JP3572010B2 - Audio playback device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an audio reproducing apparatus that simultaneously reproduces a plurality of audio signals recorded on an information recording medium or the like and outputs the plurality of audio signals from different output terminals.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art There is known an audio reproducing apparatus capable of reproducing a plurality of audio signals corresponding to a plurality of channels. For example, there has been known an audio reproducing apparatus that outputs five audio signals corresponding to five channels from five speakers arranged at different positions to reproduce a realistic three-dimensional sound.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the above-described conventional audio reproducing apparatus has the following problems.
[0004]
The user could not know from which channel the sound was output, and from which channel the sound was not output. For example, even if a plurality of audio signals corresponding to five speakers are reproduced, if five speakers are not actually connected, sound from a certain direction is missing.
[0005]
An object of the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a sound reproducing apparatus capable of recognizing various information related to output sound.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, an audio reproducing device according to the present invention is configured as follows.
[0007]
An audio reproducing device of the present invention includes: an audio reproducing unit that reproduces a plurality of audio signals simultaneously; an audio output unit that has a plurality of output units that separately output a plurality of audio signals reproduced by the audio reproducing unit; Connection state detection means for detecting a connection state between the plurality of output units in the sound output means and a plurality of speakers to be connected corresponding to the plurality of output units; and the plurality of connection sections detected by the connection state detection means And an information output means for generating and outputting information indicating a connection state between a plurality of output units and speakers to be connected to the plurality of output units.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The audio reproducing apparatus according to the present invention guides the user in the direction of output audio by displaying the arrangement information and audio level of a sound source (speaker) when a plurality of audio signals are simultaneously reproduced. is there.
[0009]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0010]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an audio reproducing device according to an example of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the audio reproducing apparatus of the present invention has a plurality of audio output terminals 1 to 6 as audio output means. Further, the audio reproducing apparatus of the present invention includes a video output terminal 7 as a video output unit, a reading device 8 as an audio reproducing unit and a video reproducing unit, a buffer 9, an audio signal decoding unit 10 as an audio reproducing unit, A video signal decoder 11 as means, an audio level / sound direction detector 12 as various detecting means, a display signal generator 13 as generating means, a speaker detector 14 as connection state detecting means, and the like are provided. .
[0011]
The audio reproducing apparatus described above reproduces, for example, an information recording medium on which an audio signal and a video signal are recorded. In this embodiment, a case of reproducing an information recording medium on which an encoded audio signal and a video signal are recorded will be described for easy understanding. Further, it is assumed that the audio signals recorded on the information recording medium are a plurality of audio signals corresponding to a plurality of channels.
[0012]
First, the reading device 8 reads the encoded audio signal and video signal from the information recording medium. The audio signal and the video signal read by the reading device 8 are temporarily stored in the buffer 9.
[0013]
Only the audio signal of the audio signal and the video signal stored in the buffer 9 is provided to the audio signal decoding unit 10. The audio signal decoding unit 10 decodes an audio signal. The audio signal decoded by the audio signal decoding unit 10, that is, a plurality of audio signals corresponding to a plurality of channels, is provided to the audio output terminals 1 to 6 and the audio level / audio direction detector 12. The audio signals provided to the audio output terminals 1 to 6 are output via speakers connected to each terminal.
[0014]
The video signal of the audio signal and the video signal stored in the buffer 9 is provided to the video signal decoding unit 11. The video signal decoding unit 11 decodes a video signal. The video signal decoded by the video signal decoding unit 11 is provided to the video output terminal 7. The video signal provided to the video output terminal 7 is output to a display connected to the video output terminal 7.
[0015]
The speaker detector 14 detects a connection state between the audio output terminals 1 to 6 and the speakers to be connected corresponding to the audio output terminals 1 to 6. That is, it is detected which terminal is connected to the speaker and which terminal is not connected to the speaker. The speaker detector 14 detects a connection state of the speaker by monitoring a change in impedance, for example. The audio level / audio direction detector 12 detects levels of a plurality of audio signals corresponding to a plurality of channels. The arrangement positions of the speakers connected to the audio output terminals 1 to 6 are determined in advance, and it is assumed that the user arranges the speakers at the determined positions. As described above, in addition to the information on the terminal to which the speaker is connected and the terminal to which the speaker is not connected (sound source arrangement information), the information on the sound level of which speaker is output from which speaker (Voice level information) is also detected. The display signal generator 13 generates a video signal such that the sound source arrangement and the sound level are visually recognized based on the sound source arrangement information and the sound level information. The video signal generated by the display signal generator 13 is added to the video signal decoded by the video signal decoding unit 11 and output from the video output terminal 7 to the display. As a result, for example, a screen as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed.
[0016]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen display example when playing five audio signals corresponding to five channels. The five audio signals corresponding to the five channels are provided to five output terminals, and five speakers (L (left), C (center), R (right), Ls (left surround), Rs (right surround) ). For example, the upper left of the screen is an L (left) channel, the upper center of the screen is a C (center) channel, the upper right of the screen is an R (right) channel, the lower left of the screen is an Ls (left surround) channel, and the lower right of the screen is an Rs (right surround) channel. Is defined. Here, for example, it is assumed that the speakers corresponding to Ls and Rs are not connected. In this case, a state in which the speakers corresponding to Ls and Rs are not connected is displayed on the screen in response to the disconnection. In addition, the sound level output from each speaker (including unconnected speakers) is also displayed so as to be easily recognized visually. By displaying the screen as shown in FIG. 2, the number of channels corresponding to the currently reproduced sound, the level of the sound output from which speaker, and It is possible to notify whether the speaker is insufficient (not connected). That is, the viewer can visually recognize the sound source arrangement and the sound level corresponding to each sound source.
[0017]
Subsequently, another example will be described. The audio level / audio direction detector 12 detects a plurality of audio levels corresponding to a plurality of channels and also detects an audio direction. As described above, the arrangement positions of the speakers connected to the audio output terminals 1 to 6 are determined in advance, and it is assumed that the user arranges the speakers at the determined positions. As described above, in addition to the information on the terminal to which the speaker is connected and the terminal to which the speaker is not connected (sound source arrangement information), the information on the sound level of which speaker is output from which speaker (Voice level information) is also detected. The direction of the sound is determined from the sound source arrangement information and the sound level information. The display signal generator 13 generates a video signal such that the direction of the audio is visually recognized based on the determination result of the direction of the audio. The video signal generated by the display signal generator 13 is added to the video signal decoded by the video signal decoding unit 11 and output from the video output terminal 7 to the display. As a result, for example, a screen as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed.
[0018]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen display of voice directionality. For example, the upper left of the screen is an L (left) channel, the upper center of the screen is a C (center) channel, the upper right of the screen is an R (right) channel, the lower left of the screen is an Ls (left surround) channel, and the lower right of the screen is an Rs (right surround) channel. Is defined. Here, when the sound level of the L channel is high and the sound levels of the other channels are infinitely close to 0, the sound direction is from the L channel. By judging the direction in this way and displaying a lower right arrow or the like on the screen, the viewer can visually recognize the direction of the sound.
[0019]
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be variously modified in an implementation stage without departing from the spirit of the invention. In addition, the embodiments may be implemented in appropriate combinations as much as possible. Further, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriate combinations of a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some components are deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment, the problem described in the column of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effects described in the column of the effect of the invention can be solved. Is obtained, a configuration from which this configuration requirement is deleted can be extracted as an invention.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sound reproducing device capable of recognizing various information related to output sound.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an audio reproducing device according to an example of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen on which information on output audio (sound source arrangement information and audio level information) is displayed.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a screen on which information on output audio (information on directionality of audio) is displayed.
[Explanation of symbols]
1-6 audio output terminal 7 video output terminal 8 reading device 9 buffer 10 audio signal decoding unit 11 video signal decoding unit 12 audio direction detector 13 display signal generator 14 speaker detector

Claims (2)

  Audio reproduction means for simultaneously reproducing a plurality of audio signals;
  Audio level detection means for detecting the level of a plurality of audio signals reproduced by the audio reproduction means,
  Sound output means having a plurality of output units for separately outputting a plurality of sound signals reproduced by the sound reproduction means,
  Connection state detection means for detecting a connection state between the plurality of output units in the audio output means and a plurality of speakers to be connected corresponding to the plurality of output units,
  An information signal indicating the level of the plurality of audio signals detected by the audio level detection means, the plurality of output units detected by the connection state detection means, and a speaker to be connected corresponding to the plurality of output units; Information generating means for generating an information signal indicating a connection state with
  Video playback means for playing back a video signal;
  Video output means for adding and outputting the information signal generated by the information generation means to the video signal reproduced by the video reproduction means,
  An audio playback device comprising:   Audio reproduction means for simultaneously reproducing a plurality of audio signals;
  Audio level detection means for detecting the level of a plurality of audio signals reproduced by the audio reproduction means,
  Sound output means having a plurality of output units for separately outputting a plurality of sound signals reproduced by the sound reproduction means,
  Connection state detection means for detecting a connection state between the plurality of output units in the audio output means and a plurality of speakers to be connected corresponding to the plurality of output units,
  The levels of the plurality of audio signals detected by the audio level detection means, and the connection state between the plurality of output units detected by the connection state detection means and the speakers to be connected corresponding to the plurality of output units Information generating means for determining the directionality of the voice based on the sound source arrangement information predicted from and generating an information signal indicating the determination result;
  Video playback means for playing back a video signal;
  Video output means for adding and outputting the information signal generated by the information generation means to the video signal reproduced by the video reproduction means,
  An audio playback device comprising:

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