JP6263855B2 - headphone - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a headphone capable of connecting a plurality in series or in a ring shape.

  Recently, portable audio players (hereinafter simply referred to as audio players) that reproduce audio data have become widespread. The audio player includes an audio output terminal such as a stereo mini jack, and the user listens to music by connecting headphones to the audio output terminal.

  By the way, a user may want to enjoy music of an audio player together with a friend. In order to realize this, conventionally, the following headphones have been proposed.

  Patent Document 1 describes a headphone in which a cable connected to an audio plug is branched halfway and a headset is connected to each cable. By connecting the audio plug to the audio player and wearing two headsets by different people, two people can listen to the music of the audio player.

  Patent Document 2 describes a headphone having audio jacks on left and right housings. By connecting a plurality of headphones in series with one headphone connected to the audio player as one end, the music of the audio player is output from each headphone, and a plurality of users can listen to the music simultaneously.

Registered Utility Model No. 3106627

Japanese Utility Model Publication No.59-104687

  However, with the headphones described in Patent Document 1, the number of audio players that can be connected simultaneously is limited to one. That is, only an audio player possessed by one of the two users can be connected. When listening to music from another user's audio player, it is necessary to reconnect the headphones to the other audio player, which is troublesome. Also, the number of people who can listen to music at the same time is limited to two.

  When a plurality of headphones described in Patent Document 2 are connected in series, the audio player needs to be connected to one of the headphones at both ends. For this reason, in order to sequentially reproduce audio players owned by a plurality of users, it is necessary to sequentially reconnect the plurality of audio players to the headphones at the end, which is troublesome.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a headphone in which a plurality of users can listen to the same music at the same time and can easily connect a sound source.

The headphones of the present invention include a plurality of input terminals to which audio signals are input, and an input selection unit that selects any one of the plurality of input terminals and outputs only the audio signals input from the input terminals. And a speaker that emits an audio signal input from an input terminal selected by the input selection unit, and an output terminal that outputs an audio signal input from the input terminal selected by the input selection unit.

  In this configuration, it is possible to connect different sound sources to the plurality of input terminals of the headphones. A plurality of headphones can be connected in a loop with an audio cable. Thereby, a plurality of people can listen to the same sound at the same time, and a plurality of sound sources can be switched in order and reproduced without changing the input plug of the audio signal to another sound source.

  Further, when the signal lines are connected in a loop, the audio signal may loop and echo. In this headphone, since the input selection unit is provided, when a plurality of headphones are connected in a loop shape and a plurality of people listen to the same sound at the same time, the headphone in which the source audio signal is selected is different from other headphones. The audio signal does not loop because the input audio signal is not selected.

  The headphones may further include a microphone. In this case, when the audio signal picked up by the microphone is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, the input selection unit selects the audio signal picked up by the microphone instead of the audio signal input from the input terminal.

  In this configuration, the sound collected by the microphone is output from the output terminal. For this reason, when a plurality of headphones are connected in a loop with an audio cable, it is possible to convey a user's remarks, singing, playing a musical instrument, etc. to all users.

  According to the present invention, a plurality of people can listen to the same sound at the same time, and a plurality of sound sources can be switched in order and reproduced without changing the input plug of the audio signal to another sound source. Become.

1 is an external perspective view of a headphone according to an embodiment of the present invention. External view of the headphones (bottom view) as seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. External view (top view) of the headphones as seen from the direction of arrow B in FIG. The figure which shows the circuit constitution of the headphones The figure which shows the usage pattern which connected the plural headphones in the loop form The figure which shows the other circuit structure of headphones. The bottom view of the headphones of FIG. The figure which shows the usage condition which connected the headphones which concern on other embodiment of this invention in loop shape. The figure which shows the circuit structure of the said headphones.

  Hereinafter, headphones according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This headphone includes a plurality of input terminals and one output terminal. Source devices such as an audio player and other headphones are connected to the plurality (two in this embodiment) of input terminals. The headphones (built-in speakers) emit any one of audio signals input from a plurality of input terminals. The same audio signal as the audio signal emitted from the built-in speaker is output from one output terminal.

  A plurality of headphones having this configuration can be connected in a loop by connecting one input terminal (second input terminal) to the output terminal of another headphone using an audio cable. In this case, since each headphone has a plurality of input terminals, each user can connect a source device owned by each user to an available input terminal (first input terminal) of the headphone on which the user is wearing. By reproducing the audio signal with the source device connected to one of the headphones, a plurality of users can share the audio signal at the same time.

  Each user can connect his / her source device to the first input terminal of his / her headphone, so even when each user operates (plays) his / her source device in order, There is no need to perform troublesome work such as switching the connection of devices.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the headphones according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 2 is an external view (bottom view) of the headphones as viewed from the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an external view (top view) of the headphones viewed from the direction of arrow B shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the inside of the headphones.

  The headphone 1 has a structure in which left and right housings 10 and 20 are connected to both ends of a band 30 via arms 15 and 25, respectively. The band 30 is made of an elastic band-shaped resin or metal curved in a semicircular shape, connects the left and right housings 10 and 20, and is locked to the head when the user wears the headphones 1. . A cable 40 is wired inside the band 30.

  The left and right housings 10 and 20 have a cylindrical shape having bottom surfaces on the inner side (semicircular) and the outer side (semicircular) of the band 30, the outer bottom surface is sealed, and the inner bottom surface is open. Shape. Speakers 13 and 23 are provided inside the left and right housings 10 and 20 toward an opening surface (inner bottom surface), respectively. The left and right housings 10 and 20 are arranged so that the opening surfaces face each other. The speaker 13 emits L channel sound, and the speaker 23 emits R channel sound.

  At the lower part of the outer periphery of the left housing 10, input terminals 11 and 12 and a switch 17 for inputting audio signals are provided. An audio signal output terminal 21 is provided at the lower part of the outer periphery of the right housing 20. The input terminals 11 and 12 are, for example, stereo mini jacks. Source terminals such as an audio player and other headphones (output terminal 21 thereof) are connected to the input terminals 11 and 12 via an audio cable. In the following description, the input terminal 11 is a first input terminal to which a source device such as an audio player is connected, and the input terminal 12 is a second input terminal connected to the output terminal 21 of another headphone.

  The output terminal 21 is, for example, a stereo mini jack. The output terminal 21 is connected to another headphone (the input terminal 12) via an audio cable. The switch 17 selects one of the input terminals 11 and 12 as an input terminal connected to the speakers 13 and 23. Audio signals input from the input terminal 11/12 selected by the switch 17 are supplied to the speakers 13 and 23 and output from the output terminal 21. By connecting a plurality of headphones 1 in a loop, a plurality of users can share audio signals such as music.

  In FIG. 4, a switch 17 is a three-circuit selector switch. The left channel line (L), right channel line (R), and ground line (G) of the input terminal 11 are connected to one selection contact (A contact) of each of the three circuits 17L, 17R, and 17G of the switch 17. ing. The left channel line (L), right channel line (R), and ground line (G) of the input terminal 12 are respectively connected to the other selection contact (B contact) of the three circuits 17L, 17R, 17G of the switch 17. It is connected. The common contacts of the three circuits 17L, 17R, and 17G of the switch 17 are connected to the hot side terminal of the speaker 13, the hot side terminal of the speaker 23, and the cold side terminal of the speakers 13 and 23, respectively. The right channel speaker 23 and the output terminal 21 are connected to the switch 17 via a cable 40 embedded in the band 30. With the above configuration, either the input terminal 11 or the input terminal 12 is connected to the speakers 13 and 23 by switching the switch 17. In FIG. 4, the audio player 101 is connected to the input terminal 12.

  When the user alone listens to the music of the audio player 101 in the connection form of FIG. 4, the switch 17 is switched to the B contact side (second input terminal 12 side), and the audio player 101 is operated (played). Thereby, the audio signal reproduced by the audio player 101 is emitted from the speakers 13 and 23.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which three headphones 1 are connected in a loop. The three headphones 1 are referred to as headphones 1A, headphones 1B, and headphones 1C, respectively. These headphones 1A, 1B, and 1C are worn by users A, B, and C, and the users A, B, and C have audio players 101, 102, and 103, respectively. In the following description, when the components of the headphones 1A, 1B, and 1C are distinguished from each other, “A”, “B”, and “C” are added to the end of the component numbers.

  The input terminal 12A (second input terminal) of the headphone 1A is connected to the output terminal 21C of the headphone 1C via the cable 51. The input terminal 11 </ b> A (first input terminal) of the headphone 1 </ b> A is connected to the audio player 101 possessed by the user A via the cable 61. The input terminal 12B of the headphone 1B is connected to the output terminal 21A of the headphone 1A via the cable 52. The input terminal 11 </ b> B of the headphone 1 </ b> B is connected to the audio player 102 possessed by the user B via the cable 62. Furthermore, the input terminal 12 </ b> C of the headphone 1 </ b> C is connected to the output terminal 21 </ b> B of the headphone 1 </ b> B via the cable 53. The input terminal 11 </ b> C of the headphone 1 </ b> C is connected to the audio player 103 possessed by the user C via the cable 63. The switches 17A, B, C of the headphones 1A, 1B, 1C are switched to the B contact, that is, the second input terminal 12 side.

  When the audio signals reproduced by the audio player 101 possessed by the user A are listened together by the users A, B, and C, the switch 17 of the headphone 1A is switched to the A contact, that is, the first input terminal 11 side. The switches 17 of the other headphones 1B and 1C are still switched to the B contact side. By operating the audio player 101 with this setting, an audio signal reproduced by the audio player 101 is input to the headphones 1A from the input terminal 11A, drives the speakers 13A and 23A, and is output from the output terminal 21A. . The audio signal output from the output terminal 21A is input to the headphones 1B from the input terminal 12B, and drives the speakers 13B and 23B and is output from the output terminal 21B. Further, music output from the output terminal 21C is input to the headphones 1C from the input terminal 12C, and drives the speakers 13C and 23C. This audio signal is output from the output terminal 21C and input to the headphones 1A from the input terminal 12A. However, in the headphone 1A, since the switch 17A is switched to the input terminal 11A side, the audio signal that has been inputted around is not supplied to the speakers 13A and 23A and the output terminal 21A. As a result, the audio signal does not loop and echo can be prevented.

  The case where the audio signal is reproduced by the audio player 101 of the user A has been described above, but the same applies to the case where the audio signal is reproduced by the audio player 102 of the user B or the audio player 103 of the user C. That is, only the headphone switch 17 to which the audio player for reproducing the audio signal is connected may be switched to the A contact (first input terminal 11) side.

  The headphones described in FIGS. 1 to 5 include two input terminals 11 and 12 and an output terminal 21, and a three-circuit switch 17 is provided as an element for selecting the first and second input terminals 11/12. It was a configuration. Instead of the three-circuit switch 17, an electronic circuit including an input signal selection circuit may be incorporated in the headphones 1.

  6A and 6B are circuit diagrams of the headphone 1 having the audio signal processing circuit 110. FIG. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the headphones 1. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in this embodiment, a push switch 170 is provided in the left housing 10 instead of the three-circuit switch 17, and a microphone 18 is further provided.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the input terminals 11 and 12, the switch 170, and the microphone 18 are connected to an audio signal processing circuit 110 that is an electronic circuit. The speakers 13 and 23 and the output terminal 21 are also connected to the audio signal processing circuit 110. As shown in FIG. 6B, the audio signal processing circuit 110 includes a selector 111, a comparator 112, and an amplifier 113 which are circuits for selecting an input signal.

  In FIG. 6B, to the selector 111, the audio signal input from the input terminal 11 and the input terminal 12 and the audio signal collected by the microphone 18 are input as a selected signal. Further, the selector 111 receives an ON / OFF signal of the push switch 170 and a determination signal of the comparator 112 as control signals. The comparator 112 is a circuit that determines whether or not the level of the audio signal collected by the microphone 18 is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold (with speech).

  The selector 111 selects either the audio signal at the input terminal 11 or the audio signal at the input terminal 12 according to the ON signal of the push switch 170. Further, when a signal with speech is input from the comparator 112, an audio signal picked up by the microphone 18 is selected and output instead of the input terminal 11/12. Thus, the input terminal 11/12 is switched by the user's operation of the switch 170, and the microphone 18 is selected according to the sound collection level of the microphone 18.

  The amplifier 113 amplifies and outputs the audio signal selected by the selector 111. The output audio signal is supplied to the speakers 13 and 23 and is output from the output terminal 21. The amplifier 113 has an input impedance (for example, 32Ω) substantially equal to that of general headphones, and the output impedance is lower than this.

  In this embodiment, since the switch is computerized, the switching operation can be performed by a simple operation by simply pushing the push switch 170. Further, since the amplifier 113 is built in, even if the input audio signal is at a low level, the speakers 13 and 23 can be driven and the signal can be output at a level that can be output to the other headphones 1. I can do it now.

  Furthermore, by providing the microphone 18, the speech of one user can be transmitted to other users. For example, in the connection form of FIG. 5, when any of the users A, B, and C wants to convey to other users, the user may speak to the microphone 18 at a volume higher than the threshold. Thereby, the utterance can be transmitted to other users. If the selector 111 of the headphone 1 of any other user has been switched to the second input terminal 11 side, the utterance is transmitted to the previous user. The configurations of the microphone 18 and the comparator 112 are not essential.

  The audio signal processing circuit 110 operates with the power of a battery (not shown) built in the headphones 1, but may be supplied with power by the audio cable 61 or the like.

  The headphones described above can share the audio signal input to any one of the headphones when a plurality of headphones are connected in a loop. However, when audio signals are input in parallel to a plurality of headphones, these cannot be shared by all users. This is because, even if the connection form is a loop, it is necessary to cut the signal line loop somewhere in order to prevent the audio signal loop.

  In the headphones according to the third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the loop signal removal unit 115 is built in, so that no audio signal loop (echo) occurs even if the signal line loop is not cut. I am doing so. That is, when the audio signal input from the first input terminal 11 of the own device is output from the output terminal 21 and looped through the plurality of headphones 1 and input from the second input terminal 12, the signal component is output again to the output terminal 21. The signal is removed by the loop signal removal unit 115 so as not to be output from the signal 21. Thereby, it is not necessary to cut the loop of the signal line by switching with the switch.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, even when a source device is connected to each of a plurality of headphones 1 connected in a loop and an audio signal is reproduced (generated) at the same time, all of the mixed audio signals are displayed. You can share on. In FIG. 8, the audio player 101 is connected to the input terminal 11A of the headphone 1A, the electronic musical instrument 104 is connected to the input terminal 11B of the headphone 1B, and the guitar 105 is connected to the input terminal 11C of the headphone 1C.

  Even if it connects in this way, each headphone removes the component of the audio signal input into the 1st input terminal 11 of the own apparatus from the audio signal input from the 2nd input terminal 12, and this removed Since the audio signal newly input from the first input terminal 11 is added to the signal, the audio signal reproduced by the audio player 101 goes around the loop starting from the headphone 1A, and the electronic musical instrument 104 The generated audio signal goes around the loop starting from the headphone 1B, and the audio signal generated by the guitar 105 goes around the loop starting from the headphone 1C. In each headphone 1, the audio player 101, the electronic musical instrument 104, and the guitar 105 You can listen to the synthesized audio signals.

  FIG. 9A is a configuration diagram of the audio signal processing circuit 110 of the headphone 1 of the third embodiment. The audio signal processing circuit 11 includes an amplifier 113, a mixer 114, and a loop signal removal unit 115. The mixer 114 mixes the audio signal input from the first input terminal 11 and the sound collected by the microphone 18. The mixed audio signal is input to the loop signal removal unit 115. The loop signal removal unit 115 generates a pseudo loop signal of the audio signal (first audio signal) input from the mixer 114 using an adaptive filter, and this pseudo loop signal is input to the audio input from the second input terminal 12. By subtracting from the signal (second audio signal), the loop component of the first audio signal included in the second audio signal is removed. Thereafter, the first audio signal input from the mixer 114 is added to the signal from which the loop component has been removed, and output.

  FIG. 9B is a configuration diagram of the loop signal removal unit. The loop signal removal unit 115 includes an adaptive filter 191 and adders 192 and 195 for the left channel L, and an adaptive filter 193 and adders 194 and 196 for the right channel R. The left channel audio signal input from the mixer 114 is input to the adaptive filter 191 and the adder 195. The right channel audio signal input from the mixer 114 is input to the adaptive filter 193 and the adder 196. The adaptive filter 191 filters the input audio signal of the left channel, and generates a pseudo loop signal imitating a regression audio signal that wraps around the plurality of headphones 2 and the plurality of cables. The adder 192 subtracts this pseudo loop signal from the audio signal of the left channel input from the input terminal 11 to remove the loop component. The audio signal from which the loop component has been removed is input to the adder 195. The adder 195 adds and synthesizes the audio signal from which the loop component has been removed and the audio signal input from the mixer 114, and outputs the result to the amplifier 113 at the subsequent stage. The adaptive filter 191 inputs the audio signal from which the loop component is removed and updates the filter coefficient. Although the left channel audio signal has been described above, the same processing is performed for the right channel audio signal. This loop signal removal (echo cancellation) technique is described in detail in Japanese Patent No. 4701962 of the present applicant.

  With the above configuration, even if the headphones 2A to 2C are connected in a loop via a cable, it is possible to prevent the audio signal from looping and only a plurality of people can hear the audio signal reproduced by one sound source. Instead, a session can be performed using an audio signal generated by a sound source connected to the input terminal 12 of each headphone 1.

  In the above description, an overhead stereo headphone having a headband has been described, but the shape of the headphone is arbitrary.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the structure which connected the three headphones in the loop shape, there is no restriction | limiting in the number of connection of headphones. Moreover, although each headphones was set as the structure provided with two input terminals, what is necessary is just two or more, and the number of input terminals is not limited.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1A, 1B, 1C ... Headphones 10, 20 ... Housing 11, 12 ... Input terminal 17, 170 ... Switch 21 ... Output terminal 13, 23 ... Speaker 51-53, 61-63 ... Audio cable 101-103 ... Audio Player 104 ... Electronic musical instrument 105 ... Guitar 110 ... Audio signal processing circuit 115 ... Loop signal removal unit

Claims (2)

A plurality of input terminals to which audio signals are input;
An input selection unit that selects any one of the plurality of input terminals and outputs only an audio signal input from the input terminal;
A speaker that emits an audio signal input from the input terminal selected by the input selection unit;
An output terminal for outputting an audio signal input from the input terminal selected by the input selection unit;
With headphones. In addition, with a microphone,
The input selection unit selects the audio signal picked up by the microphone instead of the audio signal input from the input terminal when the audio signal picked up by the microphone is equal to or higher than a predetermined level. The listed headphones.

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