Method and apparatus for selectively providing different electric signal paths between circuits

Abstract

A digital signal path selector is disclosed in its simplest form for selectively connecting two input terminals to two output terminals. Both input terminals and output terminals are laid out on a control panel, on which there are also provided two input select pushbuttons, positioned one adjacent each input terminal, and two output select pushbuttons positioned one adjacent each output terminal. The input select pushbuttons and the output select pushbuttons are arranged so close to one another that any one input select pushbutton and any one output select pushbutton are capable of concurrent depression with the thumb and forefinger of one hand in order to specify one associated input terminal and one associated output terminal for creation of a signal path therebetween. A digital signal processor cooperates with a read-only memory and random-access memory for creating the desired signal path between any specified input terminal and any specified output terminal to the exclusion of any preexisting signal path that might interfere with the creation of the new signal path. Another embodiment is disclosed in which the invention is applied to a digital mixer.