JP6119203B2 - Sound collecting device, sound collecting method and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sound collection device having a mute function that does not output collected sound.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, some sound collection devices used for audio conference devices and the like have a mute function so as not to transmit unnecessary audio to the other party.

  As a mute function of such a sound pickup device, for example, the microphone device of Patent Document 1 is normally in a mute-on state, and when an operation input by a push button switch is accepted in the mute-on state, the microphone device is controlled to be in a mute-off state. To do. And the microphone apparatus of patent document 1 will control to a mute-on state, if the operation input by a pushbutton switch is received in a mute-off state. When the microphone device described in Patent Document 1 transitions from the mute-on state to the mute-off state, the microphone device is put into the mute-off state after a predetermined time from the operation input of the push button switch. When the microphone device described in Patent Document 1 transitions from the mute-off state to the mute-on state, the microphone device is set to the mute-on state at the operation input timing of the push button switch.

  Also, in the muting method described in Patent Document 2, when a mute-on control input is received, the input audio signal is attenuated, the zero cross point of the attenuated incoming audio signal is detected, and mute is performed based on the zero cross point. Start on control.

JP-A-10-304487 JP 59-211132 A

  However, in the mute method of the microphone device described in Patent Document 1, there is a push button when there is a delay in the signal transmission path from the collected sound signal of the microphone to the mute switch for performing mute, or depending on the operation speed of the mute switch. It is impossible to reliably mute the operation sound signal included in the collected sound signal that is collected by collecting the operation sound generated during the operation of the microphone.

  Further, in the mute method of Patent Document 2, the attenuation process of the input audio signal (sound pickup signal) and the zero cross detection must be performed, and the mute process becomes complicated, and the mute process circuits and resources are large. It gets bigger. Further, since the mute is not on when the operation sound signal is generated, the operation sound signal cannot be muted.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a sound collection device that can reliably mute an operation sound both at the time of transition from mute off to mute on and at the time of transition from mute on to mute off.

  The sound collection device of the present invention includes a delay circuit, a mute switch, an operation input unit, and a mute control unit. The delay circuit delays the collected sound signal generated by the microphone and outputs a delayed sound signal. The mute switch is connected to the subsequent stage of the delay circuit and switches between a mute off state in which a delayed audio signal is output and a mute on state in which no delayed audio signal is output. The operation input unit receives a mute operation input. The mute control unit controls the mute switch based on the operation input result. When the mute control unit detects an operation input to the operation input unit in the mute on state, the mute control unit switches the mute switch from the mute on state to the mute off state. When the mute control unit detects an operation input to the operation input unit in the mute off state, the mute control unit switches the mute switch from the mute off state to the mute on state. When switching from the mute off state to the mute on state, the mute control unit performs switching control at the start timing of the operation input. When switching from the mute on state to the mute off state, the mute control unit performs switching control at a timing delayed from the operation input end timing by a time longer than the delay time by the delay circuit.

  In this configuration, when the mute-off state is switched to the mute-on state, the mute-on state has already been reached when the operation sound reaches the mute switch. Further, when switching from the mute-on state to the mute-off state, the mute-off state is entered after the operation sound reaches the mute switch and there is no operation sound. As a result, no operation sound is output.

  Further, the mute control unit of the sound collecting device according to the present invention performs switching control by adding the time for the operation sound generated when operating the operation input unit to reach the mute switch and the time length of the operation sound to the delay time.

  In this configuration, the switching time from the mute-on state to the mute-off state can be shortened as much as possible.

  Further, the microphone and the operation input unit of the sound collecting device of the present invention are mounted in a single casing.

  In this configuration, the configuration of the sound collection device of the present invention is more effective. When a microphone and an operation input unit are mounted on a single housing, the operation sound is reliably picked up by the microphone unless a silencer structure is provided separately. However, by using the configuration of this embodiment, the operation sound can be collected. Is not output even if sound is picked up by the microphone.

  In addition, the sound collection device of the present invention includes a display unit that displays a mute-on state according to mute control.

  In this configuration, even when the operator does not touch the operation input unit in the mute on state, it can be surely recognized that the mute is on.

  Further, the delay circuit of the sound collection device of the present invention is a circuit that executes an unnecessary component suppression process on the sound collection signal.

  In this configuration, for example, when an echo canceling function or a howling canceling function is provided, these are also used as a delay circuit. As a result, the collected sound signal can be delayed without providing a separate delay circuit.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably mute the operation sound signal at any time of transition from mute-off to mute-on and at the time of transition from mute-on to mute-off.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a sound collection device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a state transition and a waveform diagram for explaining the mute control concept of the sound collection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an external perspective view of a sound collection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the mute control of the sound collection device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the sound collection device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  A sound collection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a sound collection device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a state transition and waveform diagram for explaining the mute control concept of the sound collection device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The sound collection device 10 includes a microphone MIC, an operation input unit 11, a mute control unit 12, a delay circuit 13, and a mute switch 14.

  The microphone MIC collects ambient sounds, generates a collected sound signal Sm, and outputs it to the delay circuit 13.

  The delay circuit 13 outputs a delayed audio signal Smd obtained by delaying the collected sound signal Sm for a predetermined time to the mute switch 14. The delay time of the delay circuit 13 is set in advance, and is determined based on the time from when the mute controller 12 detects the operation input start timing of the operation input unit 11 until the mute switch 14 is controlled to be in the mute on state. ing.

  More specifically, the delay time of the delay circuit 13 is set longer than the time from when the mute control unit 12 detects the operation input start timing of the operation input unit 11 until the mute switch 14 is controlled to be in the mute on state. Has been. Furthermore, the delay time by the delay circuit 13 is preferably set as short as possible under such conditions.

  The mute switch 14 is opened or short-circuited according to the mute control from the mute control unit 12. Specifically, when the mute control is performed by the mute controller 12, the mute switch 14 is opened. As a result, the delayed audio signal Smd is not output. Further, when the mute control unit 12 performs the mute off control, the mute switch 14 is short-circuited. Thereby, the delayed audio signal Smd is output.

  The operation input unit 11 is a switch configured by, for example, a touch panel. The operation input unit 11 outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation input state to the mute control unit 12. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the operation input unit 11 outputs an operation signal that is in a Hi state during a period in which the operator is pushing in and is in a Low state in a period in which no push is performed (a push-release period). Output.

  The mute control unit 12 stores mute control information. The mute control information is information indicating whether mute on control is being performed or mute off control is being performed.

  The mute control unit 12 performs mute control on the mute switch 14 based on the operation input signal and the mute control information when the operation input signal is received.

<Transition from mute off state to mute on state>
Specifically, when the mute control unit 12 receives an operation input signal while the mute off control is being performed, the mute control unit 12 performs mute on control on the mute switch 14. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the mute controller 12 detects the timing at which the operation input signal transitions from the Low state to the Hi state. In other words, the mute controller 12 detects the operation input start timing. The mute controller 12 performs mute on control in synchronization with the operation input start timing.

  By performing such processing, as shown in FIG. 2, the mute-on state is entered from the timing when the operation input is started, that is, the operation sound is generated by operating (pushing in) the operation input unit 11. . The operation sound is collected by the microphone MIC and becomes a component of the sound collection signal Sm. The timing at which the operation sound component is input to the delay circuit 13 is substantially the same as the timing at which the operation input is started. Therefore, in the delayed audio signal Smd, the operation sound component is delayed by the delay time by the delay circuit 13 from the operation input start timing. Therefore, at the timing when the operation sound component reaches the mute switch 14, the mute-on state is surely established.

<Continue mute on>
When the mute-on control is started, the mute controller 12 continues the mute-on control even if the operation input signal transitions from the Hi state to the Low state. Therefore, the timing at which the operation sound is generated by operating the operation input unit 11 (releasing the push-in) is in the mute-on state.

<Transition from mute-on state to mute-off state>
When the mute control unit 12 receives an operation input while the mute on control is being performed, the mute control unit 12 performs mute off control on the mute switch 14. At this time, the mute controller 12 detects the timing at which the operation input signal transitions from the Low state to the Hi state and then transitions from the Hi state to the Low state. In other words, the mute controller 12 detects the end timing of the operation input.

  The mute controller 12 performs mute off control after further delaying the predetermined time Tdly from the operation input end timing. This predetermined time Tdly is set to be longer than the time during which the operation sound generated at the time of operation input is picked up by the microphone MIC and propagated to the mute switch 14 via the delay circuit 13.

  By performing such processing, as shown in FIG. 2, at the timing when the operation input for mute off is started, that is, when the operation sound is generated by operating (pushing in) the operation input unit 11. The mute is still on. The mute-on state is also reached at the timing when the operation sound component reaches the mute switch 14.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, since the mute off control is delayed by the delay time corresponding to the predetermined time Tdly by the mute control unit 12 from the timing when the operation input ends, the operation sound generated at the operation input end timing is The mute-on state is also reached at the timing when the mute switch 14 is reached.

  Therefore, as shown in the output signal Sout in FIG. 2, the operation sound component is muted and is not output.

  As described above, by performing the configuration and processing of the present embodiment, it is possible to reliably prevent the operation sound for the mute control from being output.

  The sound collecting device having such a configuration works more effectively in the case of the structure shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the sound collection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the sound collection device 10 includes a housing 100 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. On the top surface 101 of the housing 100, an operation surface of the operation input unit 11 including a touch panel switch is disposed. A microphone MIC is disposed on the side surface 102 of the housing 100.

  In the sound collecting device 10 having such a structure, the operation input unit 11 and the microphone MIC are mounted on the single casing 100, and therefore the operation sound of the operation input unit 11 is not only in the external space but also in the casing 100. To the microphone MIC. Therefore, the operation sound is easily collected by the microphone MIC. However, by using the configuration and processing of this embodiment, the operation sound is muted and is not output.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which each unit of the sound collection device 10 is an independent function unit has been described. However, the same operation can be achieved by storing the following processing in a programmed manner, reading out, and executing the program. An effect can be obtained. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the mute control of the sound collection device according to the embodiment of the present invention. In addition, since the details of the processing are described above, detailed description thereof will be omitted below. The following flow is a flowchart that starts from the mute-off state.

  The sound collection device 10 delays the sound collection signal Sm from the microphone MIC to generate a delayed sound signal Smd. This process is continuously executed separately from the following processes.

  When the sound collection device 10 detects the mute-off state (S101) and receives an operation input (S102: Yes), the sound collection device 10 performs mute-on control at the operation input start timing (S103). Note that the mute-off state is continued while no operation input is accepted (S102: No).

  When the sound collection device 10 detects an mute-off state (S104) and accepts an operation input (S105: YES), the sound collection device 10 starts timing at the operation input end timing (S106). Note that the mute-on state is continued while no operation input is accepted (S105: No).

  The sound collection device 10 continues to measure time during a period in which the time measurement has not reached the predetermined time Tdly (S107: No).

  When the sound collection device 10 detects that the measured time has reached the predetermined time Tdly (S107: Yes), the sound collection device 10 performs mute-off control (S108).

  By realizing such processing, it is possible to reliably prevent the operation sound for mute control from being output as described above.

  Next, a sound collecting apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a sound collecting apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  The sound collection device 10A of this embodiment is obtained by adding a display unit 15 to the sound collection device 10 shown in the first embodiment, and other configurations are the sound collection devices shown in the first embodiment. Same as device 10. Therefore, only different points from the sound collection device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described.

  The display unit 15 also functions as a backlight of a touch panel switch that constitutes the operation input unit 11 described above, and is, for example, LED illumination. A mute control signal for the mute controller 12 to control the mute switch 14 is input to the display unit 15. When a mute control signal for mute on control is input, the display unit 15 emits light indicating a mute on state. For example, a light emission state with high luminance is obtained. When a mute control signal for mute off control is input, the display unit 15 emits light indicating a mute off state. For example, a light emission state with low luminance or a light emission stop state is entered.

  In this way, by performing light emission indicating the mute-on state, it is possible to reliably recognize that the mute-on state is established even if the operator does not keep the finger or hand in contact with the operation surface of the sound collection device 10. Can do. On the contrary, it is possible to make sure that the mute is off or to be surely recognized.

  Note that the display unit 15 may be provided separately from the backlight of the operation input unit 11 in another position of the housing 100.

  In the above-described embodiment, there is one microphone MIC, but there may be a plurality of microphones. In this case, a mode in which a combined sound pickup signal obtained by combining sound pickup signals of a plurality of microphones MIC is output to the delay circuit 13 may be used. Furthermore, this combining unit may be replaced with the delay circuit 13. In this way, by combining the delay circuit 13 in the synthesis unit, it is not necessary to provide the delay circuit 13 separately, and it is possible to reduce the size of the sound collection device and reduce resources.

  In the above-described embodiment, the predetermined time Tdly is set to be longer than the time during which the operation sound generated at the time of operation input is picked up by the microphone MIC and propagated to the mute switch 14 via the delay circuit 13. . However, more preferably, a value obtained by adding the time during which the operation sound is propagated to the mute switch 14 through such a propagation path and the operation time error of each unit may be set. Thereby, the delay from when the collected sound signal Sm is collected until it is output can be made as short as possible. That is, it is possible to output the collected audio signal in a state as close to real time as possible without outputting the operation sound.

  In the above-described embodiment, a specific method for detecting an operation input is not described. For example, when a threshold is set for the push-in amount and it is detected that the push-in amount exceeds the threshold, the operation input is detected. What is necessary is just to detect completion | finish of operation input, when the start is detected and it detects that the pushing amount becomes below a threshold value. In this case, it is also conceivable that the push amount is close to a predetermined threshold value. Assuming such a case, the start of the operation input and the end of the operation input may be detected from the average value of the pushing amount over a predetermined time length. In the case of a physical switch, an operation input may be detected simply by physical continuity and opening of the switch.

  In the above-described embodiment, the delay circuit 13 is a mere delay circuit, but may be replaced with a circuit that performs processing for suppressing unnecessary components on the collected sound signal, such as an echo cancellation circuit or a howling cancellation circuit. . In such an echo cancellation circuit or howling cancellation circuit, a delay occurs in processing, and the delay may be used.

10, 10A: sound collection device,
11: Operation input unit,
12: Mute control unit,
13: delay circuit,
14: Mute switch
15: display unit,
100: housing,
101: Heaven
102: side,
MIC: Microphone

Claims (8)

A delay circuit that delays the collected sound signal generated by the microphone and outputs a delayed sound signal;
A mute switch connected to a subsequent stage of the delay circuit and switching between a mute off state for outputting the delayed audio signal and a mute on state for not outputting the delayed audio signal;
An operation input unit for receiving mute operation input;
A mute control unit for controlling the mute switch based on an operation input result,
The mute controller
When an operation input to the operation input unit is detected in the mute on state, the mute switch is switched from the mute on state to the mute off state,
When an operation input to the operation input unit is detected in the mute off state, the mute switch is switched from the mute off state to the mute on state.
When switching from the mute-off state to the mute-on state, the switching control is performed at the start timing of the operation input,
When switching from the mute-on state to the mute-off state, switching control is performed at a timing delayed from the end timing of the operation input by a time longer than the delay time by the delay circuit.
A sound collecting device characterized by that. The mute controller
The time for the operation sound generated when operating the operation input unit to reach the mute switch and the time length of the operation sound are added to the delay time to perform switching control.
The sound collection device according to claim 1.   The sound collection device according to claim 1, wherein the microphone and the operation input unit are attached to a single housing.   The sound collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a display unit that displays a mute-on state in accordance with the mute control.   5. The sound collection device according to claim 1, wherein the delay circuit is a circuit that performs processing for suppressing an unnecessary component on the sound collection signal.   The operation input unit accepts a pressing operation from a user,
  Receiving an operation input when it is detected that the pushing amount of the pushing operation is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold;
  The sound collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.   Delay processing that delays the collected sound signal generated by the microphone and outputs a delayed audio signal;
  A mute process that is executed after the delay process and switches between a mute off state that outputs the delayed audio signal and a mute on state that does not output the delayed audio signal;
  Operation input processing that accepts mute operation input,
  And a mute control process for controlling the mute process based on an operation input result,
  The mute control process includes
  When an operation input is detected in the operation input process in the mute on state, the mute process is switched from the mute on state to the mute off state,
  When an operation input is detected in the operation input process in the mute off state, the mute process is switched from the mute off state to the mute on state.
  When switching from the mute-off state to the mute-on state, the switching control is performed at the start timing of the operation input,
  When switching from the mute-on state to the mute-off state, switching control is performed at a timing delayed from the operation input end timing by a time longer than the delay time by the delay processing.
  A sound collecting method characterized by that.   A delay circuit that delays the collected sound signal generated by the microphone and outputs a delayed sound signal;
  A mute switch connected to a subsequent stage of the delay circuit and switching between a mute off state for outputting the delayed audio signal and a mute on state for not outputting the delayed audio signal;
  An operation input unit for receiving mute operation input;
  A mute control unit that controls the mute switch based on an operation input result, and a program that is executed by a sound collection device,
  In the mute control unit,
  When an operation input to the operation input unit is detected in the mute on state, the mute switch is switched from the mute on state to the mute off state,
  When an operation input to the operation input unit is detected in the mute off state, the mute switch is switched from the mute off state to the mute on state.
  When switching from the mute-off state to the mute-on state, the switching control is performed at the start timing of the operation input,
  When switching from the mute-on state to the mute-off state, switching control is performed at a timing delayed from the end timing of the operation input by a time longer than the delay time by the delay circuit.
  A program characterized by causing processing to be executed.

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