JP2014072873A - Audio output apparatus and audio signal processing method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a more convenient audio output apparatus capable of, when a hearing-impaired person and a hearing person use the audio output apparatus simultaneously, outputting audio comfortable for both persons.SOLUTION: The audio output apparatus is so extremely conveniently configured that, when an external audio signal is received, an amplification section 7 amplifies a minimum volume to at least a minimum audible threshold of a hearing-impaired person 4, and a compression ratio calculation section 9 calculates such a compression ratio of a maximum volume to not exceed a maximum comfortably audible threshold of a hearing person 3 and a compression control section 6 suppresses the volume on the basis of the compression ratio, before a sound output section 8 outputs audio.

Description

  The present invention relates to an audio output device such as a television and an audio signal processing method thereof.

  The conventional audio output device of this type includes a receiving unit that receives an audio signal from the outside, and an audio output unit that is connected to the receiving unit via a compression control unit and an amplifying unit.

  In other words, for the input of a large volume, compression processing is performed to control the volume, and by suppressing the amplification factor, the sound that has been suppressed to a volume that does not make the user uncomfortable is output from the sound output unit. (As a prior art document similar to this, the following patent document 1).

JP 2010-034700 A

  In the above-described conventional example, the compression process is performed for the input of a large volume so as not to make the user uncomfortable. For example, a hearing impaired person and a normal hearing person watch together. In some cases, it has the following problems.

  For example, when the user is a hearing-impaired person, as is well known, a hearing-impaired person has a higher minimum audible threshold than a normal hearing person. The sound output from may not be heard by a hearing-impaired person even at a volume that can be heard by a normal hearing person.

  On the other hand, if the hearing loss is amplified so that the volume higher than the minimum hearing threshold of the hearing impaired can be obtained so that the sound output from the sound output unit can be heard, the volume is too loud for the normal hearing and The threshold may be exceeded and the user may feel uncomfortable.

  That is, in the conventional audio device, when the hearing impaired person and the normal hearing person simultaneously listen to the sound output from the sound output unit using the sound device, the sound is adjusted so that it can be comfortably heard by either one of them. On the other hand, the sound cannot be heard, or the sound volume is too high, making it uncomfortable and it is difficult to adjust the sound so that both can hear a comfortable sound. .

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve user convenience.

  In order to achieve this object, the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives an audio signal from the outside, an audio output unit connected to the receiving unit via a compression control unit and an amplifying unit, and the amplifying unit A volume input unit connected to the compression control unit, a compression ratio calculation unit connected to the compression control unit, and a compression instruction unit connected to the compression ratio calculation unit, thereby achieving the intended purpose. Is.

  As described above, the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives an audio signal from the outside, an audio output unit that is connected to the receiving unit via a compression control unit and an amplifying unit, and a volume that is connected to the amplifying unit. Since the input unit, the compression ratio calculation unit connected to the compression control unit, and the compression instruction unit connected to the compression ratio calculation unit, the configuration is extremely convenient.

  That is, in the present invention, when the audio output device receives an audio signal from the outside, the amplifying unit amplifies the minimum volume above the minimum hearing threshold of the deaf person, and the compression ratio calculating unit determines that the average volume level is normal. The compression ratio is calculated so as not to exceed the maximum pleasant listening threshold of the person, and the sound is output from the audio output unit while the volume is suppressed by the compression control unit based on the compression ratio.

  As a result, even when the hearing impaired person and the normal hearing person use the audio output device of the present invention at the same time, it can be adjusted so that a comfortable voice can be heard by both of them.

The figure which shows the use condition of the audio | voice output apparatus which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. Block diagram of the audio output device The figure explaining the audio processing method of the audio output device Operation flowchart in the same audio output device The figure which shows the use condition of the audio | voice output apparatus which concerns on Example 2 of this invention. Block diagram of the audio output device The figure explaining the audio processing method of the audio output device Operation flowchart in the same audio output device

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a television used as an example of an audio output device including a receiving unit that receives an audio signal from the outside. A remote controller 2 (input device) is connected to the television 1, and the remote controller 2 is connected to the television 1. Various control signals for operating are transmitted.

  The television 1 is provided with a speaker (not shown) that performs sound processing on a sound signal received from the outside and then outputs the sound to the outside, and a viewer of the television 1 listens to the sound output from the speaker. Watching TV programs.

  The viewer includes a normal hearing person 3 whose hearing is normal and a hearing impaired person 4 whose hearing is inferior to that of a normal hearing person for reasons such as aging and disability. There are many situations in which the same television 1 is viewed. For example, a situation where a child (normal hearing person) and a grandparent (deaf person) watch a TV program together in a family living with an elderly person such as a grandparent.

  Next, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the television 1. As is well known, an input unit for operating the television 1 may be connected to the television 1 in a separate state as a remote controller 2 as shown in FIG. May be provided integrally with the main body.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the television 1 receives an audio signal from the outside by the receiving unit 5. The receiving unit 5 is connected to a sound output unit 8 via a compression control unit 6 and an amplification unit 7.

  A compression ratio calculation unit 9 is connected to the compression control unit 6, and a compression instruction unit 10 is connected to the compression ratio calculation unit 9. A volume input unit 11 is connected to the amplification unit 7.

  When the television 1 receives an audio signal from the outside, the amplifying unit 7 amplifies the minimum volume above the minimum audible threshold of the deaf person 4 and the compression control unit 6 uses the compression ratio calculating unit 9 to The compression ratio is calculated so that the average level of the volume of the sound output from the sound output unit 8 does not exceed the maximum hearing threshold of the normal hearing person 3, and the volume is suppressed based on this compression ratio.

  In general, since a person's conversational sound is about 50 dB to 70 dB, the maximum pleasant listening threshold can be set to 70 dB or the like.

  Further, the television 1 receives the video signal by the receiving unit 5 and displays the video in synchronization with the sound output from the sound output unit 8 by the display unit 12 connected to the receiving unit 5.

  Now, the sound processing method of the sound output apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 3, the horizontal axis represents the volume (input level) of the audio output signal received by the television 1 at the reception unit 5, and the vertical axis is output from the sound output unit 8 of the television 1 after performing this audio processing. Indicates the volume (output level).

  The output level when the normal hearing person 3 is watching the television 1 is represented by a linear line increasing at a constant rate, for example, as shown in FIG. In the case of 5, it is a linear straight line represented by a in FIG. 3, and when the input level is 30 dB, the output level is 30 dB. Since the normal hearing person 3 can hear the volume of 30 dB, the sound output from the television 1 can be heard.

  On the other hand, when the hearing impaired person 4 watches the normal hearing person 3 and the television 1 together in the state of the example described above, the minimum hearing threshold of the hearing impaired person 4 is, for example, 55 dB shown in FIG. Since the hearing-impaired person 4 cannot hear the volume of 30 dB, the sound output from the television 1 cannot be heard.

  In this case, the hearing impaired person 4 operates the sound volume input unit 11 and amplifies the minimum sound volume above the minimum hearing threshold of the hearing impaired person 4 by the amplifying part 7. In the example shown in FIG. When the input level is 30 dB by amplifying up to 10, the output level is 55 dB (b in FIG. 3), which is the minimum audible threshold for the deaf person 4, so that the deaf person 4 also hears the sound output from the television 1 Will be able to.

  Then, the compression instruction unit 10 is operated and the compression ratio calculation unit 9 calculates the compression ratio so that the average level of the sound volume does not exceed the maximum hearing threshold of the normal hearing person. This compression ratio is an output level (average level) that does not cause a sense of incongruity even when the normal hearing person 3 hears, that is, in the example shown in FIG. 3, when the input level represented by c in FIG. 3 is 60 dB, the output level is 60 dB. The slope of the straight line connecting the intersection point and b in FIG. However, when the minimum hearing threshold of the hearing impaired person 4 is larger than 60 dB, which is the output level of c in FIG. 3, the output level is a constant straight line at the value of the minimum hearing threshold.

  In the present embodiment having the above configuration, the following procedure is executed in the usage state of the audio output device shown in FIG.

First, the TV 1 is turned on (power is turned on). (S1 in FIG. 4)
Then, the television 1 sets the volume output from the sound output unit 8 to an initial value (default) (S2 in FIG. 4).

  This initial value may always be fixed in advance as a constant value, or the last volume setting state when the power of the television 1 is turned off (power off) may be stored, and that value may be used as the initial value. .

  And the television 1 receives an audio | voice signal from the outside by the receiving part 5 (S3 of FIG. 4).

  The audio signal received by the receiving unit 5 of the television 1 is compression-controlled by the compression control unit 6 based on a predetermined compression ratio (S4 in FIG. 4).

  The audio signal received by the receiving unit 5 of the television 1 is amplified to a desired volume by the amplifying unit 7 (S5 in FIG. 4).

  Thereafter, the sound subjected to the compression control and amplification processing described above is output from the sound output unit 8 such as a speaker of the television 1 (S6 in FIG. 4).

  Then, when changing the volume of the television 1, the volume input unit 11 is operated (S7 in FIG. 4). When the volume input unit 11 is operated, the amplification parameter is changed (S8 in FIG. 4).

  When changing the compression ratio, the compression instruction unit 10 is operated (S9 in FIG. 4).

  When the compression instruction unit 10 is operated, the compression ratio calculation unit 9 calculates the compression ratio, and the compression ratio is changed (S10 in FIG. 4).

  Based on the changed compression ratio, the compression control shown in S4 of FIG.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when the television 1 that is an audio output device receives an audio signal from the outside, the amplification unit 7 amplifies the minimum volume above the minimum hearing threshold of the deaf person and calculates the compression ratio. The compression ratio is calculated by the unit 9 so that the average level of the volume of the sound output from the sound output unit 8 does not exceed the maximum hearing threshold of the normal hearing person, and the volume is controlled by the compression control unit 6 based on the compression ratio. The sound is output from the sound output unit 8 while being suppressed.

  As a result, even when a hearing impaired person and a normal hearing person use the audio output device of the present embodiment at the same time, adjustment can be made so that a comfortable audio can be heard by both of them.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, (Embodiment 2) of the present invention will be described. Here, for simplification, the same content as (Embodiment 1 described above) is omitted, and different portions will be mainly described.

  In FIG. 5, a menu 13 indicating the degree of hearing loss of the deaf person is displayed on the screen of the television 1. For example, when displaying in two stages, “medium”, “mild”, etc. are displayed on the screen.

  The remote controller 2 does not include the compression instruction unit 10 described in the above-described first embodiment, and is provided with a menu button 14 and a determination button 15 instead. When the menu button 14 is pressed, the screen of the television 1 is displayed. A menu 13 indicating the degree of hearing loss is displayed. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the hearing degree is displayed in two levels, “medium” and “mild”, and the menu selection unit 16 of the remote controller 2 is operated to switch between “medium” and “mild”. Then, after selecting a desired hearing loss menu, the determination button 15 is operated to determine the hearing loss.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the menu selection unit 16 can be performed using the same operation unit as the sound volume input unit 11 of the first embodiment described above. In this case, the operation unit is normally operated as the volume input unit 11 and is switched to operate as the menu selection unit 16 when the menu button 14 is pressed. When the menu is selected and the determination button 15 is pressed to determine the degree of hearing loss, the operation is switched again to operate as the volume input unit 11.

  Next, FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the television 1 which is the audio output device of (Embodiment 2). In FIG. 6, the remote control 2 is provided with a hearing loss input unit 17, and the hearing loss input unit 17 selects and determines the hearing loss as described above.

  The hearing loss input unit 17 is connected to a hearing loss management unit 18 provided in the television 1, and a parameter storage unit 19 is connected to the hearing loss management unit 18.

  The parameter of the degree of hearing loss is held in the parameter storage unit 19, selected and determined by the hearing loss input unit 17, and extracted from the parameter storage unit 19 by the hearing loss management unit 18 based on the degree of hearing loss.

  Then, compression processing is performed by the compression control unit 6 of the television 1 based on the parameter of the hearing loss held in the hearing loss management unit 18, and amplification is performed by the amplification unit 7 in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above. The sound is output from the sound output unit 8 after the processing is performed and the compression processing and the amplification processing are performed.

  Here, the sound processing method of the sound output apparatus according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 7, the horizontal axis represents the volume (input level) of an audio signal received by the television 1 at the receiving unit 5, and the vertical axis represents the volume output from the sound output unit 8 of the television 1 after this audio processing is performed. Expressing (output level) is the same as in FIG. 3 used in the description of (Embodiment 1).

  The output level when the normal hearing person 3 is watching the television 1 is, for example, Vol. In the case of 5, it is a linear straight line represented by a in FIG. 7, and when the input level is 30 dB, the output level is 30 dB. Since the normal hearing person 3 can hear the volume of 30 dB, the sound output from the television 1 can be heard.

  On the other hand, when the hearing impaired person 4 watches the normal hearing person 3 and the television 1 together in the state of the above-described example, when the hearing loss degree of the hearing impaired person 4 is medium, the minimum hearing threshold is, for example, FIG. If it is 55 dB indicated by b, the hearing-impaired person 4 cannot hear the volume of 30 dB, and therefore cannot hear the sound output from the television 1.

  In this case, the deaf person 4 operates the menu button 14 of the remote controller 2 to display the menu 13 indicating the deafness level on the television 1, and operates the menu selection unit 16 of the remote controller 2 to display the menu of the desired deafness level. After the selection, the determination button 15 is operated to determine the degree of hearing loss.

  Then, the hearing loss management unit 18 takes out the parameter of the hearing loss from the parameter storage unit 19 based on the determined hearing loss.

  For example, in the example shown in FIG. 7, if the hearing loss is moderate, the gain as a parameter is set to 25 dB. This gain is 50/2, that is, 25 dBHL according to the concept of the half gain method, with an average hearing ability of 50 dBHL. And Vol. In the case of 5, the output level is set to 55 dB (b in FIG. 7) by adding 25 dB to 30 dB which is the output level with respect to the input level of 30 dB.

  The output level after the compression processing is a straight line connecting the intersection of the output level of 60 dB when the input level represented by b in FIG. 7 and c in FIG. 7 is 60 dB.

  In addition, the gain is 25 dB if it is moderate, but if it is mild, the gain may be 30/2, that is, 15 dBHL according to the half gain method, with an average hearing of 30 dBHL.

  In the above-described configuration, in the present embodiment, the following procedure is executed in the usage state of the audio device shown in FIG.

First, the TV 1 is turned on (power is turned on). (S1 in FIG. 8)
Then, the television 1 sets the volume output from the sound output unit 8 to an initial value (default) with the hearing loss being a normal hearing person (S2 and S3 in FIG. 8).

  And the television 1 receives an audio | voice signal from the exterior by the receiving part 5 (S4 of FIG. 8).

  The audio signal received by the receiving unit 5 of the television 1 is compression-controlled by the compression control unit 6 based on a predetermined compression ratio (S5 in FIG. 8).

  Also, the audio signal received by the receiving unit 5 of the television 1 is amplified to a desired volume by the amplifying unit 7 (S6 in FIG. 8).

  Thereafter, the sound subjected to the compression control and amplification processing described above is output from the sound output unit 8 such as a speaker of the television 1 (S7 in FIG. 8).

  Then, when changing the volume of the television 1, the volume input unit 11 is operated (S8 in FIG. 8). When the volume input unit 11 is operated, the amplification parameter is changed (S9 in FIG. 8).

  When changing the compression ratio, the hearing loss input unit 17 is operated (S10 in FIG. 8).

  When the deafness input unit 17 is operated and the deafness is selected and determined, a deafness parameter is extracted from the parameter storage unit 19 by the deafness management unit 18 based on the determined deafness, and the compression ratio is calculated. Is changed (S11, S12 and S13 in FIG. 8).

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when the television 1 that is an audio output device receives an audio signal from the outside, the deafness input unit 17 appropriately selects and determines the deafness according to the deafness of the deaf person, The minimum volume is amplified by a gain preset by the hearing loss management unit 18 according to the determined hearing loss level, and the average level of the volume of the sound output from the sound output unit 8 is the maximum hearing of the normal hearing person. The compression ratio is calculated so as not to exceed the threshold value, and the sound is output from the sound output unit 8 while the volume is suppressed by the compression control unit 6 based on the compression ratio.

  As a result, as in the case of the above-described first embodiment, even when the hearing impaired person and the normal hearing person use the present audio output device at the same time, it can be adjusted so that a comfortable voice can be heard by both of them. It becomes a thing.

  As described above, in the audio output device and the audio signal processing method of the present invention, when the audio output device receives an audio signal from the outside, the amplifying unit amplifies the minimum volume above the minimum hearing threshold of the hearing impaired person. The compression ratio calculation unit calculates the compression ratio so that the maximum volume does not exceed the maximum pleasant listening threshold of the normal hearing person, and based on this compression ratio, the compression control unit suppresses the volume and outputs the sound from the audio output unit I did it.

  As a result, even when the hearing impaired person and the normal hearing person use the audio output device of the present invention at the same time, it can be adjusted so that a comfortable voice can be heard by both of them.

  Therefore, for example, in a situation where a child and grandparents watch a TV program together in a family living with an elderly person such as grandparents, the use as an audio output device and its audio signal processing method is greatly expected. .

1 TV (audio equipment)
2 Remote control (input device)
3 Normal hearing person 4 Hearing impaired person 5 Reception part 6 Compression control part 7 Amplification part 8 Sound output part 9 Compression ratio calculation part 10 Compression instruction part 11 Volume input part 12 Display part 13 Menu 14 Menu button 15 Decision button 16 Menu selection part 17 Hearing loss Degree input unit 18 Deafness management unit 19 Parameter storage unit

Claims (4)

A receiving unit that receives an audio signal from the outside, an audio output unit connected to the receiving unit via a compression control unit and an amplification unit, a volume input unit connected to the amplification unit, and the compression control unit An audio output device having a compression ratio calculation unit connected to the compression ratio calculation unit and a compression instruction unit connected to the compression ratio calculation unit. A receiving unit that receives an audio signal from the outside, an audio output unit connected to the receiving unit via a compression control unit and an amplification unit, a volume input unit connected to the amplification unit, and the compression control unit A sound output device having a deafness management unit connected to the device, and a deafness input unit and a parameter storage unit connected to the deafness management unit. The audio signal processing method of the audio device according to claim 1, wherein the compression ratio calculation unit calculates a compression ratio of a sound volume in accordance with an instruction from the compression instruction unit, and based on the ratio calculated by the compression ratio calculation unit. An audio signal processing method in which the compression control unit performs compression control of a volume, an amplification unit amplifies an audio signal, and then outputs audio from the audio output unit. The audio signal processing method of the audio device according to claim 2, wherein the amplification according to the deafness stored in the parameter storage unit in the deafness management unit according to the deafness input by the deafness input unit. The compression ratio of the volume is changed every time, the compression control unit controls the volume based on the compression ratio changed by the hearing loss management unit, the amplification unit amplifies the audio signal, and then the audio output Audio signal processing method for outputting audio from the unit.

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