JP4432545B2 - Signal path setting method, signal path setting device and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a signal path setting method, a signal path setting apparatus and a program suitable for use in transmission / reception of MIDI signals or audio signals between a plurality of nodes arranged on a network.

  Conventionally, a local area network (LAN) is constructed with personal computers, electronic musical instruments, mixers, effectors, recorders, etc. as nodes, and a music LAN (mLAN, registration) that freely transmits and receives MIDI signals and audio signals between these nodes. Trademark) has been proposed by the present applicant (Patent Document 1). This music LAN conforms to the IEEE1394 standard, and usually two IEEE1394 ports are attached to each node. By connecting the IEEE1394 ports of these nodes in a daisy chain, the hardware connection of the music LAN is completed.

  Here, in this specification, a terminal on hardware used for connection between nodes or the like is referred to as a “LAN connector”. A logical unit for inputting / outputting a MIDI signal or an audio signal in each node is called a “terminal”. The terminals are logically “connected” so that MIDI signals and audio signals can be transmitted and received between corresponding nodes. For example, in order to transmit a MIDI signal from one node (node A) to another node (node B), one of the MIDI output terminals of node A and one of the MIDI input terminals of node B are connected. It will be.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a technique that displays a connection list between terminals by displaying a list of terminals on a screen of a personal computer and edits the connection relation as necessary. In this technique, the user can select either “MIDI signal” or “audio signal” as a list to be displayed, and the selected list is displayed in a left and right table format. That is, output terminal names are listed in the left column, and input terminal names are listed in the right column. When any of the output terminals and the input terminals are connected, the names of these terminals are displayed in the same row. Here, when the user changes the connection state, any of the input terminal names displayed in the right column may be “dragged and dropped” with the mouse and moved to the right side of the desired output terminal column. As a result, the output terminal and the input terminal are connected. In addition, the display order in each list of “MIDI signal” and “audio signal” can be set independently for each list.

JP 2001-203732 A

However, in the above-described technique, since the connection relationship between the terminals is displayed in a tabular form listing the characters, the operation of changing the connection relationship between the terminals has been troublesome.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a signal path setting method, a signal path setting apparatus, and a program capable of quickly changing the connection relationship between nodes.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by having the following configuration. The parentheses are examples.
2. The signal path setting method according to claim 1, wherein an output unit of the first node selects a signal path setting method for setting a signal path of a network for communicating performance information or audio signals between a plurality of nodes. in response to the, a first selection box display process for displaying on the logical first display screen a selection box (310) formed by sequentially enumerating output terminal of the first node, the second in response to the input of the node is selected, a second selection box to display the sequentially listed by comprising second selection box (320) a logical input terminal of the second node on the display screen a display process, the first one of the output terminals belonging to the first node in the selection box is selected and one input terminal belonging to said second node is selected in the second selection box Notification process of outputting a notification to an input terminal belonging to the second node and the output terminal belonging to said first node to said first node or said second node to logically connected (SP73 ) And a display step (SP66) of displaying a connection line connecting the output terminal and the input terminal on the display screen.
Furthermore, in the configuration according to claim 2, in the signal path setting method according to claim 1, a plurality of output terminals are selected in the first selection box, and one input terminal is selected in the second selection box. determining determines when but is selected, including an input terminal which is the selected, whether as many input terminals of a plurality of output terminals selected by the first selection box can be secured On the second node including one input terminal selected in the second selection box , on condition that the determination result of the step (SP76) and the determination step (SP76) is negative a further selection number reducing process of reducing the number of output terminals being selected in the first selection box in the number of input terminals can be secured (SP82), the notification process (SP73) was the selected Duplicate It characterized in that it is a output terminal and said first node or process for outputting a notification to the second node so as to connect a plurality of said input terminals individually.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the signal path setting apparatus according to the third aspect executes the signal path setting method according to the first or second aspect.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the processing device is caused to execute the signal path setting method according to the first or second aspect.

Thus, according to the present invention, since the connection relationship can be set by selecting the terminal in the first and second selection boxes, the connection relationship can be quickly changed.

1． Hardware Configuration of Embodiment Next, the configuration of a tone signal editing system of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the figure, 40 is a personal computer, 42 is a mixer, and 44 and 46 are musical instruments, each constituting a node in the music LAN. Each node is equipped with at least two IEEE1394 ports, and these IEEE1394 ports are connected in a daisy chain. In addition, it is assumed that a plurality of nodes other than the illustrated nodes 40 to 46 are connected to the music LAN in the same manner. All these nodes are classified into one of “category” among “computer”, “mixer”, “instrument”, “interface”, and “unknown” according to the type.

  Next, the configuration of the personal computer 40 will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 2 denotes a communication interface, which is provided with the above-described two IEEE1394 ports and MIDI terminals. Reference numeral 4 denotes an input device, which includes a keyboard for inputting characters and a mouse. Reference numeral 8 denotes a display that displays various information to the user. Reference numeral 10 denotes a CPU which controls other components via the bus 16 based on a program described later. A ROM 12 stores an initial program loader and the like. A removable disk drive 18 reads / writes data from / to a removable disk 20 such as a CD-ROM or MO. A hard disk 24 stores an operating system, music LAN control software, performance information, audio signals, and the like. A RAM 30 is used as a work memory for the CPU 10.

2． Display Screen Next, a display example of the patch bay window 200 displayed on the display 8 by the music LAN control software will be described with reference to FIG. However, the example shown in the figure is a display example when there is one node belonging to each category of “computer”, “mixer”, “instrument”, and “interface”, unlike the configuration of FIG. In the figure, 202 is a menu bar and 204 is a tool bar. The tool bar 204 is provided with an audio button 206 and a MIDI button 208. Each time the buttons 206 and 208 are clicked with the mouse, they are alternatively set to the on state, and the signal type whose connection state is to be displayed in the field portion 209 is “audio” or “MIDI”. Choose from. In the illustrated example, since the audio button 206 is on, the connection state of the audio signal is displayed in the field portion 209.

  210, 220, 230, and 240 are substantially rectangular node blocks that are displayed corresponding to individual nodes of the music LAN. Here, for each node block, an arrangement position and a drawing color (background color in a rectangle) in the field portion 209 are determined according to the category of the corresponding node. That is, the node block (for example, the node block 240) belonging to “computer” is arranged in “left part”, and the drawing color is set to “green”. The node block (210) belonging to “Mixer” is displayed in “Upper”, and the drawing color is set to “Blue”. The node block (230) belonging to “instrument” is displayed in the “lower part” and the drawing color is set to “orange”. The node block (220) belonging to “Interface” is displayed in “Right”, and the drawing color is set to “Red”. Further, although not included in the figure, the node block belonging to “unknown” is displayed in “central part”, and the drawing color is set to “gray”. When there are a plurality of node blocks to be displayed at one arrangement position, the respective node blocks are displayed so as not to overlap. When the placement position is "Upper" or "Lower", node blocks are arranged from left to right, and when the placement position is "Right" or "Left", from top to bottom Node blocks are arranged and displayed.

  Next, in the node block 210, reference numeral 212 denotes an icon display unit, which displays icons representing the characteristics (categories) of the nodes. Reference numeral 214 denotes a node name display unit that displays the name of the node (for example, a product name). Reference numeral 216 denotes an input terminal portion, which is displayed so that the number of terminal images 216a equal to the number of used terminals of the input terminal of the node protrudes outward. Reference numeral 218 denotes an output terminal unit, which is displayed so that the same number of terminal images as the number of used terminals of the output terminal of the node protrude outward, as with the input terminal unit 216.

  Here, the “number of terminals used” will be described. Although the number of input / output terminals of each node has a limit according to the performance of the product, the user does not necessarily use the limit number of terminals. For this reason, when the maximum number of terminal images corresponding to the performance of each node is displayed, there arises a problem that the size of the patch bay window 200 increases and the operability deteriorates. For this reason, the user can determine the “number of used terminals” to be actually used within the range of the maximum number or less for each node, each signal type, and each input / output, and the window 200 is equal to this number of used terminals. Only a number of terminal images will be displayed. Similarly to the node block 210, the node blocks 220, 230, and 240 include icon display units 222, 232, and 242, node name display units 224, 234, and 244, input terminal units 226, 236, and 246, Output terminal portions 228, 238, and 248 are respectively displayed.

  Next, a single connection line 250 is drawn so as to connect one output terminal image of one of the nodes and one input terminal image of another node. The single connection line is drawn with a drawing color equal to the drawing color of the node related to the output terminal. In the example shown in the drawing, the single connection line 250 is drawn so as to connect one output terminal image of the node block 230 and one input terminal image of the node block 220, so the drawing color of the single connection line 250 is “Orange” equal to the node block 230.

  Reference numeral 260 denotes a plurality of connection lines, which are drawn so as to connect a plurality of continuous output terminal images of any node and the same number of continuous input terminal images of other nodes. In addition, rectangular terminal collection portions 262 and 264 are drawn on both ends of the plurality of connection lines so that one side is in contact with the plurality of input / output terminal images. The plurality of connection lines are also drawn with a drawing color equal to the drawing color of the node related to the plurality of output terminals. In the example shown in the drawing, the multiple connection lines 260 are drawn so as to connect all the output terminal images of the node block 240 and all the input terminal images of the node block 210, so the drawing color of the multiple connection lines 260 is “Green” equal to node block 240. Similarly, reference numeral 270 denotes a plurality of connection lines, and terminal aggregation portions 272 and 274 are provided at both ends thereof so as to connect all output terminal images of the node block 210 and the same number of input terminal images of the node block 240. Has been drawn. Reference numeral 280 denotes a rectangular cursor, which is drawn along the inward extension of the node block currently being operated. Note that the node block and the connection state of the patch bay window 200 in FIG. 4 match the contents indicated by the information based on the information stored in the display information table and the communication path information table described below. Is displayed.

3． Data Structure Next, the data structure of various data used by the music LAN control software will be described. In FIG. 3A, reference numeral 50 denotes a model ID table, a model ID column 52 for storing a unique model ID assigned to each model number (model) of various products that can be nodes of the music LAN, and the product. And a category column 54 for storing the “category” to which. Here, the “category” stored is any one of “computer”, “mixer”, “instrument” or “I / O (input / output device)”, and the model not stored in the model ID table 50. Category is set to "unknown".

  Next, in FIG. 3B, reference numeral 60 denotes a category table, which stores default display states corresponding to the “5” types of categories. That is, the category table 60 includes a category column 62 for storing a category, an arrangement position column 64 for defining the default arrangement position of the category, and a drawing color column 66 for defining the default drawing color of the category. Is done. The contents of the category table 60 shown in the figure are determined by determining the arrangement position and drawing color of each category as described above with reference to FIG. 4. However, by changing the contents of this table, the user can change the contents of each category. The default arrangement position and drawing color can be freely set.

  Next, in FIG. 3C, reference numeral 70 denotes a display information table, in which information defining the display state for each node in the patch bay window 200 is stored. First, 72 is a node ID column that stores a node ID that is a unique identification number assigned to each node. Reference numeral 74 denotes a model ID column, which stores the model ID of each of these nodes. 76 is an arrangement position column, and 78 is a drawing color column, which stores the same contents as the arrangement position column 64 and the drawing color column 66 in the category table 60 described above. As described above, in the category table 60, the default arrangement position and drawing color are determined for each category. However, when the contents of the display information table 70 are edited, the arrangement differs from the default for each node. Position and drawing color can be set. Here, the arrangement position of the node whose node ID is “02” and the drawing color of the node whose node ID is “04” are edited. Reference numerals 80 to 86 denote used terminal number columns, which store the used terminal numbers of the MIDI input terminal, MIDI output terminal, audio input terminal, and audio output terminal, respectively.

  Next, in FIG. 3D, 90 is a MIDI communication path information table, and the communication source column 92 stores terminal designation information for specifying each MIDI output terminal of each node. Here, the terminal designation information has a format such as “(01) (MIDI-OUT) (1) (...)” as described at the top of the communication source column 92, for example. . The first “(01)” part of this character string is a part for designating the corresponding node ID, and the next “(MIDI-OUT)” is the terminal type (MIDI input, MIDI output, audio input, or This is a part for designating any one of the audio outputs. In the communication source column 92 of the MIDI communication path information table 90, the type of all terminals is “(MIDI-OUT)” (MIDI output). The next “(1)” is a part for designating the terminal number in the designated terminal type of the designated node. The next "(...)" is a part for storing other incidental information. Reference numeral 94 denotes a communication destination column, which stores terminal designation information for specifying each MIDI input terminal of each node, as in the communication source column 92.

  Here, if the terminal designation information in the communication source column 92 and the terminal designation information in the communication destination column 94 are arranged in the same line, it means that the terminal specified by both pieces of information is “connected state”. To do. Further, when the terminal designation information is stored in one of the communication source column 92 or the communication destination column 94 and the other is blank, it is confirmed that the terminal related to the terminal designation information is not connected to any other terminal. means. As a result, the MIDI communication path information table 90 stores all connection states between the MIDI terminals. Next, in FIG. 3E, reference numeral 100 denotes an audio communication path information table, which has the same data format as the table 90, and is based on the terminal designation information stored in the communication source column 102 and the communication destination column 104. All connection states are memorized.

Four. Operation of the embodiment
4.1. Initialization Processing Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 1, when the LAN connectors of each node are connected in a daisy chain and the power of each node is turned on, a music LAN is sequentially formed among the models that have started up. A music LAN having a device as a node is formed. In the music LAN (one music signal editing system), a unique node ID is assigned to each node. Here, each node may store initialization data that defines the connection state between the terminal of the own node and the terminal of another node. When the initialization data is stored, the node performs a negotiation on the connection state with respect to another node that is a connection partner. That is, when initialization data defining the same connection state is stored in the counterpart node, both terminals are set to the connection state as defined in the initialization data. On the other hand, if the initialization data of the counterpart node is inconsistent with the initialization data of the own device, or if the counterpart node has not yet started up, the initialization data is ignored.

  Next, when the music LAN control software is started in the personal computer 40, an initialization routine shown in FIG. 5 is started. When the processing proceeds to step SP2 in the figure, the contents of all nodes belonging to the music LAN, that is, the node IDs of each node, model IDs, communication path information (for example, connection relationships established by initialization data), The maximum number of input / output terminals of the MIDI signal and the audio signal is acquired. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP4, the category of each node is determined from the model ID table 50 based on the acquired model ID, and based on the determined category and the contents of the category table 60, The display state (arrangement position and drawing color) of each node is determined.

  Next, when the process proceeds to step SP6, the display information table 70 is created based on the category of each node and the determined display state. Here, the contents of the arrangement position field 76 and the drawing color field 78 are set to the contents specified by the model ID table 50 and the category table 60. The used terminal number columns 80 to 86 store the maximum number of input / output terminals of the MIDI signal and audio signal of each node. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP8, the MIDI communication path information table 90 and the audio communication path information table 100 are created based on the communication path information previously acquired in step SP2. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP10, the signal type (audio or MIDI) to be displayed on the initial screen of the patch bay window 200 is determined. Note that the type of signal to be displayed on the initial screen can be designated in advance in a setting file or the like by the user.

  Next, when the process proceeds to step SP12, communication path information for the determined signal type is read from the table 90 or 100. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP14, display information (arrangement position, drawing color, maximum number of input / output terminals) of each node is read from the display information table 70. Here, although the maximum number of input / output terminals varies depending on the signal type, the arrangement position and the drawing color are commonly applied regardless of the signal type. Thus, according to the present embodiment, when displaying the communication path of the MIDI signal or the audio signal in the patch bay window 200, it can be seen that a uniform screen can be displayed for both.

  Next, when the process proceeds to step SP16, a patch bay window 200 is created and displayed on the display 8 based on the read communication path information and display information. However, some nodes can handle only one of the MIDI signal and the audio signal. In such a case, only information related to a node that can handle the current signal type is displayed in the window 200, and information about a node that cannot handle the signal type is not displayed.

4.2. Screen Switching Event Processing When the audio button 206 or the MIDI button 208 is clicked with the mouse in the patch bay window 200, the screen switching event processing routine shown in FIG. 6 is started. When the processing proceeds to step SP20 in the figure, the signal type to be displayed in the window 200 is determined from “MIDI signal” and “audio signal” according to the clicked button. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP22, the communication path information of the table corresponding to the determined signal type in the MIDI communication path information table 90 or the audio communication path information table 100 is read. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP24, the display information of the node to be displayed is read from the display information table 70. Here, the “node to be displayed” is a node capable of communicating a signal of the determined signal type, and at least one of the number of used terminals of the input terminal or the output terminal according to the signal type is “1” or more. All nodes having the value of Next, when the process proceeds to step SP26, the display state in the field unit 209 is updated so that the communication path of the previously determined signal type is drawn based on the read communication path information and display information. Is done.

4.3. Node addition event processing In a music LAN, it is possible to increase the number of nodes during operation by “hot plug-in”. When a new node is added, a new node ID is assigned to the added node, and this is notified to the other nodes. Then, in this new node, based on the initialization data stored in the own node, the negotiation regarding the connection state is executed with respect to another node defined as the connection destination. When initialization data that defines the same connection state is stored in the new node and other nodes, the terminals of both nodes are set to the connection state as defined in the initialization data. .

  As described above, when the initialization process in the new node is completed, it is detected by the music LAN control software on the personal computer 40 that the new node has been added, and the personal computer 40 adds the node shown in FIG. An event processing routine is started. In the figure, when the process proceeds to step SP30, the contents of this new node are confirmed. That is, the node ID, model ID, communication path information, and the maximum number of input / output terminals of the MIDI signal and audio signal are acquired. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP32, a category of a new node is determined from the model ID table 50 based on the acquired model ID, and based on the determined category and the contents of the category table 60. The display state (arrangement position and drawing color) of the new node is determined. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP34, a record (row) corresponding to the new node is added to the display information table 70, and its category, display state, and maximum number of input / output terminals of various signals (that is, usage). The initial value of the number of terminals) is recorded in the record.

  Next, when the process proceeds to step SP36, the contents of the MIDI communication path information table 90 and the audio communication path information table 100 are updated so as to add the communication path information related to the new node. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP40, it is determined whether or not this new node can handle the signal type (MIDI or audio) currently displayed in the window 200. If “NO” is determined here, the routine is immediately ended without updating the window 200. This is because the window 200 displays only information related to the node that can handle the currently displayed signal type. Therefore, even if a node that cannot handle the signal type is added, the display content of the window 200 changes. This is because there is not.

  On the other hand, if “YES” is determined in step SP40, the process proceeds to step SP42, and communication path information corresponding to the signal type displayed in the window 200 is read from the table 90 or 100. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP44, the display information of the new node is read out. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP46, the display content of the window 200 is updated based on the read communication path information and display information. That is, a new node block is drawn at the position specified in the arrangement position column 76 of the display information table 70 in accordance with the drawing color specified in the drawing color column 78 in correspondence with the new node. When any of the terminals is connected to the terminals of other nodes, a corresponding connection line is drawn.

4.4. Display change event processing When the user performs an operation to change the placement position or drawing color for any node, or an operation to change the number of terminals used within the maximum number of input / output terminals, etc. When an instruction operation for changing the display state of the window 200 is performed, a display change event processing routine shown in FIG. 8 is started. In the figure, when the process proceeds to step SP50, the contents of the display information table 70 are updated based on the contents of the user's instruction operation. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP52, a table corresponding to the signal type being displayed is read from the communication path information tables 90 and 100.

  Next, when the process proceeds to step SP54, the contents of the display information table 70 are read. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP56, the display content of the window 200 is updated based on the read communication path information and display information. That is, each node block is redrawn with the arrangement position and drawing color based on the latest contents of the display information table 70. Here, when the number of used terminals of any node is changed, the size of the corresponding node block is also changed according to the changed number of used terminals. Then, each connection line is also redrawn so as to follow the change in the display state of the node block.

4.5. Connection change processing
4.5.1. Adding a single connection The user can edit the connection relationship of each terminal in the patch bay window 200. First, when a new single connection is added, an output terminal portion including an output terminal related to the connection is clicked with the mouse. Thereby, a dialog box for selecting an output terminal is displayed near the output terminal section. For example, in FIG. 10, when the output terminal unit 248 of the node block 240 is clicked with the mouse, the dialog box 310 is displayed near the output terminal unit 248. Inside the dialog box 310, reference numeral 312 denotes a title bar, which displays “output” characters indicating that the dialog box corresponds to an output terminal. Further, the drawing color of the title bar 312 is set to the drawing color (green) of the corresponding node block 240. As a result, the user can grasp at a glance which category of the node block the dialog box 310 belongs to.

  314,..., 314 are buttons that are displayed in one-to-one correspondence with the output terminals belonging to the clicked output terminal section. Reference numeral 316 denotes a connection status column, which displays whether or not these output terminals are connected to any input terminal. Reference numeral 318 denotes a scroll bar that scrolls the buttons 314,..., 314 and the connection status column 316 up and down. Here, when any of buttons 314,..., 314 is clicked with the mouse, the corresponding output terminal is selected. However, an output terminal that is already connected to one of the input terminals cannot be selected, and even if such an output terminal is clicked, it is ignored. When any one of the input terminals is connected to the output terminal, it is necessary to execute a “connection deletion” process described later in advance.

  Similarly, when an input terminal portion including an input terminal related to connection is clicked with a mouse, a dialog box for selecting an input terminal is displayed near the input terminal portion. For example, in FIG. 10, when the input terminal unit 226 of the node block 220 is clicked with the mouse, a dialog box 320 is displayed near the input terminal unit 226. Inside the dialog box 320, reference numeral 322 denotes a title bar, which displays “input” characters indicating that the dialog box corresponds to the input terminal. Further, the drawing color of the title bar 322 is set to the drawing color (red) of the corresponding node block 220.

  324,..., 324 are buttons that are displayed in one-to-one correspondence with the input terminals belonging to the clicked input terminal section. Reference numeral 326 denotes a connection status column, which displays whether or not these input terminals are connected to any output terminal. Reference numeral 328 denotes a scroll bar that scrolls up and down the buttons 324,..., 324 and the connection status column 326. Here, when any of the buttons 324,..., 324 is clicked with the mouse, the corresponding input terminal is selected. However, an input terminal that is already connected to any output terminal cannot be selected, and even if such an input terminal is clicked, it is ignored. When any output terminal is connected to such an input terminal, it is necessary to execute a “connection deletion” process described later in advance.

  In this way, when one input terminal is selected after one output terminal is selected, the connection relation setting event routine shown in FIG. 11 is started. In the figure, when the process proceeds to step SP70, it is determined whether or not the designated connection is “single connection”. When one input / output terminal is selected as in the above example, it is determined as “YES” because it is “single connection”, and the process proceeds to step SP72. Here, the contents of the communication path information table 90 or 100 are updated so that the selected terminals are connected to each other. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP73, the connection state change content is notified to the node having the output terminal and the input terminal. As a result, the connection state is changed in the node that has received the notification. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP74, the dialog boxes 310 and 320 are closed, and the process of this routine ends.

4.5.2. Adding a plurality of connections In the dialog box 310, a plurality of continuous output terminals can be selected. For example, if you simply click the first output terminal of the range to be selected with the mouse and then click the last output terminal of the range to be selected while pressing the “SHIFT” key on the keyboard, multiple Are simultaneously selected. Next, when any one input terminal is selected in the dialog box 320, the connection relation setting event routine (FIG. 11) is started. In this case, since a plurality of output terminals are selected, “NO” is determined in step SP70, and the process proceeds to step SP76.

  Here, it is determined whether or not the same number of input terminals as the previously selected output terminals can be secured in the direction in which the terminal number increases from the clicked input terminal. Here, when “(clicked input terminal number) + (number of selected output terminals) −1” exceeds the number of used terminals of the input terminal section, or the input terminals in this range are already used for other connections. If there is an input terminal, it is determined that “the input terminal cannot be secured” (NO). Otherwise, it is determined as “YES” in step SP76, and the process proceeds to step SP72. Here, the contents of the communication path information tables 90 and 100 are updated so that connection relations are sequentially given to the selected output terminals and the same number of input terminals starting from the clicked input terminal. Is done. As in the case of the single connection line, in step SP73, the contents of the connection state change are notified to the nodes having these output terminals and input terminals, and the connection state is changed in both nodes. .

  On the other hand, if “NO” is determined in step SP76, the process proceeds to step SP78. Here, there is a confirmation dialog box that reports that the input terminal could not be secured and that confirms to the user that the connection will be executed within the possible range, and displays an “OK” button and a “Cancel” button. The process is displayed until it is displayed on the display 8 and any button is operated. Here, when the “OK” button and the “cancel” button are operated, the process proceeds to step SP80, and it is determined whether or not the pressed button is the “cancel” button. If the “Cancel” button is pressed, the process proceeds to step SP74, and the confirmation dialog box and the dialog boxes 310 and 320 are closed without any change in the connection relationship between the terminals.

  On the other hand, when the “OK” button is pressed in the confirmation dialog box, the process proceeds to step SP82, and the selection range of the output terminal is corrected (narrowed) within a range where the input terminal can be secured. Then, when the process proceeds to step SP72, the communication path information is set so that the connection relationship is sequentially given to the output terminals of the corrected selection range and the same number of input terminals starting from the clicked input terminal. The contents of the tables 90 and 100 are updated. When the process proceeds to step SP73, the connection state change content is notified to the node having the output terminal and the input terminal. As a result, the connection state is changed in the node that has received the notification. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP74, all dialog boxes are closed.

4.5.3. When one of the connection lines (single connection line or multiple connection lines) displayed in the window 200 is clicked with the mouse, the clicked connection line is displayed as a dotted line. Here, when the “DELETE” key is pressed on the keyboard, the contents of the communication path information table 90 or 100 are updated so that all the input / output terminals related to the connection line are disconnected.

4.6. Communication Path Change Event Processing As described above, when setting of a connection between terminals or deletion of a connection is executed, a communication path change event processing routine shown in FIG. 9 is started. In the figure, when the process proceeds to step SP62, a table corresponding to the signal type being displayed is read out of the communication path information tables 90 and 100. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP64, the contents of the display information table 70 are read. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP66, the display content of the window 200 is updated based on the read communication path information and display information. That is, when a new connection is added, a corresponding connection line is added on the window 200, and when a connection is deleted, the corresponding connection line is deleted.

Five. Modifications The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made as follows, for example.
(1) In the above embodiment, the default arrangement positions of “upper part”, “lower part”, “left part”, “right part” and “center part” are determined according to the category of the node. The method for determining the arrangement position (display area) of the nodes in FIG. 5 is not limited to that of the embodiment, and it is needless to say that the data format of the information can be determined in various formats other than the embodiment.

(2) In the above embodiment, “drawing color” is adopted as the “display mode” set according to the node category, but display modes other than “drawing color”, such as shape, pattern, size, etc. May be adopted as a display mode for distinguishing categories.

(3) In the above embodiment, the node block displayed in the patch bay window 200 is only a node that can input and output the signal type selected by the buttons 206 and 208, but the signal type is selected. Regardless, all nodes may be displayed in the window 200. At this time, it is preferable to change the display mode, for example, gray out nodes that cannot input / output the selected signal type.

(4) In the above embodiment, various displays and nodes are controlled by music LAN control software running on a personal computer. However, only this control software can be used for CD-ROM, flexible disk, etc. It can also be stored in a recording medium and distributed, or distributed through a transmission path.

1 is a block diagram of a tone signal editing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a block diagram of a personal computer 40. FIG. It is a figure which shows each data structure of one Example. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of a patch bay window 200. It is a flowchart of an initialization routine. It is a flowchart of a screen switching event processing routine. It is a flowchart of a node addition event processing routine. It is a flowchart of a display change event processing routine. It is a flowchart of a communication path change event processing routine. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the dialog boxes 310 and 320. FIG. It is a flowchart of a connection relation setting event routine.

Explanation of symbols

  2: Communication interface, 4: Input device, 6: Performance operator, 8: Display, 10: CPU, 12: ROM, 16: Bus, 18: Removal disk drive device, 20: Removal disk, 22: Waveform capture interface , 26: waveform output interface, 28: sound system, 30: RAM, 40: personal computer, 42: mixer, 44, 46: musical instrument, 50: model ID table, 52: model ID column, 54: category column, 60: Category table, 62: category field, 64: arrangement position field, 66: drawing color field, 70: display information table, 72: node ID field, 74: model ID field, 76: arrangement position field, 78: drawing color field 80 to 86: number of used terminals column, 90: MIDI communication path information table, 92: source column, 94: destination , 100: Audio communication path information table, 102: Communication source column, 104: Communication destination column, 200: Window, 200: Patchbay window, 202: Menu bar, 204: Toolbar, 206: Audio button, 208: MIDI button, 209: Field part, 210, 220, 230, 240: Node block, 212, 222, 232, 242: Icon display part, 214, 224, 234, 244: Node name display part, 216, 226, 236, 246: Input Terminal part, 218, 228, 238, 248: output terminal part, 216a: terminal image, 250: single connection line, 260, 270: multiple connection line, 262, 264, 272, 274: terminal assembly part, 280: cursor, 310, 320: Dialog box, 312: Title bar, 14: Button, 316: connection status field 318: scrollbars, 322: the title bar, 326: connection status field 328: scrollbars, 324: button.

Claims (4)

In a signal path setting method for setting a signal path of a network for communicating performance information or audio signals between a plurality of nodes,
In response to the output of the first node is selected, the first selection box display for displaying the first selection box formed by sequentially enumerating a logical output terminal of the first node on the display screen Process,
In response to the input of the second node is selected, a second selection box that displays a second selection box formed by sequentially enumerating a logical input terminal of the second node on the display screen Display process,
The one output terminal belonging to the first node in the first selection box is selected and the one input terminal belonging to the second node in the second selection box is selected, the first A notification process for outputting a notification to the first node or the second node so as to logically connect an output terminal belonging to a node and an input terminal belonging to the second node;
A signal path setting method, comprising: causing a processing device to execute a display process of displaying a connection line connecting the output terminal and the input terminal on the display screen. It said plurality of output terminals at the first selection box is selected, the the one input terminal in the second selection box is selected, including an input terminal which is the selected, the first selection box a plurality of determination process whether as many input terminals can be secured at the output terminal selected in,
On condition that the determination result of the determining step is negative, the number of input terminals can be secured at the second node including an input terminal selected by the second selection box first further comprising a selection number reducing process to reduce the number of output terminals selected in the first selection box, the notification process, connecting a plurality of output terminals and a plurality of said input terminals said it selected individually The signal path setting method according to claim 1, further comprising: outputting a notification to the first node or the second node.   3. A signal path setting device that executes the signal path setting method according to claim 1.   A program causing a processing device to execute the signal path setting method according to claim 1.

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