JP2006013738A - Equipment having door with speaker and method for controlling speaker sound by using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a viewer who is in front of a door to feel quite normal for equipment in which a pair of speakers is provided along the widthwise direction of the door. <P>SOLUTION: The door 1 is held at a pivoting section 10 at one side of the front of an equipment body 2, and the pair of L and R speakers 3, 30 is provided along the widthwise direction in the door 1. In the equipment body 2, there are a sensor 8 for detecting the opening angle of the door 1, and a control means for delaying sound generated from the speaker 3 positioned at the free end side of the door 1, based on the opening angle of the door 1 detected by the sensor 8, as compared with one generated from the speaker 30 positioned at the side of a pivoting section 10 of the door 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a device having a door with a speaker and a method for controlling speaker sound using the device, and more particularly to a refrigerator having a door with a pair of L and R speakers.

  Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, a door (1) is pivotally supported (10) on one side (right side) of the device body (2), and a speaker (3) is provided on the door (1). A refrigerator has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). A pair of speakers (3) are often provided corresponding to L and R.

JP 2003-214744 A

As shown in FIG. 7, in a device provided with a pair of speakers (3) and (30) along the width direction of the door (1), that is, in the left-right direction, a person who listens to the speaker sound in front of the door (1) ( 7) causes the following inconveniences.
When the door (1) is opened, the left speaker (3) from the person (7) is closer to the person (7) than the right speaker (30). Accordingly, the sound from the left speaker (3) is heard louder than the sound from the right speaker (30) to the ear of the person (7). The sound from the left speaker (3) arrives faster than the sound from the right speaker (30). Therefore, the person (7) who listens to the sound from the speakers (3) and (30) is uncomfortable.
In addition, since the speaker (3) (30) is oblique to the person (7), the sound from the left speaker (3) can be heard with the right ear, and this also makes the person (7) feel uncomfortable. It was.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device provided with a pair of speakers (3) and (30) along the width direction of the door (1) so as not to give an uncomfortable feeling to a listener in front of the door (1). .

The door (1) is pivotally supported (10) on one side of the front surface of the device body (2), and the door (1) is provided with a pair of L and R speakers (3) and (30) along the width direction. And
In the device main body (2), the sensor means for detecting the opening angle of the door (1), and the opening angle of the door (1) detected by the sensor means is arranged on the free end side of the door (1). There is provided control means for delaying the sound emitted from the speaker (3) located in comparison with the sound emitted from the speaker (30) located on the pivot (10) side of the door (1).
Further, the control means determines the sound pressure level from the speaker (3) located on the free end side of the door (1) based on the opening angle of the door (1) detected by the sensor means. Lower than the sound pressure level from the speaker (30) located on the pivot (10) side.
Furthermore, the control means outputs an audio signal having a phase opposite to that of the audio signal emitted from the speaker (3) located on the free end side of the door (1) and a reduced amplitude level to the pivot (10 It is applied to the speaker (30) located on the) side and output.

1. When the door (1) is opened, the speaker (3) located on the free end side of the door (1) is closer to the door (1) than the speaker (30) located on the pivot (10) side of the door (1). Approach the person (7) located in front of).
In the present invention, based on the opening angle of the door (1), the sound emitted from the speaker (3) located on the free end side of the door (1) is transmitted to the pivot (10) of the door (1). The sound is delayed from the sound emitted from the speaker (30) located on the side. Therefore, the person (7) can hear the sound from both speakers (3) and (30) almost simultaneously, and thus does not feel uncomfortable.
2. The sound pressure level emitted from the speaker (3) located on the free end side of the door (1) is the sound pressure level emitted from the speaker (30) located on the pivot (10) side of the door (1). Therefore, the sound of almost the same volume can be heard in both ears of the person (7), and there is no sense of incongruity in this respect.
3. The sound from the speaker (3) located on the free end side of the door (1) can be heard by the ear closer to the speaker (3), but can also be heard by the ear on the opposite side. In the present invention, the audio signal emitted from the speaker (3) located on the free end side of the door (1) and having a phase opposite to that of the audio signal and having a reduced amplitude level is used as the pivot of the door (1). It is applied to the speaker (30) located on the (10) side and output. Accordingly, since the sound entering the ear on the opposite side to the ear close to the speaker (3) located on the free end portion side of the door (1) is canceled, the person (7) does not feel uncomfortable.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the basic configuration of this example. One end (right side) of the door (1) is pivotally supported (10) on one side of the front surface of the device body (2), and a pair of L and R speakers along the width direction is provided on the door (1). (3) (30) is provided. The applicant assumes a refrigerator as the device main body (2) and Internet radio as a sound source of sound flowing from the speakers (3) and (30), but other devices and sound sources may be used. Other sound sources include a CD player, an MD player, an FM radio, and the like.
The pivot (10) of the door (1) is provided with a sensor (8) for detecting the opening angle of the door (1), and a circuit unit (6) connected to the sensor (8) in the door (1). Is provided. The circuit unit (6) may be provided in the device main body (2).

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an open / closed state of the door (1). Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the initial position of the left speaker (3) is (50, 0), the initial position of the right speaker (30) is (10, 0), and the left of the person (7) in front of the door (1) The ear position is (40, 100), and the right ear position is (20, 100) (unit: cm). If the opening angle of the door (1) is C, the position of the left speaker (3) is (50 sin C, 50 cos C), and the position of the right speaker (30) is (10 sin C, 10 cos C).
The position where the person (7) is located can be easily obtained, for example, by providing an infrared sensor (not shown) on the door (1), and the above position is merely an example. In addition, it is assumed that the person (7) stands on the center line L between the speakers (3) and (30) and does not move while listening to the sound. When the door (1) is closed, the sound pressures output from both speakers (3) and (30) are equal. If the person (7) stands on the center line L, the left and right speakers (3) (30 ) Is heard at the same volume on the left and right.

In FIG. 2, when the door (1) is opened, the distance a between the left speaker (3) and the left ear of the person (7) is the distance b between the right speaker (30) and the right ear of the person (7). Shorter than. Therefore, the sound from the left speaker (3) reaches the ear of the person (7) faster than the sound from the right speaker (30). Also, the sound from the left speaker (3) is heard louder than the sound from the right speaker (30). For this reason, in this example, the sound from the left speaker (3) is corrected by delaying the sound from the right speaker (30) by a time td described later. Further, the sound pressure level from the left speaker (3) is corrected to be smaller than the sound pressure level from the right speaker (30).
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the case where the person (7) exists in the area | region where the sound of the left and right speakers (3) and (30) overlap is assumed. It is assumed that the audio signal from the left speaker (3) is a sine wave having an amplitude of P1, and the audio signal from the right speaker (30) is a rectangular wave. In the left ear of the person (7), a voice having an amplitude P1 can be heard. However, the voice signal of P2 whose amplitude is smaller than P1 reaches the right ear of the person (7). Therefore, a voice signal in which a sine wave having an amplitude of P2 is applied to a rectangular wave is heard in the right ear of the person (7), and the person (7) feels uncomfortable. Therefore, in this example, in order to cancel the sine wave having the amplitude P2, the sine wave having the amplitude P2 and having the opposite phase is applied to the audio signal from the right speaker (30) for correction.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of the circuit unit (6). The L and R audio signals from the sound source (60) are input to a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) (5) via the volume adjusting means (61). The DSP (5) is connected to a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as "microcomputer") (4) that reads the opening angle C of the door (1) from the sensor (8). The set value of is written. The audio signal processed in the DSP (5) is amplified by the amplifier (62) and output from the L and R speakers (3) and (30). The microcomputer (4) and the DSP (5) constitute control means for controlling the sound output from both speakers (3) and (30).

(Correction process)
Below the time delay , the audio signal correction processing by the microcomputer (4) and the DSP (5) when the door (1) is opened will be described using the block diagram of FIG. 5 and the flowchart of FIG. First, the microcomputer (4) detects from the sensor (8) whether or not the door (1) is open (S1), and if it is open, detects the opening angle C (S2).
In FIG. 2, the distance a between the left speaker (3) and the left ear of the person (7) and the distance b between the right speaker (30) and the right ear of the person (7) are obtained by the following equations.

a = SQRT ((40-50 * sinC) ² + (100-50 * cosC) ² )

b = SQRT ((20-10 * sinC) ² + (100-10 * cosC) ² ) (SQRT is the square root)

Therefore, when audio signals are simultaneously output from both speakers (3) and (30), the time difference td between the audio signals that can be heard by the left and right ears of the person (7) is 34050 (cm / sec).

td = (ba) / 34050 (unit: sec).

In the microcomputer (4) shown in FIG. 5, a and b are obtained from the opening angle C of the door (1) detected by the sensor (8) (S3), and td is calculated (S4). The DSP (5) delays the audio signal from the left (Lch) speaker (3) by time td. The person (7) can feel the sound from both speakers (3) and (30) almost simultaneously, so he does not feel uncomfortable.

As described above, in this example, the sound pressure level of the left speaker (3) is lowered compared to the right speaker (30). Hereinafter, the correction process will be described.
When the distance a when the door (1) is closed is a0, a0 is SQRT (100 ² + (50-40) ² ) = 100.5. The sound pressure output from the speakers (3) and (30) is inversely proportional to the square of the distance. If the sound pressure received by the person (7) with the door (1) closed is PL0, the sound pressure PL with the door (1) opened is

PL = PL0 * (a0 / a) ² = PL0 * (100.5 / a) ²

When the door (1) is opened, both speakers (3) and (30) approach the person (7). However, since the right speaker (30) is close to the pivot (10), the amount of movement is small, and the sound pressure received by the person (7) does not change much. Therefore, the sound pressure received by the person (7) from the left speaker (3) with the door (1) opened may be matched (lowered) with the door (1) closed. That is, the correction coefficient e ² less than 1 is multiplied so that the sound pressure PL is matched with PL0. The correction coefficient e ² is

PL0 = e ² * PL0 * (100.5 / a) ²

e ² = 1 / (100.5 / a) ²

However, the sound pressure of the speaker (3) is proportional to the power applied to the speaker (3). Since the power is proportional to the square of the voltage, the voltage value applied to the speaker (3) is multiplied by e as a coefficient to be corrected in the DSP (5).
In the microcomputer (4) shown in FIG. 5, e is calculated from the value a (S5), and the DSP (5) is delayed by the voltage value applied to the left speaker (3) (time td as described above). Is multiplied by a coefficient e, and a voltage of this level is applied to the left speaker (3).

Cancellation of left side component As described above, when the person (7) is in the region where the sounds of the left and right speakers (3) and (30) shown in FIG. 3 overlap, a rectangular wave appears in the right ear of the person (7). An audio signal to which a sine wave having an amplitude of P2 is applied can be heard. Therefore, in this example, in order to cancel the sine wave with the amplitude P2, the sine wave with the amplitude P2 and the opposite phase is applied to the audio signal of the right speaker (30).
First, in the DSP (5), the audio signal of the left speaker (3), i.e., the audio signal having the opposite phase to that of the sine wave having the amplitude P1, is generated. Next, the audio signal of the opposite phase is multiplied by a coefficient f less than 1 to produce an audio signal with amplitude P2, and this is applied to the audio signal of the right speaker (30) (S6, S7). As a result, the audio signal having the amplitude P2 that can be heard by the right ear of the person (7) is canceled. The coefficient f is a value obtained by multiplying the coefficient e by a specific coefficient g. The coefficient g may be a variable value or a fixed value according to the opening angle C of the door (1). When the coefficient g is a variable value, the amplitude P2 is simulated in advance for the standing position of the person (7) and the opening angle C of the door (1), and the microcomputer (4) and It may be stored in a memory (not shown) connected to the DSP (5).

  In the above example, the left-open door (1) has been described. However, for the right-opening door (1), the audio signal processing of the left and right speakers (3) and (30) is handled in the opposite manner.

  The above description of the embodiments is for explaining the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the invention described in the claims or reducing the scope thereof. In addition, the configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the technical scope described in the claims.

It is a top view which shows the basic composition of this example. It is a top view which shows the open / close state of a door. It is a top view which shows the case where there exists a person in the area | region where the sound of a speaker on either side overlaps. It is a block diagram which shows the basic composition of a circuit unit. It is a block diagram which shows the process of a microcomputer and DSP. It is a flowchart which shows the process of a microcomputer and DSP. It is a top view which shows the conventional apparatus main body.

Explanation of symbols

(1) Door
(2) Device body
(3) Speaker
(4) Microcomputer
(5) DSP
(10) pivot
(30) Speaker

Claims (4)

The door (1) is pivotally supported (10) on one side of the front surface of the device body (2), and the door (1) is provided with a pair of L and R speakers (3) and (30) along the width direction. And
In the device main body (2) or door (1), the sensor means for detecting the opening angle of the door (1) and the opening angle of the door (1) based on the opening angle of the door (1) detected by the sensor means. Control means to delay the sound emitted from the speaker (3) located on the free end side than the sound emitted from the speaker (30) located on the pivot (10) side of the door (1) was provided. Equipment characterized by. The door (1) is pivotally supported (10) on one side of the front surface of the device body (2), and the door (1) is provided with a pair of L and R speakers (3) and (30) along the width direction. And
In the device main body (2) or door (1), the sensor means for detecting the opening angle of the door (1) and the opening angle of the door (1) based on the opening angle of the door (1) detected by the sensor means. Control means for lowering the sound pressure level from the speaker (3) located on the free end side than the sound pressure level from the speaker (30) located on the pivot (10) side of the door (1) is provided. Equipment characterized by that. The door (1) is pivotally supported (10) on one side of the front surface of the device body (2), and the door (1) is provided with a pair of L and R speakers (3) and (30) along the width direction. And
In the device main body (2) or the door (1), an audio signal having a phase opposite to that of the audio signal emitted from the speaker (3) located on the free end side of the door (1) and a reduced amplitude level is provided. A device provided with control means for applying and outputting to a speaker (30) located on the pivot (10) side of the door (1). The door (1) is pivotally supported (10) on one side of the front surface of the device body (2), and the door (1) is provided with a pair of L and R speakers (3) and (30) along the width direction. A method for controlling sound from the speakers (3) and (30) with a given device,
Detecting the opening angle of the door (1);
Based on the detected opening angle of the door (1), the sound emitted from the speaker (3) located on the free end side of the door (1) is sent to the speaker located on the pivot (10) side of the door (1). (30) A method comprising a step of delaying the sound emitted from the sound.

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