Abstract: A distributed audio signal processing system having a plurality of linked audio signal processing units is disclosed. Each audio signal processing unit has physical channels for receiving and sending local audio signals and a high bandwidth interface for exchanging audio signals with other linked audio signal processing units. Each of the physical channels of each of the audio signal processing units is mapped to a corresponding global channel. Global channels can be combined to form virtual channels that can be processed as a signal channel. Combinations of virtual channels can be grouped into logical channel groups that can be controlled as a group.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for mixing audio signals. The invention is based on the idea to base selection of what audio channels to mix on the dynamic behavior of the audio channels in terms of whether they are active or not, rather than basing the selection on quantative measures of the audio channels. According to the invention, a set of audio channels are arranged in a mixing stack and a mixed audio signal is produced from the topmost channels above a predetermined threshold level in the stack. Whenever a channel becomes active, it is placed at the top of the stack.

Abstract: An audio mixing method includes: performing an audio processing operation upon a first audio input derived from at least one decoded audio input to generate a processed audio output, and generating a mixed audio signal by mixing at least a second audio input and the processed audio output. An audio mixing apparatus includes an audio processing circuit and an audio mixing circuit. The audio processing circuit is utilized for performing an audio processing operation upon a first audio input derived from at least one decoded audio input and accordingly generating a processed audio output. The audio mixing circuit is coupled to the audio processing circuit, and utilized for generating a mixed audio signal by mixing at least a second audio input and the processed audio output.

Abstract: An information reproducing control apparatus, a display device, a control method, and a storage medium are disclosed, the control apparatus includes a display control device for controlling to display a reproducing point in sequential content data; an operating device including an operator, a user being able to directly touch the operator, the operator being used for designating a desired point of the content data as a new reproducing point; a specifying device for directly specifying a reproducing point corresponding to the new reproducing point. The operator having an operation area including one end portion provided along with one end portion of a display area of the elapsed time on the display device and the other end portion provided along with the other portion of the display area of the elapsed time on the display device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing an audio signal and method thereof.

Abstract: A turntable having multiple-point touch function for a digital sound-signal device includes a base formed with a central insert hole having a lower side provided with a load sensor, with a photo-sensor installed at one inner end of the base. A multiple-point touch-induction circuit is fixed on the base, having different sensing regions and bored with a central through hole. A touch-control turntable assembled on the circuit board has a central post protruding downward to be inserted through both the through hole and the insert hole for combining the base, the circuit board and the turntable together, the combining post having its lower end touching the load sensor. The turntable has its outer end edge provided with lots of light-obstructing plates protruding downward for obstructing light with the photo-sensor. The touch-control turntable is preset with plural memory regions to be touched for outputting different sound effects.

Abstract: A microscope image pickup system is one having a microscope apparatus enabled to change an observation state by driving one or more optical members, which comprises: an image pickup unit for picking up an image of an observation object; an image process unit for applying an image process to an image picked up by the image pickup unit; an input unit for inputting a process factor of the image process unit, wherein an observation state of the microscope apparatus and/or an image pickup condition of the image pickup unit are set up and an image is picked up so as to pick up an image of an image quality being equal to, or better than, that of an image to which an image process is applied on the basis of the process factor input from the input unit.

Abstract: A controller controls a mixing processor based on an operation in an operating portion. Besides, the controller causes a first display to display a view showing an entire console for controlling a parameter for signal processing in a mixing processor, and causes a second display to display a view showing a designated partial area of the above described control panel. Further, the controller accepts designation of any control in the view displayed by the second display, assigns a parameter corresponding to the control of which designation is accepted, and causes the mixing processor to change a value of the parameter assigned to the operating portion, in accordance with an operation content when the operating portion is operated.

Abstract: In a digital mixer, a storage stores operating data including a plurality of parameters for controlling states of audio signals of a plurality of channels. A signal processor performs a mixing process of the audio signals based on the operating data. A plurality of channel strips are mounted on an operating panel in correspondence to the plurality of the channels. Each channel strip includes operators arranged for controlling a corresponding channel. A display controller displays a panel imitation portion imitating an appearance of the operating panel and including a plurality of channel strip imitation images which imitate the plurality of the channel strips and which are arranged in a positional relationship corresponding to a positional relationship of the channel strips arranged on the operating panel. A parameter setter sets a value of a specific parameter of a channel corresponding to a channel strip upon detecting that the channel strip has been manipulated.

Abstract: Mixer apparatus includes: a plurality of input channels, mixing buses and output channels; a monitor section that outputs, for a monitoring purpose, signals of one or more of the channels selected in response to monitoring selecting operation; and a plurality of effecters. For each of the plurality of effecters, setting is performed to insert the effecter in a designated one of the input or output channels, to allow the inserted effecter to be used in the designated channel. The mixer also permits editing of a selected one of the effecters while causing an editing screen for the selected effecter to be displayed. When any one of the effecters has been selected for editing while the mixer is set in the interlock mode, control is performed to automatically output, for the monitoring purpose, the signal of the channel having the selected effecter inserted therein.

Abstract: An encoder for mixing a plurality of independent mono audio channels into a stereo recording and generating a restricted set of additional parameters used to master an audio track of a storage device is described. The plurality of independent mono audio channels are constructed such that the storage device can be played using an optical disk player so that in a first mode all of the plurality of independent mono audio channels are played as the stereo recording and in a second mode at least one of the plurality of independent mono audio channels can be unmixed and the stereo recording played with at least one mono audio channel removed. A corresponding decoder and an audio system comprising such encoder and decoder are also described.

Abstract: Signal processing parameter is settable separately for each of a plurality of channels (ch1-ch6). User designates a transfer source channel (e.g., ch1) and transfer destination channel (e.g., ch4) from among the plurality of channels, to thereby give a parameter transfer instruction. In response to the transfer instruction, the parameter setting of the transfer destination channel (ch4) and parameter settings of all channels (ch2-ch3) located intermediate between the transfer destination channel and the transfer source channel are sequentially shifted toward the transfer source channel (ch1), and the parameter setting of the transfer source channel (ch1) is transferred to the transfer destination channel (ch4). In this way, the parameter setting of the transfer source channel (ch1) is inserted into the transfer destination channel (ch4); the parameter settings of the other channels are sequentially shifted to respective adjoining channels in accordance with the parameter setting insertion.

Abstract: As viewed from the front of an operation panel, adjustment sections for individual input channels are positioned on the operation panel close to a human operator, and a display, a control section for setting an equalizer process, compressor process etc. for one selected channel and a signal delivery control section for setting signal delivery to mixing buses for the selected channel are positioned in a horizontal row remotely from the human operator. Operators in the delivery control section are varied in function in accordance with a selected operation mode. For example, in a mix send mode, a plurality of rotary operators are set to function as send level adjustment operators for the respective input channels so as to adjust send levels to a given mixing bus, while, in a mix master mode, the rotary operators are set to function as output gain adjustment operators for the respective mixing buses.

Abstract: In an audio mixing console, a channel strip section is disposed on an operation panel on the basis of a group, which is derived by classifying a plurality of input channels and output channels in groups, and using channel strips provided to the channel strip section, a parameter setting can be performed for each of the channels. In such an audio mixing console, an assignment channel strip section is provided on the center portion of the operation panel for enhancing operability, and the respective channels of the group are each assigned to their corresponding assignment channel strips through operation of a group selection operation member to enable the parameter setting. In a group selection operation section including the group selection operation members on the operation panel, the group selection operation members are disposed in a corresponding manner to the disposition positions of the channel strip sections on the operation panel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for setting up a voice conference call or sharing audio content. The method includes the steps of providing an audio mixer that receives an audio input from each of at least three audio interfaces of the conference call, mixes the audio inputs and provides an equalized audio output to each of the at least three audio interfaces, providing a first local wireless interface between a first audio interface of the at least three audio interfaces and a first headset, providing a second local interface between a second audio interface of the at least three audio interfaces and a second headset and coupling a third audio interface of the at least three audio interfaces to a third headset through a base station of a cellular network, wherein the communication paths to the first, second and third persons are all different.

Abstract: The present invention provides an information reproducing apparatus which can directly and intuitively designate a reproduction point, as desired by a user, on the basis of a change in level of a visually-provided information amount. An optical disk reproducing apparatus 100 reads content data from an optical disk 10 loaded and has a reproduction-time specification operating unit 220 which is formed by a movable operator MF. The reproduction-time specification operating unit 220 displays a change in amount of information on a beat according to elapsed time in the entire content data and includes a movable operator MF which is used to specify reproduction time of the optical disk 10 while being movable in an operation area OF corresponding to a display area A1. The reproduction-time specification operating unit 220 moves the movable operator MF such that the center of the movable operator MF corresponds to the reproduction time of the contents data in the beat density data displayed on a display unit 221.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for mixing a plurality of signals within a predetermined dynamic range without clipping. In the method and apparatus, first and second signal samples are added together to obtain a first intermediate result. Then the first signal sample is multiplied with the second signal sample to obtain a second intermediate result. In one embodiment, the second intermediate result is subtracted from the first intermediate result to obtain a third intermediate result, and the third intermediate result is discarded if the third intermediate result is less than zero. In another embodiment, the second intermediate result is added to the first intermediate result to obtain the third intermediate result, and the third intermediate result is discarded if the third intermediate result is greater than zero. An output signal sample is provided based on the third intermediate result.

Abstract: The present invention records a loudness-level-reference segment of audio when creating speech audio files and audio files including background sounds. The speech audio files can then be combined with the background sound containing audio files in any desirable combination. When combining the files, the relative audio level of the files is matched, by matching the loudness-level-reference segments with each other. Any of a variety of known digital signal processing techniques can be used to normalize the component audio files. The combined audio files containing speech and background sounds (e.g. ambient noise) having matching relative audio levels can be used to test and/or train a speech recognition engine or a speech processing system.

Abstract: An editing device including first and second decoders that decompress the compressed first and second high-definition television video data transferred by a computer; respectively, and edit processing unit for performing edit processing on the decompressed first high-definition television video data and the decompressed second high-definition television video data. A result of edit processing performed by the edit processing means is output. The compressed first high-definition television video data and the compressed second high-definition television video data are transferred in parallel from the computer to the first decoder and the second decoder, respectively.

Abstract: When a PC connected to a mixer engine functions as an editing device to edit a configuration of signal processing in the mixer engine, components and wires included in the edited configuration of signal processing are displayed within a CAD screen on a display of the PC, and a delay amount occurring in processing corresponding to each of the components and wires when the mixer engine executes the signal processing is displayed in correspondence with each of the components and wires on the CAD screen. In this case, the delay amount corresponding to each wire is a value determined according to a result of assignment in which signal processing corresponding to each component is assigned to a plurality of signal processors in the mixer engine.

Abstract: The present invention provides an information processing unit with improved operability. A reading section (10) reads information recorded in an optical disk, and outputs a read signal. A DSP (20) detects the read signal and processes to a reproducible form. A quick return button selects at least one of the processing details for starting or stopping the information processing and for changing a reproducing position of the information. When a reproducing state changing section (120) recognizes a change instruction for changing a processing state for the information, a reproduction control section (52) changes the processing state by the DSP 20 based on the processing details selected with the quick return button.

Abstract: A system for management and control of audio-related equipment. The system is a common architecture that provides the capability to manage, monitor and control all of the audio-related equipment in an audio system. To facilitate messaging between audio-related devices, each of the audio-related devices may be assigned a node ID a sequential manner as each audio-related device powers up. The system may also include a method for discovery of audio-related devices on an audio network. In some examples, a PEM may be located geographically remote from the audio-related devices. Accordingly, error logging, alarming and system operation may be monitored to provide troubleshooting from a remote location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for setting up a voice conference call or sharing audio content. The method includes the steps of providing an audio mixer that receives an audio input from each of at least three audio interfaces of the conference call, mixes the audio inputs and provides an equalized audio output to each of the at least three audio interfaces, providing a first local wireless interface between a first audio interface of the at least three audio interfaces and a first headset, providing a second local interface between a second audio interface of the at least three audio interfaces and a second headset and coupling a third audio interface of the at least three audio interfaces to a third headset through a base station of a cellular network, wherein the communication paths to the first, second and third persons are all different.

Abstract: A digital audio mixing system for live performance venues includes a software user interface and system host PC with an internal digital signal processor to perform digital mixing functions. The system includes a console having an array of multiple touch screen displays with corresponding fader board (tactile) control surfaces operatively connected to the host PC, and an audio patch bay unit. One or more stage boxes are linked to each other and to the system host PC by wired or wireless connections. The user interface includes multiple functional views and configuration presets, displayed in setup and real time modes, to allow the user to operate the system in a user friendly and simplified environment.

Abstract: While an AUX-bus selecting operator is being operated beyond a predetermined time period, displays of channel-ON operators, normally indicating ON/OFF states of corresponding input channels, indicate ON/OFF states of signal delivery from the input channels to the AUX bus. Thus, a user can readily confirm, with minimized operation, the ON/OFF states of the signal delivery from the input channels to the second bus. Operating any one of the channel-ON operators in this state can change the ON/OFF state of the signal delivery from the corresponding input channel to the AUX bus. Further, operating the AUX-bus selecting switch while keeping operating the layer operator, current fader settings of the input channels can be copied as delivery levels of signals from the input channels to the AUX bus.

Abstract: A plurality of music apparatus 10 to 30 such as an electronic musical instrument and a microphone apparatus are connected by wireless to a mixer apparatus 40. A Bluetooth module is adopted as wireless communication means to construct a piconet with mixer apparatus 40 functioning as a master and music apparatus 10 to 30 functioning as slaves. Audio signals and MIDI data from music apparatus 10 to 30 are transmitted by wireless to mixer apparatus 40 through isosynchronous communication procedure using Bluetooth modules 11, 21, 31, 41. In mixer apparatus 40, with regard to the MIDI data, music tone signals based on the MIDI data are produced, whereafter the produced music tone signals and the aforesaid audio signals transmitted by wireless are mixed. Wiring by means of cables between a plurality of music apparatus and a mixer apparatus is abolished, thereby eliminating the cumbersomeness of wiring and the restrictions accompanying the wiring.

Abstract: In a digital mixer capable of forming a plurality of externally-input signals into multi-channel surround signals by a mixing bus section, a plurality of output channels are set which correspond to a multi-channel surround channel configuration and are connected to a monitoring speaker system. When the externally-input signals are multi-channel surround signals, the digital mixer permits a selection as to whether the externally-input signals are to be monitored. If the signals are to be monitored, they are patched or converted in such a manner that their surround channel configuration agrees with the surround channel configuration of monitoring output channels, and then the externally-input signals are distributed among the monitoring output channels. Further, the digital mixer permits another selection as to whether the multi-channel surround signals formed by the mixing bus section are to be monitored. If the signals are to be monitored, they are distributed among the monitoring output channels.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a display for a device for manipulating audio in a disc jockey or similar application. A touch sensitive user rotatable member detects the position where the DJ touches the surface. Effects like needle dropping are possible for the first time without the use of a phonographic table or without a computer device which uses a phonographic turntable as a control input device. The display can show music as color coded concentric circles which represent tracks and/or record grooves. Color coded markers show current position of the music on the control surface and allows the user to set and use visual cue points. Functionality of the rotatable member can be dynamically mapped for unprecedented control. For example, the inner portion of the rotatable member can be used for needle dropping while the outer portion can be used for scratch effects. The device is capable of manipulating audio and video streams or a combination of the two.

Abstract: Based on a digital recorder/player taken as a basic apparatus and which accommodates a field frequency of 60 fields/sec or a frame frequency of 30 frames/sec, an apparatus is implemented to record or reproduce source video and audio signal originated from the basic apparatus and whose frequency is different from the field or frame frequency. The apparatus includes an input unit, a processor, and a converter provided between the input unit and the processor. The input unit accepts audio data having a specific field frequency and arranged in a specific format, and make baseband processing of the audio data. The processor is designed to process audio data having a basic field frequency (60 fields/sec) and arranged in a basic format. It operates with a clock corresponding to the sampling frequency to make error-corrective encoding of the audio data adapted to the basic format.

Abstract: There are provided a mixing apparatus that enables a user who is mixing and the like to be positively engaged in the performance of a musical composition at a low cost by simple operations, a method of controlling the same, and a mixing control program. A plurality of first audio data are input, and the input plurality of first audio data are mixed. A storage device stores a plurality of second audio data. A plurality of operating members are each disposed to be depressed and have a sensor for detecting the depression. At least one of the plurality of second audio data stored in the storage device is assigned, respectively, to at least one of the plurality of operating members. The second audio data is reproduced when the at least one of the plurality of operating members to which the second audio data is assigned is detected as being depressed. The second audio data reproduced by the reproducing device is input, and the input second audio data and the input first audio data are mixed.

Abstract: A method of crossfading a plurality of audio files comprising opening a first process, opening a second process hosting an audio renderer in which a first audio file of the plurality of audio files is cross faded with a second audio file of the plurality of audio files.

Abstract: A digital mixer has a processor capable of operating in accordance with a program to constitute a sound signal processing module and executing a program corresponding to mixer configuration data defining a mixer configuration of the sound signal processing module to perform a sound signal processing operation of the mixer configuration. In the digital mixer, a current memory stores an operation data set having a data structure corresponding to the mixer configuration data. A control section controls the sound signal processing operation of the sound signal processing module based on the operation data set stored in the current memory. A storage is provided for storing a plurality of operation data sets and attribute information indicative of data structures of the respective operation data sets. A select section selects one of the operation data sets stored in the storage.

Abstract: A method of providing audio transmissions from an electronic device having internal audio multiplexing is disclosed. The method comprises combining a plurality of received audio input signals for output as a first mode of operation for the electronic device, where the electronic device is configured to output the plurality of audio input signals on at least one audio channel. When a priority audio signal is detected from one of the received audio input signals in the first mode of operation, the method interrupts playback of the remaining audio input signals with the priority audio signal as a second mode of operation for the electronic device and transfers, within the electronic device, the priority audio signal to the at least one audio channel once the priority audio signal is detected.

Abstract: A method and device are described to process an event on an audio rendering device. The method may comprise rendering a first audio stream via at least a first audio signal in a first audio playback channel and a second audio signal in a second audio playback channel and monitoring occurrence of the event with an associated second audio stream. Upon occurrence of the event, the first audio signal may be panned to the second audio playback channel, the first audio signal being mixed with the second audio signal in the second audio playback channel. The second audio stream is then rendered via the first audio playback channel.

Abstract: Audio data recorded on a hard disk is stored in a memory by a CPU. The audio data stored in the memory is stored in units of channels to be output, in corresponding storage areas within an audio data storage portion by the CPU. As such, in the audio data storage portion, the audio data is stored in different storage areas for respective channels to be output. The audio data stored in the audio data storage portion is converted to analog data by a D/A converter, and output to a prescribed device.

Abstract: In a digital mixer, one of channels assigned to channel strips is selected, via a select switch, from among a plurality of channels allocated to a layer selected via a layer selection switch. The selected channel is retained in a history table. Each time a history readout switch is depressed, a channel history is read out from the history table. The thus read-out channel is set as an editing channel. In a layer-linking mode, the layer to which the read-out channel is allocated is selected, and the channels contained in the layer are assigned to the channel strips.

Abstract: Low-complexity synthesis filter bank for MPEG audio decoding uses a factoring of the 64×32 matrixing for the inverse-quantized subband coefficients. Factoring into non-standard 4-point discrete cosine and sine transforms, point-wise multiplications and combinations, and non-standard 8-point discrete cosine and sine transforms limits memory requirements and computational complexity.

Abstract: A digital audio signal player includes a reproducing unit to pick a disc audio signal which is stored in a disk, and a digital signal processor for controlling input and output of the disc audio signal of the memory. Thus, when the system processing unit receives the trigger signal of the trigger switch after the contact member is pressed to contact the trigger switch, the system processing unit drives the digital signal processor to modulate the disc audio signal stored in the memory according to the detected signal of the sensor so as to produce a special audio signal output.

Abstract: A digital mixer includes a plurality of channel strips respectively having rotary encoders in a console, stores a plurality of layers that determine assignments of a channel to each of the channel strips, and assigns a channel to each of the channel strips in accordance with a layer selected among the plurality of layers. Further, the digital mixer is configured to be able to assign to each of the rotary encoder a parameter of a channel assigned to a channel strip to which the rotary encoder belongs in a reverse layer of a selected layer, assuming that there is an obverse-reverse correspondence between a (2n?1)-th and a 2n-th layer among the plurality of layers for a natural number n, and to change the value of the parameter in accordance with operation of the rotary encoder.

Abstract: A data reproducing apparatus is disclosed. The data reproducing apparatus comprising reproducing means for reading data from a recording medium, and data varying means for varying the data that is read from the recording medium whenever the data is read therefrom or once every a plurality of times it is read therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording a multichannel program includes an audio converter adapted to convert said multichannel program at least partially into a modified program requiring less channels than said multichannel program. The audio converter including control elements used to modify the conversion process used to generate said modified program. A coefficient generator coupled to said converter to generate a coefficient indicative of the operation of said controls. A mixer is arranged to mix the coefficient with program data. A recorder is arranged to record the mixed data on a medium, whereby the medium can be played either using a multichannel player device or a reduced channel player device by using said coefficient.

Abstract: A device includes a turntable, a pickup, and a digital audio signal processor with a built-in compression/uncompression chip; in use, as soon as the pickup reads analogous audio signals of a vinyl record, the analogous audio signals will be converted into digital ones by means of an analog-to-digital converter, which are next sent to the digital audio signal processor, and compressed by means of the built-in chip of the digital audio signal processor, and stored in a large-capacity storage medium; afterwards, the digital audio signals are uncompressed by means of the chip, and converted into analogous ones by means of a digital-to-analog converter, which are next sent out through a low-pass wave filter.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for automatically mixing a plurality of audio channels by adjusting respective gains of the audio channels using a control signal based on an aggregate of input levels of respective audio signals of the audio channels; and reducing the gain of a given one of the audio channels when an input level of the audio signal of that audio channel exceeds a threshold, irrespective of whether the control signal would permit the gain to rise higher.

Abstract: A method is designed for controlling a total mixing system including a first mixing system and a second mixing system, which are operated in a linked manner. In the method, the first mixing system stores first scene data specifying contents of a mixing process matching a scene. The second mixing system stores second scene data specifying contents of a mixing process matching a scene. The first mixing system transmits a scene recall request to the second mixing system when a recall event of the first scene data occurs. The second mixing system transmits back a recall enabling response to the first mixing system after receipt of the scene recall request. The first mixing system reconstructs the contents of the mixing process on the basis of the first scene data after the reception of the recall enabling response. The second mixing system reconstructs the contents of the mixing process on the basis of the second scene data after the transmission of the recall enabling response.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for multitrack recording of audio information using handheld digital electronic devices such as suitably equipped portable digital music players. Recording of video tracks by digital electronic devices to complement the audio is also contemplated. One device serves as a master; the remainder are slaves. A key aspect of the invention is the transmission of start and stop recording signals by the master, which facilitates synchronization of the various tracks. In certain embodiments of the invention, some slaves may begin preliminary sampling of audio information prior to the start recording signal. This prepares these slaves to begin the actual track recording without delay. Upon receiving the command to start recording, each slave chooses as the first frame of its, say, audio track that sample closest to the time the signal to record was received. The task of stopping recording is typically handled similarly.

Abstract: A digital media communications and control system includes a plurality of audio devices each of which includes a device interface module for communication of digital media data and control data from at least one of the devices to at least one other of the devices. A universal data link is operatively connected to each of the device interface modules. The device interface modules and universal data links are operative in combination to connect the devices together in the system and provide full duplex communication of the digital media data and control data between the devices.

Abstract: Arrangements are made such that a plurality of operators, such as faders, can be set to opposite operational directions. When any one of the operators has been operated in a particular direction, a control value of each of the other operator, set to the same operational direction as the operated operator, is controlled in the same direction as the particular operated direction, while a control value of each of the other operators, set to the opposite operational direction from the operated operator, is controlled in the opposite direction from the particular operated direction. Where control values of a plurality of channels are to be controlled via a collective control controller, each of the channels is set to a forward or inverse operational direction. Thus, even faders that are to be operated in opposite directions can be appropriately operated collectively as a group.

Abstract: There are provided multi-track recording/reproducing apparatus and method and a multi-track recording/reproducing program, which enable flexible setting of the number of reproducing tracks and that of recording tracks and also facilitates the setting. At least one track for recording is designated from a plurality of tracks, as desired. The number of tracks that can be reproduced is determined in response to the designation of the at least one track for recording. The number of tracks for reproduction is limited to the number of tracks that can be reproduced, by automatically muting at least predetermined one of tracks designated for reproduction, when the number of tracks designated for reproduction is larger than the number of tracks that can be reproduced.

Abstract: The present invention provides improvements to prior art audio codecs that generate a stereo-illusion through post-processing of a received mono signal. These improvements are accomplished by extraction of stereo-image describing parameters at the encoder side, which are transmitted and subsequently used for control of a stereo generator at the decoder side. Furthermore, the invention bridges the gap between simple pseudo-stereo methods, and current methods of true stereo-coding, by using a new form of parametric stereo coding. A stereo-balance parameter is introduced, which enables more advanced stereo modes, and in addition forms the basis of a new method of stereo-coding of spectral envelopes, of particular use in systems where guided HFR (High Frequency Reconstruction) is employed. As a special case, the application of this stereo-coding scheme in scalable HFR-based codecs is described.

Abstract: In a mixing console apparatus, an input section inputs a plurality of electric signals, a processing section processes the inputted electric signals, and an output section outputs the processed electric signals. A plurality of operators are provided in correspondence to a plurality of circuit components contained in those of the input section, the processing section and the output section, and are assigned with various functions in correspondence to the respective circuit components. The operators are manually operable to act on the corresponding circuit components for controlling the electric signals. The plurality of the operators are arranged to form at least one group operation section such that the operators having similar functions are grouped into the same group operation section. The group operation section is divided into subgroups with markings such that operators belonging to one subgroup is distinguished from operators belonging to another subgroup by the respective markings.