Automated audio mixer
First Claim
1. A mix controller comprising:
- an audio mainframe for housing audio processing equipment;
audio processing devices mounted in the audio mainframe and responsive to digital control data for processing audio signals by analog techniques;
a console having manually operable input devices for inputting control signals and lightable elements for displaying control status and characteristics, including signal routing grouped in control blocks on an upper surface thereof, each control block corresponding to one of the audio processing devices mounted in the audio mainframe;
a microprocessor-based control system comprising plural microprocessors and plural random access memory (RAM) units coupled to the console for receiving the control signals, converting the control signals to the digital control data, storing and retrieving the digital control data, and for controlling digital data transfer between the console and the audio mainframe; and
a data communication link connecting the audio mainframe and the console for carrying the digital control data between the audio mainframe and the console;
wherein the control blocks are arranged in individual input/output channel arrays, and at least one of the input/output channel arrays forms a removable pod module having one of the plural microprocessors and one of the RAM units, the removable pod module connected to the console by a first digital data link with a first separable connector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A production mix controller for processing and mixing audio signals has a control console separate from an audio mainframe. All audio signals to be mixed are confined to the audio mainframe, and the control console has channels of input devices providing low-voltage input control signals, which are converted to digital signals and stored by a microprocessor-based control system. The control system includes menu selectable functions for setting control modes and routing signals. Digitally controlled analog audio control devices at the audio mainframe are controlled by digital signals retrieved from memory and communicated to the audio mainframe, making the system software controllable. The invention includes functions for block copying arrays of input settings, and facility for storing and retrieving digital snapshots of entire configurations. Input controls are arrayed in channels, and channels are arranged in removable pod modules for modularity.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A mix controller comprising:
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an audio mainframe for housing audio processing equipment; audio processing devices mounted in the audio mainframe and responsive to digital control data for processing audio signals by analog techniques; a console having manually operable input devices for inputting control signals and lightable elements for displaying control status and characteristics, including signal routing grouped in control blocks on an upper surface thereof, each control block corresponding to one of the audio processing devices mounted in the audio mainframe; a microprocessor-based control system comprising plural microprocessors and plural random access memory (RAM) units coupled to the console for receiving the control signals, converting the control signals to the digital control data, storing and retrieving the digital control data, and for controlling digital data transfer between the console and the audio mainframe; and a data communication link connecting the audio mainframe and the console for carrying the digital control data between the audio mainframe and the console; wherein the control blocks are arranged in individual input/output channel arrays, and at least one of the input/output channel arrays forms a removable pod module having one of the plural microprocessors and one of the RAM units, the removable pod module connected to the console by a first digital data link with a first separable connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An audio mix controller comprising:
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an audio mainframe housing digitally-controllable analog audio processing devices; a console connected to the audio mainframe by a data communication link, the console having pod bays with separable connectors for receiving removable pod modules; individual pod modules configured for docking in the pod bays, individual ones of the pod modules comprising manually-operable input devices for inputting control signals and lightable elements for displaying control status and characteristics, including signal routing, the manually-operable input devices and lightable elements grouped in control blocks on an upper surface thereof, each control block corresponding to an audio processing device in the audio mainframe; and a microprocessor-based control system comprising a microprocessor and a random access memory (RAM) unit in each pod module. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification