WO1997039403A1 - Information signal range selecting method, information signal range selector and information signal editor - Google Patents

Abstract

A method by which the range of information signals is selected, comprising the steps of knowing in which area among a plurality of range specifying areas displayed on a display an information signal is specified, and selecting a range of information signals in units of an information signal according to the area in which the information is specified. Since the unit of selectable information signals is varied in accordance with the selected area, there are at least two types of selectable information signal units which can be selected.

Description

 Information signal range selection method, information signal range selection device, and information signal editing / concealment

 The present invention relates to a method for selecting a range of an information signal such as an audio signal, a selection device thereof, and an information signal editing device embodying the selection method. For details, the display screen is divided into multiple selection areas, and the units of the information signal that can be selected according to the selected area are different, such as the mouse drag section and the minimum editing unit, so that they can be displayed on the same display screen. The present invention relates to a method of selecting an information signal in which at least two types of information signal units can be selected.

Background art

 In signal processing devices such as audio workstations (editing devices) with a GUI (Graphic User Interface), one of the indispensable operations of a workstation with a GUI is to edit audio data and other data to be edited. There is an operation to select the range of the information signal. Normally, an editing process is performed to delete or copy that part after specifying the processing range. Conventionally, when specifying the processing range, several (for example, three) specification methods are adopted as follows.

 (1) Specify the location (specify the location by a mark) between two points determined in advance by jog or the like.

 (2) Specify the entire recorded part (minimum editing unit (track)), the part cut out by editing, the target subfile, and the entire file.

 (3) Specify an arbitrary range by dragging the mouse based on the waveform data displayed on the GUI.

In a conventionally known information signal editing device, when specifying a range of audio data to be edited (designation of a selection range), although several types of specifying methods are required as described above, the lower order is specified. Only one designation method can be used on models There was a thing. Recently, several types of designation methods have been prepared as described above, and the processing range designation mode is appropriately switched and used according to the editing process.

 Therefore, in order to shift from the processing range specification method (1) described above to, for example, the specification method (2), the specification method (1) must be temporarily interrupted or canceled, and the specification method (2) must be selected. Like that. Therefore, it was inconvenient to specify the range of audio data, and there was a problem that it took a long time to edit.

 Therefore, the present invention solves such a conventional problem, and a report signal in which these processing ranges can be designated at any time on one screen without switching the mode for designating the range. The present invention proposes a range selection method, an information signal range selection device, and an information signal editing device.

Disclosure of the invention

 The method of selecting a range of an information signal according to the first invention includes a step of detecting on which of the plurality of range specification errors displayed on the display device S the information signal is specified, comprising the following steps: A step of selecting a range of the information signal in units of the information signal according to which of the range designation areas is designated. The apparatus S for selecting a range of an information signal according to the second invention is a display means for displaying a plurality of range specification errors, a specifying means for specifying a range of the information signal on the display means, and a display means for displaying on the display means. Means for detecting on which of the plurality of range designating areas the range of the information symbol has been designated by the designating means, and the unit of the information signal according to which range designating area has been designated. And selection means for selecting the range of the information signal.

An information signal editing device according to a third aspect of the present invention includes: a storage unit for storing an information signal; a display unit for displaying a plurality of range designation areas; a designation unit for designating a range of the information signal on the display unit; A means for detecting on which of the range designation areas of the number of garments displayed on the display means the information signal range has been designated by the designation means; Selecting means for selecting a range of the information signal in units of the information signal according to whether the designation has been performed; It consists of means for editing and processing the information signal in the range. -In the first invention, one screen is divided into a plurality of range specification areas, and when a specific area is specified by a mouse or the like, a processing range specification mode belonging to the specified area is automatically set. Selected.

 When an out-of-machine error is specified, the area between the marks selected in advance is specified as the processing range, and the audio signal related to the bar signal located between the marks is processed.

 When the plus area is specified, all audio signals of the track corresponding to the bar signal (audio signal) displayed in the specified area are specified as the processing range.

 When a minus area is specified, the audio signal displayed in the width さ れ specified by the mouse is specified as the processing range.

 In this way, the range specification mode differs depending on the position of the mouse. Since this range specification mode can be selected on the same screen, the currently executing range specification mode is interrupted and another range is selected. There is no hassle of specifying the mode, such as re-selecting the specified mode.

 In the second and third inventions, by implementing such a selection method, it is possible to easily select an editing point of a digital audio signal or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a main part showing an embodiment when a processing device according to the present invention is applied to a digital audio signal editing device. FIG. 2 is a partial system diagram showing an example of the display signal generating means. FIGS. 3A and 3B are waveform diagrams showing an example of a display waveform of an audio signal. FIG. 4 is a diagram of a screen showing a display state of a display signal. FIG. 5 is a system diagram of a main part showing an example of the area determining means. 6A and 6B are explanatory diagrams (part 1) for specifying the processing range. 7A to 7C are explanatory diagrams (part 2) for specifying the processing range. 8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams (part 3) for specifying the processing range. Fig. 9 shows an example of a processing flowchart for specifying the processing range. is there,

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

 FIG. 1 shows a case where an information signal range selection method, an information signal range selection device e, and an information signal editing device according to an embodiment of the present invention are applied to an editing device s used as audio signal range selection. This will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

 The audio signal editing device generally also functions as an information signal range selection device. The editing device includes storage means for storing an information symbol, display means for displaying a plurality of area designation areas, designation means for designating a range of an information signal on the display means, and a rag displayed on the display means. Means for detecting on which range designation area of the number range designation area the information signal range has been designated by the designation means, and information on which range designation area of the range designation area has been designated. It has a selecting means for selecting a range of the information signal in signal units, and a means for performing an editing process on the information signal in the range selected by the selecting means.

 Embodiments will be described based on an audio signal editing device. As shown in FIG. 1, the editing device 10 has a CPU 12 for controlling the entire device, and a connected bus 14 has a memory (ROM) 1 in which programs for executing various controls are stored. 6 as well as a main memory (RAM, etc.) 18 functioning as a working memory, and a large-capacity recording device 20 for recording editing materials (sources) such as audio signals. Can be In this example, a magneto-optical disk (MO) drive is used as the recording device 20 so that random access is possible and non-linear editing can be performed. Hard disk drive (HDD) etc.

The audio signals of the L and R channels for editing material supplied to the terminals 22 L and 22 R are converted to digital signals by the A / D converter 24. The digital audio signal is temporarily stored in the main memory 18 and then beaten into the recording device 20. At the time of editing processing, processing for displaying the necessary audio signal on the display unit 36 is performed by the signal processing unit (DSP). 2) done by 6. As the display unit 36, a CRT or a liquid crystal display ft can be used. In the second example, a mouse (area specifying means) 30 and a key board 28 are provided to specify the processing range for the video signal displayed on the display unit 36, and these are used as user interfaces. Connected to CPU 12 via 3 2. As will be described later, an error for designating the processing range is displayed on the screen, and an image frame generating means 34 is provided to display the error, and an image frame 50 as shown in FIG. 4 is obtained. Is generated for the image.

 The signal processing unit 26 generates a display signal as shown in FIG. This generation means 40 has an envelope detection means 42 and a resampling means 4. The audio signal read from the recording device 20 is temporarily loaded into the main memory 18, and the loaded audio signal is envelope-detected by the envelope detection means 42 at time t in FIG. In this example, in order to easily and surely specify the range by the envelope, the sampling value is resampled at intervals of 1 second, for example, as shown in Fig. 3B. —Peak value) is displayed as a display signal (display waveform) S i. Of course, the envelope waveform itself can be displayed as a bar without thinning.

 In FIG. 3B, for the sake of explanation, the time axis of the resampled display waveform S f is shortened to match the time interval between the envelope waveform and the resampled display waveform S f. Since the display signal generation processing shown in FIG. 3B is to be performed by the signal processing unit 26, the actual processing is processing on software.

 The display signal generated in this manner is displayed so as to fit in the picture frame 50 displayed on the screen of the display unit 36 as shown in FIG. The image frame 50 is a frame that separates the display of the display signal S f from the outside.

 Then, in this example, the same screen of the picture frame 50 內 is divided into three areas, and an area (minus area) 50a where the minus value is displayed with the center of the display signal S f as the boundary is a positive value. It is divided into the displayed area (plus area) 50b and the outside area 50c.

Minus urea 50 a is an area for designating the display signal S f within the width dragged by the mouse 30 as a processing range. Wear. ―

 The plus area 50b is an area for specifying the display signal S S in units of tracks, and can specify one or more tracks displayed in the brass area 50b. By specifying the display waveform, the track can be specified. Here, a track refers to the smallest unit recorded or edited, and can be edited! The minimum unit thus cut out naturally includes the one generated by cutting out and combining arbitrary parts in one audio signal. Of course, as long as a plurality of songs can be simultaneously displayed in the plus area 50b as one track, the whole of one song can be set as the minimum unit. Using this plus area 50b, the processing range for each track can be specified.

 The margin area 50c is an area for designating a processing range between the marks M indicating the editing start point and the end point specified by the editing rehearsal, respectively; these areas 50a to 50c. Is designated by a cursor 54 (see Fig. 6) as a pointer that moves in conjunction with the mouse 30. Therefore, the area specified by the operator (user) is determined as follows using the area determination processing program provided in the memory 16 shown in FIG.

 Flight! : Using the error determination means 60 shown in Fig. 5 above, the mouse 30 outputs coordinate data indicating the position of the force cursor 54 (horizontal direction X and vertical direction Y) and a click signal. (Including the drag signal) is obtained. The sitting room data and the click signal are supplied to the area determination unit 62, and from the coordinate data, it is determined which area (including the track of the displayed waveform) the cursor 54 is located on the screen. Is done. Then, it is determined whether or not the area is determined by the click signal. When the specified area is determined, an area (range) specified mode signal (coordinate data, click signal, etc.) is sent to the CPU 12 and used as information on the editing processing range.

 Further, the area designation mode signal here is supplied to the display mode change section (display change means) 64, and the display state of the screen is changed only in the range designated by the cursor 54. In this example, the designated range is changed to a shaded display state. This makes it possible to visually confirm the specified range.

Next, referring to Fig. 6 and subsequent figures, specify the user's area and determine the corresponding range. t beauty display state of the change process Do ^the: will be described.

 (a) When specifying an arbitrary range by dragging the mouse 30.

 As shown in Fig. 6A, the user moves the cursor 54 to the lower half (minus area) 50a side of the screen with the mouse 30, and first relies on the waveform data on the screen to set an arbitrary start point p (or end point). Move the cursor 54 to the point q), click the mouse button on the mouse 30 and click. Next, move the cursor to the end point q (start point p) by dragging the line while holding down the mouse button.

 The user releases the mouse button after moving to the end point q (start point p)! ; The designation of the operator is determined. When the area designation is confirmed by the above drag operation, the display state of the range の of the designated points p and q is changed as shown in FIG. 6B. In FIG. 6B, hatching is displayed at the same time.

 (b) When specifying the entire track T (the whole sound recorded or the part cut out by editing).

 For example, when the upper half (brass area) 50b of the waveform display is clicked with the mouse 30 in the display signal area of the track T1 like 囡 7A, the entire track T1 is displayed. When selected, the screen display at that time is shaded and shaded as shown in Fig. 7B. The processing after area designation is the same as in FIG. In order to make the position of the track easy to understand, a broken line 58 indicating a track break can be displayed simultaneously with the waveform display as shown in FIG. 7A.

 If you want to specify both “Track T 1 J Γ Track T 2” in Figure 7A, you can perform multiple operations by simultaneously operating the function keys (for example, CTRL key) and clicking the mouse 30. Tracks T1 and T2 can be selected at the same time (Fig. 7C shaded hatching).

 (c) When specifying the range from mark M to mark M.

First, find the starting and ending points of the location to be edited by jog Z shuttle etc. At this time, confirm the location to be the editing point by rehearsal etc. At the end of the confirmation of the editing point, mark M, M (See Figure 8A). Next, in the area 50c where the marks M and M are displayed, the mouse 30 is clicked while the cursor 54 is positioned between the marks M and the mark M. As shown The range from the determined starting point M to the ending point M is specified, and the display within the specified range is shaded as shown in Fig. 8B.

 Fig. 9 shows an example of a tip that realizes the above-mentioned area designating operation (processing range designating operation). In the area designation mode, first, when the left click button (left button) (not shown) provided on the mouse 30 is clicked (step 71), the position of the force solver 54 is changed. Check whether the area is within the area for specifying the area (step 72).

If the location to be clicked is within the specified range and is in the minus area 50a below the center of the display waveform Sf, the state of the drag is determined (steps 73, 74) _c Next, when dragging using the mouse 30 is performed at that position, the area selected by dragging is set as the specified area specification range (step 75). This is the specification example in Fig. 6.

 If dragging is not performed in spite of the minus area 50a, the designation of the area is canceled (step 83). Therefore, if there is a part that is currently selected, it is treated as if that area was not specified. If the click location is in the plus area 50b above the center of the displayed waveform Sf (step 76), the specific function key is clicked while holding down the CTRL key in this example. (Step 77), and if the CTRL key is clicked without being pressed, the track containing the clicked portion (the portion where the cursor 5 is located) (the minimum editing (Unit) is selected as the processing area (step 78) This is the designation example in FIG.

 When the track is clicked while pressing the CTRL key, all the tracks on the clicked side are selected as the designated area (step 79). This is an example of 囡 7 C. If it is determined in step 76 that the error has been specified outside the waveform display area, confirm that the click location is 50c in the damaged area. (Step 81) If so, the area between the marks M and M is designated as the processing area (Step 82) This corresponds to the example of FIG.

When the processing area is specified as in steps 75, 78, and 82, the operation of specifying the processing ends. In this way, it is possible to specify a plurality of specified modes in which the processing mode is different on the same screen without releasing the current specified mode:

 As a result, even when selecting another area specification mode from the current area specification mode, the area on the screen can be specified without interrupting or changing the currently executing area specification mode. You can select a different error mode by simply re-doing it. As a result, it is very easy to specify the processing range, and a smooth editing operation can be created. Along with this, the overall editing work can be made more efficient and shorter.

Industrial applicability

 INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is applicable to an editing device capable of nonlinearly editing an information signal such as a digital audio signal.

Claims

The scope of the claims  1. A method for selecting a range of an information signal, comprising the following steps.  Detecting on which of the plurality of range specifying areas displayed on the display device the information signal is specified;  A step of selecting the range of the information signal in units of the information signal according to which of the range designating areas the designation is performed on; 2. In Claim 1,  The range designating area comprises at least first and second range designating areas. In the step of selecting the range of the information signal, in the detecting step, the range designating is performed in the first range designating area. If it is detected that the information signal in a specified range is selected,  When the detection step detects that the range has been specified in the second range specification area, selecting a predetermined unit of the information signal including the specified range. Have. 3. In Claim 2,  The predetermined unit of the information signal selected when it is detected that the range is specified in the second range specifying area in the detection step is a minimum editing unit. 4. In Claim 3,  The information signal is generated by cutting out and combining at least a portion of the information signal source of at least D, and the minimum editing unit is the cut-out portion of the information signal source. is there. 5. In Claim 2,  The above-mentioned range designation area further has a third range designation area, In the detection step, the range is specified in the third range specification area. If it is detected that the selected edit point is located between the preset edit point before the specified range and the preset edit point after the specified range. Select a signal. 6. In Claim 1,  A waveform diagram of the information signal is displayed on the screen of the display device, and the plurality of range designation areas are adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the time axis direction of the waveform diagram. 7. In Claim 2,  On the screen of the display device, a waveform diagram of the information signal is displayed, and the first and second range designation errors are on the waveform diagram of the information signal, and are displayed in a time axis direction of the waveform diagram. Vertically adjacent to each other. 8. In Claim 7,  The first range designation error corresponds to the upper half of the waveform diagram corresponding to the plus portion of the information signal, and the second range designation error corresponds to the lower half of the waveform diagram corresponding to the minus portion of the information signal. Corresponding to 9. In Claim 7,  The information signal is an audio signal. 10. In claim 1,  Further, the method further includes a step of changing the display of the waveform diagram corresponding to the range selected by the selecting step of the information signal. 1 1. A device for selecting the range of the information signal.  Display means for displaying a plurality of area designation areas; Specifying means for specifying the range of the information signal on the display means; I2 means for detecting on which of the plurality of range designation areas displayed on the display means the range designation area the information signal range has been designated by the designation means; and And selecting means for selecting the range of the information signal in units of the information signal according to whether the designation has been performed. 1 2. In Claim 11,  The area designation area includes at least first and second area designation areas, and the selection means detects that the area designation has been performed in the first area designation area by the detection means. In this case, the specified information signal in the specified range is selected, and when the detection means detects that the range has been specified in the second range specification area, the specified information signal is specified. A predetermined unit of the information signal including the specified range is selected. 1 3. In Claims 1 and 2,  The predetermined unit of the information signal selected when the detection means detects that the range is specified in the second range specifying area is a minimum editing unit. 1. In Claims 13,  The information signal is generated by extracting and combining at least one of the information signal sources, and the minimum editing unit is the extracted information signal source portion. is there. 1 5. In Claims 1 and 2,  The above-mentioned range designation area further has a third range designation area, If the detection means detects that the range has been specified in the third range specification area, the selecting step includes the step of setting the previously set edit point before the specified range and The above information signal between a preset edit point after the specified range is selected. 1 6. In Claim 11,  A waveform diagram of the information signal is displayed on the screen of the display device, and the plurality of range designation lia are adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the time axis direction of the waveform diagram. 1 7. In Claims 1 and 2,  On the screen of the display device, a waveform diagram of the information signal is displayed, and the first and second range designation errors are on the waveform diagram of the information signal, and are displayed in a time axis direction of the waveform diagram. Vertically adjacent to each other. 1 8. In Claim 17,  The first range designation area corresponds to the upper half of the waveform diagram corresponding to the plus portion of the information signal, and the second range designation area corresponds to the lower half of the waveform diagram corresponding to the minus portion of the information signal. Corresponding to the department. 1 9. In Claim 17,  The information signal is an audio signal. 2 0. In Claim 10,  Further, there is provided display changing means for changing the display of the waveform diagram corresponding to the range of the information signal selected by the selecting means. 2 1. In Claim 1,  The designation means controls the display means to display a pointer on the display means, and outputs coordinate information indicating the position of the pointer to the detection means 2 2. In Claim 21, The designating means has a first button, and whether the first button is clicked A signal indicating whether the signal is output to the detection means and the selection means. 2 3. Information signal editing device,  Storage means for storing the information signal,  Display means for displaying a plurality of area designation areas;  Specifying means for specifying the range of the information signal on the display means;  Means for detecting on which of the plurality of range designating messages displayed on the display means the designated range of the information signal has been designated by the designating means; and which range designating area of the range designating query. Selecting the range of the information signal in units of the information signal according to whether or not the above specification has been performed.  An information signal editing device, comprising: means for performing editing processing on the information signal in a range selected by the selection means. 2 4. In Claim 23,  The means for selecting a range includes at least a first and a second area specifying area, and the means for selecting a range of the information signal includes the step of performing the area specification in the first area specifying area in the detection step. If the information signal is detected, the information signal in the specified range is selected,  When the detection means detects that the range has been designated in the second range designation area, a predetermined unit of the information signal including the designated range is selected. 25. In Claim 24,  On the screen of the display device, a waveform diagram of the information signal is displayed, and the first and second range designation areas are on the waveform diagram of the information signal, and in a time axis direction of the waveform diagram. Vertically adjacent to each other. 2 6. In the range 2 5  The above information ίThe symbol is an audio signal.