JPH0961562A - Voice output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the alarming function. SOLUTION: When a setting time comes in an on-timer mode, a television receiver 1 is turned on. When an operation of temporary interruption is executed by means of a key in a key operation section 13 or a transmitter 15 in the power-on state, the television receiver 1 temporally shows a power-off state, then returns to the power-on state after a predetermined time period has elapsed. While it is in the power-on state during a snooze mode, a sound volume level output from a speaker 10 gradually increases from a level Ds right after the power-on to a maximum level DE. Corresponding to the change, the condition of a character or an image which is output from an OSD circuit 5a to be indicated on a screen of a color picture tube 6 is changed. Thereby, it is possible to enhance the alarming function for informing an user that it is the set time comes.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an audio output device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an audio output device capable of improving an alarm function by enabling an off state for a predetermined time when the power is on in the on-timer mode.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, audio output devices such as radio receivers and television receivers having an on-timer function have been known. The on-timer function is a function of turning on the power of the main body at a set time according to a clock incorporated in the main body of an audio output device such as a radio receiver or a television receiver.

A television receiver will be described below as an example.
First, when the power is turned on, the receiver main body outputs sound from the speaker and displays an image on the screen. The power-off state is a state in which no sound or image is output, but power for oscillation or control is supplied to a clock, a microcomputer, or the like inside the main body.

The above-described on-timer function is often used in place of an alarm clock that informs the user of the wake-up time. That is, the time set by the user is stored in the internal memory of the main body by pressing the input button of the key operation unit on the receiver main body panel or the input button of the remote control signal transmitter before bedtime. Then, the stored set time is compared with the data of the current time output from the clock circuit incorporated in the main body, and when the set time is reached, the power is automatically turned on. When the power is turned on, sound can be output from the speaker of the receiver main body and an image can be displayed on the screen to prompt the user to wake up.

[0005]

However, in the audio output device such as the radio receiver and the television receiver having the on-timer function as described above, the user turns on the power button after the power is turned on by the on-timer function. When the switch is turned off again by pressing or the like, the off state is maintained thereafter.

Therefore, when the user turns the power off again by pressing the power button in a state where he / she is not fully awakened by the sound or image output from the set time, he / she may oversleep and wake up. There were some cases where the function was not fulfilled.

Therefore, the present invention provides a voice output device designed to improve the alarm function.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An audio output device according to the present invention comprises a mode setting means for setting an on-timer mode in which the device body automatically turns from a power-off state to a power-on state at a set time; When the apparatus main body is in the power-on state in the timer mode, the apparatus main body is provided with a temporary interruption operation means for turning the apparatus main body off for a predetermined time, and a mode releasing means for releasing the on-timer mode set by the mode setting means. It is a thing.

Further, in the audio output device according to the present invention, the above device main body is a television receiver.

Further, the audio output device according to the present invention has a mode setting means for setting the on-timer mode in which the device body automatically turns from the power-off state to the power-on state at the set time, and the device in the on-timer mode. When the main body is in a power-on state, it is provided with volume level control means for gradually changing the output volume level from a small level to a large level, and a mode releasing means for releasing the on-timer mode set by the mode setting means. is there.

Further, in the audio output device according to the present invention, the above-mentioned device body is a television receiver.

Further, in the audio output device according to the present invention, in addition to the above-mentioned configuration, the state of the display image can be dealt with in response to the volume level control means gradually changing the output volume level from a small level to a large level. It further comprises a display control means for changing.

At the set time in the on-timer mode, the apparatus main body is turned on. When the temporary interruption operation is performed in the power-on state, the power is turned off for a predetermined time and then returned to the on-state. When the power is on in the on-timer mode, the output volume level gradually changes from a low level to a high level.

If the main body of the device is a television receiver,
When the power is on in the on-timer mode, the state of the display image changes in response to the output volume level gradually changing from a low level to a high level.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a television receiver as an audio output device (hereinafter referred to as a "receiver").
1 shows the configuration of No. 1.

In the figure, the tuner 2 has an antenna A.
The television broadcast signal STB received by T is supplied. The tuner 2 is a television broadcast signal S supplied from the antenna AT.
A signal of a desired channel is selected from TB, amplified, and then output as an intermediate frequency signal SIF. The intermediate frequency signal SIF (58.75 MHz video intermediate frequency signal and 54.25 MHz audio first intermediate frequency signal) output from the tuner 2 is supplied to the video intermediate frequency amplifier circuit 3. In the video intermediate frequency amplification circuit 3, unnecessary signals included in the intermediate frequency signal SIF are removed so that the level is kept substantially constant, and the signal is amplified to the amplitude required for video detection and audio detection. It The amplified video intermediate frequency signal SVIF is supplied to the video detection circuit 4 and amplitude-detected. The video signal SV output from the video detection circuit 4 is supplied to the video processing circuit 5. The video processing circuit 5 has a built-in on-screen display circuit (hereinafter referred to as "OSD circuit") 5a for outputting character information and other image information.

In the video processing circuit 5, the amplification process of the video signal SV of the channel selected by the tuner 2, the separation process of the luminance signal and the color signal, the demodulation process of the color signal, the matrix process of the luminance signal and the color difference signal, the OSD circuit 5a. A red signal R, a green signal G, and a blue signal B are formed by performing a process of converting the character information and other image information output by the device into a character signal and other image signals. And the video processing circuit 5
The color signals R, G, B output from the color picture tubes 6 are supplied to the color picture tube 6, and the color signals R, G, B are displayed on the screen of the color picture tube 6.
A color image is displayed.

Further, the intermediate frequency signal SIF described above is amplitude-detected by the image intermediate frequency amplifier circuit 3 to obtain 4.5 MHz.
The audio second intermediate frequency signal SS2IF (the difference signal between the video intermediate frequency signal and the audio first intermediate frequency signal) of z is supplied to the audio intermediate frequency amplifier circuit 7 and is amplified. The SIF signal obtained by amplifying the second audio intermediate frequency signal SS2IF by the audio intermediate frequency amplification circuit 7 is an audio detection circuit (FM detection circuit) 8
Is supplied to and detected. The audio signal SA obtained by detecting the SIF signal in the audio detection circuit 8 is supplied to the speaker 10 after being amplified and sound quality controlled by the audio processing circuit 9, and the audio by the audio signal is output from the speaker 10.
The audio processing circuit 9 includes a variable resistor 9a for volume adjustment.
Built in.

A microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as "microcomputer") 11 which constitutes a system controller has a built-in memory. The microcomputer 11 includes a power supply circuit 12
Power is being supplied from.

Further, the microcomputer 11 includes a key operation unit (hereinafter referred to as "key operation unit") 13 on the receiver main body panel.
Also, a remote control signal reception unit (hereinafter referred to as “remote control signal reception unit”) 14 is connected. The remote control signal receiver 14 is for receiving a remote control signal (for example, an infrared signal) transmitted from the transmitter 15. Further, the microcomputer 11 is connected with a clock circuit 16 for obtaining the data of the current time.

The transmitter 15 and the key operation unit 13 have a basic operation button such as a channel selection button and a volume control button for selecting a desired channel signal, and a power supply for remotely turning on and off the power supply of the receiver main body. Buttons are provided. Here, the power-off state is a state in which the power supply from the power supply circuit 12 is limited to the microcomputer 11 and the clock circuit 16 which are always required to be supplied for control and oscillation. The power-on state means that the power is supplied from the power supply circuit 12 to the other constituent circuits of the main body as well, so that sound is output from the speaker 10 and a color image is displayed on the screen of the color picture tube 6. Is in a state of being.

Further, the key operation section 13 and the transmitter 15 are provided with an on-timer button for setting an on-timer mode in which the main body of the receiver is automatically turned on at a set time. It is arranged.

Further, in the key operation unit 13 and the transmitter 15, the on-timer mode is set, and the volume level D of the sound output from the speaker 10 of the main body of the receiver whose power is on from the set time is turned on. A snooze button for setting the snooze mode in which the level is gradually increased from the level D _S immediately after is also provided.

The snooze mode is a lower setting mode when the on-timer mode is set.

In the above structure, when the on-timer function is used instead of the alarm clock, after inputting the time (set time) at which the user wants to wake up by operating the keys of the key operation unit 13 or the transmitter 15, the on-timer button is pressed. Set to on-timer mode. At this time, the input set time data is stored in the built-in memory of the microcomputer 11, and the microcomputer 11 compares the data indicating the current time output from the clock circuit 16 with the set time data stored in the built-in memory. When the set time is reached, the main body of the receiver is automatically turned on. As a result, the speaker 1
Sound is output from 0, and a color image is displayed on the screen of the color picture tube 6.

When the snooze button is pressed to set the snooze mode when the on-timer mode is set,
Microcomputer 11, the volume level D of the sound output from the speaker 10 from the set time by the ON timer function controls the variable resistor 9a, is changed from the level D _s immediately after power-on to gradually increase.

In the present embodiment, when the "on timer mode" is set by the key operation of the key operation unit 13 and the transmitter 15, the microcomputer 11 controls the operation of the system according to the flowchart of FIG.

In the figure, the key operation unit 13 or the transmitter 1
When the user inputs the time (set time) at which the main body of the receiver is to be powered on, such as the time at which he / she wants to wake up, by the key operation of 5 and sets to "on timer mode",
The main body of the receiver is turned off by the control of the microcomputer 11 and enters the "on timer mode".

First, in step ST1, the current time data output from the clock circuit 16 is compared with the set time data stored in the internal memory of the microcomputer 11, and when it is determined that the set time has been reached, step ST2 After turning on the power of the receiver main body, the process proceeds to step ST3. By turning on the power of the receiver main body in step ST2, the sound of the channel received by the antenna AT and selected by the tuner 2 is output from the speaker 10, and the selection is made on the screen of the color picture tube 6. The video of the selected channel is displayed.

At step ST3, "snooze mode"
It is determined whether or not is set. When it is determined in step ST3 that the "snooze mode" is not set, the process proceeds to step ST7.

When it is determined in step ST3 that the "snooze mode" is set, the process proceeds to step ST4 and it is determined whether the "on-timer mode" is released.

When it is determined in step ST4 that the "on-timer mode" has been released, the process proceeds to step ST41 and the receiver main body is maintained in the power-on state. Step S
When it is determined at T4 that the "on timer mode" has not been released, the process proceeds to step ST5.

In step ST5, it is determined whether or not a temporary interruption operation has been performed. The temporary interruption operation is performed, for example, by the user pressing the power button of the transmitter 15.

When it is determined in step ST5 that the temporary interruption operation has been performed, the process proceeds to step ST51, and the receiver main body is turned off. Then, the process proceeds to step ST52, and after the receiver main body is powered off in step ST51, the process waits for b minutes (for example, 5 minutes) and then step ST52.
Return to 2. In step ST2, the power of the receiver main body is turned on again, and the determinations in step ST3 and subsequent steps are performed.

Although the set time (standby time) of b minutes is stored in advance in the built-in memory of the microcomputer 11, the user can change the set time by operating the key operation unit 13 or the transmitter 15. You can also do it.

When it is determined in step ST5 that the temporary interruption operation is not performed, the process proceeds to step ST6, and the volume level D of the sound supplied from the sound processing circuit 9 as the sound signal and output from the speaker 10 is the maximum value D. _Judge whether _E (set value) is reached or not.

In step ST6, the volume level D is the maximum value D
_If it is determined to be _E , the process proceeds to step ST7.

When it is determined in step ST6 that the volume level D has not reached the maximum value D _E yet, step ST6
Proceed to 1 and raise the volume level D by d. Then, in step ST62, the volume level is set to d.
It waits for c seconds (for example, 10 seconds) from the time when it has been raised, and returns to step ST3 to determine again whether the "snooze mode" is set.

The increment d of the volume level D in step ST61, the volume level D _s immediately after the receiver main body is turned on, the maximum volume level D _E, and the standby time c seconds in step ST62 are: The key operation unit 1 is stored in advance in the built-in memory of the microcomputer 11.
The user can change the set value and the set time by operating the key of the transmitter 3 or the transmitter 15.

However, the maximum number of times of processing in step ST61 (that is, the maximum number of times that the volume level D is increased by d) N is the increase amount d of the volume level D, the volume level D _s immediately after power-on, and the volume level. It is set so as to be correlated with the maximum value D _E and to satisfy the following relational expression.

D _E = D _s + Nd As described above, the volume level D _s , the maximum volume level D _E, and the standby time c can be freely set by the user within a range satisfying the above relational expression. For example, (waiting time c =)
It is possible to increase the volume level D every 5 to 10 seconds, and set the volume level D _s immediately after the power is turned on to reach the maximum value D _E 5 times (N = 5).

The maximum value D _E of the volume level is the rated value D _MAX of the television receiver at the time of manufacture, and the user should set the maximum value D _E below the rated value D _MAX. become.

In step ST7, the data indicated by the current time output from the clock circuit 16 is referred to, and in step S7.
From the time when the main body of the receiver is turned on at T2, a minute (for example,
It is determined whether 30 minutes) has elapsed. Step ST7
If it is determined that a minutes have not elapsed in step S, step S
Returning to T3, it is determined again whether or not the "snooze mode" is set. This makes it possible to deal with the case where the user sets the "snooze mode" after the receiver main body is turned on in step ST2.

When it is determined in step ST7 that a minutes have elapsed, the process proceeds to step ST8 to turn off the power of the receiver main body and release the "on timer mode". As a result, if the user is already out when the power of the receiver is turned on in step ST2, the power on state continues for a long time due to the absence of the user (when the power is off. ), Every day at the set time, the power is turned on and the speaker 10 is turned on.
It is possible to prevent the sound output from the speaker from gradually increasing (when the on-timer mode and the snooze mode are not released).

The set time of a minutes is stored in the built-in memory of the microcomputer 11 in advance, but the user can change the set time by operating the keys of the key operation unit 13 or the transmitter 15. .

Further, it is better that the user cannot release the on-timer mode easily (before completely awakening), for example, the following methods can be considered. The on-timer mode is released when any button or a dedicated button located at a position that is difficult to press on the receiver body panel is pressed. When the power button of the transmitter 15 is pressed in the case where the power is off due to the temporary interruption operation, the on-timer mode is released. When the setting of the on-timer mode can be performed by the key operation of the transmitter 15, the on-timer mode may be released by the key operation of the transmitter 15, but the on-timer mode cannot be released by a single key operation. , When the key of the transmitter 15 is pressed a plurality of times according to the set order, the on-timer mode is released. In addition, since it is common for the user to perform various settings on the main body of the receiver only by operating the keys on the transmitter,
For example, when one of the keys of the transmitter 15 is pressed after a few minutes (for example, 5 minutes) have elapsed after the power was turned on in the on-timer mode, the on-timer mode is set to the on-timer mode. To release.

As described above, in this embodiment,
When the set time is reached in the on-timer mode, the power of the receiver 1 is turned on, and when a temporary interruption operation is performed by a key operation of the key operation unit 13 or the transmitter 15 in this on state, the power is temporarily turned off. After a lapse of time, the power turns back on. When the snooze mode is set and the power is turned on at the set time in the on-timer mode, the volume level output from the speaker 10 is gradually increased from the level D _s immediately after being turned on to the maximum value D _E. Become. Therefore, the function of notifying the user that the set time has come is improved.

In the above embodiment, the image of the channel selected by the tuner 2 is displayed on the screen of the color picture tube 6 when the power is turned on at the set time in the on-timer mode. By O
The SD circuit 5a may be controlled to superimpose a character image based on the character image signal output from the OSD circuit 5a on the screen of the color picture tube 6.

When the snooze mode is set,
The OSD circuit 9a may be further controlled to change the displayed character image so that the displayed character image gradually becomes larger. Further, the OSD circuit 9a may be used to change the hue and color depth of the display image described above.
May be controlled to change, the brightness and contrast of the display image and the background may be controlled to change, and the display image may be blinked. By doing this, when snooze mode is set, the speaker 1
Along with the effect that the volume level output from 0 gradually increases, the function of notifying the user that the set time has come is further improved.

It should be noted that, although not described above, when the on-timer mode is released, the OSD circuit 9a may be controlled to display characters such as "release timer" on the screen of the color picture tube 6.

Further, although the television receiver is shown in the present embodiment, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to other audio output devices such as a radio and a CD player as another embodiment.

[0052]

According to the present invention, when the set time is reached in the on-timer mode, the apparatus main body is turned on, and even if a temporary interruption operation is performed in this state, the device is turned off for a predetermined time and then turned on. When the power is turned on in the on-timer mode, the output volume level gradually increases from the low level to the high level, and the alarm function is improved. In the case where the main body of the device is a television receiver, when the power is on in the on-timer mode, the output volume level gradually increases from the low level to the high level, and the state of the display image changes correspondingly. The function of notifying the user that the set time has come is further improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a television receiver as an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control routine of a microcomputer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 TV receiver 2 Tuner 3 Video intermediate frequency amplification circuit 4 Video detection circuit 5 Video processing circuit 5a On-screen display circuit 6 Color picture tube 7 Audio intermediate frequency amplification circuit 8 Audio detection circuit 9 Audio processing circuit 9a Variable resistor 10 Speaker 11 Microcomputer 12 Power circuit 13 Key operation part 14 Remote control signal receiving part 15 Remote control signal transmitter 16 Clock circuit AT antenna

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A mode setting means for automatically setting an on-timer mode in which the apparatus main body is automatically turned on from a power-off state at a set time, and the apparatus main body is turned on in the on-timer mode. An audio output device, comprising: a temporary interruption operation means for turning off the apparatus body for a predetermined period of time; and a mode release means for releasing the on-timer mode set by the mode setting means. . 2. The audio output device according to claim 1, wherein the main body of the device is a television receiver. 3. The audio output device according to claim 1, further comprising time setting means for setting the predetermined time. 4. A control means is provided for turning off the apparatus body when the apparatus body is in a power-on state in the on-timer mode and the temporary interruption operation means has not been operated for a certain time. The audio output device according to claim 1 or 2, which is characterized. 5. The audio output device according to claim 4, further comprising time setting means for setting the fixed time. 6. A mode setting means for automatically setting an on-timer mode in which the apparatus main body is automatically turned on from a power-off state at a set time, and the apparatus main body is turned on in the on-timer mode. At a certain time, a sound level control means for gradually changing the output sound volume level from a low level to a high level, and a mode cancellation means for canceling the on-timer mode set by the mode setting means are provided. Output device. 7. The audio output device according to claim 6, wherein the main body of the device is a television receiver. 8. The audio output device according to claim 6, wherein the volume level control means changes the output volume level at regular time intervals. 9. The audio output device according to claim 8, further comprising time setting means for setting the fixed time. 10. The audio output device according to claim 6, further comprising volume level setting means for setting both or one of the low level and the high level. 11. A control means for turning off the apparatus body when a predetermined time elapses after the output volume level reaches a predetermined level while the apparatus body is powered on in the on-timer mode. The audio output device according to claim 6, further comprising: 12. The audio output device according to claim 11, further comprising time setting means for setting the predetermined time. 13. The display control means for changing the state of a display image in response to the output volume level being gradually changed from the low level to the high level by the volume level control means. 7. The audio output device according to 7.