Real-time floor controller for control of music, signal processing, mixing, video, lighting, and other systems

• US 6,689,947 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NRI R&D Patent Licensing, LLC (Advanced Touchscreen and Gesture Technologies, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lester Frank Ludwig
• Inventors: Ludwig, Lester Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US09/812,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20020005111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 846/45, 847/21, 847/46, 844/77.R, 844/78, 844/71.R, 844/831, 844/832, 84D/IG.12, 84D/IG.25, 846/04, 846/09, 324/96, 700/94
• US Class Current: 84/721
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0091 Means for obtaining special acoustic effects combined with modulation G10H1/043
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/521 Hall effect transducers or similar magnetic field sensing semiconductor devices, e.g. for string vibration sensing or key movement sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/095 Spint zither, i.e. mimicking any neckless stringed instrument in which the strings do not extend beyond the sounding board
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/101 Spint koto, i.e. mimicking any traditional asian-style plucked zither with movable bridges
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/115 Spint sitar, i.e. mimicking any long-necked plucked string instrument with a large number of additional non-playable sympathetic resonating strings or an additional gourd-like resonating chamber
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/145 Spint guitar keyboard, i.e. mimicking a combination of a guitar-like instrument, with or without strings, and a piano-like keyboard, e.g. with white and black keys arranged like on a piano
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/271 Spint gong, i.e. mimicking circular flat, nippled or bowl-shaped metallic percussion instruments G10H2230/321 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/26 using electric feedback

Abstract

A floor controller for real-time control of signal processors, synthesizers, musical instruments, MIDI processors, lighting, video, and special effects in performance, recording, and composition enviroments. Various combinations of physical controllers may be utilized (including foot switches, rocking foot pedals, null/contact touch-pads, pressure sensor arrays, etc.), as well as visual displays and internal control processing. Each physical controller may include a separate visual display of assigned name, status, and/or value. Rocking foot pedals may be used to simultaneously control multiple parameters by inclusion of aditional sensors. Each physical controller may be assigned specific control message functions, values, names, temporal event sequences, and invocation rules dicated by assignable state-machines. Assignments may be selected from organized structures via the physical controller elements. Physical controllers and assignments may be organized in hierarchical or other relationships rich in geometric metaphors usefuls for human operation. The control system accommodates MIDI and non-MIDI control signal implementations.

Claims

1. A controller system for issuing system control signals to an external system, said controller system comprising:

a plurality of foot-operated physical controller components each providing physical controller signals in response to human operation;

a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

a separate alphanumeric display associated with each of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components, wherein each of said plurality of alphanumeric displays indicate controller information of an associated one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components;

a processor generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal based upon an activated selectable assignment; and

an interface issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said generated control signals include signals of MIDI format.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of alphanumeric displays provide at least one type of controller information selected from the group consisting of:

currently assigned function

status

current value(s) transmitted or last transmitted

short-hand names affiliated with a currently assigned function, and

controller relationships.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components comprises a transparent null/contact touch-pad, said system further comprising:

an underlying visual display configured with said transparent null/contact touch-pad.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said underlying visual display is adapted to provide visual guidance cues useful in operation of said transparent null/contact touch-pad.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components is configured with an impact sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components comprises a multi-parameter rocking foot pedal.

9. The system of claim 1, said system further comprising:

a graphical display adapted to provide one or more types of system information selected from the group consisting of;

selectable assignments

short-hand names

control value transmitted

geometric metaphors affiliated with selectable assignments

hierarchical organization of selectable assignments, and

status associated with at least one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components comprises a transparent pressure sensor array touch-pad, said system further comprising:

an underlying visual display configured with said transparent pressure sensor array touch-pad.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said underlying visual display is adapted to provide visual guidance cues.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components comprises a rocking foot pedal having positioning motors.

13. The system of claim 1, said system further comprising:

a plurality of additional, foot-operated physical controller components each providing additional physical controller signals in response to human operation, wherein said plurality of additional physical controller signals are included in said plurality of physical controller signals for use in said at least one mapping operation, and wherein said plurality of additional, foot-operated physical controller components are not configured with said separate alphanumeric display.

14. A method for issuing system control signals to an external system, said method comprising:

generating physical controller output signals in response to human operation using a plurality of foot-operated physical controller components;

implementing a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

indicating controller information on a separate, dedicated alphanumeric display for each of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components;

generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal based upon an activated selectable assignment; and

providing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said generated control signals include messages of MIDI format.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of said separate, dedicated alphanumeric displays provide at least one type of controller information selected from the group consisting of:

currently assigned function

status

current value(s) transmitted or last transmitted

short-hand names affiliated with a currently assigned function, and

controller relationships.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components comprises a transparent null/contact touch-pad, said method further comprising:

configuring an underlying visual display with said transparent null/contact touch-pad.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said underlying visual display is adapted to provide visual guidance cues useful in operation of said transparent null/contact touch-pad.

20. The method of claim 14, said method further comprising:

configuring an impact sensor with one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components comprises a multi-parameter rocking foot pedal adapted to capture additional control parameters from its operation.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components comprises a transparent pressure sensor array touch-pad, said method further comprising:

configuring an underlying visual display with said transparent pressure sensor array touch-pad.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said underlying visual display is adapted to provide visual guidance cues.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components comprises rocking foot pedals positional by motors.

25. The method of claim 14, said method further comprising:

indicating one or more types of system information on a graphical display, wherein said one or more types of system information is selected from the group consisting of;

selectable assignments

short-hand names

control value transmitted

geometric metaphors affiliated with selectable assignments

hierarchical organization of selectable assignments, and

status associated with at least one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components.

26. The method of claim 14, said method further comprising:

generating additional physical controller signals in response to human operation using a plurality of additional, foot-operated physical controller components, wherein said plurality of additional physical controller signals are included in said plurality of physical controller signals for use in said at least one mapping operation, and wherein said plurality of additional, foot-operated physical controller components are not configured with said separate alphanumeric display.

27. A controller system for issuing system control signals to an external system, said controller system comprising:

at least one multi-parameter rocker pedal comprising a rocker plate and providing rocker pedal signals in response to human operation;

at least one continuous-parameter physical controller component located on said rocker plate of said at least one multi-parameter rocker pedal and providing physical controller signals in response to human operation, wherein said rocker pedal signals and said physical controller signals are used to create said system control signals; and

an interface issuing said system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said at least one continuous-parameter physical controller component is selected from the group consisting of:

a lever

modulation wheel

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor touch-pads.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein said at least one continuous-parameter physical controller component comprises a lever or modulation wheel having a mechanical spring-return.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein said multi-parameter rocker pedal comprises at least two levers mounted in a substantially opposing configuration, wherein each of said at least two levers are adapted to generated said physical controller signals.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein said system control signals include signals of MIDI format.

32. A method for issuing system control signals to an external system, said method comprising:

providing at least one multi-parameter rocker pedal comprising a rocker plate;

generating rocker pedal output signals in response to human operation of said at least one multi-parameter rocker pedal;

providing at least one continuous-parameter physical controller component generating physical controller output signals in response to human operation;

locating said at least one continuous-parameter physical control component on said rocker plate of said multi-parameter rocker pedal to facilitate capturing of additional control parameters; and

issuing said system control signals created from said rocker pedal output signals and said physical controller output signals, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said at least one continuous-parameter physical controller component is selected from the group consisting of:

a lever

modulation wheel

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor touch-pads.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said at least one continuous-parameter physical control component utilizes a lever or modulation wheel comprising a mechanical spring-return.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein said multi-parameter rocker pedal comprises at least two levers mounted in a substantially opposing configuration, wherein each of said at least two levers are adapted to generated said physical controller signals.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein said system control signals include signals of MIDI format.

37. A controller system for issuing system control signals to an external system, said controller system comprising:

a plurality of physical controller components each providing physical controller signals in response to human operation;

a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes an issuance of said system control signals comprising temporally scheduled sequences of control signal events;

a processor generating said system control signals; and

an interface issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said plurality of physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein said temporally scheduled sequences of control signal events comprises temporally scheduled sequences of MIDI events.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein said temporally scheduled sequences of control signal events include at least one pause of specified duration.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein said generated system control signals comprise transient envelope control signals or low-frequency oscillator control signals.

42. A method for issuing control signals to an external system, said method comprising:

generating physical controller signals in response to human operation using a plurality of physical controller components;

implementing a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes an issuance of said system control signals comprising temporally scheduled sequences of control signal events; and

providing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said plurality of physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein said temporally scheduled sequences of control signal events comprises temporally scheduled sequences of MIDI events.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein said temporally scheduled sequences of control signal events comprises at least one pause of specified duration.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein said generated system control signals are generated using at least one signal generation method selected from the group consisting of:

generation of transient envelope control signals, and

generation of low-frequency oscillator control signals.

47. A controller system for issuing system control signals to an external system, said controller system comprising:

a plurality of continuous-parameter physical controller components each providing physical controller signals in response to human operation;

a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

a processor generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal based upon an activated selectable assignment;

a multi-color visual indicator configured with each of said plurality of physical controller components; and

an interface issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein said plurality of continuous-parameter physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein at least one of said plurality of multi-color visual indicators comprises a multi-color LED.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein one color of said multi-color visual indicator indicates status information relating to an associated one of said plurality of physical controller components.

51. The system of claim 47, wherein one color of said multi-color visual indicator indicates a last operated one of said plurality of physical controller components.

52. The system of claim 47, said system further comprising:

at least one foot switch providing additional physical controller signals in response to human operation, wherein said plurality of additional physical controller signals are included in said plurality of physical controller signals for use in said at least one mapping operation.

53. A method for issuing system control signals to an external system, said method comprising:

generating physical controller signals in response to human operation using a plurality of continuous-parameter physical controller components;

implementing a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

a processor generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal based upon an activated selectable assignment;

configuring a multi-color visual indicator with each of said plurality of physical controller components; and

issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein said plurality of continuous-parameter physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein at least one of said plurality of multi-color visual indicators comprises a multi-color LED.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein one color of said multi-color visual indicator indicates status information relating to an associated one of said plurality of physical controller components.

57. The method of claim 53, wherein one color of said multi-color visual indicator indicates a last operated one of said plurality of physical controller components.

58. The method of claim 53, said method further comprising:

providing additional physical controller signals in response to human operation using at least one foot switch, wherein said plurality of additional physical controller signals are included in said plurality of physical controller signals for use in said at least one mapping operation.

59. A controller system for issuing system control signals to an external system, said controller system comprising:

a plurality of physical controller components each providing physical controller signals in response to human operation;

a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

a processor generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping and processing of at least two of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal based upon at least one activated selectable assignment, wherein said system control signals comprise at least one control value selected from a plurality of control message types; and

an interface issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein said plurality of physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

61. The system of claim 59, wherein said generated system control signals comprise signals of MIDI format.

62. The system of claim 59, wherein said processing of at least two of said plurality of physical controller signals is accomplished using at least one processing method selected from the group consisting of:

generation of complementary mirror-image control signal values

generation of multiplicative product of two control signal values

generation of additive sum of two control signal values, and

generation of control signals of a different control message type.

63. The system of claim 62 wherein said processing of at least two of said plurality of physical controller signals further includes at least one processing operation selected from the group consisting of:

scaling, and

additive offset.

64. A method for issuing system control signals to an external system, said method comprising:

generating physical controller signals in response to human operation using a plurality of physical controller components;

implementing a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping and processing of at least two of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal based upon at least one activated selectable assignment, wherein said system control signals comprise at least one control value selected from a plurality of control message types; and

an interface issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein said plurality of physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein said generated system control signals include messages of MIDI format.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein said processing of at least two of said plurality of physical controller signals is accomplished using at least one processing method selected from the group consisting of:

generation of complementary mirror-image control signal values

generation of multiplicative product of two control signal values

generation of additive sum of two control signal values, and

generation of control signals of a different control message type.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein said processing of at least two of said plurality of physical controller signals further includes at least one processing operation selected from the group consisting of:

scaling, and

additive offset.

69. A controller system for issuing system control signals to an external system, said controller system comprising:

a plurality of foot-operated physical controller components each providing physical controller signals in response to human operation;

a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

a plurality of selectable assignments, some of which are organized into a hierarchical arrangement of first and second groups, wherein each of said plurality of selectable assignments comprise active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signals, and wherein said first group of selectable assignments can only become active if particular selectable assignments from said second group are already active;

a processor generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the simultaneous mapping of multiple physical controller signals to corresponding system control signals based upon activated selectable assignments of said first and second groups; and

an interface issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

71. The system of claim 69, wherein said plurality of selectable assignments further includes at least one additional group of a plurality of selectable assignments which can only become active if particular selectable assignments from said first group are already active.

72. The system of claim 69, wherein said generated system control signals include signals of MIDI format.

73. The system of claim 69, wherein said hierarchical arrangement comprises a plurality of selectable pages, each of said plurality of selectable pages comprising a plurality of subpages.

74. The system of claim 73, the system further comprising:

an alphanumeric display indicating a currently active page and subpage of said plurality of selectable pages and subpages.

75. The system of claim 73, wherein each of said plurality of subpages comprise selectable assignments affiliated with only a subset of said plurality of physical controller components.

76. The system of claim 75, wherein said plurality of physical controller components are geometrically arranged, and the subsets of each of said plurality of subpages are metaphorically affiliated with said geometric arrangement of said plurality of physical controller components.

77. The system of claim 75, wherein selected assignments of said plurality of physical controller components are hierarchically organized in a collection of pages, wherein an active page is selectable using at least one of said plurality of physical controller components.

78. The system of claim 77, wherein each of said collection of pages comprise a plurality of subpages, and wherein an active page is selectable using at least one of said plurality of physical controller components.

79. The system of claim 69, wherein each of said plurality of selectable assignments, for each of said plurality of physical controller components, are organized in a collection of pages, and wherein a change in selection of an active page initiates an issuance of an additional generated system control signal that is issued to said external system using said interface.

80. A method for issuing system control signals to an external system, said method comprising:

providing physical controller signals in response to human operation using a plurality of foot-operated physical controller components;

implementing a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

implementing a plurality of selectable assignments, some of which are organized into a hierarchical arrangement of first and second groups, wherein each of said plurality of selectable assignments comprise active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signals, and wherein said first group of selectable assignments can only become active if particular selectable assignments from said second group are already active;

generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the simultaneous mapping of multiple physical controller signals to corresponding system control signals based upon activated selectable assignments of said first and second groups; and

issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

82. The method of claim 80, wherein said plurality of selectable assignments further include at least one additional group of a plurality of selectable assignments which can only become active if particular selectable assignments from said first group are already active.

83. The method of claim 80, wherein said generated system control signals include signals of MIDI format.

84. The method of claim 80, wherein said hierarchical arrangement comprises a plurality of selectable pages, each of said plurality of selectable pages comprising a plurality of subpages.

85. The method of claim 84, said method further comprising:

indicating a currently active page and subpage of said plurality of selectable pages and subpages on an alphanumeric display.

86. The method of claim 84, wherein each of said plurality of subpages comprise selectable assignments affiliated with only a subset of said plurality of physical controller components.

87. The method of claim 86, wherein said plurality of physical controller components are geometrically arranged, and the subsets of each of said plurality of subpages are metaphorically affiliated with said geometric arrangement of said plurality of physical controller components.

88. The method of claim 80, wherein selected assignments of said plurality of physical controller components are hierarchically organized in a collection of pages, wherein an active page is selectable via any of said plurality of physical controller components.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein each of said collection of pages comprise a plurality of subpages, and wherein an active page is selectable using at least one of said plurality of physical controller components.

90. The method of claim 80, wherein each of said plurality of selectable assignments, for each of said plurality of physical controller components, are organized in a collection of pages, and

wherein a change in selection of an active page initiates an issuance of an additional generated system control signal that is issued to said external system using said interface.

91. A controller system for issuing system control signals to an external system, said controller system comprising:

a plurality of foot-operated physical controller components, arranged in a geometric configuration to provide structure from which to construct a geometric metaphor relevant to a particular control task, wherein each of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components provide physical controller signals in response to human operation;

a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

a processor generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal based upon an activated selectable assignment, and wherein said activated selectable assignment is activated by physical controller signals provided by a specific one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components; and

an interface issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

92. The system of claim 91, wherein said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

93. The system of claim 91, wherein said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components are arranged in a tiered staircase array.

94. The system of claim 91, wherein said geometric configuration reflects a physical hierarchical arrangement of said plurality of physical controller components.

95. The system of claim 94, wherein said physical hierarchical arrangement corresponds to a hierarchical arrangement of said selectable plurality of assignments.

96. A method for issuing system control signals to an external system, said method comprising:

providing physical controller signals in response to human operation using a plurality of foot-operated physical controller components, arranged in a geometric configuration, wherein said geometric configuration provides structure from which to construct a geometric metaphor relevant to a particular control task;

implementing a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal based upon an activated selectable assignment, and wherein said activated selectable assignment is activated by physical controller signals provided by a specific one of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components; and

issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

97. The method of claim 96, wherein said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

98. The method of claim 97, wherein said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components are arranged in a tiered staircase array.

99. The method of claim 96, wherein said geometric configuration reflects a physical hierarchical arrangement of said selectable plurality of physical controller components.

100. The method of claim 99, wherein said physical hierarchical arrangement corresponds to a hierarchical arrangement of said selectable plurality of assignments.

101. A controller system for issuing system control signals to an external system, said controller system comprising:

a plurality of foot-operated physical controller components each providing physical controller signals in response to human operation;

a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal, and wherein at least two of said plurality of selectable assignments can be simultaneously active;

a plurality of selectable state machines comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable state machines determines active and inactive states of at least two of said plurality of selectable assignments, and wherein at least two of said plurality of selectable state machines can be simultaneously active;

a processor generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal based upon an activated selectable assignment; and

an interface issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

102. The system of claim 101, wherein said plurality of physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

103. The system of claim 101, wherein each of said plurality of selectable state machines comprises state transitions driven by operation of at least two of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components.

104. The system of claim 101, wherein said generated system control signals include signals of MIDI format.

105. The system of claim 101, wherein said plurality of selectable state machines is specified by one of said plurality of selectable assignments.

106. A method for issuing system control signals to an external system, said method comprising:

providing physical controller signals in response to human operation using a plurality of foot-operated physical controller components;

implementing a plurality of selectable assignments comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal, and wherein at least two of said plurality of selectable assignments can be simultaneously active;

implementing a plurality of selectable state machines comprising active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable state machines determines active and inactive states of at least two of said plurality of selectable assignments, and wherein at least two of said plurality of selectable state machines can be simultaneously active;

generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal based upon an activated selectable assignment; and

issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

107. The method of claim 106, wherein said plurality of physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

108. The method of claim 106, wherein each of said plurality of selectable state machines comprises state transitions driven by operation of at least two of said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components.

109. The method of claim 107, wherein said generated system control signals include signals of MIDI format.

110. The method of claim 107, wherein said plurality of selectable state machines is specified by one of said plurality of selectable assignments.

111. A controller system for issuing system control signals to an external system, said controller system comprising:

a plurality of foot-operated physical controller components each providing physical controller signals in response to human operation;

a plurality of selectable assignments organized into first and second groups, wherein each of said plurality of selectable assignments comprise active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments of said first group invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

a processor generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal as determined by an active selectable assignment of said first group and parameters determined by an activated selectable assignment of said second group; and

an interface issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

112. The system of claim 111, wherein said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

113. The system of claim 111, wherein said parameters determined by said activated selectable assignments of said second group are varied by said physical controller signals.

114. The system of claim 111, wherein said parameters determined by said activated selectable assignments of said second group are varied by said physical controller signals only while said activated selectable assignments of said second group remain in an active state.

115. The system of claim 111, wherein said parameters determined by said activated selectable assignments of said second group are set by said physical controller signals upon activation of said activated selectable assignments of said second group.

116. The system of claim 111, in the case where no selectable assignment from the second group is active, a specified default value is used for the parameter.

117. A method for issuing system control signals to an external system, said method comprising:

providing physical controller signals in response to human operation using a plurality of foot-operated physical controller components;

implementing a plurality of selectable assignments organized into first and second groups, wherein each of said plurality of selectable assignments comprise active and inactive states, wherein said active state of each of said plurality of selectable assignments of said first group invokes a mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to an associated system control signal;

generating said system control signals according to at least one mapping operation, said at least one mapping operation comprising the mapping of at least one of said plurality of physical controller signals to said associated system control signal as determined by an active selectable assignment of said first group and parameters determined by an activated selectable assignment of said second group; and

issuing said generated system control signals to said external system, wherein said generated system control signals are in a format that is compatible with said external system.

118. The method of claim 117, wherein said plurality of foot-operated physical controller components are selected from the group consisting of:

foot switches

rocking foot pedals

null/contact touch-pads, and

pressure sensor array touch-pads.

119. The method of claim 117, wherein said parameters determined by said activated selectable assignments of said second group are varied by said physical controller signals.

120. The method of claim 117, wherein said parameters determined by said activated selectable assignments of said second group are varied by said physical controller signals only while said activated selectable assignments of said second group remain in an active state.

121. The method of claim 117, wherein said parameters determined by said activated selectable assignments of said second group are set by said physical controller signals upon activation of said activated selectable assignments of said second group.

122. The method of claim 117, in the case where no selectable assignment from the second group is active, a specified default value is used for the parameter.