JP2023128209A - Sound output device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a sound output device capable of alerting a user using the sound output device when an abnormality occurs on the sound output device wirelessly connected to a sound reproduction device.SOLUTION: A control unit 10A (abnormality determining unit) determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in which a body part of a sound output device 101 is assumed to have been removed by a third party other than a user from a portion to which the body part is attached. Upon determining that an abnormality has occurred, the control unit 10A (switching control unit) controls a switching unit 3 to switch sound output from the sound output unit 6 from a listening sound to an alert sound.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an audio output device.

2. Description of the Related Art It is widely practiced to wirelessly connect an audio reproduction device such as a music player or a smartphone to an audio output device, and listen to audio data reproduced by the audio reproduction device using the audio output device. Audio output devices include neck speakers called neck speakers, earphones with a sound emitting part attached to the left and right ears, and headphones with a sound emitting part connected to the left and right ears by a band, etc. be.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-73536

There is a risk that the audio output device may be stolen while the user is using the audio output device. Patent Document 1 describes that a warning is issued when an earphone connected to a mobile communication device is removed from an earphone jack. If the audio playback device and the audio output device are connected wirelessly, the technology described in Patent Document 1 cannot be applied. There is a need for an audio output device that can warn when an abnormality such as theft of the audio output device occurs.

An object of the present invention is to provide an audio output device that can issue a warning when an abnormality occurs in the audio output device that is wirelessly connected to an audio playback device.

The present invention includes a main body section that is attached to any part of a user, a communication section that is housed in the main body section and communicates wirelessly with an audio playback device, and a communication section that is housed in the main body section and transmits data from the audio playback device. an audio output unit that outputs audio for listening based on the audio data received by the communication unit;
a switching unit that is housed in the main body and switches the sound output from the audio output unit from the listening sound to the warning sound; an abnormality determination unit that determines whether an abnormality that is assumed to have occurred when the abnormality determination unit is removed from the body part; and a switching control section that controls the switching section to switch the audio output from the listening sound to the warning sound.

According to the audio output device of the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in the audio output device that is wirelessly connected to the audio playback device, the audio output device can issue a warning.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an audio output device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing the audio output device of the first and second embodiments. It is a block diagram showing an example of composition of a control part with which an audio output device of a 1st embodiment is provided. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an audio output device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a control unit included in the audio output device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an audio output device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view showing audio output devices of third and fourth embodiments. It is a block diagram showing an example of composition of a control part with which an audio output device of a 3rd embodiment is provided. It is a block diagram showing the audio output device of a 4th embodiment. It is a block diagram showing an example of composition of a control part with which an audio output device of a 4th embodiment is provided.

The audio output device of each embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Each embodiment takes as an example a case where the audio output device is a neck-mounted speaker called a neck speaker. The audio output device may be an earphone in which a sound emitting part is worn on the left and right ears, or a headphone in which a sound emitting part is worn so as to cover the left and right ears and connected by a band.

The first and second embodiments are audio output devices configured so that the audio output device issues a warning when an abnormality occurs in the audio output device that is wirelessly connected to an audio playback device. The third and fourth embodiments are audio output devices configured to secure circumstantial evidence when an abnormality occurs when an abnormality occurs in an audio output device that is wirelessly connected to an audio reproduction device.

<First embodiment>
FIG. 1 shows an audio output device 101 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the audio output device 101 includes a communication section 1, a decoding section 2, a switching section 3, a D/A converter 4, an amplifier 5, an audio output section 6, an operation button 7, an acceleration sensor 8, a ROM 9, It includes a control section 10A. Each of these components except for the operation button 7 is housed in a main body 110 shown in FIG. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the operation button 7 is arranged on the surface of the main body 110. The audio output unit 6 includes left and right speakers arranged to output sound toward left and right mesh-shaped sound emitting ports 6L1 and 6R1.

Since the audio output device 101 is exemplified by a neck speaker, the main body 110 is worn around the user's neck. If the audio output device is an earphone, the main body of the audio output device is worn on the left and right ears of the user. If the audio output device is a headphone, the main body of the audio output device is worn on the user's head. The main body portion may be attached to any part of the user.

In FIG. 1, a communication unit 1 wirelessly communicates with an audio reproduction device 50. As shown in FIG. The audio reproduction device 50 is, for example, a smartphone. The communication unit included in the audio reproduction device 50 and the communication unit 1 wirelessly communicate with each other using a wireless communication method based on a predetermined short-range wireless communication standard. The short-range wireless communication standard is typically Bluetooth (registered trademark). The decoding unit 2 decodes compressed audio data, such as music, transmitted from the audio reproduction device 50 and received by the communication unit 1, and supplies the compressed audio data to the switching unit 3. The compressed audio data is audio data compressed using a predetermined audio compression method such as SBC (Sub Band Codec) or AAC (Advanced Audio Coding).

When the switching section 3 supplies the decoded audio data from the decoding section 2 to the D/A converter 4, the D/A converter 4 converts the input audio data into an analog audio signal and supplies it to the amplifier 5. do. The amplifier 5 amplifies the input analog audio signal and supplies it to the audio output section 6. The audio output unit 6 outputs audio for listening based on the input analog audio signal. At this time, the user can adjust the volume of the listening audio output from the audio output section 6 by operating the operation button 7. When the user operates the operation button 7, the control unit 10A controls the degree of amplification of the analog audio signal in the amplifier 5, and adjusts the volume of the audio for listening.

The volume of the audio for listening may be adjusted using the audio reproduction device 50. When the user adjusts the volume of audio for listening using the audio reproduction device 50, a volume adjustment signal is supplied to the control unit 10A via the communication unit 1. The control unit 10A controls the degree of amplification of the analog audio signal in the amplifier 5, and adjusts the volume of the audio for listening.

In this way, the audio output section 6 including the left and right speakers arranged facing the sound output ports 6L1 and 6R1 outputs audio for listening based on the audio data transmitted from the audio reproduction device 50 and received by the communication section 1. Output at a specified volume.

Acceleration sensor 8 detects acceleration of main body portion 110 . When the user is using the audio output device 101, the acceleration sensor 8 almost never detects acceleration equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold. When the user removes the audio output device 101 (main body part 110) from the neck, the main body part 110 is moved at a predetermined acceleration, so the acceleration sensor 8 detects the predetermined acceleration. If a third party forcibly pulls the main body 110 in an attempt to steal the audio output device 101 worn around the user's neck, the main body 110 will be moved with a considerably large acceleration, so the acceleration sensor 8 will be able to detect a value greater than a predetermined threshold. Detect the acceleration of

The acceleration detection value detected by the acceleration sensor 8 is supplied to the control section 10A. The control unit 10A compares the detected acceleration value supplied from the acceleration sensor 8 with a threshold value. The control unit 10A assumes that the main body 110 has been removed from the neck by a third party other than the user if the acceleration detection value supplied from the acceleration sensor 8 (acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 8) is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. It is determined that an abnormality has occurred.

Warning sound data is stored in the ROM9. The ROM 9 is an example of a storage unit that stores warning sound data. When the control section 10A determines that the above abnormality has occurred, the control section 10A reads warning sound data from the ROM 9 and supplies it to the switching section 3. Further, the control unit 10A controls the switching unit 3 so that the switching unit 3 supplies warning sound data to the D/A converter 4 instead of the audio data supplied from the decoding unit 2.

When the switching section 3 supplies the warning sound data to the D/A converter 4, the D/A converter 4 converts the input warning sound data into an analog audio signal and supplies it to the amplifier 5. The amplifier 5 amplifies the input analog audio signal and supplies it to the audio output section 6. The audio output unit 6 outputs a warning sound based on the input analog audio signal.

At this time, it is preferable that the audio output unit 6 outputs the warning sound as loud as possible so that the user can reliably hear the warning sound. Therefore, the control unit 10A increases the volume by controlling the degree of amplification in the amplifier 5 so that the volume of the warning sound is higher than the volume of the listening sound. It is preferable that the control unit 10A controls the amplifier 5 so that the degree of amplification in the amplifier 5 becomes maximum, and adjusts the volume of the warning sound to the maximum.

FIG. 3 shows a preferred configuration example of the control section 10A. The control unit 10A includes an abnormality determination unit 11, a switching control unit 12, and a volume control unit 13 as a functional configuration. By comparing the detected acceleration value supplied from the acceleration sensor 8 with the threshold value, the abnormality determination unit 11 assumes that the main body part 110 has been removed from the part to which the main body part 110 is attached by a third party other than the user. It is determined whether an abnormality has occurred.

The abnormality determination unit 11 may determine whether an abnormality such as theft of the audio output device 101 has occurred using something other than the acceleration of the main body 110 detected by the acceleration sensor 8. It is preferable to use the acceleration sensor 8 because it is easier to determine whether an abnormality has occurred.

When the abnormality determination unit 11 determines that an abnormality has occurred, the switching control unit 12 supplies a switching control signal to the switching unit 3 to switch the sound output from the audio output unit 6 from a listening sound to a warning sound. The switching unit 3 is controlled as follows. The volume control unit 13 supplies a volume control signal to the amplifier 5 at the same time as the switching control unit 12 controls the switching unit 3 to switch the audio output from the audio output unit 6 from the audio for listening to the warning sound. Then, the amplifier 5 is controlled to increase the volume when the audio output section 6 outputs the warning sound. As described above, it is preferable that the volume control unit 13 controls the amplifier 5 to maximize the volume when outputting the warning sound.

Although not shown in FIG. 3, the volume control unit 13 adjusts the volume when the user operates the operation button 7 or the audio playback device 50 when the audio output unit 6 is outputting audio for listening. When this happens, a volume control signal is supplied to the amplifier 5 to adjust the volume of the audio for listening.

As described above, according to the audio output device 101 of the first embodiment, when an abnormality occurs in the audio output device 101 that is wirelessly connected to the audio playback device 50, the audio output device 101 can issue a warning. . A user or a third party other than the culprit who robs the audio output device 101 can easily notice the occurrence of an abnormality. Furthermore, the culprit may give up on robbing the audio output device 101 due to the generation of the warning sound.

<Second embodiment>
FIG. 4 shows the audio output device 102 of the second embodiment. In FIG. 4, parts that are the same as those in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and their explanations may be omitted. As shown in FIG. 4, the audio output device 102 includes a GNSS receiving section 21, which is not included in the audio output device 101. The GNSS receiving section 21 is housed within the main body section 110 shown in FIG.

The GNSS receiving unit 21 receives radio waves from a plurality of satellites for the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The control unit 10B calculates position information based on the GNSS signal received by the GNSS receiving unit 21. An example of GNSS is GPS (Global Positioning System).

Assume that a user who is driving a motorcycle or a bicycle wears the audio output device 102 around his neck and listens to the audio for listening. In such a state, it is almost impossible for a user to remove the audio output device 102 from his or her neck while driving. Similarly, users who are running are unlikely to remove the audio output device 102 from their neck while running. A user often removes the audio output device 102 while the device is stationary.

That is, if the audio output device 102 is removed while the user is moving, there is a possibility that a third party forcibly pulled the main body 110 in an attempt to steal the audio output device 102 worn around the user's neck. is high.

In the first embodiment, it is determined whether an abnormality has occurred based only on the acceleration detection value detected by the acceleration sensor 8. If the user pulls the main body 110 with an extremely strong force, the acceleration sensor 8 may detect an acceleration equal to or higher than a threshold value. In the second embodiment, the detected acceleration value detected by the acceleration sensor 8 and the degree of movement of the audio output device 102 based on a change in the position information of the audio output device 102 are used together to determine whether an abnormality has occurred. judge.

FIG. 5 shows a preferred configuration example of the control section 10B in the audio output device 102. The control unit 10B includes an abnormality determination unit 11, a switching control unit 12, a volume control unit 13, and a position calculation unit 14 as a functional configuration. The position calculation unit 14 calculates position information of the audio output device 102 (main unit 110) based on the GNSS signal supplied from the GNSS reception unit 21. The abnormality determination unit 11 determines the speed based on both the speed at which the main body 110 moves, which is calculated based on the change in the position of the main body 110 calculated by the position calculation unit 14, and the detected acceleration value detected by the acceleration sensor 8. It is determined that an abnormality has occurred.

Specifically, it is preferable that the abnormality determination unit 11 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the following manner. When the user is stationary or walking at normal speed, the user may remove the audio output device 102 from around the user's neck. On the other hand, when the user is driving a motorcycle or bicycle, or running, the user almost never removes the audio output device 102 from his or her neck. The normal walking speed is 2.9 km/h to 3.6 km/h, and rarely exceeds 4 km/h. If the user is running, the moving speed will be 4 km/h or more. The average speed of bicycles is 4km/h to 20km/h. If the user is driving a motorcycle or bicycle, the user will be traveling at a speed of 4 km/h or more.

Therefore, when the speed at which the main body 110 moves is less than the first threshold of 4 km/h and the detected acceleration value detected by the acceleration sensor 8 is equal to or higher than the second threshold, the abnormality determination unit 11 determines that an abnormality has occurred. It is not determined that this has occurred. This is because even if the detected acceleration value is equal to or greater than the second threshold, there is a possibility that the user himself or herself has removed the audio output device 102. The second threshold may be the same as the predetermined threshold in the first embodiment.

The abnormality determination unit 11 determines that an abnormality has occurred when the speed at which the main body 110 moves is equal to or higher than a first threshold and the acceleration detection value detected by the acceleration sensor 8 is equal to or higher than a second threshold. . This is because the possibility that the user himself has removed the audio output device 102 is not very high. Setting the first threshold value to 4 km/h is an example. When considering that the user may remove the audio output device 102 from the neck while driving the bicycle relatively slowly, the first threshold value may be set at 5 km/h to 7 km/h. good.

The operations of the switching control section 12 and the volume control section 13 are the same as those of the switching control section 12 and the volume control section 13 in FIG.

According to the audio output device 102 of the second embodiment, it is easier to determine whether an abnormality has occurred in the audio output device 101 wirelessly connected to the audio playback device 50 than the audio output device 101 of the first embodiment. Judgments can be reduced. According to the audio output device 102 of the second embodiment, when an abnormality occurs in the audio output device 101, the audio output device 101 can issue a warning.

<Third embodiment>
FIG. 6 shows an audio output device 103 according to the third embodiment. In FIG. 6, the same parts as in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their explanation may be omitted. As shown in FIG. 6, the audio output device 103 includes a communication section 1, a decoding section 2, a D/A converter 4, an amplifier 5, an audio output section 6, an operation button 7, an acceleration sensor 8, a control section 10C, and an imaging section. 31, an encoding unit 32, and a ring buffer 33. Each of these components except for the operation button 7 is housed in a main body 110 shown in FIG. Although not shown in FIG. 7, the operation button 7 is arranged on the surface of the main body 110.

The imaging unit 31 includes a lens 31L shown in FIG. 7, and an imaging element and an image signal generation circuit, both of which are not shown. The lens 31L is arranged on the back surface 111 of the main body 110 and takes in light from a subject behind the user. The lens 31L is preferably disposed at the center of the back surface 111 in the left-right direction.

The image sensor captures an image using light from the subject captured through the lens 31L. The image signal generation circuit generates an image signal based on the electrical signal photoelectrically converted by the image sensor. The imaging unit 31 does not need to take an image of the user, but only needs to take an image of the outside of the user. The imaging unit 31 preferably images a predetermined angular area including the rear of the user.

In FIG. 6, the encoding unit 32 converts the image signal supplied from the imaging unit 31 into a digital signal, encodes it, and supplies the encoded image data to the control unit 10C. The encoding unit 32 compresses and encodes the image signal using a predetermined image compression method such as H.264/MPEG-4 AVC to generate encoded image data. The control unit 10C causes the ring buffer 33 to cyclically store the encoded image data. The ring buffer 33 is an example of a buffer that stores image data based on an image captured by the imaging unit 31.

FIG. 8 shows a preferred configuration example of the control section 10C in the audio output device 103. The control unit 10C includes an abnormality determination unit 11, a write/read control unit 15, and a transmission control unit 16 as a functional configuration. By comparing the detected acceleration value supplied from the acceleration sensor 8 with the threshold value, the abnormality determination unit 11 assumes that the main body part 110 has been removed from the part to which the main body part 110 is attached by a third party other than the user. It is determined whether an abnormality has occurred.

The write/read control unit 15 controls writing of encoded image data into the ring buffer 33. Further, the write/read control section 15 controls to read encoded image data from the ring buffer 33 when the abnormality determination section 11 determines that an abnormality has occurred. The transmission control section 16 controls the communication section 1 to transmit the encoded image data read out from the ring buffer 33 under the control of the write/read control section 15 to the audio reproduction device 50 .

The write/read control unit 15 may perform control to read at least encoded image data before the time when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred. It is preferable that the write/read control unit 15 performs control to read out encoded image data after the time when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred, in addition to encoded image data before the time when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred. It is preferable that the transmission control unit 16 controls the communication unit 1 to transmit the encoded image data to the audio reproduction device 50 during a period when the communication unit 1 is establishing communication with the audio reproduction device 50.

In FIG. 8, when the abnormality determination unit 11 determines that an abnormality has occurred, the transmission control unit 16 controls the communication unit 1 to stop the communication unit 1 from receiving audio data transmitted from the audio reproduction device 50. You may. In this case, if the abnormality determination unit 11 determines that an abnormality has occurred, it may instruct the transmission control unit 16 to stop receiving audio data. The transmission control unit 16 controls the communication unit 1 to stop receiving audio data, and then controls the communication unit 1 to transmit the encoded image data read from the ring buffer 33 to the audio reproduction device 50.

If the communication unit 1 stops receiving audio data, the communication unit 1 only needs to perform processing for transmitting encoded image data, so the processing in the communication unit 1 becomes more efficient.

Note that the audio playback device 50 is configured to receive the encoded image data and store it in the storage unit when the encoded image data is transmitted from the audio output device 103. Furthermore, the audio reproduction device 50 is configured to decode encoded image data stored in the storage section and display it on the display section. The audio playback device 50 stores an application program that receives encoded image data and stores it in the storage section, and decodes the encoded image data stored in the storage section and displays it on the display section in response to a predetermined operation. It is better to do so.

As described above, the audio output device 103 of the third embodiment uses at least the image data before the time when it is determined that the abnormality has occurred, of the image taken outside the user when an abnormality occurs in the audio output device 103. is configured to transmit to the audio playback device 50. Therefore, according to the audio output device 103 of the third embodiment, when an abnormality occurs in the audio output device 103 that is wirelessly connected to the audio reproduction device 50, it is possible to secure circumstantial evidence at the time of occurrence of the abnormality.

The audio output device 103 shown in FIG. 6 may also include the GNSS receiving section 21, and the position calculating section 14 may be provided within the control section 10C. Similarly to FIG. 5, the abnormality determining unit 11 determines that the main body 110 is moving at a speed equal to or higher than the first threshold based on the change in the position of the main body 110 calculated by the position calculating unit 14, and that the acceleration sensor It may be determined that an abnormality has occurred when the acceleration detection value detected by No. 8 is equal to or greater than a second threshold value.

<Fourth embodiment>
FIG. 9 shows an audio output device 104 according to the fourth embodiment. In FIG. 9, the same parts as those in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their explanation may be omitted. As shown in FIG. 9, the audio output device 104 does not include the acceleration sensor 8 but includes an A/D converter 34. The A/D converter 34 is housed within the main body 110 shown in FIG. The A/D converter 34 converts the image signal output from the imaging section 31 into digital image data and supplies it to the control section 10D.

FIG. 10 shows a preferred configuration example of the control section 10D in the audio output device 104. The control unit 10D includes an abnormality determination unit 11, a write/read control unit 15, and a transmission control unit 16 as a functional configuration. The abnormality determination unit 11 in FIG. 10 does not determine the presence or absence of an abnormality based on the detected acceleration value, but based on the image data of the image captured by the imaging unit 31, which is supplied from the A/D converter 34. to determine whether an abnormality has occurred.

If a third party tries to grab the audio output device 104 shown in FIG. 7 from behind the user and steal it, the lens 31L will be covered by the user's hand, and the image signal output from the imaging unit 31 will become an almost black image. In FIG. 10, the abnormality determination unit 11 determines that an abnormality has occurred when the brightness of input image data falls below a predetermined threshold close to the black level.

The abnormality determination unit 11 may determine that an abnormality has occurred when the brightness of the image data suddenly drops below a threshold value. In this case, the abnormality determination unit 11 determines that an abnormality has occurred when the amount of change in the brightness of the image data is greater than a predetermined value and the brightness falls below the threshold value.

The operations of the write/read control section 15 and the transmission control section 16 are the same as those of the write/read control section 15 and the transmission control section 16 in FIG.

As described above, in the audio output device 104 of the fourth embodiment, based on the image captured by the imaging unit 31, an abnormality has occurred in which it is assumed that the main body unit 110 has been removed from the neck by a third party other than the user. It is determined that The audio output device 104 is configured to transmit to the audio playback device 50 at least image data taken before the time when it is determined that the abnormality has occurred, of an image taken outside the user when the abnormality occurs.

Therefore, according to the audio output device 104 of the fourth embodiment, when an abnormality occurs in the audio output device 104 that is wirelessly connected to the audio reproduction device 50, it is possible to secure circumstantial evidence at the time of occurrence of the abnormality.

The present invention is not limited to the first to fourth embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

1 Communication section 2 Decoding section 3 Switching section 4 D/A converter 5 Amplifier 6 Audio output section 7 Operation button 8 Acceleration sensor 9 ROM
10A, 10B, 10C, 10D Control unit 11 Abnormality determination unit 12 Switching control unit 13 Volume control unit 14 Position calculation unit 15 Writing/reading control unit 16 Transmission control unit 21 GNSS reception unit 31 Imaging unit 31L Lens 32 Encoding unit 33 Ring buffer 34 A/D converter 50 Audio playback device 101 to 104 Audio output device 110 Main unit

Claims (5)

a main body part to be attached to any part of the user;
a communication unit that is housed in the main body and wirelessly communicates with the audio playback device;
an audio output unit that is housed in the main body and outputs audio for listening based on audio data transmitted from the audio reproduction device and received by the communication unit;
a switching unit that is housed in the main body and switches the audio output from the audio output unit from the listening audio to a warning sound;
an abnormality determination unit that is housed in the main body and determines whether an abnormality has occurred that is assumed to be caused by the main body being removed from the part by a third party other than the user;
The switching unit is stored in the main body and controls the switching unit to switch the sound output from the audio output unit from the listening sound to the warning sound when the abnormality determining unit determines that the abnormality has occurred. a switching control section;
An audio output device comprising: further comprising an acceleration sensor that is housed in the main body and detects acceleration of the main body,
The audio output device according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality determination unit determines that the abnormality has occurred when an acceleration detection value detected by the acceleration sensor is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold. an acceleration sensor that is housed in the main body and detects acceleration of the main body;
a position calculation unit that calculates the position of the main body;
Furthermore,
The abnormality determination unit determines that the main body is moving at a speed equal to or higher than a first threshold based on a change in the position of the main body calculated by the position calculation unit, and that the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor is detected. The audio output device according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that the abnormality has occurred when the value is greater than or equal to a second threshold. an amplifier that controls the volume when the audio output section outputs audio;
When the switching control unit controls the switching unit to switch the audio output from the audio output unit from the listening audio to the warning sound, and the audio output unit outputs the warning sound. a volume control section that controls the amplifier to increase the volume of the amplifier;
The audio output device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: The audio output device according to claim 4, wherein the volume control section controls the amplifier to adjust the volume of the warning sound to a maximum.

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