Position sensitive rotatable DJ control device

• US 8,110,734 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inmusic Brands Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gibson Guitar Corporation (Gibson Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Flum, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US12/218,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20100014390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 846/00, 846/15
• US Class Current: 84/615
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• 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

The disclosure relates to a display for a device for manipulating audio in a disc jockey or similar application. A touch sensitive user rotatable member detects the position where the DJ touches the surface. Effects like needle dropping are possible for the first time without the use of a phonographic table or without a computer device which uses a phonographic turntable as a control input device. The display can show music as color coded concentric circles which represent tracks and/or record grooves. Color coded markers show current position of the music on the control surface and allows the user to set and use visual cue points. Functionality of the rotatable member can be dynamically mapped for unprecedented control. For example, the inner portion of the rotatable member can be used for needle dropping while the outer portion can be used for scratch effects. The device is capable of manipulating audio and video streams or a combination of the two. In addition, it can be used as a standard DJ control surface for scratching and the display can be used to create a beat synchronized light show or display custom messages.

Claims

1. A control device for manipulating digital audio information, comprising:

a user manipulable rotatable member;

a sensing device coupled to a surface of said member for detecting a position on the surface of said member touched by the user;

a sensor coupled to said member for detecting direction and relative position of rotation of said member; and

processing means for manipulating a portion of an audio track to be played based on a position touched by the user on said member; and

processing means for manipulating the digital audio information based on the detected direction and the relative position of rotation of said member.

2. A device of claim 1 further comprising:

a rotating platter impinging against said rotatable member and rotating about a common axis therewith; and

a motor driving said rotating platter.

3. A device of claim 1 wherein the processor dynamically maps which portion of a musical performance can be manipulated by said member surface.

4. A device of claim 1 wherein said processing means maps a portion of said member surface where position can be detected and maps a portion of said member surface where position information is ignored.

5. A device of claim 1 wherein said sensing device for detecting position is a capacitive position sensing array.

6. A device of claim 1 wherein said sensing device for detecting position is a resistive position sensing array.

7. A device of claim 1 wherein said sensing device for detecting position is an orthogonal array of infra-red image sensors.

8. A device of claim 1 wherein a portion of said processing means is included in an externally connected device.

9. A device of claim 8 wherein said externally connected device is a computer.

21. A device of claim 1 wherein manipulating a portion of the audio track to be played based on the position touched by the user on said member includes a needle drop function.

22. A device of claim 1 wherein processing means for manipulating a portion of the audio track to be played based on a position touched by the user on said member includes memory;

and

manipulating a portion of the audio track to be played based on the position touched by the user on said member includes creating cue points in memory based on the position touched by the user on said member.

23. A device of claim 1 wherein manipulating the digital audio information based on the detected direction and the relative position of rotation results in a scratch effect.

24. A device of claim 1 wherein the sensor coupled to said member for detecting direction and relative position of rotation is a quadrature optical detector.

25. A device of claim 1 further including means for selectively responding to either the position touched by the user on said member or the detected direction and the relative position of rotation of said member.

10. A control device for manipulating digital audio information, comprising:

user manipulable rotatable member;

a touch screen display coupled to the top surface of said member;

said touch screen detects the position where the top surface of said member was touched;

a sensor coupled to said member for detecting direction and relative position of rotation of said member;

processing means for manipulating a portion of the audio track to be played based on the position touched by the user on said member; and

processing means for manipulating the digital audio information based on the detected direction and the relative position of rotation of said member.

11. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays concentric rings that represent portions of a musical performance.

12. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays at least one marking that represents a current position of the music.

13. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays markings that represent song start and stop positions.

14. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays markings that represent cue points.

15. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays markings that are color coded to correspond to a display on an externally connected computer.

16. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen displays markings that are color coded to correspond to an information display contained within the device.

17. A device of claim 10 wherein said processing means maps a portion of said member surface where position can be detected and maps a portion of said member surface where position information is ignored.

18. A device of claim 17 wherein said touch screen displays information corresponding to the portion of said member surface where position is detected and the portion of member surface where position is ignored.

19. A device of claim 10 wherein said touch screen display dynamically displays images, text, or patterns that correspond to the music tempo.

20. A device of claim 10 further comprising:

a rotating platter impinging against said rotatable member and rotating about a common axis therewith; and

a motor driving said rotating platter.

26. A device of claim 10 wherein manipulating a portion of the audio track to be played based on the position touched by the user on said member includes a needle drop function.

27. A device of claim 10 wherein processing means for manipulating a portion of the audio track to be played based on a position touched by the user on said member includes memory;

and

manipulating a portion of the audio track to be played based on the position touched by the user on said member includes creating cue points in memory based on the position touched by the user on said member.

28. A device of claim 10 wherein manipulating the digital audio information based on the detected direction and the relative position of rotation results in a scratch effect.

29. A device of claim 10 wherein the sensor coupled to said member for detecting direction and relative position of rotation is a quadrature optical detector.

30. A device of claim 10 further including means for selectively responding to either the position touched by the user on said member or the detected direction and the relative position of rotation of said member.