System for networked routing of audio in a live sound system

Abstract

A computing system automates the configuration and management of a live sound system that includes a processor and memory for building in a GUI of a display a representation of the live sound system for a venue. The system loads a venue template that includes loudspeaker arrays and related properties including a setup configuration of the loudspeaker arrays and tuning data for constituent loudspeakers that are operable to provide an audio coverage pattern for the venue. The system overlays on top of the representation of the loudspeaker arrays a wiring circuit representation indicating interconnections of the loudspeakers that define bandpass inputs for each array. The system generates a plurality of amplifiers in the representation to drive the arrays, and associates amplifier channels of the amplifiers with the bandpass inputs. The amplifier channels include representations of output channels of DSPs coupled with respective amplifier channels. The system loads tuning data into respective representation of the DSP and/or amplifiers based on configurations of the associated loudspeakers to complete virtual configuration. The representations of the devices and connections may be matched with physical devices of the live sound system and the tuning data sent down to the physical DSPs and/or amplifiers for their configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for automation of configuration and management of a live sound system, the method executable with a computer having a processor and memory, the computer coupled with a display on which is displayable a graphical user interface (GUI), the method comprising:
 receiving, by the processor, a signal indicative of selection of a factory-defined group of left and right loudspeaker arrays in a representation of the live sound system in the GUI;   enabling, by the processor, creation in the representation of one or more user-defined loudspeaker arrays;   integrating, by the processor, the factory-defined group of left and right loudspeaker arrays with the user-defined loudspeaker arrays to create a final group of loudspeaker arrays;   creating, by the processor, an associated wiring circuit and a plurality of bandpass inputs for the final group of loudspeaker arrays; and   calculating, by the processor, a plurality of properties for the final group of loudspeaker arrays to cover a geographic space of a venue, the properties including physical installation parameters of the final group of loudspeaker arrays and tuning parameters associated with a plurality of passive or active loudspeakers of the final group of loudspeaker arrays.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating the physical installation parameters with an acoustical modeling tool executed by the processor on the final group of loudspeaker arrays, the acoustical modeling tool embodied in instructions included in the memory, and where the physical installation parameters comprise loudspeaker type, number of loudspeakers required, angles between loudspeakers, overall loudspeaker array elevation, and overall sight angle orientation in order to obtain audience coverage of the venue. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating the tuning parameters with an acoustical modeling tool executed by the processor on the final group of loudspeaker arrays, the acoustical modeling tool embodied in instructions included in the memory, and where the tuning parameters comprise equalization settings, crossover settings, gain settings, and driver delay settings. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating, by the processor, a plurality of amplifiers within the representation to drive the passive or active loudspeakers of the final group of loudspeaker arrays;   associating, by the processor, amplifier channels of the amplifiers with the bandpass inputs of the final group of loudspeaker arrays in the representation according to the physical installation parameters, the amplifier channels including representations of digital signal processor (DSP) output channels coupled or integrated with respective amplifier channels; and   loading, by the processor, the tuning parameters into respective representations of the DSP output channels based on configurations of the associated passive or active loudspeakers, to complete virtual configuration of the live sound system for the venue.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , the method further comprising:
 storing, in the memory, representations of the connections between the bandpass inputs of the final group of loudspeaker arrays and the associated amplifier channels, and of the connections between the associated amplifier channels and the DSP output channels, and storing the loaded tuning parameters in relation to the respective representations of the DSP output channels.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 discovering via a network interconnected physical devices of the venue;   receiving input signals indicative of matching the representations of the bandpass inputs of the passive or active loudspeaker arrays, of the amplifier channels, and of the DSP output channels to the corresponding interconnected physical devices of the venue discovered over the network; and   in response to the input signals, transmitting addressing and tuning parameters over the network for loading into respective physical devices comprising physical amplifiers or physical DSPs.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 overlaying, on top of the representation of the final group of loudspeaker arrays in the GUI, a wiring circuit representation indicating connections of the passive or active loudspeakers including the bandpass inputs for each loudspeaker array;   generating a system monitoring interface in the GUI for use during a live show, the monitoring interface including an overlay of DSP parameter values on top of the representations of corresponding passive or active loudspeakers in the final group of loudspeaker arrays; and   displaying in the system monitoring interface each bandpass input associated with amplifier channels that are coupled with corresponding output channels of the DSPs, to enable monitoring DSP output channel behavior in the GUI while visually maintaining the relationship of the loudspeakers with which each is associated.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising, upon connecting the computer to a network to which physical devices are connected corresponding to the final group of loudspeaker arrays, to the amplifiers, and to the DSPs of the representation of the live sound system in the GUI:
 discovering node identifications (IDs) for the bandpass inputs, amplifier channels, and output channels of the DSPs;   recognizing the bandpass inputs, amplifier channels, and DSP output channels affiliated with each discovered node ID; and   mapping the bandpass inputs, amplifier channels, and DSP output channels to their representations in the GUI.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 transmitting the tuning parameters down to the physical DSPs over the network for configuring the physical DSP output channels remotely; and   storing, in a database stored in memory coupled with the network, the tuning parameters in relation to their respective physical DSP output channels to be transmitted for re-loading in the corresponding physical DSPs at a later time.   
     
     
         10 . A method for management of a live sound system, the method executable with a computer having a processor and memory, comprising:
 enabling, by the processor, creation of a representation of the live sound system in a GUI, the representation including one or more loudspeaker arrays located in a venue and having corresponding bandpass inputs; and   generating, by the processor, indicators overlaid over the representation of one or more loudspeaker arrays to display digital signal processing (DSP) parameter values of DSP output channels associated with respective bandpass inputs of the loudspeaker arrays, to enable monitoring DSP output channel behavior in the GUI while visually maintaining the relationship of the loudspeakers with which each is associated.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the overlaid indicators include a summed combination of two or more DSP parameters from corresponding adjacent bandpass inputs of identical type. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more loudspeaker arrays include one or more of each of a plurality of passive or active loudspeakers, and one or more powered loudspeakers within which are integrated the DSPs, the indicators including one or more of meters, objects, or parameters. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the DSPs include DSP devices external to and coupled with the respective amplifiers, or the DSPs include internal DSP devices integrated within the respective amplifiers. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising grouping a plurality of amplifiers together that drive two or more loudspeakers of the one or more loudspeaker arrays to provide simultaneous control via the GUI of the two or more loudspeakers through the grouped amplifiers. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the representation of the live sound system includes connections between the amplifier input channels and the respective DSP output channels, and connections between the bandpass inputs and associated amplifier channels. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising transmitting tuning data over a network for loading into each respective DSP based on configurations of the loudspeakers for audio coverage, pre-defined loudspeaker tunings, and line array calculator information, the tuning data including one or more of equalization settings, crossover settings, gain settings, driver delay settings, and a combination thereof.