Sound Mixing Interface with Persistent Control Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Media applications often have complex user interfaces that limit the audio producing experience, and existing solutions fail to seamlessly transition input device mappings when switching between devices, requiring users to reassign mappings for each new input device.
Innovation Solution
A media application that assigns physical controls of input devices to screen objects, allowing users to map input mechanisms to channel strip parameters, and utilizes a floating split to expand key ranges, enabling intuitive control and visual feedback while maintaining mappings across device changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the media application assigns physical controls to screen objects and maps them to parameters, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces screen objects as an intermediary layer between physical input device controls and channel strip parameters. When a user operates a physical control, the media application captures the input, moves the corresponding screen object visually, and then applies the control to the mapped parameter. This intermediary mechanism provides intuitive visual feedback while maintaining the complexity of parameter mappings internally, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the media application maintains mappings between screen objects and parameters across device changes, then the adaptability is improved, but the loss of information increases when switching input devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a persistent copy of the mapping relationships between screen objects and parameters that is independent of the specific input device being used. When a user switches from one input device to another, the media application retains these mappings, allowing the new device's controls to be assigned to the same screen objects and parameters without reconfiguration. This copying approach preserves configuration information across device changes, improving adaptability while preventing information loss.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the media application uses floating split to expand key range of channel strips, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements floating splits that dynamically adjust the key range boundaries of channel strips based on user interaction and context. Instead of fixed, static splits, the boundaries can move and adapt to accommodate different playing styles and musical contexts. This dynamic approach allows a single channel strip configuration to serve multiple purposes across different key ranges, improving adaptability while the system manages the complexity internally through automated boundary adjustment logic.
Data Source
AI summary
A media application for providing outputs (e.g., audio outputs) in response to inputs received from an input device is provided. The media application may connect input mechanisms of an input device with parameters of channel strips (e.g., which may define output sounds) using an intermediate screen object. The media application may first assign an input mechanism to a screen object, and separately map a screen object to a channel strip parameter. The media application may map a screen object to several channel strips simultaneously such that, based on the value of the screen object, the volume of each of the several channel strips changes. The media application may provide a graphical representation of available channel strips using layers. As the media application accesses a channel strip, the appearance of the portion of the layer associated with the channel strip may change. The media application may also allow the patches, which may include several channel strips, to survive after a new patch is selected instead.