Digital Mixer Channel Control with Scrollable Parameter Overview
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing parameter controllers face challenges in operability and cost efficiency, particularly when dealing with a large number of channels, where scrolling through GUIs can make it difficult to access desired channels and partial display of channel strips leads to imprecise control.
Innovation Solution
A parameter controller with a digital mixer configuration that includes a CPU, flash memory, RAM, display unit, and signal processor, allowing for dynamic assignment of channels and scrollable channel overview screens, enabling users to access and adjust parameters of all channels without corresponding GUIs being displayed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If GUIs are horizontally scrolled to access different channels, then more channels can be displayed, but it becomes difficult to reach a desired channel when the number of channels is large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional horizontal scrolling to two-dimensional navigation by introducing a list display that shows multiple channels vertically. This allows users to access channels by scrolling through a compact list rather than horizontally scrolling through all channels, significantly improving access efficiency while maintaining the ability to display many channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the channel display into two parts: a list display showing channel identifiers and a detail display showing GUI parameters. This segmentation allows the list to be compact and easily navigable while the detail display provides full parameter control, resolving the contradiction between displaying many channels and easily accessing specific ones.
2Ease of manufacture
If only a part of channel strips are displayed on the display unit, then the cost of the apparatus is reduced, but the user can't precisely control channels whose corresponding GUIs are not displayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the display into two functional areas: a list display showing channel identifiers and a detail display showing GUI parameters for the selected channel. This allows all channels to be accessible through the list while maintaining precise control through the detail GUI, without requiring multiple physical displays.
Solution Approach 2:
The list display acts as an intermediary between the user and the detailed channel parameters. Users select channels from the list, and the corresponding GUI parameters are then displayed in the detail area, providing precise control without needing to display all channel strips simultaneously.
3Adaptability or versatility
If channel strips are arranged horizontally on a panel, then all channels can be accessed via controls, but the corresponding display width must match the channel strip width
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the display orientation from horizontal (matching channel strip arrangement) to vertical list format. This allows the display unit to maintain a compact width while providing access to all channels through the vertical list, decoupling the display width requirement from the number of channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the display functionality into channel selection (list display) and parameter control (detail display). This allows the list display to be narrow and vertical, accommodating all channel identifiers without requiring width proportional to the number of channels, while the detail display provides full parameter control.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A control object among control objects is assigned to each of a plurality of channel strips (220) each have at least a control (221) and are disposed on a panel (200) according to a predetermined order. A parameter of control object assigned to each channel strip (220) is adjusted in accordance with a manipulation of the control (221) of the channel strip (220). A display unit (250) is controlled to display parameters of the control objects assigned to a series of channel strips extracted from the channel strips (220) arranged on the panel (210) according to the order, and on accepting a first operation from the user, another series of channel strips are extracted from the channel strips (220), and the display unit (250) is controlled to display parameters of the control objects assigned to the extracted channel strips (S13).