Audio Mixer Channel Grouping for Surround Signal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional audio mixers require cumbersome and time-consuming operations to adjust parameters for multiple input channels when handling audio signals for surround environments, as they treat input sources as independent and unrelated, necessitating manual setting of connections and output levels for each channel.
Innovation Solution
An improved audio mixer with a channel grouping section that sets input channels as a surround channel group, connecting them to corresponding buses, and includes an instruction reception and parameter control system to automatically adjust parameters based on channel type, allowing for ganged or individual control of parameters within the group.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If input channels are treated as independent and unrelated sources, then each channel can be adjusted separately, but the operation becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple independent input channels into a unified group that maintains their individual identities while enabling collective management. The system allows operators to select and adjust parameters for groups of channels simultaneously, reducing the time required for manual configuration while preserving the ability to handle channels independently when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a multi-functional parameter adjustment system that can operate in multiple modes: individual channel adjustment, grouped channel adjustment, and universal parameter application across all channels. This universal capability allows the same control interface to serve different operational needs, from fine-tuning single channels to rapidly configuring entire groups.
2Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of each input channel is performed, then precise control over each channel is achieved, but the complexity of operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the parameter adjustment process into hierarchical levels: individual channel parameters, group parameters, and universal parameters. This segmentation allows operators to work at the appropriate level of detail depending on the task, reducing operational complexity while maintaining precise control when needed. Channels can be grouped by function or configuration to simplify management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary configuration options where default parameter settings and channel groupings can be established in advance. Once preliminary configurations are set, operators can quickly apply them to multiple channels simultaneously, reducing the complexity of repeated manual adjustments while maintaining the ability to fine-tune individual channels afterward.
3Ease of operation
If parameters are adjusted for each channel separately, then individual channel precision is maintained, but the mutual relationship among input sources is difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that monitor and display the relationships among channels. When parameters are adjusted, the system provides feedback about how these changes affect other channels in the group or system, allowing operators to maintain proper relationships while making adjustments. This feedback loop prevents loss of relationship information during parameter modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates equipotential parameter relationships where certain parameters are linked across multiple channels, ensuring they remain equal or maintain a fixed relationship. This approach automatically preserves mutual relationships among input sources while allowing individual channel adjustments within the constraints of the established relationships.
Data Source
AI summary
Six input channels, to which are allocated 5.1-channel surround signals from a plurality of input sources, are grouped into a surround channel group, and these six input channels are connected to corresponding ones of six surround buses in a one-to-one relationship. Thus, merely grouping the input channels into a surround channel group allows the signals of the individual input channels (5.1-channel surround signals) to be taken out via a plurality of output destinations (5.1-channel speakers) corresponding to the surround buses. Once an instruction is given for changing a value of a parameter, the parameter is controlled in a ganged fashion in all of the input channels of the surround channel group except for an LFE input channel of the surround channel group.