Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices – With mixer
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-23
2004-09-21
Harvey, Minsun Oh (Department: 2644)
Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices
With mixer
C381S017000, C381S061000, C700S094000, C084S625000, C369S007000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06795560
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a digital mixer and a digital mixing method which are capable of providing effect-imparted mixed signals in a predetermined surround mode.
Audio mixing consoles have been known which are operable to adjust levels and frequency characteristics of audio signals input from many microphones or electric or electronic musical instruments, mix the thus-adjusted audio signals into several mixed audio signal groups, and delivers the mixed audio signals groups to power amplifiers. Generally, a human operator of the mixing console adjusts respective tone volumes and colors of audio signals representative of musical instrument tones and/or singing voices to conditions that appear to most appropriately express a performance, by manipulating various panel operators provided on the mixing console. The mixing console includes, as a signal input section of the console, a plurality of input channels for inputting signals from a plurality of microphones and external equipment (microphone/line input signals), and the signal input section is programmed to perform mixing on the input signals in a desired manner and pass resultant mixing-processed signals to a plurality of output channels constituting a signal output section of the console. Generally, the signals of the individual input channels are amplified by head amplifiers and then delivered to a mixing processing section that adjusts respective frequency characteristics and levels of the signals and then performs mixing on the signals in programmed combinations. After that, each of the thus mix-processed signals is set to a desired output level via an output fader and then passed to one of the output channels.
Typically, such mixing consoles are employed in theaters and concert halls and also used in recording studios to produce music sources for recording onto compact disks (CDs), DVDs, etc. For example, in the case of the mixing console employed in a concert hall, tones performed by musical instruments and singing voices are input via a plurality of microphones installed on and/or near a stage. The mixing console adjusts the levels and frequency characteristics of audio signals input via the microphones and mixes the thus-adjusted signals in desired combinations. Then, the mixing console adjusts the levels of the mixed signals and outputs the thus level-adjusted mixed signals to power amplifiers for driving speakers. There have been known digital mixers that use DSPs and the like to digitally perform the mixing processing in such mixing consoles.
Generally, for reproduction of sounds of movies, DVD software and the like, or for sound production in theaters and the like, a plurality of speakers are placed at front and rear positions (i.e., in front of and in back of audience seats) in order to produce a sound field affording a high sense of presence or realism to the audience. Systems for producing such a high sense of presence or realism are commonly called “surround systems”. Most of the known digital mixers too are constructed to produce mixed signals that can attain a surround effect using any desired one of various surround modes, several of which are illustratively shown in
FIGS. 16A
to
16
F.
The surround mode shown in
FIG. 16A
is a “stereo” mode, where left and right front speakers L, R are placed to achieve a sense of realism. The surround mode shown in
FIG. 16B
is a “(2+2)-channel” mode, where left and right front speakers L, R and left and right rear speakers Ls, Rs are placed to achieve a sense of realism. Further, the surround mode shown in
FIG. 16C
is a “(3+1)-channel” mode, where left, center and right front speakers L, C, R, and one center rear speaker S are placed to achieve a sense of realism.
Furthermore,
FIG. 16D
shows a “5.1-channel” mode, where left, center and right front speakers L, C, R, and left and right rear speakers Ls, Rs are placed, with a woofer speaker LFE placed at a suitable position, to achieve a sense of realism.
FIG. 16E
shows a “6.1-channel” mode, where left, center and right front speakers L, C, R, and left, center and rear speakers Ls, Cs, Rs are placed, with a woofer speaker LFE placed at a suitable position, to achieve a sense of realism. Furthermore,
FIG. 16F
shows a “7.1-channel” mode, where left, center and right front speakers L, C, R, left-center and right-center front speakers Lc, Rc, and left and right rear speakers Ls, Rs are placed, with a woofer speaker LFE placed at a suitable position, to achieve a sense of realism.
In the conventional digital mixers, sound image localization control corresponding to a designated surround mode can be performed, via a mixing bus unit, on only one set of surround channels. Thus, when the sound image localization is to be reflected, for example, in an output signal to be imparted with an effect, setting for the sound image localization has to be performed on another set of surround channels without aid of the surround mode. For example, with the sound image localization control corresponding to the designated surround mode, the levels of the left, center and right front speakers L, C, R, and left and right rear speakers Ls, Rs of the 5.1 channels can be controlled by means of a single operator. However, in a case where no surround mode can be used, the levels of the left, center and right front speakers L, C, R and left and right rear speakers Ls, Rs of the 5.1 channels must be set independently one by one.
Sometimes, a user of the digital mixer may want to impart a desired effect, such as chorus or flange, when any one of the surround modes is selected. However, a plurality of effects selectable via an effecter do not necessarily include an effect of input channel construction that corresponds to the surround mode selected by the digital mixer. Also, the user does not always have to select an effect of input channel construction corresponding to the selected surround mode. Therefore, there has been a strong demand for measures to appropriately deal with the case where a particular surround mode selected by the digital mixer and the input channel construction of an effect selected by the effecter do not correspond to each other.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel digital mixer and mixings method which can not only perform a set of surround mixing operations for main output, but also perform another set of mixing operations for effect impartment or the like in interlocking relation to (in such a manner as to follow) the surround mixing operations for main output.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel digital mixer aand mixing method which allows selection of mixing modes differing between surround mixing processing for main output and surround mixing processing for effect impartment or the like.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital mixer which selectively delivers signals from one or more channels to at least one of first buses and second buses so that mixing of the signals is performed via each of said first buses and second buses, and selectively outputs the signals mixed via each of said first buses and second buses, wherein, when said digital mixer generates multi-channel surround signals, said channels adjust levels of first signals to be delivered from said channels to said first buses in accordance with a selected first surround mode and a localizing position of each of said channels, said channels adjust levels of second signals to be delivered from said channels to said second buses in accordance with a selected second surround mode and said localizing position of each of said channels, said second buses mix the second signals delivered thereto and output the mixed second signals to an effecter for imparting a given effect to the mixed second signals in accordance with to said second surround mode, and said first buses receive the second signals imparted with the given effect from the effecter, mix the received second si
Grier Laura A.
Harvey Minsun Oh
Yamaha Corporation
LandOfFree
Digital mixer and digital mixing method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Digital mixer and digital mixing method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Digital mixer and digital mixing method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3258429