AN APPARATUS WHICH CONTROLS AUDIO DATA FROM
VARIOUS DRIVER ONLY BY INTERNAL SOFTWARE AND THE METHOD
THEREOF
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention is related to an apparatus which controls audio data from
various drivers only by internal software and the method thereof: it makes sound
output of GIGA Studio using GSIF (GigaSampler Interface) use as a Cubase input
using ASIO (Audio Streaming Input/ Output) which has various effects or as a Sonar
input using WDM (Windows Driver Model), especially by embodying the function
which audio data output of various drivers are altered to input of various drivers only
by software.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, electric instruments which abide by MIDI (Music Instrument
Digital Interface) protocol and computers which have MIDI interface had become to
exchange the data to each other and the electric instruments can be controlled
through computer software, moreover computer after interconnecting synthesizer to
MIDI interface is not just for storing MIDI signal and playing back but also able to
edit or transform. For the said reason, computer became indispensable apparatus for
writing music or producing and using electric instruments.
However, under the personal computer operation system environment, easy
method to control input/output of multiple audio is not supported, only remained in
stereo input/ output. Further, the extension to support for other functions is not very
easy, software can not use the functions of hardware even though hardware company
developed the audio hardware which has excellent functions.
To solve these problems, hardware company developed the driver which
supports their excellent function. Software vendor and hardware vendor built
respectively independent standard to cope with it.
Eventually, since software vendors support their own standards, hardware
vendor had to make various drivers to support to make software act, and also to
exchange data among software, each apparatus for each software had to be
connected through connection cable from the outside. So the scale and the work of
apparatus had to be operated complicatedly.
The conventional art is made up with Fig. 1, comprising various application
program 110 generally used, API program 120 which records or plays back various
audio data depending on user by input audio data output from the said application
program 110, driver section 130 which process data directly without passing through
CPU of computer apparatus, sound card 140 which alters analog data to digital data
or digital to analog: output section 150 which output analog data output from the
said sound card 140 and input section 160 various analog data to be input.
These existing organization, however, has problems to exchange audio data
by providing one or more system with expensive price or connecting external cable
additionally.
Besides, these methods suffered from the following drawbacks: Since audio data were altered analog to digital through additionally established cable, this brought about loss or alteration of audio data and deteriorate of tone quality.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
This invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks. Contrary to the
inefficient existing ways providing one or more systems or connecting external cable
to exchange data, this invention is capable of changing direction of each
output/input of driver and mix simply by mouse action without connection work of
external cable, output sound covering effects instantly using vivid sound of GIGA
Studio by Cubase of various effects or possible to use Sonar output by input Cubase,
make various audio, easily exchange data of every application program without loss
of tone quality and data depending on connecting external cable which is analog
method by processing all the digital data internally depending on software action.
To achieve the said aim, this invention consists of various application
programs 110 generally used, API program which record or play back various audio
data depending on users by input audio data output from the said application
program 110, direct data control section 200 in which is working by changing the
direction of output through internal action of software by input instumental sounds,
sound effects and audio data from the said API program 120 without operation
connecting to external cable, driver section 130 which process directly without
passing through CPU of computer apparatus depending on control by the said direct
data control section 200, sound card 140 which alters analog data to digital or digital
to analog, output section 150 which outputs analog data outputting from the said
sound card 140, and input section 160 which is input various analog data.
In addition, the said API application program 120 includes with MME
program 121, direct sound program 123, ASIO program 25 or GSIF 127 and the said
the plurality of direct data control buffer 210 is made up the said direct data control
section 200.
In addition, this invention consists of calling API program 120 playback
audio data (S302), requesting the signal output in the said step to corresponding
driver 130 for playing back audio data through the said API program 120 (S304),
deciding whether set the said direct data control section 200 operates after operating
the said step (S308), storing audio data output through the said API program 120 at
the plurality of direct data buffer 210 made in the said direct data control section 200
in case of setting operate (S320),deciding whether user-designated API program
procedure completed after operating the said step (S322), transferring audio data
stored at direct data buffer 210 in direct data control section 200 to the said API
program 120 after operating the said step (S324), transferring audio data to
application program 110 after operating the said step (S326), deciding whether audio
data stored at the said user-designated direct data buffer was transferred completely
after operating the said step (S328), deciding whether the operation would proceed
or not and operating the said step (S302) in case of proceeding and ending in case of
not proceeding (S330), storing not at direct data buffer 210 in the said direct data
control section but at direct driver section 130 in case of outputting usual audio data
(A) without mixing in course of operating the said step (S308)(S310), being
transferred to D/A converter 142 of the said sound card 140 after operating the said
step (S312) and outputting the outside through output section 150 after operating the
said step (S312) in case user wants to mix and output various sound effects and
special functions by using application program (S314). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present
invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a rough block diagram of the apparatus controlling audio data by the
existing method;
Fig 2 is a specific block diagram illustrated the apparatus which controls
audio data from various drivers only by internal software of this invention; Fig 3 is a flow chart of operating state of the apparatus controls audio data from various drivers only by internal software of this invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be clear from the following
description when described with reference to accompanying drawing wherein the
apparatus which controls audio data from various drivers only by internal software
and the method thereof.
Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram adapted to the apparatus which controls
audio data from various drivers only by internal software, 100 is audio data
processing apparatus of this invention. In explaining the organization of the said
audio data processing apparatus 100 consists of generally used, API program which
record or play back various audio data depending on users by input audio data output
from the said application program 110, direct data control section 200 in which is
working by changing the direction of output through internal action of software
without operation connecting with external cable which is input instrumental sounds,
sound effects and music (hereinafter, referred to as audio data) from the said API
program 120, driver section 130 which process directly without passing through CPU
of computer apparatus depending on control by the said direct data control section
200, sound card 140 which alters analog data to digital or digital to analog, output
section 150 which outputs analog data outputting from the said sound card 140, and
input section 160 which is input various analog data.
The said application program 110 corresponds separately with the plurality of
various API program 120, Cubase 112 corresponds to ASIO program 125,
Gigasampler 114 is an application program corresponding with GSIF program 127,
extra application program 116 is an application program corresponding to MME
program 121 or Direct Sound program 123.
In addition, the said sound card 140 consists of D/A Converter
(Digital/ Analog Converter) 142 which alters digital data to analog data output from
one of the the plurality of DMA channels 132 built in the said driver section 130 and
A/D Converter (Analog/Digital Converter) 144 which output analog data to digital
data output from the said input section 160.
In addition, the said input section 160 includes output from various electric
apparatus: keyboard or synthesizer or electric instrument with the mike of general
input method.
The said API program 120 consists of the plurality, among them, MME
program 121 developed by Microsoft is an API to control sound card under OS
based on Windows 3.0 & 3.1, 3.11 and is used to record and play back wave audio by
some amendments under the latest Windows version these days.
In addition, DirectSound program 123 is a product after the release of
Windows 95 for games like directshow, directdraw, directsound 3D and audio
software companies use DirectSound program 123 more than MME program 121
because of buffering difference and less latency on playing back and this is very
important to software synthesizer application program.
In addition, the said ASIO program 125 (Audio Streaming Input/Output) is
provided by Cubase 112 application program. First version ASIO 1.0 provides the
feature of reaching to similar or less latency to DirectSound program 123 and
recording, and to use multiple channels. This means that it is possible to control all
the physical input and output channels of hardware on single apparatus.
The said GSIF program 127 is developed by the Nemesys to estimate the
output of multiple channels by Gigasampler 114 application program.
The said driver section 130 includes Windows driver model and this
Windows driver model is a program for driving hardware and is installed to
Windows98, Windows2000, WindowsXP not to be supported to other Windows
version. Microsoft developed this model to be able to act by just one driver under
Operating System.
In addition, the said direct data control section 200 processes internally by
software method with no outputting specific audio output data of API program 120
to the outside and stores separately at the plurality of direct data control buffer 210
without recording to the said driver section 130.
Accordingly, the data stored at the said direct data control buffer 210 is input
again by API program 120 to the said application program 110, output through the
external output section 150 or stored at the internal section of the said application
program 110.
Since it is mainly described about internal procedure of mixing of audio data
through the plurality of the said API program 120 which has various features in this
invention, it is not referred specifically to general computer organization. However, it
is natural that this invention is built in general computer organization: CPU which
controls the whole computer, video card which controls output of video data by the
said CPU control and monitor output through the said video card.
Besides, this invention is capable of acting multiple channels which is able to
make new sound with mixing various audio signal by connecting the plurality of the
apparatus as shown in FIG. 2. It is natural that absolutely new audio data is output
by mixing every different sounds using various sounds of instruments to output
professional audio data in this case.
An apparatus which controls audio data from various drivers only by internal
software organized as the above and the act of the method thereof is as shown in
FIG. 3.
For example to convenient understanding, the description is as follows in
case user wants to mix and output various sound effects and special functions by
using the features of the said MME program 121 and GSIF program 127 at which
user is stored.
In case user wants to mix and output various sound effects and special
functions by using application program consists of calling API program 120 to
playback audio data (S302), requesting the signal output in the said step to
corresponding driver 130 for playing back audio data through the said API program
120 (S304), deciding whether set the said direct data control section 200 operates
after operating the said step (S308), storing audio data output through the said API
program 120 at the plurality of direct data buffer 210 made in the said direct data
control section 200 in case of setting operate (S320),deciding whether user-
designated API program procedure completed after operating the said step (S322),
transferring audio data stored at direct data buffer 210 in direct data control section
200 to the said API program 120 after operating the said step (S324), transferring
audio data to application program 110 after operating the said step (S326), deciding
whether audio data stored at the said user-designated direct data buffer was
transferred completely after operating the said step (S328), deciding whether the
operation would proceed or not and operating the said step (S302) in case of
proceeding and ending in case of not proceeding (S330).
On the other hand, in case of outputting usual audio data (A) without mixing
consists of storing not at direct data buffer 210 in the said direct data control section
but at direct driver section 130 in course of operating the said step (S308)(S310),
being transferred to D/A converter 142 of the said sound card 140 after operating
the said step (S312) and outputting the outside through output section 150 after
operating the said step (S312) in case that user wants to mix and output various
sound effects and special functions by using application program (S314).
At the said step (S334) is reading audio data stored in the said driver section
130 adapted to set data format (the number of bits, frequency ratio etc.) and
transferring to D/A converter (Digital/ Analog Converter) 142.
The said example for convenient explanation is built in outputting the outside
after mixing audio data by MME program 121 and GSIF program 127 through the
said ASIO program 125, this invention can act freely by software method that is,
without using special external cable by control of direct data control section 200 in
case of mixing or outputting after operating more complicated steps than the said
example.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
An apparatus which controls audio data from various drivers only by internal
software and the method thereof comprising the said, unlike using the existing
inefficient method which has problems to exchange audio data by providing one or
more system with expensive price or connecting external cable additionally, is
capable of changing direction of each output/input of driver and mix simply by
mouse action without connection work of external cable, output sound covering
effects instantly using vivid sound of GIGA Studio by Cubase of various effects or
capable of using Sonar output by input Cubase, make various audio, easily exchange
data of every application program without loss of tone quality and data depending on
connecting external cable which is analog method by processing all the digital data
internally depending on software action.
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been
disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various
modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the
scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.