Association of virtual controls with physical controls

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016358593-A1
Application number	US-201615243700-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 22, 2016
Priority date	Sep 11, 2007
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A media application for providing outputs (e.g., audio outputs) in response to inputs received from an input device is provided. The media application may connect input mechanisms of an input device with parameters of channel strips (e.g., which may define output sounds) using an intermediate screen object. The media application may first assign an input mechanism to a screen object, and separately map a screen object to a channel strip parameter. The media application may map a screen object to several channel strips simultaneously such that, based on the value of the screen object, the volume of each of the several channel strips changes. The media application may provide a graphical representation of available channel strips using layers. As the media application accesses a channel strip, the appearance of the portion of the layer associated with the channel strip may change. The media application may also allow the patches, which may include several channel strips, to survive after a new patch is selected instead.

First claim

1 . A method for mapping an input mechanism of an input device to a media application parameter, comprising:
receiving a connection of a first input mechanism; mapping the first input mechanism to an intermediate object; mapping the intermediate object to a media application parameter; receiving a disconnection of the first input mechanism; receiving a connection of a second input mechanism; and mapping the second input mechanism to the intermediate object, wherein the mapping between the intermediate object and the media application parameter is maintained when the first input mechanism is replaced by a second input mechanism assigned to the intermediate object.

2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving a selection of a screen object displayed on a screen as the intermediate object.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the screen object is an illustration of the first input mechanism.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection of the second input mechanism occurs after disconnection of the first input mechanism.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate object is mapped to a plurality of media application parameters.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of media application parameters is associated with a common channel strip.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first input mechanism is one of a knob, a roller, a slider, a fader, a button, a foot pedal, and a foot switch.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second input mechanism is one of a knob, a roller, a slider, a fader, a button, a foot pedal, and a foot switch.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second input mechanism is of a different type than the first input mechanism.

10 . A system for controlling output of audio using a media application, comprising:
a processor; memory storing instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause the processor to: map a first connected input mechanism to an intermediate object; map the intermediate object to a media application parameter associated with a media output control of a channel strip; and replace the first connected input mechanism with a second connected input mechanism by mapping the second connected input mechanism to the intermediate object, wherein the mapping between the intermediate object and the media application parameter is maintained when the first connected input mechanism is replaced by the second connected input mechanism assigned to the intermediate object.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to:
identify a type of mechanism for the first connected input mechanism; and display the intermediate object on a screen as an illustration of the identified type of first connected input mechanism.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to replace the illustration of the identified type of the first connected input mechanism with an identified type of second connected input mechanism.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first and second connected input mechanism each comprise a keyboard, a drum pad, a microphone, or a guitar.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first or second connected input mechanism is a Musical Instrument Digital Interface controller.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the wherein the media application parameter comprises a volume, tone, bass, treble, tuning, trim, or gain of audio signals received from the first or second input mechanism.

17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first or second input mechanism comprises a knob, a roller, a slider, a fader, a button, a foot pedal, or a foot switch.

18 . Tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions thereon that are configured to, when executed, cause a processor to:
receive an indication of a connection of a first input mechanism; map the first input mechanism to an intermediate object; map the intermediate object to a media application parameter; receive an indication of a disconnection of the first input mechanism; receive an indication of a connection of a second input mechanism; and mapping the second input mechanism to the intermediate object, wherein the mapping between the intermediate object and the media application parameter is maintained when the first input mechanism is replaced by a second input mechanism assigned to the intermediate object.

19 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the intermediate object is a screen object that may be selected via a graphical user interface.

20 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein an appearance of the screen object corresponds to a currently connected input mechanism.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Moulios Chris
• Lengeling Gerhard
• Fritze Markus

Classifications

• G10H2220/106

  using icons, e.g. selecting, moving or linking icons, on-screen symbols, screen regions or segments representing musical elements or parameters · CPC title

• G10H1/34

  Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments · CPC title

• G06F3/0487

  using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser · CPC title

• G10H1/36

  Accompaniment arrangements · CPC title

• G10H2220/231

  Alphanumeric, used for musical purposes or with additional musical features, e.g. typewriter or pc-type keyboard reconfigured such that letters or symbols are assigned to musical notes · CPC title