JP2727895B2 - Level display device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a level display device for displaying a level such as a volume level, which is used in electronic equipment such as an on-vehicle acoustic device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 1 schematically shows a vehicle-mounted acoustic device using a level display device. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an audio source such as a cassette deck, a compact disk (CD) player, or a radio receiver, and 2 denotes an electronic volume for adjusting the output signal level of the audio source 1. 6 to 0dB
The level can be changed in four steps. Reference numeral 3 denotes an amplifier, and 4 denotes a speaker. 5 is an up / down key for increasing / decreasing a volume level, 6
Is a display device for displaying the level of the electronic volume 2, and the display device 6 has, for example, seven light-emitting segments 7
Are arranged on a straight line, and the volume level is displayed as a bar by lighting the number of light-emitting segments 7 corresponding to the volume level. Reference numeral 8 denotes an electronic volume 2 according to a key input from the up / down key 5.
And a control circuit for supplying a display control signal to the display device 6, and the control circuit 8 is composed of a microcomputer or the like.

In FIG. 1, the volume level of the electronic volume 2 is changed by operating an up / down key 5 and the volume level is displayed on a display device 6.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional level display device, the electronic volume 2 changes in 64 steps, whereas the display device for level display has only seven light-emitting segments 7. Therefore, only seven levels can be displayed by the light emitting segment 7. For this reason, the lighting number of the light-emitting segments increases or decreases by one only after the electronic volume 2 changes by a predetermined number of steps, and the level display by the display device 6 is unclear.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a level display device capable of displaying a level change every time an up-down key is operated.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a level changing means for changing a set level of an electronic volume in response to an operation of an up key and a down key, and setting the set level to a predetermined level. First display control means for increasing or decreasing the number of light emission of the light emitting segment when reaching,
A second display control means for causing a predetermined light emitting segment of the plurality of light emitting segments to emit light for a short time or to be turned off for a short time when the set level does not reach the predetermined level due to the operation of the up key and the down key. It is characterized by the following.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the set level does not reach the predetermined level due to the operation of the up key, the light-emitting segment immediately above the currently-lighted highest-order light-emitting segment is lighted for a short time. When the set level does not reach the predetermined level due to the operation of the down key, a second display control means is provided for turning off the light emitting segment at the highest level of the currently lit light emitting segment for a short time. Things.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the set level reaches a predetermined level as a result of operating the up key and the down key, the number of light emission of the light emitting segment is controlled by the first display control means. Is increased or decreased by one. On the other hand, when the set level does not reach the predetermined level as a result of operating the up key and the down key, the predetermined light emitting segment is turned on or off for a short time by the second display control means. The display changes in response to the operation of the key, and the level change can be visually observed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the up key is operated, the uppermost one light emitting segment of the light emitting segment that is currently lit is lighted for a short time, so that the level changes in the up direction. By operating the down key, the highest light-emitting segment of the currently-lit light-emitting segment is turned off for a short time, so that the level changes in the down direction.

[0010]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention.
It will be explained together. FIG. 2 shows a processing flow in the microcomputer constituting the control circuit 8 shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, up-down key 5 is used in step 1
It is determined whether the up key or the down key has been operated. If it is determined in step 1 that the up key has been operated, it is determined in step 2 whether the set level has reached a predetermined level and the display is increased by one step (the number of lights of the light emitting element 7 is increased by one). If it is determined that the level is not the level for raising the display by one step, step 3
, The uppermost light emitting segment 7 currently displaying the level
The light-emitting segment one above is turned on for a short time and then turned off. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the up key is operated in a state where the four light-emitting segments 7 from the left among the seven light-emitting segments 7 are lit and the level is displayed, the fifth light-emission from the left is performed. The segment 7 is turned off after being turned on for a short time. If it is determined in step 2 that the set level has reached the level for increasing the display by one step, step 4
To turn on the light-emitting segment immediately above the uppermost light-emitting segment 7 that is emitting light. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the up key is operated from the state where the four light-emitting segments are currently lit, and it is determined in step 2 that the display has reached the level to increase the display one step, the fifth from the left is determined. The light-emitting segment 7 is turned on to increase the display by one step. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 1 that the down key has been operated, it is determined in step 5 whether or not the display has reached the level of lowering the display by one step, and if it is determined that the display has reached the level of lowering the display by one step. In step 6, the highest light emitting segment of the light emitting segment 7 which is currently emitting light is turned off. If it is determined in step S5 that the display is not at the level of lowering the display by one step, in step S7, the uppermost light-emitting segment of the currently-emitting light-emitting segment is turned off for a short time and then turned on.

FIG. 3 shows a display state in a case where the electronic volume changes by 10 steps and there are only four light-emitting segments. As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, if the display does not reach the level at which the display is increased or decreased by one step as a result of operating the up / down key, one of the uppermost light-emitting segments during light-emission is shortened. To turn on the light for a short time (at the time of operating the up key) or to turn off the light emitting segment at the highest level for a short time (at the time of operating the down key),
The level change can be displayed for each operation of the up key and the down key.

[0012]

The present invention has the above-described structure, and has an advantage that a level change can be displayed each time an up key or a down key is operated with a small number of display segments. Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to display whether the level change is in the up direction or the down direction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a level display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of level display control in the device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display state in the device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Audio source 2 Electronic volume 3 Amplifier 4 Speaker 5 Up / down key 6 Display device 7 Light emitting segment 8 Control circuit

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-64-11299 (JP, A) JP-A-62-14694 (JP, A) JP-A-60-203990 (JP, A) JP-A-59-200294 (JP, A) , A) Japanese Utility Model Showa 61-140614 (JP, U)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A level changing means for changing a set level of an electronic volume in response to an operation of an up key and a down key, and a first means for increasing or decreasing the number of light emission of a light emitting segment when the set level reaches a predetermined level. Display control means,
A second display control means for causing a predetermined light-emitting segment of the plurality of light-emitting segments to emit light for a short time or to be turned off for a short time when the set level does not reach the predetermined level by operating the up key or the down key. Level display device. 2. If the set level does not reach a predetermined level by operating the up key, the light emitting segment on the top of the currently lit light emitting segment is lighted for a short time, and the setting is performed by operating the down key. 2. The level display device according to claim 1, further comprising a second display control means for turning off the highest-order light-emitting segment of the currently-lit light-emitting segment for a short time when the level does not reach the predetermined level.