Distributed processing in a digital audio mixing network
First Claim
1. Apparatus for distributing the processing of digital audio data in a multiplexed network having a plurality of audio stations to be connected for mixing, said apparatus comprising:
- a multiplex bus means for carrying all of the digital audio data from the audio stations in the network in a multiplex manner;
a plurality of module means distributed on said bus means for distributed processing of audio data as the data is input to the network from a first audio station, is output from the network to a second audio station and is mixed with audio data from any of the other audio stations in proportion to a selected gain associated with the other station; and
a plurality of processing means in each of said module means for performing the distributed processing, each of said processing means for input/output processing audio data for one or more audio stations connected to said processing means; and
each of said processing means for mixing the audio data from one or more of the audio stations in proportion to their selected gain for mixed audio output to said second station to provide mixed audio output data back to said multiplex bus means whereby the processing of audio data from input through mixing to output for any or all of the audio stations may be distributed to a plurality of said processing means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A large mixing network is implemented by distributing the processing of digital audio data to multiple digital processing modules where each module has multiple digital signal processors. The data is multiplexed from all audio stations to all distributed processing modules. The task of transferring audio data between audio bus and distributed processing module (DPM) and the task of processing audio data at the DPM are performed in parallel. Further, the data is multiplexed in large bursts of samples to increase the efficiency of audio data processing by the digital signal processors at the DPM.
53 Citations
17 Claims
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1. Apparatus for distributing the processing of digital audio data in a multiplexed network having a plurality of audio stations to be connected for mixing, said apparatus comprising:
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a multiplex bus means for carrying all of the digital audio data from the audio stations in the network in a multiplex manner; a plurality of module means distributed on said bus means for distributed processing of audio data as the data is input to the network from a first audio station, is output from the network to a second audio station and is mixed with audio data from any of the other audio stations in proportion to a selected gain associated with the other station; and a plurality of processing means in each of said module means for performing the distributed processing, each of said processing means for input/output processing audio data for one or more audio stations connected to said processing means; and each of said processing means for mixing the audio data from one or more of the audio stations in proportion to their selected gain for mixed audio output to said second station to provide mixed audio output data back to said multiplex bus means whereby the processing of audio data from input through mixing to output for any or all of the audio stations may be distributed to a plurality of said processing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. Method for distributing the processing of digital audio data in a mixing network having a plurality of audio data processing modules, each module having a plurality of audio stations connected to the module, said method comprising the steps of:
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transferring all of the digital audio data from the audio stations between modules in the network in a multiplex manner; distributed processing of the audio data among the modules as the data is input to network, is output from the network and is mixed with audio data from other audio stations connected to the network through the modules; and said distributed processing performed by a plurality of processing steps at each module, said processing steps for input/output processing audio data for one or more audio stations connected to the module; and said processing steps, when not input/output processing audio data, for mixing the audio data from one or more of the audio stations connected to the network and returning mixed audio data back to said multiplex transferring step whereby the processing of audio data from input through mixing to output may be distributed by said transferring step to a plurality of the modules. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. Apparatus for distributing the processing of digital audio data in a mixing network having a plurality of audio stations to be connected for mixing, said apparatus comprising:
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an audio bus means for carrying the digital audio data; a number M of module means connected to said bus means where M is an integer greater than one, each of said module means for distributed digital processing of audio data as the data is input to the network from a first audio station, is output from the network to a second audio station and is mixed with audio data from other audio stations; and a multiplex means in each of said module means for multiplexing the digital audio data between the audio bus means and the module means, said audio data is from all of the audio stations; a number N of digital processing means in each of said module means where N is an integer greater than one, each of said processing means having input means, output means and mixing means; said input means in each module means for input processing audio data to said multiplex means from audio stations connected to said processing means; said output means in each module means for output processing audio data from said multiplex means to audio stations connected to said processing means; and said mixing means in each module means for mixing the audio data from said multiplexing means, the audio data being from any one of the audio stations connected to the network, said mixing means returning the mixed audio data to said multiplex means for further processing by mixing means or output means in the same or another module means whereby the processing of audio data from input through mixing to output may be distributed along the audio bus to M times N digital processing means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification