Touchscreen Audio Mixer Layout for Dense Channel Assignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional audio mixing apparatuses face difficulties in operability and space requirements due to the need for physical operators and limited ability to change the number of assignable channels, while also lacking comprehensive information display for users.
Innovation Solution
An audio mixing apparatus that uses a touch panel display to generate and display level meter images with bar graphs, fader position markers, and channel indicators, allowing users to observe signal levels, signal types, fader positions, and user-set colors, enabling channel assignment without occupying physical space on the operating panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of channels is increased to handle more audio signals, then the mixing capability is improved, but the operating panel width and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a horizontal layout (wide operating panel) to a vertical layout (tall narrow panel). Channels are arranged vertically instead of horizontally, allowing more channels to be displayed within the same physical footprint. This dimensional change resolves the contradiction by maintaining mixing capability while reducing operating panel width.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple functions into integrated visual displays. The level meter display integrates channel identification, signal level indication, and channel status information into a single compact visual element. This merging allows more channels to be displayed without proportionally increasing panel width.
2Ease of operation
If physical operators are provided for each channel to allow direct control, then the ease of operation is improved, but the space requirement and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual copies (displayed channel information and level meters) instead of physical operators for each channel. The touch-sensitive display provides virtual controls that replicate the function of physical operators without requiring physical space for knobs, sliders, or buttons for each channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical operators (physical knobs, sliders, buttons) with an electronic touch-sensitive display system. This substitution eliminates the need for physical space dedicated to mechanical operators while maintaining ease of channel control through intuitive visual feedback and touch interaction.
3Loss of information
If simple level meter images are displayed to show signal levels, then the clarity of information is improved, but the amount of channel information available to users is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple types of channel information into a single integrated display element. Each channel's level meter incorporates signal level indication, channel identification, and status information simultaneously. This merging provides comprehensive channel information without proportionally increasing display complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different visual characteristics to different parts of the display to convey different types of information. Specific visual attributes (such as brightness, color, or pattern) are used to indicate different channel states or information types, allowing rich information communication through subtle local variations rather than complex overall structures.
Data Source
AI summary
Each of level meter block images 21 to 2m arranged on a touch panel display 1 displays, as a bar graph, respective signal levels of channels of a corresponding one of m blocks into which a plurality of channels are divided. The level meter block images 21 to 2m also serve as assignment selection buttons of an assignment selection portion 2. For each level meter block image, an image generation portion 8 generates not only an image of a bar graph but also an image which indicates respective color indicators of the respective channels such that, when a signal type of a channel indicates that there is a signal correlation between the channel and its neighboring channel, the channel has a color indicator of a connected shape shared with the neighboring channel, and synthesizes these images to output the synthesized image to an image display control circuit 3.