JPH1094100A - Headphone device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To listen to sound signals even when the sound signals are masked by peripheral noise by controlling the phase relation of signals inputted to left and right ears corresponding to a noise level. SOLUTION: Input sound signals are branched into the two same signals in a signal input means 11 and one is reproduced from a speaker 14 for the left ear. Also, the other one is reproduced from the speaker 15 for the right ear through a phase controller 12. At the time, the peripheral noise is inputted to both ears other than speaker reproducing signals, the phase of the controller 12 is controlled in a control means 13 corresponding to the noise level and reproduction is performed from the speaker 15. That is, when the sound signals are masked by noise signals, control is performed so as to turn a right side sound signal phase to an opposite phase in the control means 13 and the sound signals are made easy to be listened to. Also, when the noise signals are small for the sound signals and masking is not performed, the control for turning the right side sound signal phase to a positive phase is performed and an unnatural feeling by the opposite phase is eliminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a headphone device mainly used under noise.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of the structure of a conventional headphone or earphone device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-177683, and FIG. 4 shows an example of the structure. 4, the headphone device includes a microphone 40, a high-pass filter (HPF) 41, a control circuit 42, an amplifier 43, a low-pass filter (LPF) 44, an attenuator 45, an earphone driving amplifier 46, and an earphone 47.

An external sound including noise and voice is transmitted through a microphone 4
When input to 0, the control circuit 42 calculates the sound pressure level. Depending on the magnitude of this sound pressure level, the HPF 41
And the cutoff frequency of the LPF 44, the amplification factor of the amplifier 43, and the attenuation factor of the attenuator 45 are respectively controlled. For example, when an impact sound suddenly occurs while listening to a specific sound, the sound is immediately inaudible for a while. For this reason, when the sound pressure level increases, reduce the amplification factor,
The masking phenomenon due to the impact sound can be reduced.
Further, by using the LPF or the HPF, a band including an audio signal was extracted, and the audio could be easily heard.

[0004]

However, in the above configuration, when the sound pressure level of the other sound is higher than the target sound, it is difficult to make the sound easier to hear. In particular, when the sound was completely masked by the noise or in a state close to it, almost no improvement effect was seen.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and provides a headphone device capable of satisfactorily listening even when a target sound is masked by other noises. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a signal input means for inputting an audio signal and a phase of the audio signal output from the signal input means. A phase controller for controlling, a control unit for instructing a phase control amount of the phase controller, a first speaker for reproducing an audio signal output from the signal input unit, and an audio signal output from the phase controller. And a second speaker for reproduction.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a signal input means for inputting an audio signal, a phase controller for controlling a phase of the audio signal output from the signal input means, and an output of the signal input means. A first speaker for reproducing an audio signal to be reproduced, a second speaker for reproducing an audio signal output from the phase controller, and a microphone for inputting external sound;
Masking calculating means for calculating a masking amount of the external sound with respect to the audio signal from the audio signal input by the signal input means and the external sound input by the microphone; and the phase controller based on the calculation result of the masking calculating means. And control means for instructing a phase control amount.

[0008] In the invention according to claim 3 of the present application, the control means controls the phase controller so that the phase of the input audio signal changes in a range of 0 to 180 degrees according to the level of external noise. It is characterized by controlling.

In the invention according to claim 4 of the present application, when the masking calculating means calculates the minimum audible level, the control means controls the input voice signal according to a ratio of the input voice level to the minimum audible level. Phase of 0 to 1
The phase controller is controlled so as to change in a range of 80 degrees.

In a state where the audio signal is masked by the noise signal, there is an auditory phenomenon in which the threshold level of the audio signal input to both ears is lower in the opposite phase than in the normal phase. Therefore, when the signal input means inputs the audio signal,
The control means instructs the amount of phase control, and the phase controller controls the phase of the audio signal output from the signal input means in the reverse direction.
When this sound is output to both ears from the first and second speakers, the target sound becomes easy to hear even if there is noise.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(Embodiment 1) A headphone device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in the basic configuration diagram of FIG. 1, the headphone device of the present embodiment has a signal input unit 11, a phase controller 12, and a control unit 1.
3, a speaker 14 for the left ear and a speaker 15 for the right ear. These speakers 14 and 15 are small speakers attached to headphones.

The audio signal input by the signal input means 11 is split into two identical signals, one of which is reproduced from the left ear speaker 14. The other signal is the phase controller 12
And the phase is controlled. A surrounding noise signal other than the signal reproduced by the speaker is input to both ears of the listener, and the listener uses the control unit 13 to control the phase of the phase controller 12 according to the level of the noise level. Control.
The signal whose phase is controlled in this way is the right ear speaker 15.
Played from.

Here, in a state where the audio signal is masked by the noise signal, the level of the threshold value at which the audio signal input to both ears is masked is lower in the opposite phase than in the normal phase. Auditory phenomena have been confirmed in previous studies (BCJ MOORE, "Introduction to Auditory Psychology", p. 230).
-P234).

Therefore, by utilizing this auditory phenomenon, in a state where the sound pressure level of the noise signal is higher than that of the voice signal and the voice signal is masked by the noise signal, the listener can use the control means 13 to control the noise. By controlling so that the phase of the right audio signal is reversed, the audio signal can be easily heard. In addition, when the sound pressure level of the noise signal is lower than that of the audio signal and the sound signal is not masked, the listener controls the right audio signal so that the phase of the audio signal is in the normal phase so as to eliminate the sense of incongruity due to the reverse phase. I just need.

As described above, the listener controls the phase relationship between the signals input to the right and left ears in accordance with the level of the surrounding noise, so that the sound signal is masked by the surrounding noise. Can also hear the audio signal.

(Embodiment 2) A headphone device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a basic configuration diagram of the headphone device according to the present embodiment, and the same portions as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. The headphone device includes a signal input unit 11, a phase controller 12, a control unit 13, a left ear speaker 14, a right ear speaker 15, a microphone 21,
It is configured to include the masking operation means 22.

The headphone device according to the present embodiment automatically controls the phase of an audio signal in accordance with the noise level. The audio signal input by the signal input unit 11 in FIG. 2 is split into two identical signals, one of which is reproduced from the left ear speaker 14. The other signal is input to the phase controller 12, where the phase is controlled. Further, the microphone 21 picks up noise around the listener and outputs it to the masking calculation means 22. Masking operation means 22
Is the noise signal from the microphone 21 and the signal input means 1
When an audio signal is input from the control unit 13, a masking amount of the audio signal by the noise signal is calculated and the result is calculated by the control unit 13.
Output to

FIG. 3 shows the calculation of the masking amount.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows a masking characteristic of a pure tone by a pure tone, and shows a minimum audible value of another pure tone for each frequency when the level of the pure tone of 2.4 KHz is changed. Here, the horizontal axis in FIG. 3 indicates the frequency of the pure tone to be masked, and the vertical axis indicates the minimum audible value of the tone in dB.

Graph 31 shows that the sound to be masked is 2.4 KHz.
Is the characteristic of the minimum audible value in the case of 20 dB. Graph 3
2 is the characteristic of the minimum audible value when the sound to be masked is 2.4 KHz and 40 dB.
B, the graph 34 is for 80 dB, and the graph 35 is for 100 dB.

For example, as shown in a graph 34, 80 dB
The masking amount of the pure tone of 3.2 KHz by the pure tone of 2.4 KHz is 55 dB. Therefore, if the 3.2 KHz sound is 55 dB or less, the sound is not perceived, and if it is higher than 55 dB, it is perceived. The characteristics relating to masking in FIG. 3 are obtained by psychoacoustic experiments. By using a plurality of such masking characteristics using the mask frequency as a parameter, the masking amount of the complex sound can be obtained. It is assumed that the data of each masking characteristic is held in the masking calculation means 22.

When the value of the masking amount calculated by the masking calculating means 22 is larger than a certain value, the control means 13 reverses the phase of the right audio signal, and when the value is smaller, corrects the phase relation. Phase controller 12
Control. The signal thus phase-controlled is reproduced from the right ear speaker 15.

As described above, the masking amount of the voice signal by the noise signal is calculated from the surrounding noise signal and the voice signal, and the phase relationship between the signals input to the right ear and the left ear is controlled according to the calculated value. Thereby, it is possible to automatically determine a situation in which the audio signal is masked by surrounding noise and to receive a good audio signal.

The masking calculation means 22 calculates the masking amount and controls the phase controller 12 based on the calculated value. However, the sound pressure levels of the noise signal and the voice signal are compared in a simple manner, and the value of the level ratio is calculated. The phase controller 12 may be controlled by the controller. Also, the phase relationship is shown in the case of the normal phase and the opposite phase, but another phase relationship may be used depending on the type of the noise signal or the audio signal. Further, the location where the phase controller 12 is provided may be a left audio signal.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, by controlling the phase relationship between the signals input to the right ear and the left ear in accordance with the noise level of the surroundings, the audio signal can be controlled by the surrounding noise. In this case, the voice signal can be heard. Also, from the surrounding noise signal and the audio signal, the masking amount of the audio signal by the noise signal is calculated,
By controlling the phase relationship between the signals input to the right and left ears according to the value, it is possible to automatically realize good listening in a situation where the audio signal is masked by surrounding noise. . Also, since good listening can be realized without increasing the volume level of the masked audio signal,
The power consumption of the headphone device can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of a headphone device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a basic configuration diagram of a headphone device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example of a masking characteristic.

FIG. 4 is a basic configuration diagram of a conventional headphone device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Signal input means 12 Phase controller 13 Control means 14 Left ear speaker 15 Right ear speaker 21 Microphone 22 Masking calculation means

Claims (4)

[Claims] A signal input means for inputting an audio signal; a phase controller for controlling a phase of the audio signal output from the signal input means; a control means for instructing a phase control amount of the phase controller; A headphone device comprising: a first speaker for reproducing an audio signal output from a signal input unit; and a second speaker for reproducing an audio signal output from the phase controller. 2. A signal input means for inputting an audio signal, a phase controller for controlling a phase of the audio signal output from the signal input means, and a first speaker for reproducing the audio signal output from the signal input means. And a second speaker for reproducing an audio signal output from the phase controller; a microphone for inputting external sound; and a sound from the audio signal input by the signal input means and the external sound input by the microphone. A headphone device comprising: a masking calculation unit that calculates a masking amount of an external sound with respect to a signal; and a control unit that indicates a phase control amount of the phase controller based on a calculation result of the masking calculation unit. 3. The control means according to claim 1, wherein the phase of the input audio signal is 0 degree or less according to the level of the external noise.
The headphone device according to claim 1, wherein the headphone device controls the phase controller so as to change in a range of 180 degrees. 4. The control means, wherein the masking calculating means calculates a minimum audible level, wherein a phase of the input audio signal ranges from 0 to 180 degrees according to a ratio of the input audio level to the minimum audible level. 3. The headphone device according to claim 2, wherein the phase controller is controlled so as to change.