Multitrack recording using multiple digital electronic devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for multitrack recording of audio information using handheld digital electronic devices are described. Recording of video tracks complementing the audio is also contemplated. One device serves as master; others, slaves. Transmission of start and stop recording signals by the master may facilitate synchronization of the tracks. Slaves may begin preliminary sampling of audio information prior to the start signal, preparing to promptly begin actual track recording. Upon receiving the command to start recording, each slave chooses as first frame that sample closest to the signal to record. The task of stopping recording is typically handled similarly. A recording device may store an indicator for determining the offset of its first frame, facilitating time interpolation of samples in its track. In this way, all audio tracks, for example, might be transformed to a common set of times. The master might also record a track.

1 . A method for creating a multitrack recording, comprising:
 a) receiving by a digital device a command that establishes the digital device to be a master device for the multitrack recording;   b) transmitting by the master device to an external communication system a signal for an external slave digital device to begin collecting samples;   c) transmitting by the master device to the external communication system a signal for the external slave digital device to begin recording of a single track; and   d) transmitting by the master device to the external communication system a signal for the external slave digital device to stop recording of the track.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the command is a voice command. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the command is received from a source external to the master device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the command is received from scheduling software. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the master device is a handheld portable device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the slave device is a handheld portable device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the track is an audio track. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the track is a video track. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication system utilizes wireless technology. 
     
     
         10 . A method for creating a multitrack recording, comprising:
 a) establishing a handheld digital device to record a single track for the multitrack recording;   b) receiving by the device a signal to begin collecting samples;   c) initiating by the device collection of samples;   d) receiving by the device a signal to start recording of the track;   e) initiating by the device recording of the track;   f) receiving by the device a signal to terminate track recording; and   g) terminating by the device recording of the track.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the digital electronic device is a handheld portable device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the signals are received from a communication system external to the device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein samples are collected into a buffer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein samples are collected circularly. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the samples and the track are each collected at respective uniform collection intervals, the collection interval of the samples being smaller than the collection interval of the track. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the track is an audio track. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the track is a video track. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 h) selecting, as first sample of the track, a sample closest in time to when the signal to start recording was transmitted.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 h) interpolating samples recorded by the device.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 h) synchronizing the track recorded by the device with tracks recorded by other devices to create a multitrack recording.   
     
     
         21 . A handheld digital device, comprising:
 a) an interface through which the handheld digital device receives a command that establishes it as a slave device for recording a single track in a multitrack recording;   b) an interface to a sensor that captures audio or video information; and   c) an interface to an external communication system, through which the device receives signals that cause the device to
 (i) initiate collection of samples received through the interface to the sensor, 
 (ii) start recording of a track, and 
 (iii) stop recording of the track; and 
   d) tangible storage where the device stores samples.   
     
     
         22 . The handheld digital device of  claim 21 , wherein the tangible storage includes a circular buffer where the device stores samples prior to the signal to start recording. 
     
     
         23 . A handheld digital device, comprising:
 a) an interface through which the handheld digital device receives a command that establishes it as a master device for synchronizing a set of devices, a subset of which each record a single track of a multitrack recording; and   b) an interface to an external communication system, through which the master device transmit signals for a slave device in the set of devices to
 (i) initiate collection of samples, 
 (ii) start recording of a track, and 
 (iii) stop recording of the track. 
   
     
     
         24 . The handheld digital device of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 c) an interface, through which the master device receives audio or video information from a sensor, which information the master device records as a track for the multitrack recording.