SOUND PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SAME

Abstract

To provide a sound processor that can set operation authority to a plurality of operators such as faders, and a method for controlling the sound processor.SOLUTION: An audio mixer (sound processor) comprises: a plurality of faders 41, 42 that are provided in correspondence with a plurality of channels to update parameters; a plurality of switches in a fader bank area 51 that designates channels to be allocated to the plurality of faders to at least either one of a first channel group or a second channel group; and a touch panel display 101 that receives setting of effectiveness and ineffectiveness of operations to the faders for at least either one of the first channel group or the second channel group. When operations to change the parameters with the faders are performed, if the channel group for which the setting of effectiveness is received by the touch panel display is designated, the audio mixer makes the operations effective, and if the channel group for which the setting of ineffectiveness is received is designated, makes the operations ineffective.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a sound processing device and a control method for the sound processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a digital mixer that allows a guest user to use various functions within the scope of authority given to the guest user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-88872 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Patent Document 1 does not prohibit the operation of a plurality of faders provided corresponding to a plurality of channels, respectively.

[0005] An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a sound processing device capable of setting operation authority for a plurality of operators such as faders, and a control method for the sound processing device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A sound processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of first operators provided corresponding to each of a plurality of channels for changing parameters in each of the plurality of channels, a second operator for designating at least a first channel group or a second channel group as a channel to be assigned to each of the plurality of first operators, a third operator for accepting settings for enabling and disabling operations on the first operators for at least either the first channel group or the second channel group, and a control unit for controlling signal processing of channels assigned to each of the first operators based on parameters indicated by each of the first operators, and for enabling parameter change operations by the first operators when a channel group for which the enabled setting is set is designated by the third operator, and for disabling parameter change operations by the first operators when a channel group for which the disabled setting is set is designated by the third operator. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to set operation authority for a plurality of operators such as faders. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an audio mixer. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a signal processing block. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the audio mixer. [Figure 4] 2 is an enlarged view of the fader bank area 51. FIG. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the audio mixer. [Figure 6] 2 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI displayed on a touch panel display 101. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a channel overview screen. [Figure 8]FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a user authority setting screen. [Figure 9] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the audio mixer 10 when a fader 41 is operated. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a channel overview screen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an audio mixer, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of a signal processing block of the audio mixer, and Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of the audio mixer.

[0010] The audio mixer 10 is an example of a sound processing device of the present invention. The audio mixer 10 inputs a sound signal from an audio device such as a microphone or a musical instrument. The audio mixer 10 performs signal processing such as mixing or effects on the input sound signal. The audio mixer 10 transmits the processed sound signal to an audio device such as a speaker.

[0011] The audio mixer 10 includes a touch panel display 101, an operation unit 102, an audio I / O (Input / Output) 103, a signal processing unit (DSP) 104, a network I / F (interface) 105, a USB I / F 106, a CPU 107, a flash memory 108, and a RAM 109. These components are connected via a bus 210.

[0012] CPU 107 is a control unit that controls the operation of audio mixer 10. CPU 107 performs various operations by reading programs stored in flash memory 108, which is a storage medium, into RAM 109 and executing the programs. Note that the programs do not need to be stored in flash memory 108 of the device itself. For example, the programs may be downloaded each time from another device such as a server and read into RAM 109.

[0013] The CPU 107 inputs and outputs audio signals at the audio I / O 103, controls the mixing process in the signal processing unit 104, controls the effect process, and changes the values ​​of parameters related thereto.

[0014] Touch panel display 101 is composed of, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and a touch panel laminated on the LCD. Touch panel display 101 displays various information under the control of CPU 107. Touch panel display 101 also accepts operations from a user. Touch panel display 101 is an example of a third operator of the present invention.

[0015] The operation unit 102 is made up of various operators such as switches, knobs, faders, etc., and receives operations on the audio mixer 10 from the user.

[0016] The signal processing unit 104 is composed of a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) for performing various signal processing such as mixing processing, effect processing, etc. The signal processing unit 104 performs signal processing such as mixing processing, effect processing, etc. on the sound signal input from the audio I / O 103, the network I / F 105, or the USB I / F 106. The signal processing unit 104 outputs the processed sound signal via the audio I / O 103, the network I / F 105, or the USB I / F 106.

[0017] 2, the signal processing block 901 is composed of an input channel 951, a bus 952, and an output channel 953. In this example, the input channel 951 has 16 channels (1-16). The bus 952 has various buses such as a stereo bus, a MIX bus, and a MATRIX bus. The output channel 953 is a block that processes the sound signals sent from each bus.

[0018] Each channel of the input channels 951 applies effect processing such as an equalizer (EQ) or a compressor (COMP) to the input sound signal. Each channel of the input channels 951 outputs the processed sound signal to a downstream bus 952. The level of the sound signal output by the input channel is adjusted by, for example, the fader 41.

[0019] The bus 952 mixes the audio signals sent from each input channel and outputs the mixed signal to the output channel 953 .

[0020] The output channel 953 applies effect processing such as an equalizer or a compressor to the input sound signal. The sound signal after the signal processing is supplied to the audio I / O 103, the network I / F 105, or the USB I / F 106.

[0021] 3, the audio mixer 10 includes a housing 20. A touch panel display 101 is disposed at the upper front portion of the housing 20. An operation panel 25 is disposed at the lower front portion of the housing 20. On the operation panel 25, a channel strip section 27 and a fader bank area 51 are disposed.

[0022] The channel strip section 27 includes eight input channel sections and one master section. Each input channel section has a plurality of controls including a plurality of faders 41. The master section has a fader 42. The user operates the fader 41 to control the level of each input channel. The user also operates the fader 42 in the master section to adjust the output level. The fader 41 is an example of a first control of the present invention.

[0023] 4 is an enlarged view of the fader bank area 51. The fader bank area 51 has a 1-8 bank switch 511, a 9-16 bank switch 512, a ST-IN switch 513, an OUTPUT switch 514, a CUSTOM switch 155, and a CUSTOM switch 156.

[0024] The 1-8 bank switch 511, the 9-16 bank switch 512, the ST-IN switch 513, the OUTPUT switch 514, the CUSTOM switch 155, and the CUSTOM switch 156 are examples of the second controls of the present invention. These switches specify at least a first channel group (e.g., input channels 1 to 8) or a second channel group (e.g., any channel group) as the channel to be assigned to each of the faders 41, which are the first controls.

[0025] For example, when the 1-8 bank switch 511 is selected, the eight input channel sections in the channel strip section 27 become sections for input channels 1 to 8, which are an example of the first channel group. When the 9-16 bank switch 512 is selected, the eight input channel sections in the channel strip section 27 become sections for input channels 9 to 16, which are an example of the first channel group. The 1-8 bank switch 511 and the 9-16 bank switch 512 are switches for specifying a fixed mode in which the channels assigned to each of the eight faders 41, which are the first controls, are fixed in advance.

[0026] When the ST-IN switch 513 is selected, the eight input channel sections in the channel strip section 27 become various input section levels including the stereo channel. When the OUTPUT switch 514 is selected, the eight input channel sections in the channel strip section 27 become sections for adjusting the send amount to various buses such as the stereo bus, MIX bus, and MATRIX bus.

[0027] When either the CUSTOM switch 155 or the CUSTOM switch 156 is selected, the eight input channel sections in the channel strip section 27 become sections for any channel assigned to the user. The user can specify, via the touch panel display 101, the channels to be assigned to the eight faders 41 when the CUSTOM switch 155 or the CUSTOM switch 156 is selected. The channel group specified by the touch panel display 101 corresponds to the second channel group of the present invention.

[0028] In this way, the CUSTOM switch 155 and the CUSTOM switch 156 are switches for designating a custom mode in which the channels assigned to each of the eight faders 41, which are the first operators, can be set arbitrarily.

[0029] Furthermore, when the CUSTOM switch 155 and the CUSTOM switch 156 are selected simultaneously, the eight input channel sections in the channel strip section 27 become operators for accepting operations for other sound processing devices connected to the audio mixer 10. The other sound processing devices are, for example, personal computers (hereinafter referred to as PCs) connected to the audio mixer 10. The PCs execute application programs for a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). A user performs tasks such as recording and editing of sound signals received from the audio mixer 10 via the DAW of the PC. When the CUSTOM switch 155 and the CUSTOM switch 156 are selected simultaneously, the eight faders 41 in the channel strip section 27 become operators for adjusting parameters for each track being edited in the DAW of the PC.

[0030] In this way, under normal circumstances, the fader 41 has a first mode in which it functions as an operator for changing parameters of the audio mixer 10, which is its own device, and a second mode in which it functions as an operator for executing functions for other sound processing devices connected to the audio mixer 10.

[0031] The audio mixer 10 of this embodiment enables or disables the operation of a specific bank of the eight faders 41 in the channel strip section 27 for each user.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the audio mixer 10. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI displayed on the touch panel display 101. First, the audio mixer 10 judges whether or not a status button has been operated via the touch panel display 101 (S11). As shown in FIG. 6, the touch panel display 101 always displays a status button 90 and a key button 91. When the touch panel display 101 accepts an operation of the status button 90, it displays a LOGIN screen 92 shown in FIG. 6 (S12). Note that the touch panel display 101 may also display the LOGIN screen 92 when the audio mixer 10 is started up.

[0033] On the LOGIN screen 92, the touch panel display 101 displays a selection screen for an administrator (first user) or a guest user (second user). The user selects either the administrator or the guest user. The administrator is a user for whom all operations on the audio mixer 10 are valid. The guest user is a user for whom only specific operations are valid.

[0034] The audio mixer 10 checks whether the administrator has been selected (S13). If the administrator has been selected, the audio mixer 10 may perform password input or biometric authentication using fingerprints, irises, faces, etc. If the password input is properly authenticated, the audio mixer 10 determines that the administrator has been selected.

[0035] When the administrator is selected, the audio mixer 10 displays a channel overview screen (S14). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the channel overview screen. On the channel overview screen, the touch panel display 101 displays a channel name and a gain value corresponding to each channel section in the channel strip section 27. In the example of FIG. 7, the 1-8 bank switch 511 is selected, and the eight input channel sections in the channel strip section 27 become sections of input channels 1 to 8, which are an example of the first channel group. Therefore, the touch panel display 101 displays the names and gain values ​​of the input channels 1 to 8 corresponding to each channel section. When the user operates the fader 41, the touch panel display 101 changes the display of the gain value of the corresponding channel.

[0036] On the other hand, when a guest user is selected instead of the administrator, the audio mixer 10 enables only specific operations (S15) and displays the channel overview screen (S14). Note that the guest user does not need to be authenticated with a password or the like.

[0037] The specific operation includes at least the fader operation in the custom mode. For the guest user, for example, only the operation of the fader 41 when the CUSTOM switch 155 or the CUSTOM switch 156 is selected is valid, and the operation of the fader 41 in the other fader banks is invalid. In addition, when the guest user is selected, the audio mixer 10 invalidates the switching to the second mode even if the CUSTOM switch 155 and the CUSTOM switch 156 are simultaneously selected.

[0038] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen for user authority. As shown in Fig. 6, touch panel display 101 always displays status button 90 and key button 91. When touch panel display 101 accepts operation of key button 91, it displays setting screen 93 shown in Fig. 8 (S12). Note that touch panel display 101 may display setting screen 93 when administrator is selected (when Yes is returned in S13 in Fig. 5).

[0039] The setting screen 93 allows the user to set whether operation of the fader 41 in a certain fader bank is enabled or disabled. In the example of Fig. 8, operation of the fader 41 in custom mode is set to enabled for the guest user. Operation of other fader banks is set to disabled. The administrator can touch an icon 94 displayed on the touch panel display 101 to change the fader bank that is permitted for the guest user.

[0040] 8, touch panel display 101 displays a screen for setting whether a fader bank is enabled or disabled, but may also display a screen for setting whether other operations are enabled or disabled. For example, touch panel display 101 may display a screen for enabling or disabling operations on touch panel display 101 for guest users. Touch panel display 101 may also display a screen for enabling or disabling operations on user-defined keys (not shown) to which any function can be assigned, and ON keys that switch each channel on / off.

[0041] 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the audio mixer 10 when the fader 41 is operated. When the fader 41 is operated (S21: Yes), the audio mixer 10 determines whether the operation of the currently specified fader bank (channel group) is set to be enabled or disabled (S22).

[0042] When the audio mixer 10 determines that the operation of the currently specified fader bank (channel group) is enabled, it changes the parameters according to the operation of the fader 41, and performs signal processing of the corresponding channel based on the changed parameters (S23). For example, when an administrator is selected, the operation of the faders 41 of all fader banks is enabled. When a guest user is selected, only the operation of the fader 41 of the custom mode fader bank is enabled.

[0043] If the audio mixer 10 determines that the operation of the currently specified fader bank (group of channels) is set to disabled, it displays a confirmation message such as "Fader operation disabled" on the touch panel display 101 (S24) and does not change the parameters corresponding to the fader 41.

[0044] In this way, the audio mixer 10 of this embodiment enables the guest user to operate only the fader 41 in the custom mode. This allows an engineer familiar with the operation of an audio mixer to have a general user who is not familiar with the operation of an audio mixer operate the audio mixer without worrying that important parameters will be changed. Also, the guest user can operate the audio mixer with confidence because only specific volume operations are possible during the performance while maintaining the contents of the parameters set in detail by the engineer. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the administrator sets the channel names of the input channel sections in the custom mode as Vocal 1 (Vo1), Vocal 2 (Vo2), Chorus (Co), Guitar 1 (G1), Guitar 2 (G2), Bass (Bass), Keyboard (Key), and Drums (Dr). The guest user can only adjust the volume of these channels by referring to the channel names set by the engineer, and does not operate the complicated settings of the audio mixer.

[0045] In the example of FIG. 6, touch panel display 101 displays a selection screen for administrator and guest user. However, touch panel display 101 may display another registered user. The administrator can specify which operations are to be enabled or disabled for each registered user. There are cases where all operations are enabled for a registered user, like the administrator, and cases where only specific operations are enabled for a registered user, like the guest user. When a registered user is selected, audio mixer 10 may perform password input or biometric authentication of a fingerprint, iris, face, or the like. When authentication of a proper password input is performed, audio mixer 10 determines that a registered user has been selected.

[0046] The description of the present embodiment should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 10…Audio mixer 20…Housing 25...Operation panel 27…Channel Strip Section 41…Feida 42…Feida 51…Fader Bank Area 90…Status button 91...Lock button 92...LOGIN screen 93...Settings screen 94…Icon 101...Touch panel display 102...Operation unit 103…Audio I / O 104...signal processing unit 105…Network I / F 106...USB interface 107…CPU 108...Flash memory 109…RAM 155,156…CUSTOM switch 210…Bus 511...1-8 bank switch 512...9-16 bank switch 513…ST-IN switch 514…OUTPUT switch 901...Signal processing block 951...Input channel 952…Bus 953…Output channel

Claims

1. a plurality of first operators provided corresponding to the plurality of channels, each of the first operators being used to change a parameter in each of the plurality of channels; a second operator that designates at least one of a first channel group and a second channel group as channels to be assigned to each of the plurality of first operators; a third operator that receives a setting of validity or invalidity of an operation of the first operator for at least one of the first channel group or the second channel group; Controlling signal processing of channels assigned to the respective first operators based on parameters indicated by the respective first operators; When the channel group set to be enabled by the third operator is designated, a parameter change operation by the first operator is enabled; when the channel group set to be disabled is designated by the third operator, a parameter change operation by the first operator is disabled. A control unit; A sound processing device comprising: The control unit identifies a first user and a second user; the third operator accepts the setting when the first user is identified; the control unit, when identifying the second user and when the channel group set to be disabled is designated by the second operator, invalidates a parameter changing operation by the first operator. Sound processing device.

2. the control unit causes the plurality of first operators to function in a first mode for changing the parameter or in a second mode for functioning as operators for executing a function for another sound processing device connected to the sound processing device; disable switching to the second mode when the second user is identified; The sound processing device according to claim 1 .

3. At least one of the first channel group and the second channel group corresponds to a custom mode in which channels assigned to each of the plurality of first operators can be arbitrarily set.

3. The sound processing device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the control unit invalidates a parameter changing operation by the first operator when the first channel group or the second channel group corresponding to the custom mode is designated. The sound processing device according to claim 3 .

5. At least one of the first channel group and the second channel group corresponds to a fixed mode in which channels assigned to each of the plurality of first operators are fixed in advance. The sound processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. a plurality of first operators provided corresponding to the plurality of channels, each of the first operators being used to change a parameter in each of the plurality of channels; a second operator that designates at least one of a first channel group and a second channel group as channels to be assigned to each of the plurality of first operators; a third operator that receives a setting of validity or invalidity of an operation of the first operator for at least one of the first channel group or the second channel group; A method for controlling a sound processing device comprising: Controlling signal processing of channels assigned to the respective first operators based on parameters indicated by the respective first operators; When the channel group set to be enabled by the third operator is designated, a parameter change operation by the first operator is enabled; when the channel group set to be disabled is designated by the third operator, a parameter change operation by the first operator is disabled.

1. A control method comprising: Identifying a first user and a second user; accepting the setting with the third operator when the first user is identified; when the second user is identified and the channel group set to be disabled is designated by the second operator, the parameter changing operation by the first operator is disabled; Control methods.

7. causing the plurality of first operators to function in a first mode for changing the parameters or in a second mode for functioning as operators for executing a function for another sound processing device connected to the sound processing device; disable switching to the second mode when the second user is identified; The control method according to claim 6.

8. At least one of the first channel group and the second channel group corresponds to a custom mode in which channels assigned to each of the plurality of first operators can be arbitrarily set. The control method according to claim 6 or 7.

9. when the first channel group or the second channel group corresponding to the custom mode is designated, a parameter changing operation by the first operator is invalidated. The control method according to claim 8.

10. At least one of the first channel group and the second channel group corresponds to a fixed mode in which channels assigned to each of the plurality of first operators are fixed in advance. A control method according to any one of claims 6 to 9.

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