Color-Coded Audio Routing Interface for Live Mix Visualization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio interface devices lack a user-friendly interface to visualize real-time routing of hardware and software inputs contributing to output mixes, especially when adjusting levels of multiple non-live and live line inputs during live performances.
Innovation Solution
A color-coding scheme is implemented in the user interface, where selecting an output mix highlights the corresponding input tiles with fader controls displaying the assigned color and current levels, allowing operators to intuitively adjust fader levels and understand input contributions to each mix.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a traditional track-by-track user interface is used for configuring audio routing, then the device can handle multiple audio inputs and outputs, but the operator cannot easily visualize or understand the real-time routing relationships between inputs and output mixes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color-coding to visually link input channels with their corresponding output mixes. Each input channel is assigned a unique color that appears on the fader controls and level indicators for all output mixes that include that input. This allows operators to instantly recognize which inputs contribute to which outputs and at what levels, solving the routing visualization problem without adding complex interface elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the traditional two-dimensional track-by-track interface into a multi-dimensional visualization where the color dimension encodes routing relationships. By adding this visual dimension, the interface simultaneously displays routing information for multiple inputs and outputs without requiring additional screens or complex navigation, thus maintaining interface simplicity while greatly improving information delivery.
2Loss of information
If the interface displays detailed routing information for all inputs and outputs, then the operator can understand the complete signal flow, but the interface becomes cluttered and difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The color-coding system encodes routing information efficiently within the existing interface layout. Instead of adding text labels, additional displays, or complex menus, the patent uses color to convey which inputs are active in which outputs. This maintains a clean, uncluttered interface while providing comprehensive routing information at a glance, thus preserving ease of operation.
3Productivity
If the operator manually adjusts fader levels for each input across multiple outputs, then the audio mixing can be configured, but the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The color-coded visualization provides immediate feedback to the operator about which inputs are active in which outputs. When an operator adjusts a fader, the color-coded display instantly shows the effect on all relevant output mixes. This feedback mechanism helps operators make accurate adjustments more quickly and reduces errors, thereby improving mixing efficiency and reducing configuration time.
Data Source
AI summary
A graphical user interface of control software hosted by an audio interface device enables an operator to match a particular monitor mix with the input signals that contribute to the mix. The audio interface device receives live and non-live inputs and generates a plurality of monitor mixes. Using the graphical user interface, the operator selects a monitor mix to which a distinguishing graphical feature is assigned. In response, a graphical representation of faders representing the live and non-live inputs to the selected monitor mix automatically redisplays the faders with the distinguishing graphical feature and at an attenuation level corresponding to each input's contribution to the selected output mix. The distinguishing feature may be a color or a shading. The user interface may be used in the context of a studio recording session as well as in live performance settings.