US 5,376,752 A · Open architecture music synthesizer with dynamic voice allocation

Abstract

An architecture for a synthesizer of music or other sounds which comprises an input device which supplies real time input signals indicating selected voices, a voice program memory which stores voice programs for respective voices, and a sound processing module including an array of digital signal processors, which is coupled to the input device and the voice program memory, and responsive to real time input signals to execute a group of voice programs in the voice program memory to generate selective voices in real time. Resources coupled to the input device and the voice program memory dynamically assign voice programs for selected voices to the group of voice programs in response to the real time input signals. Further, resources are available for replacing a particular voice program in the group with a voice program for a selected voice in response to the real time input signals. The voice program memory includes a first memory which stores a plurality of voice programs, and a second memory which is coupled to the sound processing module and the first memory, which stores the group of voice programs for execution by the sound processing module. The resources for dynamically assigning a voice program to the group includes a system for transferring a selected voice program from the first memory to the second memory in real time. An audio output device, including a speaker, is coupled to the digital signal processor for producing sound in response to the sound data.

Claims56

Dependent claims

An audio signal processor comprising:

an input to supply real time input signals indicating selected voices;
voice program memory to store voice programs for respective voices, the voice programs comprising sequences of instructions for generation of the respective voices;
sound processing resources, coupled to the voice program memory and the input, responsive to real time input signals which execute a group of the voice programs in the voice program memory to generate selected voices in real time;
and
voice allocation resources, coupled with the input and the voice program memory, which dynamically allocate a voice program for a selected voice to the group in response to the real time input signals.

2 more elements

An audio signal processor comprising:

an input to supply real time input signals indicating selected voices;
a host processing system coupled to the input and, including a source of voice programs which comprise sequences of instructions for generation of corresponding voices;
voice program memory, coupled with the host processing system, for storing a group of voice programs;
at least one signal processor, coupled to the voice program memory and the input, for executing sequences of instructions in voice programs in the group for selected voices in response to the real time input data to generate sound data representing the selected voices;
voice allocation resources, coupled with the input, the host processing system and the voice program memory, which dynamically allocate a voice program for a selected voice from the source of voice programs in the host processing system to the group stored in the voice program memory in response to the real time input signals;
and
an audio output, coupled with the at least one signal processor, which produces audio signals in response to the sound data.

4 more elements

An audio signal processor comprising:

an input to supply real time input signals indicating selected voices;
a host processing system coupled to the input and, including a source of voice programs which comprise sequences of instructions for generation of corresponding voices;
storage means, coupled with the host processing system, for storing a group of voice programs;
a plurality of signal processors, coupled to the storage means and the input means, to execute voice programs in the group for selected voices in response to the real time input data to generate sound data representing the selected voices;
means, coupled with the input means, the host processing system and the storage means, for dynamically allocating a voice program for a selected voice from the the source of voice programs in the host processing system to the group stored in the storage means in response to the real time input signals;
an audio data bus, coupled to the plurality of signal processors, to communicate sound data among the plurality of signal processors;
and
an audio output, coupled with the audio data bus, to produce audio signals in response to the sound data on the bus.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Open architecture music synthesizer with dynamic voice allocation

Life of this patent

Open architecture music synthesizer with dynamic voice allocation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims56