Audio processing

• US 6,281,885 B1
• Filed: 10/23/1998
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Eastty, Peter Charles, Thorpe, Peter Damien, Sleight, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Application Number:
  US09/178,333
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/119, 381/109, 846/53, 846/59, 846/60
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios

Abstract

Audio processing apparatus comprises an audio processor operable to apply one or more processing operations from a set of audio processing operations to an input audio signal; adjustment controls for adjusting processing parameters associated with each of the set of processing operations; a display screen for displaying icons representing each processing operation of the set of audio processing operations; and a detector for detecting user operation of the adjustment controls associated with an a processing operation and, in response to such a detection, for displacing the display position of the icon associated with that processing operation.

Claims

1. Audio processing apparatus comprising:

(i) an audio processor operable to apply one or more processing operations from a set of audio processing operations to an input audio signal;

(ii) adjustment controls in the form of a touch sensitive screen for adjusting processing parameters associated with said set of processing operations, whereby said adjustment controls for respective processing operations are activated by touching respective areas of said touch sensitive screen;

(iii) a display screen for displaying icons representing respective processing operations of said set of audio processing operations and for displaying an indication that a user'"'"'s hand is in proximity to, but not touching, one or more of said areas of said touch sensitive screen; and

(iv) a detector for detecting user operation of said adjustment controls associated with a processing operation and, in response to such a detection, for displacing a display position of said icon associated with that processing operation.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said detector is operable to displace said icon'"'"'s display position diagonally downwards.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which touching of a screen icon initiates display of an adjustment icon including said displaced screen icon.