Patent ID: 7742609
Filing Date: 2010-06-22
Classification: H04H

Abstract:
1. A digital audio mixing system for real time mixing and adjustment of audio signals during a live performance on a live performance stage, the system comprising: a. a host computer having a processor configured to perform digital audio mixing functions which controls selected audio parameters including the relative volume levels of audio signals for a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs in response to mixing control signals for controlling the selected audio parameters; b. an audio patch bay unit coupled to the processor, the patch bay unit having a plurality of inputs, the inputs adapted to receive audio signals from a plurality of different live audio source components and a plurality of outputs adapted to transmit audio signals to a plurality of audio destination components wherein the patch bay unit configures the connections between the inputs and the outputs; c. a system console configured to generate and transmit the mixing control signals to the processor, the system console comprising at least one touch sensitive display and at least one tactile control surface having audio faders; d. a system user interface, the user interface comprising software which directs the host computer to generate multiple functional views on the display; the multiple functional views including a stage view; and e. the stage view comprising a plurality of different pre-defined and user selectable icons on the display, each of the icons visually representing different types of the audio source and destination components connected to the system, the icons movable by the user on the display to positions representing actual stage locations on the live performance stage of the stage elements corresponding to the icons, and a plurality of user selectable stage element configuration presets, the presets including a predefined selection and arrangement of audio source and destination components, f. wherein the software configures the system user interface to control the audio patch bay unit so that the user can select multiple ones of the inputs and reconfigure the connections between the selected inputs and one or more of the outputs to define one or more user selected mixes of audio signals from said live audio source components; and g. wherein the software configures the system user interface to receive user input commands in real time during a the live performance to select an audio signal from one or more of said live audio source components by touching or pointing to one or more icons on the stage view representing said one or more live audio source components, and to receive user input commands real time during the live performance to adjust multiple audio parameters, including the relative volume levels, related to the one or more live audio source components by selecting multiple audio parameters of the selected signal and then adjusting the multiple selected parameters.