one or more of the one or more media processing applications, and displays the graphical audio waveform on the output display.

9. The audio control surface of claim 1, wherein the audio control surface receives over the network metadata pertaining to audio data being processed by one of the one or more media processing applications, and displays the metadata on the output display.

10. The audio control surface of claim 9, wherein the audio data being processed by one of the one or more media processing applications corresponds to an audio clip.

11. A media control surface module comprising:

a CPU;

a random access memory connected to the CPU;

a network interface for connecting the module to a network;

an output display for displaying properties of one or more media processing applications hosted on one or more platforms external to the audio control surface, wherein each of the one or more platforms is in communication with the audio control surface via the network; and

an automation system, wherein the automation system is capable of automating the one or more media processing applications, and wherein automating a given one of the media processing applications includes;

at the automation system, receiving control parameter adjustments via one or more input controls of the media control surface, wherein the control parameter adjustments are applied to the processing of media data by the given one of the media processing applications;

recording the control parameter adjustments; and

applying the recorded control parameter adjustments while the media data is being played back.

12. The media control surface of claim 11, wherein during playback of the media data, the output display:

receives data describing the recorded control parameter adjustments; and

displays a graphical representation of the control parameter adjustments.

13. A method of automating one or more media processing applications, the method comprising:

receiving via one or more input controls of a media control surface adjustments of a set of control parameters for controlling media data, wherein the control parameter adjustments apply to parameters of one or more media processing applications hosted on platforms external to the media control surface; and

using an automation system hosted by the media control surface;

recording the control parameter adjustments; and

applying the recorded control parameter adjustments to adjust values of the set of control parameters of the externally hosted one or more media processing applications while the media data is being played back.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the media control surface includes an output display, and further comprising during playback of the media data:

receiving at the output display data describing the recorded control parameter adjustments; and

displaying on the output display a graphical representation of the recorded control parameter adjustments.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the media control surface includes an output display, and further comprising during playback of the media data:

receiving at the output display a graphical audio waveform representing audio data being processed by one of the one or more media processing applications; and

displaying the graphical audio waveform on the output display.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the media control surface includes an output display, and further comprising during playback of the media data:

receiving at the output display metadata pertaining to audio data being processed by the one or more media processing applications; and

displaying the metadata on the output display.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the audio data being processed comprises a clip of an audio track.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the media data comprises a clip of an audio track.