IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0511612
(1983-07-07)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Henderson, Jr., James A.
- Tennant, Chris B.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Roney, Edward M.Southard, Donald B.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
17 인용 특허 :
7 |
초록
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The remote digital volume control system (10) as used in an audio control apparatus comprising at least one multidigital/audio slot bus (12) which is coupled to base stations through interfaces (21-24). Console interfacing circuits (38) are coupled to the bus (12) and a plurality of remote consoles
The remote digital volume control system (10) as used in an audio control apparatus comprising at least one multidigital/audio slot bus (12) which is coupled to base stations through interfaces (21-24). Console interfacing circuits (38) are coupled to the bus (12) and a plurality of remote consoles (30) each with channel control panels (32) coupled to the interfacing circuits (38). The system (10) comprises channel control modules (102) and shared A/D circuitry (150) including two comparators (152, 153) and an up/down counter (154) for generating a four-bit word for each volume control setting of each channel control module (102). The remoted interfacing circuits (38) coupled to said bus include a RAM (180) for storing volume level information for each channel control module (102) and routing information, and a timing control circuit (182) for routing information from the respective digital/audio slots on the bus (12) to audio line driver circuits (71-74) in the consoles (30). The remoted interfacing circuits (38) are controlled by the RAM (180), the timing control circuit (182), and a microprocessor (36) which cause appropriate digital/audio slot information to be converted to an analog signal, muted to the desired level, and routed to a desired audio line driver circuit (71-74) coupled to a speaker (91-94) in a desired console (30).
대표청구항
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1. A remote digital volume control system for use in an audio control apparatus comprising at least one TDM digital audio bus, which is coupled to a plurality of audio sources and which has a plurality of console interfacing circuits coupled thereto, and a plurality of remote consoles each having se
1. A remote digital volume control system for use in an audio control apparatus comprising at least one TDM digital audio bus, which is coupled to a plurality of audio sources and which has a plurality of console interfacing circuits coupled thereto, and a plurality of remote consoles each having several channel control modules therein with the channel control modules in each remote console being coupled to one of said console interfacing circuits, said system comprising: means, at each console, for generating a four-bit word for each volume control setting of each channel control module; means for coupling said generating means to one of said console interface circuits; means, included in each of said console interfacing circuits, for storing volume level information for each channel control module received from one of said remote consoles and routing information; and means, included in each of said console interfacing circuits, for routing information from the respective digital/audio slots on said bus through audio line driver circuits to speakers in said console; said console intefacing circuits being controlled by said level and routing storing means and said routing means which cause appropriate digital/audio slot information to be converted to an analog signal, muted to the desired level, and routed to a desired audio line driver circuit coupled to a speaker in a desired console. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein said channel control module comprises a module select switch and a potentiometer which is series connected with said module select switch. 3. The system of claim 2 wherein said module select switch is a transistor. 4. The system of claim 3 wherein said word generating means includes a microprocessor coupled to said module select transistor switch. 5. The system of claim 2 wherein said word generating means includes a muting bus supplied from a voltage source and a voltage dropping circuit coupled between said muting bus and said potentiometer. 6. The system of claim 5 wherein said voltage dropping circuit includes a transistor, the base of which is coupled to a wiper arm of said potentiometer, the emitter of which is coupled to system ground, and the collector of which is coupled through an isolating diode to said muting bus. 7. The system of claim 6 wherein said word generating means includes counting circuit means coupled to said bus for converting the voltage pull down of said muting bus by said voltage dropping circuit as determined by the setting of said potentiometer to a word comprising at least four bits and being indicative of the voltage setting of said potentiometer. 8. The system of claim 6 wherein said counting circuit means comprises an up/down counter, a first comparator having an input coupled to said bus, another input coupled to a reference voltage, and an output coupled to three input ports of said up/down counter, a further input port of said counter being coupled to system ground, a second comparator having an output coupled to an inhibit port of said up/down counter and one input coupled to said muting bus, an R-2R ladder having inputs coupled to four outputs of said up/down counter and an output coupled to the other input of said second comparator, a parallel in/serial out shift register coupled to the four counter outputs and a microprocessor coupled to said module select switch, to the output of said shift registers, to a clock input of said counter to an enable port of said counter and to said console interfacing circuit. 9. The system of claim 1 wherein said volume level and routing storing means includes a microprocessor. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein said volume level and routing storage means includes a RAM and said routing means includes a timing control circuit coupled to said RAM. 11. The system of claim 1 wherein each interfacing circuit comprises a slot receiving circuit including said volume level and routing storing means, a digital-to-analog slot signal converting circuit means, a resistor ladder/voltage driver, a multi-channel analog multiplexor and analog signal routing means having outputs coupled to the audio line driver circuits in the associated console, said converting circuit means having an input coupled to said bus and another input coupled to said storing means, and an output coupled to said resistor ladder, said analog multiplexor having inputs coupled to said resistor ladder and an output coupled to said routing means, and said storing means being coupled to said multiplexor and to said analog signal routing means. 12. The system of claim 11 wherein said storing means also defines said routing means when there is no change in volume levels. 13. The system of claim 12 wherein said routing means comprises a microprocessor having an input coupled to said word generating means and outputs coupled to said converting circuit means and to said storing means. 14. The system of claim 11 wherein said resistor ladder comprises eight resistors and said multiplexor is an eight-channel analog multiplexor. 15. The system of claim 11 wherein said converting circuit means includes a current-to-voltage converting circuit coupled to said resistor ladder. 16. The system of claim 15 wherein said digital-to-analog converter circuit means includes a serial in/parallel out shift register coupled to said bus, a D/A converter having an output coupled to said current-to-voltage converting circuit and a latch coupled to and between said shift register and said D/A converter. 17. The system of claim 11 wherein said storing means is a RAM and said routing means includes a timing control circuit coupled to said digital-to-analog converting circuit means. 18. The system of claim 17 wherein said routing means further includes a microprocessor coupled between said RAM and said timing control circuit. 19. The system of claim 11 wherein said analog signal routing means comprises a multi-channel analog multiplexor/demultiplexor. 20. A method for remotely controlling volume in an audio control apparatus comprising at least one multi-digital/audio slot bus, which is coupled to a plurality of base stations and which has a plurality of console interfacing circuits coupled thereto, and a plurality of remote consoles each having several channel control modules therein with the channel control modules in each console being coupled to one of said console interfacing circuits, said method comprising the steps of: generating, at each console, a four-bit word for each volume control setting of each channel control module; supplying said generating word to one of said remoted console interfacing circuits; storing, in each of said remoted console interfacing circuits, and routing information, volume level information for each channel control module received from one of said consoles; routing from each of said remoted console interfacing circuits, desired information from a digital/audio slot on said bus, muted to the desired level, through a desired audio line driver circuit to a desired speaker in a desired console. 21. A method for effecting volume control in a multichannel, audio/digital, digital/audio apparatus including a multi-digital/audio bus comprising the steps of: selecting data from a data slot on the bus; correlating the selected data with a selected audio channel; converting the digital data to a current signal; converting the current signal to a voltage signal; supplying the voltage signal to a resistor/voltage divider ladder coupled to a multi-channel analog multiplexor; and routing a selected voltage level from said multiplexor related to a voltage setting in a control channel module in a remote console through an audio driver to a speaker in the console. 22. A method for effecting volume control in an audio/digital, digital/audio apparatus including at least one console having multiple channels with each channel having a volume control setting, comprising the steps of: converting the volume control setting to a voltage; using that voltage to create a current drain from a muting bus at a selected point in time; generating a four bit word related to the amount of voltage pull down on the muting bus caused by the current drain above or below a given voltage level; routing the word to word storing; and retrieving the voltage level information in said word in relation to the pick up digital-to-analog converting the subsequent muting of a selected slot of data from a digital/audio bus which digital-to-analog converted data is to be muted according to the retrieved voltage level information and routed through a selected audio driver to a selected speaker in a selected console. 23. Volume control circuitry for use in a multi-channel, audio/digital, digital/audio apparatus comprising: means for selecting data from a data slot on the bus; means for correlating the selected data with a selected audio channel; means for converting the digital to a current signal; means for converting the current signal to a voltage signal; a resistor/voltage divider ladder coupled to the output of said current-to-voltage converting means; a multi-channel analog multiplexor coupled to said ladder; and means for routing a selected voltage from said multiplexor related to a voltage setting in a control channel module in a remote console, through an audio driver to a speaker in the console. 24. Volume control circuitry for use in an audio/digital, digital/audio apparatus including at least one console having multiple channels with each channel having a volume control setting comprising: means for converting the volume control setting to a voltage; a muting bus; means for causing that voltage to create a current drain from said muting bus at a selected point in time; means for generating a four bit word related to the amount of voltage pull down on the muting bus caused by the current drain above or below a given voltage level; means for routing the word to word storage means; and means for retrieving the voltage level information in said word in relation to the pick up, digital-to-analog conversion and subsequent muting of a selected slot of data from a digital/audio bus, which digital-to-analog converted data is to be muted according to the retrieved voltage level information and routed through a selected audio driver to a selected speaker in a selected console. 25. The volume control circuitry of claim 24 wherein said word generating means comprise: an up/down counter; an R-2R resistor ladder coupled to several outputs of said counter; a first high/low selection converter having one input coupled to said muting bus, another input coupled to a reference voltage, and an output coupled to several inputs of said counter; a clock pulse inhibiting comparator having one input coupled to said muting bus, another input coupled to an output of said ladder; and a microprocessor coupled to a clock input of said counter, to an enable port of said counter, to said counter outputs and to a remote word storing and signal routing means.
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