Mixing console device

Abstract

The invention relates to a mixing console device having at least two input channels, having at least one output channel and having a signal processing unit which is designed to process signals in the input channels and to output the processed signal in the output channel. The mixing console device has a selection region in which at least two of the input channels can be selected in a user-defined manner, and an interface region which is associated with the selection region, has at least one operator control element for influencing the incorporated input channel, and can be changed depending on the selected input channel.

Description

[0001] Mixing console device

[0002] The invention relates to a mixing console device with at least two input channels, with at least one output channel and with a signal processing device designed for processing signals in the input channels and for outputting the processed signal in the output channel.

[0003] Conventional mixing consoles feature multiple input channels, a signal processing unit (SPU), and at least one output channel. Signals are fed into the SPU via the input channels, which then processes the signals and outputs the processed signal via the output channel, for example, to a loudspeaker. To allow users to control the SPU, mixing consoles have several controls that enable user-defined adjustments to its parameters. An example of this is a rotary control for adjusting the volume of a signal. Conventional mixing consoles also have a selection area that allows the user to choose the input signal to be processed. Due to the large number of signals typically processed, professional mixing consoles have hundreds or even thousands of input channels.In conjunction with the large number of parameters to be controlled, a considerable number of controls must be provided to offer the user all the necessary settings. This is usually reflected in a large surface area on which the controls are arranged. This interface is static and remains constant, regardless of the selected input channel. At most, a display may change depending on the selected input channel. Therefore, conventional mixing consoles are comparatively large and cumbersome. Furthermore, there is the disadvantage that the full set of controls is not usually needed for every selected signal, meaning that a large portion of the mixing console's surface is unusable, yet must be available in case another channel needs to be processed differently.

[0004] The object of the invention is therefore to develop a mixing console device with more efficient operation while avoiding the aforementioned disadvantages.

[0005] The object of the invention is achieved by a mixing console device according to claim 1, which has at least two input channels, at least one output channel and a signal processing device configured for processing signals in the input channels and for outputting the processed signal in the output channel, wherein the mixing console device has a selection area in which at least two of the input channels can be selected by the user, wherein the mixing console device has an interface area associated with the selection area, which has at least one control element for influencing the selected input channel and which is changeable depending on the selected input channel.

[0006] A fundamental concept of the invention is that while the interface area of ​​known mixing consoles can be designed and configured for a specific application during the design phase, it subsequently remains static and cannot be adapted to a different application. To use the mixing console for different purposes, the necessary interface area must be designed on the console for each application, with the consequence that only a portion of the interface area can be effectively used at any given time. Known mixing consoles are particularly inefficient to operate and excessively large in area.The mixing console device according to the invention means that, due to the interface area being variable depending on the selected input channel, its design and functionality are no longer static as in the prior art, but can be adapted to the selected input channel. This enables the efficient use of the space available for the interface area.

[0007] "Changeable" within the meaning of the invention can include the fact that the arrangement and / or division and / or activation of the interface area, in particular the control element, is changeable.

[0008] Preferably, the interface area is user-configurable, particularly during operation of the mixing console device. This allows the interface area to be individually configured according to the user's preferences, enabling the mixing console device to be used for various tasks. The mixing console device thus no longer needs to be designed for the intended application at the time of construction. The ability to modify the interface area during operation ensures a high degree of flexibility and efficiency. This is especially true for modifications during user operation of the mixing console device. In a further development of the invention, the control element can also be user-configurable.

[0009] Preferably, at least one of the input channels comprises a single input signal or, in particular, a user-defined group of input signals, wherein the input signals of a group are interconnected by an operator that is, in particular, user-defined and / or parameterizable. For the purposes of the invention, the input signal is, for example, an audio signal from a microphone or a playback device, which is fed to the signal processing unit of the mixing console device via the input channel, processed by its signal processing unit, and then output via the output channel. Alternatively, an input channel can also contain a group of input signals, which is represented, for example, by a signal bus and fed to the signal processing unit.This allows the members of the input signal group to be processed efficiently simultaneously, using only a single input channel. According to the invention, a member of the input signal group can itself be another group of input signals. The invention provides that the input signal or the group of input signals can be assigned to an input channel by the user. In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that an input signal can be assigned to several groups of input signals and / or several input channels. The user-defined assignment of an input signal to an input channel creates a high degree of customization, which improves overall efficiency and expands the application range of the mixing console device.This also applies to the possibility of linking the input signals of a group with at least one user-defined operator. For example, a group of input signals can be configured so that all input signals of the group are summed and the result is fed to the mixing console device via the input channel of the signal processing device. The user-definable and / or parameterizable operator further expands the application range of the mixing console device. For the purposes of this invention, operators also include, for example, user-configurable filters.

[0010] Preferably, at least one input channel can be assigned a keyword, which can be user-selected in the selection area, and / or which can be automatically assigned a keyword depending on the input signal of the input channel. Depending on the application, the keyword can also be referred to as a "tag," and in this sense, the tagging process can be called "tagging." Assigning a keyword to the input channel, which can also be user-defined, improves usability, as the user can more easily find a desired input channel thanks to its tag. To further improve usability, the keyword can be selectable in the selection area. For the purposes of the invention, a keyword includes any information by which the user can identify the input channel it identifies and is therefore not limited to existing words. It also includes freely selectable designations.In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the keyword can be automatically assigned to this input channel by assigning an input signal to the input channel. This eliminates the potentially tedious manual assignment of the keyword to the input channel, thus simplifying operation.

[0011] In a further development of the invention, the interface area can be assigned to the keyword, and in particular, can be changed depending on the keyword. For example, a specific interface area assigned to a particular keyword has a different arrangement of the controls than an interface area assigned to a different keyword.

[0012] Preferably, the signal processing device is configured to assign a keyword to an input channel using a trained model, wherein, in particular, the assignment is performed automatically depending on the input signal of the input channel. For this purpose, it can be provided that the trained model is configured such that it is fed with the input signal of the input channel and outputs the keyword as a result, assigning it to the input channel.Preferably, the trained model can be trained with target training data comprising input signals and corresponding predefined keywords. The trained model can be trained such that it is fed forward with the target training data while retaining a determined keyword. Subsequently, an error parameter, in particular an error vector, is determined between the determined keyword and the predefined input signal. Finally, parameters of the trained model are modified by feeding the trained model backward with the error parameter, in particular the error vector, if a quality parameter of the error parameter, in particular the error vector, exceeds a predefined value. The trained model can be designed as a neural network.

[0013] Preferably, the mixing console device is designed such that an interface area assigned to an input channel is configured as a user-defined and / or predefined standard interface area if no information is available for the interface area assigned to the input channel. The standard interface area is thus configured as a normal or "default" interface area.

[0014] Preferably, the interface area comprises an operating area with at least one control element assigned to the selected input channel and / or a display area with at least one display element assigned to the selected input channel. Thus, the mixing console device can be functionally divided into the operating area responsible for its control and the display area responsible for the display; however, this is not mandatory. The operating area can have at least one display element and / or the display area can have at least one control element. In particular, it is possible to provide for both a control element and a display element. The display element can be assigned to the control element and, for example, show its currently set value, which can be done by displaying appropriate information, such as a digit display or a bar graph.In accordance with the invention, the control element can be designed as a physically operable element, for example a push button. In a further development of the invention, the control element can be designed as a virtual control element, for example in the form of an area on a touchscreen that is configured to register user input.

[0015] Preferably, the control element is at least one member of the following group: button, push button, switch, regulator, slider, rotary control.

[0016] Preferably, the control element can be positioned, activated, deactivated, shown, or hidden depending on the selected input channel. This position can be modified, and / or changed by the user. The changeable position of the control element allows it to be positioned for interaction with the specific input channel, thus simplifying operation of the mixing console, particularly according to user preference and / or the specific application. This is especially true if the position is user-defined. While a particular position of the control element may be ideal for processing one input channel, this may not be the case for processing another.One further development could provide that the control element can be activated depending on the selected input channel, so that the control element can only be operated when the corresponding input channel is selected. Similarly, it could be provided that the control element can be deactivated depending on the selected input channel to prevent accidental input. For more efficient use of the space available for the at least one control element, it could be provided that the control element can be displayed depending on the selected input channel, so that the space occupied by the control element can be used for other purposes when a different input channel is selected, for example, for other controls.Similarly, it can be provided that the control element can be hidden depending on the selected input channel, in order to free up space for a control element not assigned to the selected input channel. By combining several, and in particular all, of the aforementioned functionalities, it is possible that for each selected input channel only those controls required for its operation are displayed and / or activated, while controls not required for this purpose are hidden and / or deactivated. This allows the interface area to be customized depending on the selected input channel.

[0017] Preferably, the display element comprises at least one member of the following group: visualization of an operator assigned to the selected input channel, visualization of the signal of the input channel, equalizer of the input channel, visualization of plug-ins assigned to the input channel, visualization of a control amplifier assigned to the input channel, in particular a compressor, visualization of a gain, in particular an input gain, visualization of a panning control, visualization of a threshold control, in particular a gate control, visualization of information supplied via an interface of the mixing console device, in particular an audio and / or video signal and / or text and / or image information, which may be read from an external source.The display element assigned to the selected input channel corresponds, for example, to information associated with the input channel, such as a value that may represent the volume of the input channel's signal. In a further development, the display element corresponds to a bar chart that is filled depending on the value of the input channel's signal. Similarly, a circular arc-shaped display element that fills up depending on the value of the input channel's signal can be designed. The mixing console device can include any data processing equipment required for the display element's function, which is particularly integrated into its signal processing device. In addition, the display element can function as an equalizer assigned to the input channel's signal.As mentioned elsewhere, the functionality of the display element is not necessarily limited to displaying information; it can also be designed to receive user input, for example, to interact with the displayed information, such as changing the volume of the signal from the selected input channel or operating the equalizer. For this purpose, the display element can be a visual representation of a plug-in and / or a gain control amplifier assigned to the input channel, such as a compressor.

[0018] The display element, in the form of a visualization of information supplied via an interface of the mixing console device, can, for example, be the output of a video signal supplied via the interface of the mixing console device, wherein audio signals associated with the video signal are supplied via at least one input channel of the mixing console device. In a further development of the invention, this can additionally or alternatively be an audio signal supplied to the mixing console device via the interface. The interface element of the interface area can be at least one member of the following group: display area, visualization, indicator element, control area, control element. The audio signal and / or the video signal can correspond to the input signal.

[0019] Preferably, the selection area and / or the interface area, in particular its operating area and / or its display area, are designed as a touchscreen. This allows user input to be easily captured, especially input near or within the area of ​​an operating and / or display element. Furthermore, using a touchscreen eliminates the need for physical components. The touchscreen can be integrated into the mixing console device. Alternatively or additionally, the touchscreen, and thus the areas associated with it, can be located on a display device that is separate from, but connectable to, the mixing console device. This results in a functional separation such that the user input to be registered by the touchscreen is physically separate from the user interaction with the mixing console device.The mixing console device can be operated by several users simultaneously, for example, and the connection between the mixing console device and the display device can be wired and / or wireless.

[0020] Preferably, the mixing console device is connected to a display device, wherein, in particular, the selection area and / or the interface area, especially its operating area and / or its display area, can be output via the display device. The display device can be a member of the following group: screen, monitor, terminal device, computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet. To facilitate operation, the display device can be designed to detect user input, in particular via touch input. Preferably, the mixing console device is designed as an audio mixing console.

[0021] Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the claims and the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in detail with reference to the drawings. These show:

[0022] Fig. 1 . a schematic representation of a mixing console device according to the invention,

[0023] Fig. 2 . a schematic representation of the input channels of the mixing console device according to Fig. 1 and their processing,

[0024] Fig. 3 . another representation of the input channels of the mixing console device according to Fig. 1 and their processing,

[0025] Fig. 4 . a schematic representation of a selection area and an interface area for a selected input channel of the mixing console device according to Fig. 1 .

[0026] Fig. 5 shows the selection area and the interface area according to Fig. 4 for a different selected input channel.

[0027] Fig. 6 shows the selection area and the interface area according to Fig. 4 for a different selected input channel, and Fig. 7 shows the selection area and the interface area according to Fig. 4 for a different selected input channel.

[0028] Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a mixing console device 1 according to the invention, with six input channels 2 that transmit audio signals to a signal processing unit 3 of the mixing console device 1. The signals are then processed and output via an output channel 4 located on the right side of Fig. 1. For controlling the mixing console device 1, it has a touchscreen 12, which is designed to register user input and displays the selection area 8 and the interface area 9, both of which are described below. The mixing console device according to Fig. 1 is connected to a display unit 18, which also has a touchscreen 12 and displays the selection area 8 and the interface area 9, allowing them to be controlled by a user.

[0029] The mixing console device 1 according to the invention allows for great flexibility in handling the signals in the input channels 2. Fig. 2 illustrates a possible embodiment with regard to the processing of audio signals, which are fed as input signals from six different audio sources 5 via individual input channels 2 of the mixing console device 1. For clarity, the mixing console device 1 is not shown in Fig. 2. During processing, the audio signals of the first three input channels 2 are assigned to a first group 6 of input signals, and the audio signals of the fourth and fifth input channels 2 are assigned to a second group 7 of input signals, while the audio signal of the sixth input channel 2 is transmitted directly to the signal processing unit 3 of the mixing console device 1. In the simplified embodiment of Fig.In Figure 2, the signal processing device 3 is configured such that the audio signals of the first group 6, the second group 7, and the sixth input channel 2 are summed, and the resulting audio signal is output via the output channel 4 located on the right in Figure 2. In this respect, the audio signals of the first group 6, the second group 7, and the sixth input channel 2 are linked together by a summing operator. The summing operator is user-configurable, allowing, for example, audio signals or at least one group 6, 7 of audio signals to be excluded from the summing operator.

[0030] The mixing console device according to the invention, as shown in Fig. 1, has a selection area 8 in which the input channels 2 are displayed to a user and can be selected by the user. In addition, the mixing console device according to the invention has an interface area 9 associated with the selection area, which has at least one control element 10 for influencing the selected input channel 2 and which can be changed depending on the selected input channel 2. These features are explained further below in connection with Fig. 4. In this regard, the mixing console device 1 provides that a keyword 11 can be assigned to one or more input channels 2, with Fig. 3 showing an exemplary list of the available keywords 11 on the left. The arrows in Fig. 3 illustrate that the keyword "Presenter" is assigned to the third input channel 2.With regard to the keywords 11, it is possible to assign a specific configuration of the interface area 9 to each keyword such that, when a keyword 11 is selected, both the input channel 2 and the interface area 9 associated with it are selected and displayed. The keyword 11 is selected via user input in the selection area 8. A list of the exemplary configurations of the interface areas 9 is shown on the left side of Fig. 3. For clarity, only the first keyword 11 and the first interface area 9 associated with it are shown in each case. Furthermore, the mixing console device 1 provides that the keyword 11 can be automatically assigned to the input channel 2 depending on its input signal.This can be done in particular using a trained model, whereby the assignment is done automatically depending on the input signal of input channel 2.

[0031] Fig. 4 shows a representation of the selection area 8 and the interface area 9 of the mixing console device 1 according to Fig. 1, which can be displayed, for example, via a touchscreen 12 of the mixing console device 1. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to display the selection area 8 and / or the interface area 9 of the mixing console device 1 via a display device 18 connected to the mixing console device 1. The selection area 8 of the mixing console device 1 is located in the lower area of ​​Fig. 4 and shows all of the six input channels 2, with the first input channel 2 being selected in Fig. 4. The input channel 2 is selected by user input via the touchscreen 12. The selection area 8 also displays the keywords 11 assigned to the input channels 2.

[0032] The interface area 9 of the mixing console device 1 is arranged above the selection area 8 and comprises an upper display area 13 and a control area 14 arranged below it. The display area 13 has several display elements 15 assigned to the selected input channel 2, which, in the illustrated embodiment, correspond to a visualization of an input gain ("Input Gain Display"), a visualization of an equalizer, a panning control ("Pan"), a compressor ("Comp"), and a gate control ("Gate"). The display elements 5 include at least partial visualizations 16 of the signal of the selected input channel 2 as well as control elements 17 assigned to the input channel 2, which are designed to detect user input and to influence the display elements 5. In the embodiment of Fig. 4, the control elements 16 are designed as visualized rotary controls on the touchscreen 12.For clarity, the visualizations 16 and the control elements 17 are only labeled with reference symbols for the two upper display elements 15 of Fig. 4. The arrangement of the display elements 15 in the display area 13 can be modified by the user, in particular depending on the selected input channel 2, which is described below.

[0033] As already mentioned, the control area 14 comprises several control elements 10, which in the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 are functionally grouped together. Each group includes a slider 10, a rotary control 10, and a push button 10. The mixing console device 1 can provide that certain control elements 10, which are not required for the selected input channel 2, can be selectively deactivated; this applies, for example, to the group of control elements 10 in the upper left of the control area 14.

[0034] In the transition from Fig. 4 to Fig. 5, the fourth input channel 2 was selected via user input on the touchscreen 12. This deactivated the previously selected first input channel 2. Based on this user input, the interface area 9 of the mixing console device 1 was modified and adapted to the selected input channel 2. The display area 13 now includes different display elements 15 than in Fig. 4, which are also arranged differently. For example, a video signal, supplied to the mixing console device 1 via an external source not shown in Fig. 1, is displayed as a display element 15 in the upper left. To the right of this, a tactical view, transmitted by external software of the mixing console device 1, is arranged as another display element 15.This includes further visualizations 16 and control elements 17 assigned to the selected input channel 2, which have already been described in connection with Fig. 4. In addition to the display area 13, the control area 14 has also been modified depending on the selected input channel 2, such that individual control elements 10, which were still displayed and activated in Fig. 4, are now completely hidden. In Fig. 5, the control area 14 comprises different control elements 10, whereby, similar to Fig. 4, several control elements 10 are arranged in a group. In Fig. 5, the interface area 9 is not only assigned to the fourth input channel 2, but also to the keyword 11 "Pitch".

[0035] In the transition from Fig. 5 to Fig. 6, the fifth input channel 2 is now selected, which is also assigned the keyword "Pitch". This does not change the arrangement of the display elements 15 of the display area 13, but it does change the content of individual display elements 15 that are assigned to the selected input channel 2. This is also reflected in the control area 14, whose control elements 10 correspond to those of Fig. 5, but whose values ​​are adapted to the selected fifth input channel 2.

[0036] In Fig. 7, the sixth input channel 2 was selected, to which the keyword 11 "Playback" is assigned. This adapted the interface area 9 to the changed input channel 2. The display area 13 again features different display elements 15 in a different arrangement. For example, a video signal from another video source connected to the mixing console device 1 is displayed as a display element 15. In addition, there are visualizations 16 and control elements 17 assigned to the selected sixth input channel 2. The control area 14 also includes other control elements 10, the values ​​of which correspond to the selected input channel 2. While the control elements 10 of control area 14 in Fig. 6 are hidden, the control elements 10 of control area 14 in Fig. 7 are displayed in a different arrangement. Additionally, control area 14 in Fig. 7 also has deactivated control elements 10.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Mixing console device (1) with at least two input channels (2), with at least one output channel (4) and with a signal processing device (3) for processing signals in the input channels (2) and for outputting the processed signal in the output channel (4) is designed, wherein the mixing console device (1) has a selection area (8) in which at least two of the input channels (2) can be selected by the user, wherein the mixing console device (1) has an interface area (9) assigned to the selection area (8), which has at least one control element (10, 17) for influencing the selected input channel (2) and which can be changed depending on the selected input channel (2).

2. Mixing console device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the interface area (9) is user-defined and can be changed, in particular during user-side operation of the mixing console device (1) • 3. Mixing console device (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of the input channels (2) comprises a single input signal or, in particular, a user-defined group (6, 7) of input signals, wherein the input signals of a group (6, 7) are linked together with an operator that is, in particular, user-defined and / or parameterizable.

4. Mixing console device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one input channel (2) can be assigned a keyword (11), which in particular can be user-defined in the selection area (8), and / or which can be automatically assigned a keyword (11) depending on the input signal of the input channel (2).

5. Mixing console device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the signal processing device (3) is configured to assign a keyword (11) to an input channel (2) by means of a trained model, wherein in particular the assignment is carried out automatically depending on the input signal of the input channel (2).

6. Mixing console device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interface area (9) has an operating area (14) with at least one operating element (10) assigned to the selected input channel (2) and / or a display area (13) with at least one display element (15) assigned to the selected input channel (2).

7. Mixing console device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the control element (10) is at least one member of the following group: button, push button, switch, control, slider, rotary control.

8. Mixing console device (1) according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the control element (10) depending on the selected input channel (2) is arranged at a changeable position and / or can be activated and / or deactivated and / or shown and / or hidden.

9. Mixing console device (1) according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the display element (15) includes at least one member of the following group: Visualization (16) of an operator assigned to the selected input channel (2); Visualization (16) of the signal of the input channel (2); equalizer of the input channel (2); visualization (16) of a plug-in assigned to the input channel (2); visualization (16) of a control amplifier assigned to the input channel (2), in particular a compressor; visualization (16) of information supplied via an interface of the mixing console device (1), in particular an audio and / or video signal and / or text and / or image information, which may be read from an external source.

10. Mixing console device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the selection area (8) and / or the interface area (9), in particular its operating area (14) and / or its display area (13), are designed as a touchscreen (12).

11. Mixing console device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mixing console device (1) is connected to a display device, wherein in particular the selection area and / or the interface area, in particular its operating area and / or its display area, which can be output via the display device.

12. Mixing console device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is designed as an audio mixing console.

Images