An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.
The movable operating device portion 21 includes a plurality of movable operating devices 40A, 40B as shown in
The movable operating device 40A will be briefly described, referring to a schematic longitudinal sectional view shown in
As shown in
The drive block 42 is equipped with a magnetic sensor 52. The magnetic sensor 52, which detects the position of the drive block 42 and the operator 41, is opposed to an unshown strip magnetic member which is fixed to the guide rod 44. The magnetic member extends along the axis direction of the guide rod 44, being composed of two rows of magnetic patterns in which the north pole and the south pole are alternately magnetized. One of the magnetic patterns is displaced by π/2 from the other magnetic pattern. A move of the drive block 42 causes the magnetic sensor 52 to output two trains of pulse signals having a phase difference of π/2 each other. The pulse train signals are used for calculation of the position of the drive block 42 and the operator 41. The calculation is actually carried out by later-described program processing performed by a CPU 31. More specifically, the operator 41 is set at an initial position at the time of the actuation thereof. On the basis of the amount of displacement and the displaced direction measured from the initial position, the position of the drive block 42 and the operator 41 is calculated. The magnetic sensor 52 may be replaced with an optical sensor.
The movable operating device 40B will not be described in detail with reference to drawings, however, the operator 41 of the movable operating device 40B is rotatively driven through a reduction gear by the rotary force of a motor. The operator 41 can be also rotated by manual operation. The movable operating device 40B also integrates a rotary position sensor (e.g., rotary encoder) to detect the rotary position of the operator 41.
The additional operator portion 22, which is composed of a plurality of on/off operators, are used to control operations of the entire apparatus and to generate control data. The display unit 23, which displays characters, graphics, and the like on a display screen, is composed of a liquid crystal display (LCD).
The utilization apparatus 24 utilizes parameters specified by the movable operating device portion 21. Examples of the utilization apparatus 24 include a sound mixer and an electronic musical instrument. The electronic musical instrument has at least a musical tone signal generation circuit, and can include performance operators such as a keyboard. On these sound mixer and electronic musical instrument, the parameters specified by use of the movable operating device portion 21 are used as control parameters for controlling the output level of musical tone signals and voice signals for a plurality of lines or channels, control parameters for controlling effects to be added to musical tone signals and voice signals, and control parameters for controlling frequency characteristics of musical tone signals and voice signals. The utilization apparatus is not limited to the sound mixer and the electronic musical instrument, but may be any apparatus as long as it can deal with parameters specified by use of the movable operating device portion 21.
The apparatus also has a CPU 31, a ROM 32, a RAM 33, a storage device 34 and an interface circuit 35 which are connected to the bus 10, respectively. The CPU 31, the ROM 32 and the RAM 33 configure a computer portion. The CPU 31 executes a later-described program. The ROM 32 stores various programs and data. The RAM 33 serves as a storage device for temporarily storing various kinds of data. The storage device 34 is composed of writable nonvolatile large-capacity storage media such as flash memory and hard disk, and drive units for the storage media. The storage device 34 stores various programs and various kinds of data. These data and programs may be previously stored in the storage device 34. Alternatively, these data and programs may be externally retrieved via the interface circuit 35. The interface circuit 35 allows the apparatus to connect to an external apparatus and the Internet.
Next, settings of parameters in the embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to
Signals representative of the respective positions of the operators 41 are delivered to a parameter setting portion B11. The parameter setting portion B11, which is realized by program processing, produces a plurality of control parameters in accordance with a plurality of detection signals output by the position sensor 52, and outputs the produced control parameters to the utilization apparatus 24. At the time of the production of control parameters, the parameter setting portion B11 may directly output signals representative of the positions of the operators 41. Alternatively, the parameter setting portion B11 may convert the positions in accordance with previously stored properties before the output. In accordance with the respective positions of the operators 41, thus, the objects are controlled in the utilization apparatus 24.
The operators 41 are designed to be automatically moved to their respective target positions by a target position move control portion B12. The target position move control portion B12, which is realized by program processing, inputs signals representative of positions of the operators 41 from the position sensor 52. The target position move control portion B12 also inputs target position data representative of target positions stored in a target position storage portion B13, and performs feedback control of the rotation of the motor 45 so that the positions of the operators 41 correspond with their respective target positions. In the target position storage portion B13, which is a temporal storage portion provided in the RAM 33 shown in
At the time of manual operation of the operator 41, an operational resistance control portion B14 imparts a resistance (reaction force) corresponding to the position of the operator 41 to the manual operation of the operator 41. The operational resistance control portion B14, which is realized by program processing, inputs signals representative of respective positions of the operators 41 from the position sensor 52. The operational resistance control portion B14 then reads out, from a resistance storage portion B15, resistance data representative of resistances corresponding to the respective positions, the resistance data being stored in the resistance storage portion B15. The operational resistance control portion B14 then controls the motor 45 to impart a resistance to the operators 41, respectively. In the resistance storage portion B15, which is also a temporal storage portion provided in the RAM 33 of
Next, a method for imparting a resistance by the operational resistance control portion B14 (a first resistance imparting method) will be described. In the resistance storage portion B15, a plurality of resistance tables are stored. The respective resistance tables store various kinds of resistances which vary with the position of the operators 41 in accordance with different properties. These different kinds of resistances are assigned to the different types of control parameters to be used by the utilization apparatus 24. In other words, the different kinds of resistances are assigned to the plurality of movable operating devices 40A, 40B, respectively. Solid lines shown in
In
A force to be imparted to the operator 41 by the motor 45 on the basis of the above-described resistance is smaller than the total value of a static friction force between the pulleys 46, 48 and the belt 47, a static friction force between the drive block 42 and the guide rod 44, and other static friction forces. More specifically, the force to be imparted to the operator 41 by the motor 45 is not strong enough to move the operator 41. Therefore, imparting of such a resistance to the operator 41 does not results in a move of the operator 41. In order to move the operator 41, the user is required to impart a force larger than a value in which the resistance is added to the friction forces. Under the control of the motor 45 by the operational resistance control portion B14, a resistance is thus imparted to user's operation of the operator 41.
Concrete descriptions about
A solid line of
A solid line of
As described above, the resistance which follows any one of the properties shown by the solid lines of
A Solid line of
A Solid line of
As described above, the resistance which follows either of the properties shown by the solid lines of
Next, operations for storing target position data and resistance tables in the target position storage portion B13 and the resistance storage portion B15 will be described. The storing operation includes a first to third methods. In the first method, the target position and the resistance of the operators 41 are controlled in a fixed manner. In this method, a resistance/target position storage portion B21 previously stores a set of target position data and a resistance table which are associated with the plurality of movable operating devices 40A, 40B. The resistance/target position storage portion B21 is provided in a certain storage area of the storage device 34. The target position data and the resistance table are stored in resistance/target position storage portion B21 prior to shipment of this apparatus, or are externally retrieved via the interface circuit 35 to be stored. Alternatively, the target position data and the resistance table can be generated or selected to be stored in the resistance/target position storage portion B21 by the user at the use of this apparatus.
On start of this apparatus (that is, at power-on of this apparatus) or on user's instruction by use of the additional operator portion 22, the target position data and the resistance table (see solid lines of
The second method for storing target position data and a resistance table in the target position storage portion B13 and the resistance storage portion B15 will be described. In the second method, the target position and the resistance of the operators 41 are controlled in a manner which varies depending on user's choice. In the second method, sets of target position data and resistance tables which are similar to those of the first method are provided. A resistance/target position storage portion B22 stores the various kinds of target position data sets and resistance tables. The resistance/target position storage portion B22 is also provided in the certain storage area of the storage device 34. The target position data and resistance tables are stored in the resistance/target position storage portion B22 in a manner similar to that of the first method. Each of the target position data sets and resistance tables are composed of a different data group. The various target position data sets and the resistance tables are provided for various conditions such as various circumstances, scenes, and timings where this apparatus including the movable operating devices 40A, 40B is utilized.
In the second method, a selection instruction input portion B23 and a resistance/target position selection portion B24 realized by program processing are provided. The selection instruction input portion B23 inputs instructions which are selected by the user by use of the additional operator portion 22, and delivers the user's instructions to the resistance/target position selection portion B24. In response to the delivered instructions, the resistance/target position selection portion B24 selects a set of the target position data and a resistance table from among different sets of target position data and resistance tables stored in the resistance/target position storage portion B22, and stores the selected target position data and the resistance table in the target position storage portion B13 and the resistance storage portion B15, respectively. Concurrently with the storing of the data and table, the target position move control portion B12 and the operational resistance control portion B14 are activated to perform the above-described operation. Resultantly, the plurality of operators 41 of the plurality of movable operating devices 40A, 40B are automatically moved to their respective target positions in accordance with the target position data. To the operators 41, a resistance is to be imparted, respectively, in accordance with the resistance table. According to the second method, as a result, the respective target positions of the operators 41 of the movable operating devices 40A, 40B are variously switched in accordance with conditions in which the apparatus is utilized, while the respective resistances of the operators 41 are variously specified in accordance with the conditions in which the apparatus is utilized.
The third method for storing target position data and a resistance table in the target position storage portion B13 and the resistance storage portion B15 will be described. In the third method, the target position and the avoidance position of the operators 41 are specified by the user. In the third method, in addition, a resistance table is automatically created in accordance with the user's specified target positions and avoidance positions. In the third method, a target/avoidance position input portion B25 and a resistance computation portion B26 which are realized by program processing are provided. The target/avoidance position input portion B25 inputs target position data and avoidance position data representative of user's specified target positions and avoidance positions, and then inputs the target position data and the avoidance data to the resistance computation portion B26, while delivering the target position data to the target position storage portion B13. In the third method, the user manipulates the additional operator portion 22 to input the target positions or avoidance positions of the operators 41 of the movable operating devices 40A, 40B.
The resistance computation portion B26 creates a resistance table which stores resistance data representative of respective resistances of the operators 41 of the movable operating devices 40A, 40B on the basis of the input target position data or avoidance position data. The resistance computation portion B26 then stores the created resistance table in the resistance storage portion B15. The resistance data of the respective operators 41 represents respective resistances which vary with the position of the operators 41 as shown by the solid lines of
In the third method as well, concurrently with the storing of data in the target position storage portion B13 and the resistance storage portion B15, the target position move control portion B12 and the operational resistance control portion B14 are activated to perform the above-described operation. Resultantly, the plurality of operators 41 of the plurality of movable operating devices 40A, 40B are automatically moved to their respective target positions in accordance with the target position data. To the operators 41, a resistance is to be imparted, respectively, in accordance with the resistance table. According to the third method, as a result, on the basis of user's specification of target positions and avoidance positions, resistances adequate for the user's specified target positions and avoidance positions are automatically provided for the operators 41 of the movable operating devices 40A, 40B.
In the above descriptions, the resistance which continuously and smoothly varies with the position of the operator 41 is imparted to the operator 41 as shown by the solid lines of
In the above descriptions, in addition, the respective operators 41 of the movable operating devices 40A, 40B are provided with a resistance at all times. In other words, the motor 45 is energized at all times. Instead of the above-described scheme, however, the apparatus may have a sensor for detecting a user's touch of the operators 41 so that the motor 45 is energized to impart a resistance only when the apparatus detects a user's touch of the operators 41.
In the above descriptions, in addition, a resistance to an operation to be imparted to the operators 41 of the movable operating devices 40A, 40B is limited to the range in which the operators 41 are not moved by the resistance. However, the apparatus may be modified such that in a case where the resistance is insufficient, the apparatus detects, on the basis of detection signals of the position sensor 52, a displacement which moves the operator 41 away from the target position or a displacement which moves the operator 41 toward the avoidance position, controls, in response to the detection, the motor in order to move the operator 41 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the operator 41 is displaced, and imparts a resistance to the operation of the operator 41.
(Second Method for Imparting Resistance)
In the above descriptions, the first resistance imparting method in which a resistance is imparted to an operation of the operators 41 by imparting a rotational force in one direction to the motor 45 within a range in which the operator 41 is not displaced is described. However, the first method may be replaced with a second or third method for imparting a resistance to the operators 41 of the movable operating devices 40A, 40B. In the second method, a static magnetic field which disturbs rotation of a rotor of the motor 45 is imparted to the rotor of the motor 45. The magnitude of the static magnetic field is proportional to a resistance. In the second method, as shown by the solid lines of
The second method also produces an effect similar to that produced by the first resistance imparting method which facilitates user's manipulation of the operator 41 when the operator is positioned in the vicinity of the target position or at a distance from the avoidance position, and hinders user's manipulation of the operator 41 when the operator is positioned at a distance from the target position or in the vicinity of the avoidance position. However, the second resistance imparting method also hinders even user's manipulation of the operator 41 of approaching the target position or moving away from the avoidance position once the operator 41 has been displaced by the user to any position from the target position or to the vicinity of the avoidance position. For these cases, therefore, the apparatus may be designed to detect a move of the operator 41 toward the target position or away from the avoidance position and remove the static magnetic field (resistance) in response to such detection.
In the second resistance imparting method as well, the resistance may have a property in which the resistance varies stepwise as shown by broken lines of
(Third Resistance Imparting Method)
Next, the third method for imparting a resistance will be described. In the third method, a mechanical resistance is imparted to the rotation of the belt 47 caused by the motor 45. As shown in
Similarly to the second resistance imparting method, the third method also produces the effect of the first resistance imparting method which facilitates user's manipulation of the operator 41 when the operator is positioned in the vicinity of the target position or at a distance from the avoidance position, and hinders user's manipulation of the operator 41 when the operator is positioned at a distance from the target position or in the vicinity of the avoidance position. However, the third resistance imparting method also hinders even user's manipulation of the operator 41 of approaching the target position or moving away from the avoidance position once the operator 41 has been displaced by the user to any position from the target position or to the vicinity of the avoidance position. For these cases, therefore, the apparatus may be designed to detect a move of the operator 41 toward the target position or away from the avoidance position and release contact of the friction member 55 with the rotational base 51 in response to such detection.
Instead of imparting a resistance to the rotation of the rotational base 51, the third resistance imparting method may be modified to contact a friction member with part of the belt 47 to impart a resistance to the rotation of the belt 47. In addition to the rotational base 51 and the belt 47, a resistance may be imparted to any member as long as the member is displaced in association with the rotation of the belt 47.
In the third resistance imparting method as well, the resistance may have a property in which the resistance varies stepwise as shown by broken lines of
(Modification with Switching of Functions of Operators)
Referring to a functional block diagram of
In this modified apparatus, the resistance/target position storage portions B21, B22 are configured similarly to those of the above-described embodiment, and achieve functions similar to those of the embodiment. However, the resistance/target position storage portion B21 of the modified apparatus stores a set of target position data and resistance table provided for a plurality of functions (control object groups), the target position data and resistance table being associated with the plurality of movable operating devices 40A, 40B. The resistance/target position storage portion B22 stores sets of target position data and resistance tables provided for the functions (control object groups), the sets of target position data and resistance tables being provided for various conditions as in the case of
The modified apparatus also includes a function switch instruction input portion B31 and a condition switch instruction input portion B32 which are realized by program processing. The function switch instruction input portion B31 inputs a function (a control object group) specified by the user through the use of the additional operator portion 22 and delivers signals representative of the specified function to the utilization apparatus 24, the parameter setting portion B11 and selection portions B33, B34, respectively. The condition switch instruction input portion B32 inputs conditions (circumstances, scene, timing, etc.) specified by the user through the use of the additional operator portion 22 and delivers signals representative of the specified conditions to the selection portion B34. In accordance with the respective positions of the operators 41 of the movable operating devices 40A, 40B detected by the position sensor 52, the parameter setting portion B11 produces control parameters for a plurality of control objects assigned to the plurality of movable operating devices 40A, 40B on the basis of the specified function. Using the control parameters produced by the parameter setting portion B11, the utilization apparatus 24 controls the control objects assigned to the movable operating devices 40A, 40B on the basis of the specified function.
In accordance with the signals representative of the specified function, the selection portion B33 selects the set of target position data and the resistance table stored in the resistance/target position storage portion B21 and stores the selected data set and table in the target position storage portion B13 and the resistance storage portion B15. In accordance with the signals representative of the specified function and the specified conditions, the selection portion B34 selects a set of target position data and a resistance table stored in the resistance/target position storage portion B22 and stores the selected data set and table in the target position storage portion B13 and the resistance storage portion B15. The other constituents of the functional block diagram shown in
(Concrete Example Applied to Sound Mixer)
Next, a concrete embodiment of a sound mixer to which the present invention is applied will be described.
The respective output circuits 63-1 to 63-n output a plurality of digital signals and analog signals. In order to output analog signals, the output circuits 63-1 to 63-n convert digital signals delivered from the signal processing circuit 62 to analog signals, and output the converted signals. Between the input circuits 61-1 to 61-n and the signal processing circuit 62 and between the signal processing circuit 62 and the output circuits 63-1 to 63-n, connection circuits 64, 65 are connected. The connection circuit 64 selectively connects input signals input from the input circuits 61-1 to 61-n to the plurality of signal processing channels of the signal processing circuit 62. The connection circuit 65 selectively connects output signals output from the signal processing channels of the signal processing circuit 62 to the output circuits 63-1 to 63-n.
An operating panel of this apparatus is provided with an operating portion 70 shown in
In this modified example, furthermore, the additional operator portion 22 shown in
In the modified example configured as described above, when the power of the apparatus is turned on to initiate the apparatus, the CPU 31 starts repeating execution of the panel operation process program every certain short time period. The panel operation process program is started in step S10 of
Assume that a scene setting operator has been manipulated. In this case, the CPU 31 makes a positive determination in step S12 and initializes the fader position of the operating portion 70 in step S13. In the initialization of the fader position, the motor 45 is controlled to drive such that the faders 72-1 to 72-m move to a predetermined initial position (e.g., minimum position). In the initialization of the fader position, furthermore, position data representative of the position of the faders 72-1 to 72-m stored in the RAM 33 is initialized to the value representative of the minimum position of the faders 72-1 to 72-m. In step S14, the CPU 31 assigns a function to the respective areas of the operating portion 70 including the faders 72-1 to 72-m in accordance with the scene specified by the scene setting operator. More specifically, the CPU 31 controls the connection circuit 64 of
After step S14, the CPU 31 moves, in step S15, the faders 72-1 to 72-m to their target positions in accordance with the specified scene (conditions). As already explained in the descriptions about the above-described modified example, more specifically, the CPU 31 reads out target position data corresponding to the function and conditions identified by the specified scene from the resistance/target position storage portion B22, and controls the driving of the motor 45 to move the faders 72-1 to 72-m to their respective target positions represented by the target position data. Furthermore, the CPU 31 adds displacement amount of the faders 72-1 to 72-m detected by the position sensor 52 to the value representative of the position of the faders 72-1 to 72-m stored as the initial settings in the RAM 33 to obtain the position of the faders 72-1 to 72-m, and then performs feedback control of the motor 45 in accordance with the obtained position. This processing corresponds to the processing of the target position storage portion B13 and the target position move control portion B12 of
In step S16, the CPU 31 controls the settings of resistance to be imparted to an operation of the faders 72-1 to 72-m in accordance with the specified scene (conditions). As explained in the descriptions about the above-described embodiment, in this case as well, the CPU 31 reads out resistance data associated with the position of the faders 72-1 to 72-m stored in a resistance table corresponding to the function and conditions identified by the specified scene from the resistance/target position storage portion B22. Then, a resistance is to be imparted to the faders 72-1 to 72-m in accordance with the respective positions of the faders 72-1 to 72-m by any one of the above-described first to third resistance imparting methods or by combination of these methods. This processing corresponds to the processing done by the resistance storage portion B15 and the operational resistance control portion B14 of
If the faders 72-1 to 72-m are operated, the CPU 31 makes a positive determination in step S17, and then calculates the position of the faders 72-1 to 72-m in step S18. As the above-described case, in this calculation, the CPU 31 obtains the position of the faders 72-1 to 72-m by adding position data representative of the current position of the faders 72-1 to 72-m stored in the RAM 33 to the displacement amount of the faders 72-1 to 72-m detected by the position sensor 52, and then updates the position data stored in the RAM 33. In step S19, the CPU 31 then calculates control parameters on the specified function in accordance with the calculated position of the faders 72-1 to 72-m, and outputs the calculated control parameters to the signal processing circuit 62. This processing corresponds to the processing done by the parameter setting portion B11 of
After step S19, the CPU 31 carries out processes of steps S20, S21 to impart an operational resistance to the operated faders 72-1 to 72-m on condition that the operated faders 72-1 to 72-m are defined as the faders to be provided with a resistance. The resistance is imparted in a manner similar to that of the case of the above-described step S16. If any operator other than the scene operators and the faders 72-1 to 72-m is operated, the CPU 31 proceeds to step S22 to carry out a process on the operator.
In this modified example as well, as explained in the above descriptions, an operational resistance is imparted to the faders 72-1 to 72-m in accordance with the position with respect to the their respective target positions as in the case of the modification of
Furthermore, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2006-265152 | Sep 2006 | JP | national |