A battery powered, portable multi-channel audio mixing console is disclosed. The mixing console is configured to be easily held in a user's hand like a remote control. The console is configured to wirelessly receive, via separate channels, two or more independent stereo input audio signals from separate audio sources such as cellular phones, iPads, iPods, or other computing or media player devices, independently equalize the frequencies of those input signals, independently adjust the volume of those input signals, and then mix those audio signals into a combined output signal. The console further includes user controls that can vary the relative magnitude of the first and second input signals in the combined output signal. The console is further adapted to transmit the combined output signal to one or more speakers via independent channels.

FIELD

This patent application generally relates to an audio mixer, and more specifically to portable multi-channel mixing console.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Audio mixers are electronic device for combining (or “mixing”), routing, or changing the loudness, timbre and/or dynamics of audio signals. The modified signals (voltages or digital samples) are summed to produce a combined output signal.

Conventional mixers are typically bulky, require external power, and are not readily portable. Moreover, they are often not capable of receiving, processing, and transmitting multiple wireless audio signals.

Accordingly, a need is recognized here for a compact and easily portable wireless audio mixing console that is particularly adapted for friend and family gatherings, travel, and leisure.

SUMMARY

The subject matter of this disclosure is generally directed to multi-channel audio mixing consoles and more specifically discloses a portable, hand-held, battery powered, wireless, stereo multi-channel audio mixing console and various aspects or features thereof.

The mixing console comprises a housing that is configured to be easily held in a user's hand, like a remote control. It is configured to wirelessly receive two or more independent stereo input audio signals from separate audio sources (i.e., separate channels) such as cellular phones, iPads, iPods, or other computing or media player devices, independently tune the frequencies of those input signals, independently adjust the relative volume of those input signals, and then mix those audio signals into left and right mixed output signals. The console further includes user controls that can vary the relative magnitude of the left and right output signals. The console is further adapted to transmit the mixed signals to one or more speakers via independent channels.

Each of the foregoing various aspects, together with those set forth in the claims, described in the drawings and written description provided or otherwise disclosed in this patent document may be combined to form claims for a device, apparatus, system, methods of manufacture and/or use in any way disclosed herein without limitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

As illustrated inFIGS. 1A-3, the representative multi-channel audio mixing console100includes top, bottom, left, right, front, and rear sides110,112,106,108,102,104, respectively, and is comprised of a relatively rigid housing or enclosure120that contains the electronics, rechargeable battery, wireless modules and various interfaces. In the illustrated embodiment the housing is sized so that it can be easily held in one or two hands of the user.

As best illustrated inFIGS. 3-5, the audio mixing console100includes multiple Bluetooth® interfaces configured to receive audio signals from multiple audio sources,202,204and transmit audio signals to multiple receivers such as Bluetooth® speakers or amplifiers212,214. In one embodiment, the audio mixing console100is configured to receive two separate Bluetooth input signals402,404as well as transmit two independent Bluetooth signals412,414. Therefore, audio information can be received from two separate sources and can be streamed to or played on two separate audio receiving devices (e.g., speakers).

As best illustrated inFIGS. 3-5, the audio mixing console100is configured to receive two Bluetooth input audio signals402,404from audio sources202,204, respectively, and transmit two Bluetooth output audio signals412,414to speakers212,214, respectively. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 3, the audio sources202,204are cellular phones, however they can be any device capable of transmitting audio signals such as an iPad® or other tablet, iPod® or other digital media player or gaming device. The speakers212,214can be any wireless speakers whether part of a larger component system or a stand-alone speaker, such as for example Braven® 570 Portable Bluetooth Speaker. One or more of the receivers may alternatively be a Bluetooth enabled amplifier that is in turn connected to another speaker or audio output system. While the system here illustrated includes two Bluetooth inputs and two Bluetooth outputs, it should also be understood that the system or console100can readily be scaled to allow for any number (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.) of Bluetooth inputs and outputs.

Buttons315,316,317,318(best illustrated inFIG. 1B) are provided to initiate pairing of the Bluetooth interfaces of the audio mixing console100with the Bluetooth interfaces of the external devices202,204,212,214, respectively, to establish a Bluetooth connection.

Each of the Bluetooth input audio signals402,404may be tuned with a set of frequency tuners located on the top side110of the audio mixing console100. As illustrated inFIGS. 1A-1B, Bluetooth input audio signal402may be tuned by using a first equalizer307having low, mid, and high frequency tuners342,344,346, while Bluetooth input audio signal404may be tuned by using a second equalizer308having low, mid, and high frequency tuners352,354,356. An equalizer by-pass button305is provided that when depressed by the user routes the audio input signals around the frequency tuners.

The audio mixing console100also has individual volume controls334,336, which can adjust the volume of each signal prior to mixing by the mixer309. In the present embodiment, the audio mixing console100is configured to have the volume control334on the left side of the top side corresponding to the volume control of a first Bluetooth audio signal402and the volume control336on the right side corresponding to the volume control of a second Bluetooth audio signal404.

A sliding adjustable resistor mixer309, which has a user control, is also provided to mix or mash the audio signals into left and right output signals that are then independently transmitted to one or more speaker outputs via the Bluetooth transmitters310,312or transmitted directly to a standard output jack. The user control for the mixer309, which is positioned on the top face110near the front side102, allows the user to vary the output magnitude of the mixed signals relative to the left and right audio lines. Sliding the mixer309control toward the left side106will increase the relative magnitude of the mixed signal being outputted to the left line and sliding the mixer309output control to the right side108will increase the relative magnitude of the mixed signal to the right line. Positioning the mixer309output control in the middle will not bias the outputted signals, but rather transmit the mixed output signals in equal magnitude to both the left and right lines. The speaker receiving the left and right line signals will then generate stereo sound in accordance with the magnitude of the left and right line audio signals outputted from the mixer309and fed into the left and right individual speakers contained in the speaker unit212and/or214. In this way the user can selectively control the relative volume or output of the left and right speaker of a stereo speaker unit212and/or214.

As best illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5, in another embodiment, sliding adjustable resistor mixer309may be configured to adjust volume between two input signals (e.g., the first input signal received from first audio source402and the second input signal received from second audio source404) and mix the two input signals into a single Bluetooth signal that can be sent to one or more separate speakers via the Bluetooth transmitters310,312or transmitted directly to a monitor output360. The mixer309allows the user to vary the output magnitude of the first and second input signals relative to each other. Sliding the mixer309control toward the left side106will increase the relative magnitude of the first input signal and sliding the mixer309control to the right side108will increase the relative magnitude of the second input signal. Positioning the mixer309output control in the middle will not bias the outputted signals, but rather transmit the first and second input signals in equal magnitude. The speaker or speakers receiving the Bluetooth signal(s) will then generate sound in accordance with the relative magnitude of the first and second input signals as outputted from the mixer309. In this way the user can crossfade between two input signals with one or more speaker units212and/or214. Users can play audio from multiple audio sources402,404through a single speaker212without needing to repeatedly pair and unpair devices.

As best shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, in another embodiment, the multi-channel audio mixing console may process the first signal received from first external audio device202entirely separately from the second signal received from second external audio device204until the two signals are combined by the mixer309. The first signal received at the first Bluetooth input received301from first external audio device202(either through Bluetooth input signal402or analog input signal313) is modified by first equalizer307and first volume control334. The second signal received at the second Bluetooth input received303from first external audio device204(either through Bluetooth input signal404or analog input signal314) is modified by second equalizer308and second volume control336. After the first and second signal are independently equalized and volume adjusted, the first signal from the first external audio device202and the second signal from the second external audio device204are combined by mixer309, producing a combined audio signal. The same combined audio signal may then be routed to Bluetooth transmitter A310, Bluetooth transmitter B312, and line output311. In this embodiment, first speaker212and second speaker214both generate audio based on the same combined audio signal.

A headphone-out switch button304is provided for listening between audio sources202,204. In another embodiment, as best illustrated inFIG. 5, headphone-out switch304may switch the signal to monitor output360between audio source202and audio source204.

Referring in more detail toFIGS. 4-5for further descriptions of the audio mixing console100. Specifically,FIG. 4is a block diagram of a representative circuit300housed within the internal enclosure of the audio mixing console100depicted inFIGS. 1A-1B.FIG. 5is a representative circuit schematic diagram corresponding toFIG. 4.

The audio mixing console100has two audio input receivers301,303. Each of the audio input channels has two input sources. The first audio input receiver301can receive audio input from a first Bluetooth source402or a first analog line input source313. The second audio input receiver303can receive audio input from a second Bluetooth source404or a second analog line input source314.

In order for the audio input receivers301,303to receive audio inputs from Bluetooth sources402,404, the audio input receivers301,303have to be paired with external devices202,204with Bluetooth communication capability. The user can press the pair button315to pair the external audio device202with the first audio input receiver301. Similarly, the user can press the pair button316to pair the external audio device204with the second audio input receiver303.

In the present embodiment, an analog source present on any of the line inputs313,314has priority over the Bluetooth sources402,404connected to the same receiver. It should be understood however that the circuitry could be configured to prioritize the Bluetooth sources402,404.

The monitor output360is configured to allow the user to monitor the outputs from audio input receivers301,303(i.e., each of the channels). Button304selects which channel is being monitored. The outputs from audio input receivers301,303can be monitored from monitor output360and be heard by a user through a suitable speaker device such as a headphone220. The volume of monitor output360can be controlled by volume buttons319.

Two equalizers307,308are configured to allow the user to apply individual equalization effects to the output of each of the receivers301,303. In the present embodiment, analog knobs342,344,346are used to tune the low, middle and high frequencies, respectively, for the output of the first audio input receiver301. Similarly, analog knobs352,354,356are used to tune the low, middle and high frequencies, respectively, for the output of the second audio input receiver303. The outputs from equalizers307,308become the inputs to the mixer309.

The equalization effects can be bypassed if desired by depressing button305, which routes the outputs of receivers301,303around their respective equalizers307,308and directly to their respective volume control334,336. For example, when the EQ button305is released, the user set equalization effects will be applied to the signals, while when the EQ button305is pressed, the output of each of the receivers301,303will bypass the equalizers307,308and be sent directly to respective volume controls334,336that feed and then passed to mixer309. The volume controls334,336independently adjust the volume of each source channel before the source channels are mixed.

The EQ button305can be made of transparent or semi-transparent material so that when the button305is released, it can also trigger a light source (e.g., LED) under the button to illuminate the button305for indication purpose.

The first volume control334is configured to control the volume of the output audio signals (left and right) from the first equalizer307(or from the first receiver301if the equalization effect is cancelled) while the second volume control336is configured to control the volume of the output audio signals (left and right) from the second equalizer308(or from the second receiver303if the equalization effect is cancelled).Output signals from the first volume control334and the second volume control336can be mixed by the mixer309. The mixed signals are then routed to the first and second transmitters310,312. The mixed signal can also be sent to a line output311. The user control in the form of a slider, allows the user to control the relative magnitude of the left and right lines of the mixed signals as previously described above. The slider mixer309may instead allow a user to control the relative magnitude of the first input and second input as previously described above and illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5.

In order for the transmitters310,312to transmit Bluetooth signals412,414to external Bluetooth audio receivers (e.g., speakers212,214), the transmitter310,312have to be paired with the external audio sinks with Bluetooth communication capability. The user can press the pair button317to pair the external audio device212with the first transmitter310. Similarly, the user can press the pair button318to pair the external audio device214with the second transmitter312.

The system can have the option of being powered by a USB 5V input350or for greater portability it may be powered by the internal rechargeable battery351contained within the Power System306. System power can be turned on and off via an external user accessible Power Switch320.

The diagrams inFIGS. 4 and 5are only representative of an implementing circuit. Other circuits may also be designed to effectuate the same or similar user functionality.

The audio mixing console100described herein can also be hard-wired to non-Bluetooth speakers or audio sources using multiple line-in and line-out jacks. In one embodiment, when Bluetooth is not available, there are two audio inputs as well as an audio output to a speaker, or an output to headphones.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with specific examples and various embodiments, it should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications and adaptations of the invention described herein are possible without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter. Thus, it is to be clearly understood that this application is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention claimed below. The description is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptation of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention, and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known and customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains.