JP2000172484A - Usb incorporated device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to record sound and digital data in a personal computer by digitizing an external analog audio input and transferring the data to the personal computer through a USB interface. SOLUTION: The USB incorporated device 10 has an RF font end 10a for reception, a radio control chip 10b having a synthesizer function, a fast A/D converter 10c, and a 12Mbps USB driver 10d. A USB connector is connected to the personal computer 12 through a USB cable 14 and a communication based upon the USB specifications is carried out by the USB driver 10d. Here, when this device is connected to the personal computer to listen to the radio or record a sound, the personal computer 12 is started up and the USB connector is connected to a connector of the personal computer 12. Then an iron of the personal computer 12 is clicked and then data broadcasted from the radio is superimposed on the screen, so that the personal computer user can obtain the data always as information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device having a built-in USB, and more particularly to a radio having a built-in USB (Universal Serial Bus) driver.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art USB is a serial communication system for connecting a next-generation computer to peripheral devices. USB has a high speed and a low speed, 12 Mbps, 1.
5 Mbps speed. USB is an international standard, and all computer manufacturers and peripheral device manufacturers are developing or sending out products conforming to this.

[0003] Before the transition to USB, computers had several types of interfaces. They are,
PS2 for mouse and keyboard, versatile RS23
15C special interface for 2C, game controller or MIDI.

[0004] The USB has one of these interfaces.
They are integrated into one. Several types of peripheral devices are integrated into one USB line using a hub and then connected to a controller.

[0005] On the other hand, the radio has changed from a radio for listening to a sound to a radio with a liquid crystal attached. in the future,
It is expected that digital information such as audio program channels, news, weather forecasts, traffic information, and entertainment will be transmitted on the radio 24 hours using the free band of the radio.

[0006]

Visible radios are expensive because of the LCDs themselves. In addition, a person carrying a notebook computer will carry both a visible radio and a personal computer. Furthermore, we still use cassette tapes to record analog audio information sent from the radio. Furthermore, recording digital information such as character information requires a considerable memory capacity.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to minimize such unnecessary expense and inconvenience of recording.
USB built-in device using SB interface, especially
The object is to provide a USB built-in radio.

Thus, the radio is connected to the personal computer,
The voice or digital data can be recorded or recorded on a personal computer. Further, by disposing the radio receiver away from the personal computer, harmful radiation noise received by the radio from the personal computer can be minimized. As a result, the sensitivity of the radio itself is improved.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs a USB built-in device for converting an external analog audio input into a digital signal and transferring the data to a personal computer via a USB interface. It is.

[0010]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
The SB built-in device will be described. First, an outline of a USB built-in device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main circuit portion of a USB built-in device of the present invention and a personal computer.

As shown in FIG. 1, a device with a built-in USB (for example, a radio with a built-in USB) (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as this device) 10 of the present invention has an RF front end 10a for reception and a synthesizer function. Radio control chip 10b, a high-speed A / D converter 10c, and a 12 Mbps USB driver.

As shown in FIG. 2, the USB driver 10d
To the USB connector 14 via the USB cable 14.
is connected, and the USB connector 14a is connected to the personal computer 12 by being connected to a connector (not shown) of the personal computer 12, and communication conforming to the USB specification is performed with the personal computer 12.

Here, as an example, a procedure when the apparatus is connected to a personal computer to listen to a radio or record a voice will be described. First, the personal computer 12 is started up, and when the USB interface becomes available, the US
The B connector 14a is connected to the connector of the personal computer 12. Upon connection, the personal computer 12 automatically recognizes the apparatus.

Next, an icon (not shown) of the personal computer is clicked to select, for example, a radio channel. Here, FIG. 3 shows an example of a user interface of a personal computer. That is, the screen 16 of the personal computer 12 is shown.

The personal computer user can freely set his or her favorite broadcast station, and can immediately listen to the broadcast by clicking on the broadcast station name if necessary. Further, by clicking "recording" 16a, the broadcast is designated on a specified hard disk or DVD-R.
Data can be recorded on a recording medium such as an AM. Clicking "play" 16b allows the recorded music data or the like to be played. The sound is reproduced as sound of an audible frequency by a device such as a sound board or a USB speaker provided in advance in the personal computer.

By always connecting the apparatus to a personal computer, a personal computer user can superimpose data transmitted from a radio on a screen and always receive information as information.

Next, the advantages of the present apparatus with respect to personal computer noise will be described. A radio connected to a conventional personal computer has been incorporated as a card in an ISA bus, PCMCIA, or the like. For this reason, the noise of a personal computer was received, and the expense was spent on the shield technology for minimizing the noise.

As shown in FIG. 4, the present apparatus can be separated from a personal computer by, for example, at least 1 m, so that the noise from the personal computer is extremely small. There is no particular need.

Next, the power supply of the present apparatus will be described. This device may be configured so that power is supplied from a battery or the like, as in the related art. However, the current consumption of this device is at most about 50 mA, and the voltage may be 3 V or more.
The USB guarantees a current supply capacity of at least 500 mA and a voltage of 4.5 V or more, so that power can be supplied from a personal computer without using a battery.

Next, an antenna used in the present apparatus will be described. This device can selectively mount three types of antennas described below.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show the first antenna.
As shown in (b), the substrate body 18 of the antenna substrate 18
The antenna element 18b is formed as a pattern on a.

As shown in FIG. 6, the second antenna is provided with a rotatable rod-shaped antenna element in the apparatus 10 as a whip dante antenna 20 and stands outward from the apparatus 10.

The third antenna is arranged and provided in the USB cable 14 so as to extend along the antenna. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the USB cable 14 connecting the device 10 and the USB connector 14a is connected to the signal line 2.
2, a shield 24 provided to cover the signal line 22 in order to shield the signal line 22, an antenna (antenna line) 26 provided along the shield 24, and a coating 28 covering the entirety. It consists of.

In FM radio reception, the antenna length is λ /
(2 × 0, 85) is good. Therefore, in the antenna of FIG.
The length to obtain the maximum sensitivity around 0 MHz, for example, 1.2
It is possible to take m. Also, this antenna 26
Are arranged outside the shield 24 of the USB cable, and thus are not affected by the USB communication data signal 12 Mbps.

Here, a specific communication method between the personal computer and the apparatus will be further described. First, the USB driver has a theoretical communication pipe called an endpoint, and this device has three or more endpoints. This allows two-way communication between the device and the personal computer.

The device is recognized as a USB device through the exchange of data called enumeration connected to a personal computer. When a screen for frequency setting (for example, screen 16 as shown in FIG. 3) appears on the personal computer screen,
Choose a frequency. Thereby, the music of the selected broadcasting station can be heard from the speaker of the personal computer. Here, in this device,
The received broadcast station signal is separated into an audio signal and a data signal, and the audio signal is digitized by an A / D converter. For example, considering the ISO layer II, 20K
Hz audio is quantized at 48 KHz and weighted by 12 bits. The A / D converter required for this is
At least 20 microseconds. Further, the 12-bit data is 576 KHz.

Here, according to the ISO layer II,
Data can be sent to the personal computer via the USB interface after compression to 1/6, but since the USB transmission speed is 12 Mbps, data can be sent to the personal computer without any particular compression. The USB packetizes DARC data in addition to the quantized audio data and transfers the data at the same time. In addition, the present apparatus can receive both the radio multiplex broadcasting system, the DARC, and the fixed reception system.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention,
To minimize unnecessary expenses and inconvenience of recording,
USB built-in device using SB interface, especially
A USB built-in radio is obtained.

Thus, the radio is connected to the personal computer,
The voice or digital data can be recorded or recorded on a personal computer. Further, by disposing the radio receiver away from the personal computer, harmful radiation noise received by the radio from the personal computer can be minimized. As a result, the sensitivity of the radio itself is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main circuit portion of a USB built-in device of the present invention and a personal computer.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a connection between the apparatus and a personal computer.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen of a personal computer;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining advantages of the present apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of an antenna used in the present device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining another example of the antenna used in the present device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining still another example of the antenna used in the present device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 This device 12 Personal computer 14 USB cable 14a USB connector

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A built-in USB device that converts an external analog audio input into a digital signal and transfers the data to a personal computer via a USB interface. 2. The USB built-in device according to claim 1, wherein when an external output is an FM broadcast, a DARC (Data Radio Channel) included in the FM broadcast.
e) USB and all digital data
A USB built-in device that can be transferred to a personal computer via an interface. 3. The built-in USB device according to claim 2, wherein the received digital information can be displayed on a personal computer. 4. The USB built-in device according to claim 1, wherein the power of the device is supplied from a power source of a personal computer. 5. The USB built-in device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is integrated with the USB cable. 6. The built-in USB device according to claim 1, wherein all channel settings can be operated from a personal computer through the USB. 7. The USB built-in device according to claim 1, wherein the radio receiving portion is separated from the personal computer by a predetermined distance using a USB cable, thereby reducing high frequency noise generated from the personal computer.
B Built-in device.