US4479240A — Audio mixing console with control element positio…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 266 words

A portable audio mixing console having a plurality of signal inputs and a plurality of signal outputs, and comprising: a plurality of input modules having connected thereto a plurality of control elements, each of said input modules corresponding to a signal input and comprising apparatus for processing electrical signals from said signal input, the processing including adjustments to the signal input by use of the control elements connected to the input module; a plurality of output modules having connected thereto a plurality of control elements, each of said output modules corresponding to a signal output and comprising apparatus for processing electrical signals, the processing including adjustments to the electrical signals by use of the control elements connected to the output module; means connecting one or more of said input modules to a single said output module; means forming a part of a first module of said pluralities of modules for storing a first plurality of control element positions, said first plurality of positions comprising a single setup position for control elements on said first module; means forming a part of said first module for storing a second plurality of control element positions, said second plurality of positions comprising a single setup position for control elements on said first module; means forming a part of said console for selectively retrieving said first or second plurality of control element positions; and means forming a part of said first module for displaying adjacent to control elements a comparison between the stored setup position and the present position thereof, whereby the control elements may be adjusted to the setup positions.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 266 words

A portable audio mixing console having a plurality of signal inputs and a plurality of signal outputs, and comprising: a plurality of input modules having connected thereto a plurality of control elements, each of said input modules corresponding to a signal input and comprising apparatus for processing electrical signals from said signal input, the processing including adjustments to the signal input by use of the control elements connected to the input module; a plurality of output modules having connected thereto a plurality of control elements, each of said output modules corresponding to a signal output and comprising apparatus for processing electrical signals, the processing including adjustments to the electrical signals by use of the control elements connected to the output module; means connecting one or more of said input modules to a single said output module; means forming a part of a first module of said pluralities of modules for storing a first plurality of control element positions, said first plurality of positions comprising a single setup position for control elements on said first module; means forming a part of said first module for storing a second plurality of control element positions, said second plurality of positions comprising a single setup position for control elements on said first module; means forming a part of said console for selectively retrieving said first or second plurality of control element positions; and means forming a part of said first module for displaying adjacent to control elements a comparison between the stored setup position and the present position thereof, whereby the control elements may be adjusted to the setup positions.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 56 words

A mixing console according to claim 1 wherein said means for storing said first and second pluralities of positions comprises: means for encoding the positions of the control elements of said first module in digital voltage signals; and means connected to said digital encoding means for recording the digital voltage signals associated with the control elements.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

A mixing console according to claim 2 wherein said digital encoding means comprises: means for encoding the positions of the control elements connected to said first module in analog voltage signals; and means for converting the analog voltage signals associated with the control elements to digital voltage signals.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

A mixing console according to claim 3 wherein said storing, retrieving, and displaying means are controlled by a microprocessor.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 51 words

A mixing console according to claim 3 or 6 further comprising means for generating a plurality of addresses, each address corresponding to a single control element on said first module, said addressing means counting continuously through each address and thereby providing means for time multiplexing said storing, retrieving, and displaying means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 27 words

A mixing console according to claim 5 further comprising means for storing and retrieving more than two setup positions for the control elements of said first module.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

A mixing console according to claim 6 further comprising a battery-powered power supply to ensure retention of the recorded signals for the control elements during loss of power and during transport of said mixing console.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

A mixing console according to claim 6 wherein said analog encoding means comprising at least one multiple-wiper potentiometer and at least one multiple-pole switch arranged to provide an analog voltage indicative of the position of the control element.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 36 words

A mixing console according to claim 6, wherein said converting means comprises an analog multiplexer which selects from among the analog voltage signals according to the address from said address generating means; and an analog-to-digital converter.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 18 words

A mixing console according to claim 6 wherein said recording means comprises at least one random access memory.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 95 words

A mixing console according to claim 6 wherein said displaying means comprises means for generating two output signals, said first output signal being active when the magnitude of the recorded signal for a control element exceeds the magnitude of the present signal from the control element, said second output signal being active when the magnitude of the present signal from the control element exceeds the magnitude of the recorded signal for the control element, and both said output signals being inactive when the magnitudes of the recorded signal and the present signal are substantially equivalent.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 51 words

A mixing console according to claim 11, wherein said displaying means further comprises a pair of light-emitting diodes adjacent to each control element, said first diode of each said pair connected to said first output signal and said second diode of each said pair being connected to said second output signal.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 20 words

A mixing console according to claim 12 wherein said second diode emits a different color light than said first diode.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 150 words

A portable audio mixing console, comprising: a plurality of input modules, including a plurality of control elements; a plurality of output modules, including a plurality of control elements; means forming a part of said console for storing a first plurality of control element positions, said first plurality of positions comprising a single setup position for control elements on a first module of said pluralities of modules; means forming a part of said console for storing a second plurality of control element positions, said second plurality of positions comprising a single setup position for control elements on said first module; means forming a part of said console for selectively retrieving said first or second plurality of stored control element positions; and means for displaying adjacent to control elements a comparison between the stored setup position and the present position thereof, whereby the control elements may be adjusted to the setup position.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 150 words

A portable audio mixing console, comprising: a plurality of input modules, including a plurality of control elements; a plurality of output modules, including a plurality of control elements; means forming a part of said console for storing a first plurality of control element positions, said first plurality of positions comprising a single setup position for control elements on a first module of said pluralities of modules; means forming a part of said console for storing a second plurality of control element positions, said second plurality of positions comprising a single setup position for control elements on said first module; means forming a part of said console for selectively retrieving said first or second plurality of stored control element positions; and means for displaying adjacent to control elements a comparison between the stored setup position and the present position thereof, whereby the control elements may be adjusted to the setup position.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 26 words

A mixing console according to claim 14, wherein said retrieving means includes a switch means for selecting between said first and second pluralities of stored positions.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 26 words

A mixing console according to claim 15, wherein the control elements for which positions may be stored by said storing means includes fader and equalizer controls.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

A mixing console according to claim 16, wherein the control elements for which positions may be recorded further include pad and variable pad controls.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 86 words

A method for setting up a portable audio mixing console, comprising the steps of: manually adjusting control elements on the mixing console to first setup positions; storing a single setup position for the control elements; providing indicating means adjacent to the control elements; selectively recalling the first setup positions from storage; comparing the first setup positions with the present positions of the control elements; indicating the result of said comparing step on the indicating means; and manually adjusting the control elements to the first setup positions.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 86 words

A method for setting up a portable audio mixing console, comprising the steps of: manually adjusting control elements on the mixing console to first setup positions; storing a single setup position for the control elements; providing indicating means adjacent to the control elements; selectively recalling the first setup positions from storage; comparing the first setup positions with the present positions of the control elements; indicating the result of said comparing step on the indicating means; and manually adjusting the control elements to the first setup positions.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 73 words

A method according to claim 18 further comprising: after said storing the first setup positions, manually adjusting control elements on the mixing console to second setup positions; storing a single setup position for the control elements; after said last step of adjusting the control elements, selectively recalling the second setup positions from storage; indicating the second setup positions on the indicating means; and manually adjusting the control elements to the second setup positions.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1987-10-23	1988-04-23	1988-10-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1991-10-23	1992-04-23	1992-10-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1995-10-23	1996-04-23	1996-10-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Audio mixing console with control element position storage

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