Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] control curve patent
From: Richard Dobson (rwd_AT_cableinet.co.uk)
Date: Thu Nov 30 2000 - 21:41:20 EET
Well, if the patent means "(re)drawing (part of) a waveform", that dates
right back to the original Fairlight (1979?) (one of it's many unique
selling points), and I would be surprised if the original PPG system
didn't have it, but there are plenty of waveform editors that offer
mouse-based redrawing, that have been around for a while (Cubase/Logic
on the Atari?). As for drawing 'control lines', these are also standard
on just about every DAW that is not very simplistic. In fact the cutting
edge these days is drawing multiple control lines for amplitude
envelopes, pan position, and even surround-sound position. I suppose the
only question is when the first such application appeared. I recall
seeing somethuing close to this for the BBC 'Model B' Micro (based on a
6502 CPU) long, long ago, but I don't know if it made it into commercial
distribution. And I thought the 'TurboSynth' program for the Apple II
had at least some of these things. And they were probably doing it all
at Stanford in the 70s, usng PDP 11s.
Richard Dobson
Paul Barton-Davis wrote:
>thats a pretty broad patent if you ask me. does anyone have any actual
>prior art that could be used to invalidate this ? i don't have the
>financial motive to use bountyquest for this ...
>
> macromedia's patent: US5204969 (1993, but continues a patent from 1989)
>
> Abstract:
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> A hardware and software system and method for a personal computer
> such as the Macintosh allows recording, editing, and playback of
> sound. The system includes a sound editor which displays sound
> waveforms, and permits the user to mix together several
> simultaneously displayed waveforms, and to change the pitch and
> amplitude of one part of each waveform by means of a novel screen
> display.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Claim:
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
...
> an editor for editing the appearance of a predetermined portion of the
> visually displayed waveform by manipulation of said visually displayed
> waveform; and
...
>
> means for displaying a sound characteristics control line adjacent to
> the displayed waveform; and
>
> means for displacing at least one segment of the sound characteristics
> control line adjacent to the portion of the displayed waveform;
>
> wherein the editor comprises mean for altering a specified
> characteristic of a portion of the stored waveform corresponding to
> the portion of the displayed waveform adjacent to the displaced line
> segment.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Test your DAW with my Soundcard Attrition Page! http://www.bath.ac.uk/~masrwd (LU: 3rd July 2000) CDP: http://www.bath.ac.uk/~masjpf/CDP/CDP.htm (LU: 23rd February 2000)
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