JPH04225700A - Audio reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain a control with the high degree of freedom without using an expensive multi-track tape recorder whose handling is difficult. CONSTITUTION:An information storage means 21 having a high speed random access function in which waveform information of an audio signal, sound image location information and sound field information are stored is connected to plural waveform signal decoding circuits 22, which extract information corresponding to the audio signal from the information storage means 21 and output a digitized audio waveform data. The plural waveform signal decoding circuits 22 and the information storage means 21 are connected to a sound image control circuit 23, which extracts plural sets of information corresponding to the sound image position of the audio waveform data from the information storage means 21 to control the sound image position. The sound image control circuit 23 and the information storage means 21 are connected to the sound field control circuit 24, which extracts sound field information corresponding to reflecting sound and reverberation sound relating to the audio waveform data from the information storage means 21 to generate and add sound field effect sound to an audio signal outputted from the sound image control circuit 23.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] In order to create a more realistic sound space, the present invention has a function for realizing arbitrary sound image movement and an additional function for generating sound field effects to reproduce various sound fields. The present invention relates to an audio playback device.

0002

[Background Art] In recent years, audio playback devices equipped with sound field control functions, sound functions, and sound image control functions have been used for the purpose of sound field expression and realistic reproduction that go beyond the limits of conventional two-channel stereo. It has started to be done. For example, in JP-A-63-183495 and JP-A-1-130700, information for sound field control is recorded in the auxiliary information area of general two-channel stereo audio equipment or AV equipment. discloses an audio playback device that has only a sound field control function and is configured to switch the sound field depending on the content of the source. Furthermore, sound image control devices whose main purpose is to move sound images using a multi-track tape recorder as a source have already been put into practical use as part of system products.

[0003] The above-mentioned conventional audio playback device will be explained below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a first configuration example of a conventional audio playback device. In Figure 5, compact discs (hereinafter referred to as CDs) and digital audio tape recorders (hereinafter referred to as
A two-channel stereo source 1 such as a DAT) is connected to a two-channel amplifier 2, and the audio output from the two-channel stereo source 1 is amplified by the two-channel amplifier 2 and becomes a main audio signal reproduction output. In addition, the 2-channel stereo source 1 is connected to the sound field control circuit 3.
, is connected to a 4-channel amplifier 4 at the subsequent stage, and the audio output from the 2-channel stereo source 1 is subjected to sound field control by a sound field control circuit 3, and then amplified by a 4-channel amplifier 4 to become a sub audio signal reproduction output.

[0004] The operation of the above configuration will be explained below. First, the audio output from a 2-channel stereo source 1 such as a CD or DAT is branched, and one side is input to a normal 2-channel amplifier 2 where it is amplified and then output as the main audio signal playback output. . Further, the other audio output is input to the sound field control circuit 3. The sound field information recorded in the auxiliary information area such as the subcode of the 2-channel stereo source 1 is simultaneously input to the sound field control circuit 3, and reflected sounds and reverberant sounds from the front left and right and rear left and right are calculated by convolution calculation. The signal is input to a 4-channel amplifier 4 as a 4-channel output, and after amplification is output as a sub-audio signal reproduction output.

[0005]Although the first conventional configuration example above shows a configuration in which two main channels and four sub channels are separated, the front two channels of the sub are mixed with the two main channels to create a total of four channels. A configuration as a channel is also conceivable.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second example of the configuration of another conventional audio playback device. In FIG. 6, a multi-track tape recorder 11 is connected to a sound image control circuit 12, outputs a plurality of audio signals to the sound image control circuit 12, and outputs an audio signal reproduction output from the sound image control circuit 12. Also, multi-track tape recorder 11
is connected to the sound image position information storage means 13 and outputs a time signal to the sound image position information storage means 13. Further, the sound image position information storage means 13 is connected to the sound image control circuit 12, and sends sound image localization information to the sound image control circuit 12 in synchronization with the time signal.

The operation of the above configuration will be explained below. First, a plurality of audio signals reproduced from the multi-track tape recorder 11 are input to the sound image control circuit 12, and the sound image of each audio signal is changed by varying the distribution ratio to four output channels, for example, front left and right and rear left and right. Localization is determined. The sound image localization information used at this time is read out sequentially from the sound image position information storage means 13 in synchronization with the time signal output from the timing track of the multi-track tape recorder 11. Allows for free movement and localization.

[0008]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the first conventional configuration example described above, a normal two-channel source is used and only sound field information is held in the auxiliary information area. Control with a high degree of freedom, such as arbitrarily setting the localization of a single sound, is not possible. In addition, although the second conventional configuration example described above allows for highly flexible control, it requires an expensive multi-track tape recorder, and the audio signals recorded on the multi-track tape recorder 11 cannot be used. The problem is that the information on the sound image position must be recorded in the sound image position information storage means 13 of a separate recording medium, which makes the operation complicated.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aims to provide an audio playback device that can be controlled with a high degree of freedom without using an expensive multi-track tape recorder, and does not require complicated operation. This is the purpose.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the audio reproduction device of the present invention includes an information storage means which stores audio signal waveform information, sound image position information, and sound field information and has a high-speed random access function. , single or plural waveform signal decoding means for extracting the waveform information corresponding to an audio signal from the information storage means and outputting it as digitized audio waveform data; and a sound image position of the audio waveform data from the information storage means. sound image control means for extracting single or plural pieces of sound image position information corresponding to the sound image position and controlling the sound image position; and the sound field information corresponding to reflected sound and reverberation sound corresponding to the audio waveform data from the information storage means. and sound field control means for generating and adding a sound field sound effect to the audio signal output from the sound image control means to output an audio signal reproduction output.

[0011]

[Operation] With the above configuration, based on the so-called object-oriented concept, information corresponding to the waveform data of the audio signal itself, and accompanying sound image position information and sound field information are collectively treated as one integrated data file. Since it can be stored in a random access type information storage means, multiple integrated data files can be read out in parallel through time-sharing processing, without using an expensive multi-track tape recorder, and with simple operation. Sound image control and sound field control with an extremely high degree of freedom are possible.

0012

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an audio playback device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an information storage means 21 that stores waveform information, sound image position information, and sound field information of an audio signal and has a high-speed random access function is connected to a plurality of waveform signal decoding circuits 22, and an audio signal is output from the information storage means 21. The information corresponding to is extracted and output as digitized audio waveform data. The plurality of waveform signal decoding circuits 22 and the information storage means 21 are connected to the sound image control circuit 23, and extract a plurality of pieces of information corresponding to the sound image position of the audio waveform data from the information storage means 21 to control the sound image position. The sound image control circuit 23 and the information storage means 21 are connected to the sound field control circuit 24, and the sound field information corresponding to the reflected sound and reverberation sound corresponding to the audio waveform data is taken out from the information storage means 21 and is output from the sound image control circuit 23. A sound field sound effect is generated and added to the output audio signal, and an audio signal reproduction output is output.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the integrated data file of the information storage means 21 in FIG. In FIG. 2, the header section stores information such as file attributes, file length, sampling frequency, and presence or absence of compression, and the audio signal waveform information section stores digital data corresponding to the sampled audio signal. Furthermore, the sound image position information section stores information such as the initial sound image localization position, sound image movement start time, moving direction, and moving speed, and the sound field information section stores information such as the reflected sound direction, reflected sound intensity, and reverberation time. Information is stored. HD
The information recording means 21 consisting of D and ODD stores a plurality of integrated data files each having a configuration in which a waveform information section, a sound image position information section, and a sound field information section of an audio signal are combined. The data stored in each integrated data file may correspond to one musical instrument, or may be a mixdown of multiple sounds.

The operation of the above configuration will be explained below. First, the plurality of waveform signal decoding circuits 22 access the information recording means 21 in parallel by time-division processing, read audio signal information from the integrated data file, and output it as audio waveform data. These plurality of audio waveform data are input to the sound image control circuit 23, and the respective sound image localization positions are determined by varying the distribution ratio to the four output channels, for example, front left and right and rear left and right. The sound image position information used at this time is obtained by reading out the sound image position information part of the integrated data file corresponding to each audio signal from the information recording means 21 by time-sharing processing. The output of the sound image control circuit 23 is input to the sound field control circuit 24, and sound field sound effects such as reflected sound and reverberation sound are generated and added thereto. Like the sound image position information, the sound field information used at this time is also obtained by reading out the sound field information part of the integrated data file in the information recording means 21 in a time-sharing manner. Through the above series of processing operations, the sound field control circuit 2
4, it is possible to easily obtain an audio playback output with an extremely high degree of freedom and great expressiveness compared to using an expensive multi-track tape recorder.

Note that if the storage capacity of the information recording means 21 is limited, the audio signal waveform stored in the audio signal information section, which occupies the largest proportion of the structure of the integrated data file shown in FIG. Information can be compressed and recorded using a so-called high-efficiency encoding method. In other words, the information corresponding to the audio signal stored in the information recording means 21 is processed through high-efficiency encoding processing, that is, data compression processing, in order to reduce the amount of information, and when decoding in the waveform signal decoding circuit 22. Data decompression processing is applied to the data. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, the waveform signal decoding circuit 22 may be composed of an audio signal information readout control circuit 22a and a compressed signal expansion processing circuit 22b. If such a configuration is adopted, although the circuit scale becomes slightly larger, the amount of information stored in the information storage means 21 can be significantly reduced.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an audio playback device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Components having the same functions and effects as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. The explanation will be omitted. In FIG. 4, a time signal input circuit 31 to which a time signal is input from an external device is connected to a synchronization control circuit 32 and further to an information recording means 21 at a subsequent stage,
The information storage means 21 and other subsequent parts are driven in synchronization with this time signal.

The operation of the above configuration will be explained below. First, a time signal, a so-called time code signal, output from an external device such as a video tape recorder is inputted to the time signal input circuit 31, and the synchronization control circuit 3
2 as a reference signal, the information storage means 2
It becomes possible to drive each subsequent section starting with 1 in synchronization with this time signal. As a result, the audio portion of an AV system in which video and audio are synchronized can be configured by the audio playback device of the present invention.

[0018]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the conventional two
This provides an excellent audio playback device that allows you to control the sound image and sound field with a much higher degree of freedom than when using a channel stereo source, without using an expensive and difficult-to-use multitrack tape recorder. be.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an audio playback device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of an integrated data file of the information storage means in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a waveform signal decoding circuit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an audio playback device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a first configuration example of a conventional audio playback device.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second configuration example of a conventional audio playback device.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 Information storage means 22 Waveform signal decoding circuit 22a Audio signal information reading control circuit 22b
Compressed signal expansion processing circuit 23 Sound image control circuit 24 Sound field control circuit 31 Time signal input circuit 32 Synchronization control circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Information storage means having a high-speed random access function in which waveform information, sound image position information, and sound field information of an audio signal are stored, and the waveform information corresponding to the audio signal is extracted from the information storage means and digitized. a single or plural waveform signal decoding means for outputting as audio waveform data; and a single or plurality of sound image position information corresponding to the sound image position of the audio waveform data from the information storage means to extract the sound image position. A sound image control means to control and the sound field information corresponding to the reflected sound and reverberation sound corresponding to the audio waveform data are taken out from the information storage means, and a sound field effect sound is added to the audio signal output from the sound image control means. and a sound field control means for generating and adding an audio signal to output an audio signal reproduction output.