JPH0122254Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a volume display device suitable for use in audio equipment such as television receivers and radio receivers.

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, an increasing number of audio devices are equipped with two switches, a volume up switch and a volume down switch, and the volume is adjusted by pressing buttons on these switches. This type of volume adjustment device is particularly often used in devices that adjust the volume by remote control.

However, this type of conventional audio equipment usually does not have a volume display device that can be used as a guide, so when you want to change the volume, you have to guess how long you need to hold down the volume up (or down) switch to reach the desired level. Particularly when watching programs such as dramas on a TV receiver, regular audio is not always being emitted and the silent (or small audio) periods are quite long. Turn the volume up switch and volume down switch 2 or 3 times.
I was able to adjust the volume to the desired level only after pressing the buttons alternately.

The present invention has been devised in view of these points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a volume display device suitable for use in audio equipment in which the volume is adjusted using a volume up/down switch.

In particular, in the present invention, the current volume adjustment level is displayed while the volume up/down switch is being pressed and for a certain period of time thereafter.

The present invention will be described below along with embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a volume adjustment device equipped with a volume display device according to the present invention, which includes a volume up switch 1, a volume down switch 2, a clock pulse generator 3, an up/down counter 4,
The D-A converter 5, the audio amplifier 6, and the like constitute a well-known volume adjustment device.

In this volume adjustment device, when the volume up switch 1 or the volume down switch 2 is pressed during volume adjustment, a clock pulse from a clock pulse generator 3 is supplied to an up/down counter 4, and the count contents of the counter 4 are up/down. At this time, the count contents of the counter 4 are supplied to the DA converter 5, where it is converted into an analog volume control voltage, and this voltage is applied to the gain control terminal of the audio amplifier 6. As a result, the gain of the amplifier 6 is controlled according to the volume control voltage, and the volume emitted from the speaker 7 is adjusted to a predetermined volume level.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned volume adjustment device further includes a delay reset pulse generator 8, a volume control initial pulse generator 9, and an R-S flip-flop 1.
0, decoder 11, indicator drive circuit 1
2, a digital indicator 13, an inverter 14, and various gate circuits 15 to 21 to form a volume display device.

For example, if you press the volume up switch 1 when adjusting the volume, an initial pulse with a pulse width of 500 msec, for example, is generated from the volume control initial pulse generator 9 as shown in Figure 2a, and the rising edge of this initial pulse At this point, the R-S flip-flop 10 enters the set state, and at this moment the output of the flip-flop 10 becomes H (High) as shown in FIG. 2c.
becomes. As a result, each of the AND gates 18 to 21 is opened, and at this time, the count contents of the up-down counter 4 are input to the decoder 11, where it is converted into, for example, a 16-step digital quantity, and this is sent via the indicator drive circuit 12 to the digital indicator. Added to 13. In this digital indicator 13, for example, 16 LEDs (light emitting diodes) are arranged in a row, and an up/down counter 4
The number of LEDs that match the count contents will be lit,
This will display the current volume level.

In this case, even if the volume up switch 1 is kept pressed, a pulse output of H is derived from the initial pulse generator 9 for the first 0.5 seconds, and as a result, the output of the inverter 14 is L (Low). Both AND gates 16 and 17 are closed. Therefore, the count content of the up-down counter 4 does not change, and the volume level emitted from the speaker 7 during this period remains constant and does not change. Therefore, during this time, the level displayed on the indicator 13 does not change and the volume level at that time can be confirmed.

If you continue to press the volume up switch 1 after the first 0.5 seconds have elapsed, the output of the inverter 14 becomes H and the AND gate 16
is opened, and the clock pulses obtained from the clock pulse generator 3 are supplied to the up-down counter 4 via the AND gate 16, and the counter 4 performs an up-count operation. In this manner, while the volume up switch 1 is pressed, the count content of the counter 4 is incremented, and the volume level emitted from the speaker 7 is also gradually increased accordingly. Here, the change in volume level is indicated by indicator 13.
While checking the number of lit LEDs, let go of the volume up switch 1 when the desired volume level is reached and turn the switch 1 off, the AND gate 16 will be closed and the up/down counter 4 will start counting. is stopped, and at this time audio is emitted from the speaker 7 at a desired constant volume level. In this case, volume up switch 1
After turning off, the count contents of the up-down counter 4, that is, the volume level at that time, are read out by the decoder 11, and the digital indicator 1 is read out by the decoder 11.
Displayed at 3.

However, when a certain period of time, for example 5 seconds, has elapsed after the volume up switch 1 is turned off, the delayed reset pulse generator 8 generates a reset pulse as shown in FIG. As a result, the output of the flip-flop 10 becomes L as shown in FIG. 2c, and each AND gate 18-21 is closed. As a result, the count output of the up-down counter 4 is no longer supplied to the decoder 11, and the decoder 11
No output is derived, and the digital indicator 13 stops displaying the volume level from then on. In this way, when the volume up switch 1 is held down for more than 0.5 seconds, the volume of the sound emitted from the speaker 7 remains unchanged for the first 0.5 seconds, and the volume gradually increases step by step only after 0.5 seconds have elapsed. be done. During this time, the volume level from time to time is displayed on the digital indicator 13. Then, while checking the volume of the audio from the speaker 7 and the volume level indicated by the indicator 13, when the desired volume level is reached, release the volume up switch 1, and the volume level will be kept at a constant value from then on. , the level at this time is displayed on the indicator 13. Then, the indicator 13 continues to display the volume level for another 5 seconds, and after the 5 seconds have elapsed, the indicator 13 disappears.

On the other hand, if you hold down the volume down switch 2 for more than 0.5 seconds, the volume will remain constant for the first 0.5 seconds, and the volume level at that time will be the indicator 1.
3, and after 0.5 seconds have elapsed, the volume level is gradually lowered as the up-down counter 4 counts down. Then, when the volume down switch 2 is turned off, the volume is kept constant again, and after another 5 seconds, the indicator 13 stops displaying the volume level.

In the above embodiment, the volume is adjusted by directly turning on and off the volume up switch 1 and the volume down switch 2 by hand. if,
Volume adjustment via remote control is also possible.

According to the volume display device of the present invention, as described above, since it has an indicator that digitally displays the count contents of the up-down counter provided in the volume adjustment device, the volume setting level of the audio device at that time is set. You can visually check the volume, making it much easier to adjust the volume.

Furthermore, with the volume display device of the present invention, the volume indicator does not display the volume all the time, but only when adjusting the volume, so it is not distracting and is extremely effective in reducing unnecessary power consumption. Become.

Furthermore, according to the volume display device of the present invention, even if the volume up/down switch is turned on, the count content of the up/down counter does not change for a predetermined period of time (for example, 0.5 seconds), so the volume level remains unchanged. You can check the volume level at the time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a volume adjustment device equipped with a volume display device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram for explaining the operation of the same embodiment. 1... Volume up switch, 2... Volume down switch, 3... Clock pulse generator, 4...
Up-down counter, 5... D-A converter, 6... Audio amplifier, 8... Delay reset pulse generator, 9... Initial pulse generator for volume control,
10...R-S flip-flop, 11...decoder, 13...digital indicator.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a volume adjustment device that increases or decreases the count content of an up-down counter by operating a volume up/down switch and controls the volume based on this count content, the count content of the up-down counter is digitally displayed as a volume level. detecting an on/off operation of the indicator means and the volume up/down switch;
means for causing the indicator means to display the volume level for a predetermined time period after the on-operation and off-operation detection of the volume up-down switch; A volume display device comprising means for prohibiting changes in count contents.