Patent Publication Number: US-2019179599-A1

Title: Information processing method, information processor, and audio device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No. 2017-236789 filed in Japan on Dec. 11, 2017 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to an information processing method, an information processor, and audio device that are configured to perform tasks such as settings of an audio interface device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally, a configuration in which a setting screen of an audio interface device (hereinafter referred to as an IO device) is displayed on the mixer screen of a Digital Audio Workstation (hereinafter referred to as DAW) has been known. 
     However, a DAW user not only performs mastering using the mixer screen, but also uses a screen to perform work on each individual track in a music composition stage in many cases. 
     When operating each individual track, the user has had a problem that the relationship between a track during operation and an IO device is unclear. For example, it is difficult to grasp whether or not an audio signal to be inputted to the track during operation is an audio signal to which effect processing has been applied in the IO device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed to provide an information processing method, an information processor, and audio device that are able to easily grasp the relationship between each individual track and an IO device. 
     An information processing method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention displays a track editing screen to create multitrack content, on a display of an information processor, receives selection of one track among tracks displayed on the track editing screen, displays a management screen to perform signal processing of a selected track, on the track editing screen, and displays a management screen of an external audio device, on the management screen to perform the signal processing. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily grasp the relationship between each individual track and an IO device. 
     The above and other elements, features, characteristics, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a configuration of an audio system  1 . 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a configuration of a PC  11 . 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing a configuration of an IO device  12 . 
         FIG. 4  is an example of a GUI displayed on a display  101  of the PC  11 . 
         FIG. 5  is a view showing details of a management screen  70 . 
         FIG. 6  is a view showing details of a management screen  70 . 
         FIG. 7  is a view showing details of a management screen  70 . 
         FIG. 8A  is a view showing details of a management screen  70 . 
         FIG. 8B  is a view showing details of a management screen  70 . 
         FIG. 9A  is a view showing an example of a port list screen. 
         FIG. 9B  is a view showing an example of a port list screen. 
         FIG. 10  is a flow chart showing operation of a DAW. 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart showing operation when hardware monitoring is turned ON/OFF. 
         FIG. 12  is a flowchart showing operation when effect processing in the IO device  12  is turned ON/OFF. 
         FIG. 13  is a flow chart showing operation of each device in a case in which, in the IO device  12 , a user changes settings and a state has changed. 
         FIG. 14  is a flow chart showing operation of each device in a case in which, in the DAW, a user changes settings and a state has changed. 
         FIG. 15  is a flow chart showing operation of an Editor. 
         FIG. 16  is a view showing an example of a port list screen. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a configuration of an audio system  1 . The audio system  1  includes a PC  11  being an example of an information processor, and an IO device  12  being an example of an audio device. The PC  11  and the IO device  12  are connected to each other through a communication interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus), IEEE 1394, a LAN (Local Area Network), or a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface). 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a configuration of a PC  11 . The PC  11  includes components such as a display  101 , a user interface (I/F)  102 , a CPU  103 , a flash memory  104 , a RAM  105 , and a communication interface (I/F)  106 . The components are connected to a bus  151 . 
     The display  101  may include an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), for example, and displays various types of information. The user I/F  102  includes a mouse or a keyboard, and receives operation of a user. The user I/F  102 , together with the display  101 , configures a GUI (Graphical User Interface). 
     The CPU  103  corresponds to a controller. The CPU  103  reads out a program stored in the flash memory  104  being a storage medium to the RAM  105 , and achieves a predetermined function. For example, the CPU  103  displays an image of an operation portion to receive operation of a user on the display  101 , and, through the user I/F  102 , receives operation such as selection operation to the image of the operation portion to provide a GUI. In addition, the CPU  103  reads out a program (hereinafter referred to as a DAW) to edit music, and a program (hereinafter referred to as Editor) to manage the hardware of the IO device  12  from the flash memory  104 , and provides a GUI related to these programs. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the IO device  12  includes components such as an audio interface (I/F)  203 , a signal processor  204 , a communication interface (I/F)  205 , a CPU  206 , a flash memory  207 , and a RAM  208 . 
     The components are connected through a bus  171 . In addition, the audio I/F  203  and the signal processor  204  are also connected to a waveform bus configured to transmit a digital audio signal. 
     The CPU  206  is a controller to control operation of the IO device  12 . The CPU  206  performs various types of operation by reading out a predetermined program stored in the flash memory  207  being a storage medium to the RAM  208  and executing the program. For example, the CPU  206 , based on various types of commands that have been received from the PC  11  through the communication I/F  205 , executes input and output of an audio signal in the audio I/F  203 , mixing processing in the signal processor  204 , control of effect processing, a change in setting value of a parameter, and the like. 
     The signal processor  204  is configured by a plurality of DSPs to perform various types of signal processing such as mixing processing or effect processing. The signal processor  204  applies effect processing such as compressing processing of sound pressure by a compressor, provision processing of a reverberant sound and reflective sound by reverb, or equalizing, to an audio signal to be inputted through an input terminal in the audio I/F  203 . The signal processor  204  outputs the audio signal to which the signal processing has been applied, through an output terminal in the audio I/F  203 . In addition, the signal processor  204  outputs the audio signal to which the signal processing has been applied, to the PC  11  through the communication I/F  205 . 
       FIG. 4  is an example of a GUI displayed on a display  101  of the PC  11 . The GUI shown in  FIG. 4  is an example of a track edit screen  50  to create multitrack content in a DAW. The CPU  103  displays a track list  60 , a time line  61 , and a management screen  70  on the track edit screen  50 . 
     The track list  60  displays one or a plurality of tracks. A user selects any one of the tracks in the track list  60 . When the user selects a track, a time-axis waveform of a selected track and the like are displayed on the time line  61 . As described above, the user can record or edit the selected track. 
     In addition, when the user selects a track, the CPU  103  displays the management screen  70  to perform signal processing of the selected track.  FIG. 5  is a view showing details of the management screen  70 . 
     The management screen  70  has a selected track name display field  71 , a corresponding IO device name display field  72 , an input display field  73 , a WET display icon  74 , an effect display field  75 , an output display field  76 , an input bus display  81 , an output bus display  82 , and an output bus meter  83 . 
     The name of the track being selected at present is displayed on the selected track name display field  71 . The name of the IO device  12  being connected is displayed on the corresponding IO device name display field  72 . 
     The input display field  73  corresponds to the management screen of signal processing on an input side in the IO device  12 . In this example, the input display field  73  includes a phantom power source, an attenuator, a low cut filter, and a mute ON/OFF button. In addition, the input display field  73  includes a meter corresponding to a signal level. 
     The WET display icon  74  and the effect display field  75  show whether or not various types of effect processing in the IO device  12  is performed. In this example, reverb (REV) and a compressor (COMP) are displayed on the effect display field  75 . As a matter of course, the effect processing being displayed in this example is an example, and other various types of effect processing are able to be performed. 
     When a user sets effect processing in the IO device  12  to be enabled, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the WET display icon  74  is highlighted. In addition, each type of effect processing of the effect display field  75  is also highlighted. The user can switch enabling and disabling of the effect processing in the IO device  12 , for example, when clicking the WET display icon  74 . As a result, the user can easily grasp a first state in which the effect processing in the IO device  12  is performed, and a second state in which the effect processing in the IO device  12  is not performed. 
     In addition, in this example, the input bus display  81  is displayed above the WET display icon  74  and the effect display field  75 , and the output bus display  82  is displayed below the WET display icon  74  and the effect display field  75 . 
     The input bus display  81  shows an input position at which an audio signal is input to the PC  11 . The output bus display  82  shows an output position at which an audio signal is output from the PC  11 . Each display field displayed on the management screen  70  is disposed from the top to the bottom along the flow of an audio signal. In other words, the input display field  73  is displayed in the top part, the WET display icon  74  and the effect display field  75  are displayed in the middle part, and the output display field  76  is displayed in the bottom part. Furthermore, the input bus display  81  is located between the input display field  73 , and the WET display icon  74  and the output display field  76 . Accordingly, the user can easily grasp that the audio signal to which signal processing of content displayed in the input display field  73  has been applied is being inputted to the track being worked on in the PC  11 . In addition, the output bus display  82  is located between the WET display icon  74  and the effect display field  75 , and the output display field  76 . Accordingly, the user can easily grasp that the audio signal is being outputted to the output side of the IO device  12  after signal processing shown by the track being worked on in the PC  11  is performed. 
     In addition, the output bus meter  83  is displayed in the vicinity of the output display field  76 . The output bus meter  83  changes a display corresponding to the level of an audio signal. Accordingly, the user can easily grasp whether or not the audio signal is being outputted from the PC  11  to the IO device  12 . 
     As described above, the user can easily grasp the relationship between the track being worked on and the IO device  12 . In addition, the user can intuitively grasp the flow of the audio signal. 
     In addition, the user can easily grasp that the audio signal to be inputted to and outputted from the PC  11  changes in a case in which the position of the input bus display  81  or the output bus display  82  changes. For example, the audio signal is assumed to have been inputted to the track being worked on in the PC  11  after signal processing of the content displayed in the effect display field  75  in the IO device  12  is performed. In such a case, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the position of the input bus display  81  is displayed below the WET display icon  74  and the effect display field  75 . Accordingly, the user easily grasp that the audio signal to be inputted to and outputted from the PC  11  is an audio signal to which effect processing has been applied in the IO device  12 . 
     Subsequently,  FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B  are views showing an example in which display in a third state (hereinafter referred to as hardware monitoring) in which an audio signal that has been inputted to the IO device  12  is outputted from the IO device  12  without being inputted to the PC  11  and display in a fourth state (hereinafter referred to as software monitoring) in which an input audio signal is outputted through the PC  11  are changed.  FIG. 8A  is a management screen  70  in a case in which the hardware monitoring is turned on, and  FIG. 8B  is a management screen  70  in a case in which the software monitoring is turned on (in other words, the hardware monitoring is turned off). 
     A user may connect a sound source to an input terminal of the IO device  12  and may also connect a headphone or the like to an output terminal of the IO device  12 , and may play music while listening to the sound of the sound source and may make a recording. In such a case, a certain amount of delay occurs in the software monitoring in which an input audio signal is outputted through the PC  11 . Therefore, the user may make a recording by the hardware monitoring in which an audio signal that has been inputted to the IO device  12  is outputted from the IO device  12  without being inputted to the PC  11 . 
     In this example, as shown in  FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B , in a case in which the hardware monitoring is turned off, a portion from the input bus display  81  to the output bus display  82  is grayed out. As a result, to the user, the flow of the audio signal appears to have been blocked in the IO device  12 . Therefore, the user can intuitively recognize that the input audio signal is to be outputted through the PC  11 . 
     In addition, in a case in which the hardware monitoring is turned off, the display of the output bus meter  83  changes corresponding to the level of an audio signal. Therefore, the user can recognize that the input audio signal is to be outputted through the PC  11 . 
     Subsequently,  FIG. 9A  and  FIG. 9B  is a view showing an example of a port list screen. The port list screen  91  is a screen to be displayed by an Editor to manage the IO device  12 . 
     On the port list screen  91 , channel strips corresponding to the ports of a plurality of pieces of hardware mounted in the IO device  12  are displayed side by side in the lateral direction. The user can manage the settings of each port of the IO device  12  by operating the channel strips on the port list screen  91 . 
     In the present preferred embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 9A , the CPU  103  changes a display mode between a port assigned to the DAW of the PC  11  and ports other than the port. For example, in the example of  FIG. 9A , a port  1  to a port  8  and ports L and R on an output side are assigned to the DAW. Accordingly, the CPU  103  highlights the port  1  to the port  8  and the ports L and R on the output side. 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 9B , the CPU  103  changes a display mode between a port assigned to a track selected in the DAW and ports other than the port. In the example of  FIG. 9B , the ports  1  and  2  and the ports L and R on the output side are assigned to a bus connected to a selected track. Accordingly, the CPU  103  displays the ports  1  and  2  and the ports L and R on the output side in different color (in red, for example). In addition, tracks including a track being currently recorded, a track set to be solo (a state in which other tracks are muted and only a specified track is outputted), a track set to be SoloDefeat (a state in which a track is outputted even when other tracks set to be solo are present), the track set to be mute, a track set to be in the hardware monitoring or the software monitoring may be displayed in respective different display modes. 
     As a matter of course, the display mode is not limited to these examples. For example, only the color of a fader may be changed or the display of a port that is not used by the DAW may be cleared. 
     It is to be noted that, although the user can change the setting of a port on the port list screen  91 , in a case in which the setting of the DAW is also changed if the setting of a port is changed, the CPU  103 , in a case in which parameters or tracks that do not correspond one on one are present in the setting of the port and the setting of the DAW, may preferably set the setting operation of a port so as not to be received (the operation is disabled) or, as shown in  FIG. 16 , may preferably make a port look inoperable by operation such as graying out. In other words, the CPU  103 , in a case in which a plurality of tracks or a plurality of signal processing parameters correspond to a certain port, prohibits operation to the port. 
     For example, in a case in which a volume parameter of a track A, a volume parameter of a track B, and a volume parameter of the ports L and R on the output side are present, the CPU  103 , when changing any of the volume parameter of the track A and the volume parameter of the track B, is able to change the volume parameters of the ports L and R on the output side by calculating from the volume parameter of the track A or the volume parameter of the track B. However, conversely, in a case in which the volume parameters of the ports L and R on the output side are changed, which of the volume parameter of the track A or the volume parameter of the track B should be changed is not able to be determined. As described above, in a case in which parameters or tracks that do not correspond one on one are present in the setting of the port and the setting of the DAW, the CPU  103  may preferably set the setting operation of a port so as not to be received or may preferably make a port look inoperable. 
       FIG. 10  is a flow chart showing the operation of the DAW. The CPU  103 , when a user starts the program of the DAW and instructs a display of a track edit screen, performs the operation of this flow chart. 
     First, the CPU  103  displays a track edit screen  50  on a display  101  (S 11 ). Subsequently, the CPU  103  determines whether or not a specific track has been selected (S 12 ). The CPU  103  repeats determination of the S 12  when a track is not selected (S 12 : No). The CPU  103 , when a track is selected (S 12 : Yes), displays a management screen  70  of the selected track (S 13 ). Then, the CPU  103  displays a management screen of an IO device  12  on the management screen  70  (S 14 ). The management screen of the IO device  12  includes the input display field  73 , the WET display icon  74 , the effect display field  75 , the output display field  76 , the input bus display  81 , the output bus display  82 , and the output bus meter  83 . 
       FIG. 11  is a flowchart showing operation when the hardware monitoring is turned ON/OFF. The CPU  103  determines whether a user turns the hardware monitoring on or off (S 21 ). The user instructs to turn the hardware monitoring ON/OFF on the DAW. When the user instructs to turn the hardware monitoring off, the CPU  103  grays out a corresponding part (S 22 ). For example, the CPU  103 , as shown in  FIG. 8B , grays out a part from the input bus display  81  to the output bus display  82 . In addition, when a user instructs to turn the hardware monitoring ON, the CPU  103  undoes a grayed out part, as shown in  FIG. 8A  (S 23 ). 
       FIG. 12  is a flowchart showing operation when effect processing in the IO device  12  is turned ON/OFF. The CPU  103  determines whether or not the user sets effect processing to be enabled by a DSP  204  in the IO device  12  (S 31 ). In a case in which a user enables effect processing (in a case of setting to WET), as shown in  FIG. 6 , the WET display icon  74  is highlighted (S 32 ). In addition, each type of effect processing of the effect display field  75  is also highlighted. The user can switch enabling and disabling of the effect processing in the IO device  12 , for example, when clicking the WET display icon  74 . On the other hand, in a case in which a user disables effect processing (in a case of setting to DRY), the highlighting of the WET display icon  74  is released (S 33 ). 
       FIG. 13  is a flow chart showing the operation of each device in a case in which a user changes settings and a state has changed in the IO device  12 . As described above, the CPU  103  of the PC  11  reads out each of the DAW and the Editor from the flash memory  104  and executes the DAW and the Editor. At this time, a work memory for the DAW and a work memory for the Editor are separately secured in the RAM  105 . 
     In a case in which the state in the IO device  12  changes (S 41 ), the CPU  206  of the IO device  12  first rewrites the content of the work memory secured in the RAM  208  of the self device (S 42 ). The change of state includes a change of a port, ON/OFF of hardware monitoring, or ON/OFF of effect processing, for example. The CPU  206 , after rewriting the content of the work memory, transmits information that indicates the rewritten content to the PC  11  through the communication I/F  205 . As a result, the IO device  12  makes a notification that the state of the self device is changed (S 43 ). 
     The Editor of the PC  11  receives the notification through the communication interface  106 , and receives the change of state of the IO device  12  (S 51 ). In addition, the Editor rewrites the content of the work memory for the Editor (S 52 ). Then, in the PC  11  of the present preferred embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the Editor, the DAW also receives the notification through the communication interface  106 , and receives the change of state of the IO device  12  (S 61 ). The DAW rewrites the content of the work memory for the DAW (S 62 ), and also changes the display of the management screen  70  (S 63 ). For example, when ON/OFF of effect processing is switched, the DAW highlights the effect processing of the WET display icon  74  and the effect display field  75 . 
       FIG. 14  is a flow chart showing operation of each device in a case in which, in the DAW, a user changes settings and a state has changed. When a user instructs to change the state of the IO device  12  through a GUI (S 71 ), the DAW rewrites the content of the work memory for the DAW (S 72 ), and sends information that indicates the rewritten content to the IO device  12  through the communication interface  106  (S 73 ). In addition, the DAW changes the display of the management screen  70  (S 74 ). 
     The IO device  12  receives the change of state from the DAWthrough the communication I/F  205  (S 81 ), and rewrites the content of the work memory of the self device (S 82 ). As a result, the state of the IO device  12  changes. For example, when a user, in the DAW, changes the setting of a port to be assigned, the IO device  12  changes assignment from each port to the DAW. 
     Further, the IO device  12  sends information that indicates the rewritten content to the Editor of the PC  11  (S 83 ). The Editor of the PC  11  receives the notification through the communication interface  106 , and receives the change of state of the IO device  12  (S 91 ). In addition, the Editor rewrites the content of the work memory for the Editor (S 92 ). 
     In this manner, even in a case in which the setting of the IO device  12  is changed in the DAW, the content is also notified to the IO device  12  and the Editor, and the content of the memory in all the devices is rewritten. 
     In other words, the IO device  12  has the following technical idea. 
     An audio device includes an input and output interface of an audio signal, a communication interface configured to be connected to an information processor, a memory configured to store information that indicates the state of the self device, and a controller configured to rewrite the information of the memory, send the information that indicates the rewritten content, to the information processor through the communication interface, makes the information of the memory of the information processor rewritten, and change the display of an track edit screen to create multitrack content in the information processor. 
     It is to be noted that, in S 71 , in a case in which a user instructs to change a port or change a track, the Editor performs operation shown in  FIG. 15 . 
     The Editor performs operation shown in the flow chart of  FIG. 15  for each port. First, the Editor determines whether or not the current port is assigned to the DAW (S 101 ). When the current port is not assigned to the DAW (S 101 : No), the Editor makes the port ordinarily displayed (S 102 ). For example, the Editor does not highlight or color a port that is not assigned to the DAW, as shown in the port  9  to the port  16  in  FIG. 9A  and  FIG. 9B . 
     The Editor, in a case in which the current port is assigned to the DAW (S 101 : Yes), further determines whether or not the port is used by the track being currently selected in the DAW (S 103 ). In a case in which the port is not used by the track being currently selected (S 103 : No), the Editor makes the display of the port highlighted (S 104 ). For example, the Editor perform highlighting as shown in the port  1  to the port  8  and the ports L and R on the output side of  FIG. 9A  and  FIG. 9B . 
     On the other hand, the Editor, in a case in which the current port is used by the track being selected (S 103 : Yes), makes the port differently displayed, that is, displayed in red, for example (S 105 ). 
     As a result, in S 71 , in a case in which a user instructs to change a port or change a track, while the IO device  12  changes the setting, the Editor also changes the display of the port list screen  91 . 
     Lastly, the foregoing preferred embodiments are illustrative in all points and should not be construed to limit the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined not by the foregoing preferred embodiment but by the following claims. Further, the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications within the scopes of the claims and within the meanings and scopes of equivalents.