JPH10135675A - Information provider - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the temperature inside a device from increasing excessively by a cooler without using a temperature sensor. SOLUTION: When reproducing a piece of music (A2: YES), a CPU of a Karaoke sing-along machine sets a timer (A3) and increases the selection number of music (A4). When a measurement time by the timer elapses a reference time (A5: YES), after the timer is cleared (A6), it is confirmed that the selection number of music exceeds 10 musics (A7), and if so, it is judged that the temperature inside the device is elevated, and after the selection number of music is cleared (A8), a fan provided inside the device is driven for only a set drive time interval (A9, 10, 11). Thereby, even if the temperature inside the devices is elevated by reproducing continuously Karaoke musics, it is possible to prevent the temperature inside the device from increasing excessively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus provided with reproducing means for reproducing information data and a cooling device for cooling the inside of the apparatus.

[0002]

For example, in a karaoke apparatus, a fan is installed in the apparatus to prevent a rise in the temperature of the apparatus, and a period during which the apparatus is turned on, or in the apparatus, When the temperature sensor detects that the temperature has become equal to or higher than the set temperature, the fan is rotated to cool the inside of the apparatus.

However, in a configuration in which the fan is operated while the power is on, the fan is operated even when the temperature in the apparatus is low and cooling is not required, which is inefficient. Further, in the configuration in which the temperature rise in the device is detected by the temperature sensor, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature in the device is required, and the configuration is complicated.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information providing apparatus capable of preventing the temperature inside the apparatus from being excessively increased by a cooling apparatus without using a temperature sensor. It is in.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided an information providing apparatus provided with a reproducing means for reproducing information data and a cooling device for cooling the inside of the apparatus, wherein the reproducing means is brought into a predetermined operating state. If it is determined that the cooling device has been operated, the cooling device is controlled for a predetermined time (claim 1).

When the reproducing means enters a predetermined operating state when reproducing information data, each device in the apparatus generates heat due to power consumption and the temperature in the apparatus rises. Here, when the control means determines that the regenerating means has entered a predetermined operating state, the control means drives the cooling device for a predetermined time. Thereby, the inside of the device is cooled by the cooling device, so that the temperature inside the device can be prevented from excessively increasing.

In the above arrangement, the control means may determine that a predetermined operating state has been reached when the reproducing means reproduces information data exceeding a reference number within a predetermined time (claim 2). .

According to such a configuration, when the reproducing means reproduces information data exceeding the reference number within a predetermined time,
Although the temperature in the device increases, the control unit determines that the regenerating unit has entered the predetermined operating state and drives the cooling device for a predetermined time, so that the temperature in the device can be prevented from excessively increasing.

In the above configuration, the control means may determine that the predetermined operation state has been reached when an operation rate until the reproduction means reproduces a predetermined number of information data exceeds a reference operation rate. Good (claim 3).

[0010] According to such a configuration, when the operating rate until the reproducing means reproduces the information data of the set number of music exceeds the reference operating rate, the temperature in the apparatus rises, but the control means: Since the regenerating means drives the cooling device for a predetermined time upon judging that the predetermined operating state has been attained, it is possible to prevent the temperature inside the device from excessively rising.

Further, the control means may determine that a predetermined operating state has been reached when the reproducing means has continuously reproduced the information data by a reference number or more (claim 4). According to such a configuration, when the reproducing unit continuously reproduces the information data exceeding the reference number, although the temperature in the apparatus rises, the control unit determines that the reproducing unit is in a predetermined operating state. Since the cooling device is driven for a predetermined time based on the determination, it is possible to prevent the temperature inside the device from excessively increasing.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a karaoke apparatus will be described below with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 2 schematically shows an electrical configuration of a karaoke apparatus as an information providing apparatus. In FIG. 2, the karaoke apparatus 1 is configured as a so-called communication karaoke apparatus, and a communication control unit 4 in the apparatus is connected through a host computer 2 and a public telephone line 3.

The CPU 5 (corresponding to the reproducing means and control means of the present invention) has a built-in ROM 6.
In accordance with the control program stored in the karaoke apparatus 1. That is, the CPU 5 receives the music data and various data transmitted from the host computer 2 through the communication control unit 4 and stores them in the hard disk device 7. Further, when a song selection number is input from the input device 8 including a remote controller or operation buttons through the input interface unit 9, the CPU 5 reads song data corresponding to the song number from the hard disk device 7 and monitors the song data via the image display unit 10. 11 displays images, characters, etc. indicated by the music data. The CPU 5 stores various processing data in the memory 12 in accordance with the operation control of the karaoke apparatus 1.

On the other hand, a fan 13 as a cooling device is provided at a predetermined position in the apparatus, and the CPU 5 drives the fan 13 through a fan driver 14 to cool the inside of the apparatus.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. A plurality of music data are stored in the hard disk device 7 in advance, and when new music data is transmitted from the host computer 2, the CPU 5 sequentially stores the music data in the hard disk device 7.

When the user inputs a music selection number from the input device 8, the CPU 5 reads out the music data of the music selection number from the hard disk device 7, displays it on the monitor 11, and outputs a karaoke music from a speaker (not shown). Thereby, the user can enjoy karaoke.

FIG. 1 shows an operation related to the present invention in the operation of the CPU 5, and the operation is executed as a subroutine of a main routine. In FIG. 1, when a karaoke song is selected as described above, the CPU 5 determines that there is a song selection (A1:
YES), it is determined whether it is the first music piece (A2). At this time, if it is the first music piece (A2: YES), a timer is set (A3). This timer is provided to measure the time from the start of the performance of the first karaoke song.

Subsequently, the CPU 5 increments the number of selected songs (A4), and checks whether the time measured by the timer has exceeded the reference time (A5). The reference time is set to a time sufficient for, for example, continuously reproducing ten karaoke songs. In this case, since the reference time has not elapsed since the reproduction of the first karaoke song (A5: N
O) By repeating the above operation, the number of selected karaoke songs is incremented every time a karaoke song is selected.

The time measured by the timer, that is, 1
When the elapsed time from the start of the reproduction of the karaoke tune of the tune becomes the reference time (A5: YES), the timer is cleared (A6), and it is determined whether or not the number of selected tunes exceeds 10 (A7).

Now, when a karaoke song is played, the CP
Since each electronic device such as the U5 and the hard disk device 7 is in an operating state and the heat value of these electronic devices increases,
The temperature inside the device rises. For this reason, when ten karaoke songs are continuously reproduced within the reference time from the reproduction of the first karaoke song, the temperature inside the device rises significantly.

Therefore, as described above, when the number of selected songs in the reference time exceeds ten, that is, when the ten karaoke songs are continuously reproduced within the reference time from the start of reproduction of the first karaoke song, Determines that the temperature in the apparatus has risen due to the predetermined operating state, clears the number of selected songs (A8), and sets the drive time of the fan 13 (A8).
9) The fan 13 is driven (A10). As a result, the inside of the device is cooled by the air blown by the fan 13, so that the temperature inside the device can be prevented from rising excessively.

Subsequently, the CPU 5 executes a process for stopping the fan 13 (A11). FIG. 3 shows a process of stopping the fan 13. In FIG. 3, the CPU 5 checks whether the fan 13 is operating or not, and stops the fan 13 when the set operating time of the fan 13 has elapsed.

On the other hand, if the number of selected songs does not exceed 10 when the reference time has elapsed (A7: NO),
It is determined that the temperature rise in the apparatus is low, the number of selected songs is cleared (A12), and the process proceeds to step A1.

According to the above configuration, when ten karaoke songs are continuously reproduced within a predetermined reference time, it is determined that the apparatus is in a predetermined operation state and the temperature in the apparatus has risen.
Since the fan 13 is driven for a predetermined time, the inside of the apparatus can be cooled by the fan 13 at an appropriate timing when the temperature inside the apparatus has increased. Therefore, unlike the configuration in which the drive of the fan is continued during operation, the temperature inside the device can be efficiently prevented from rising. Further, since the temperature rise in the apparatus can be determined by software without using a temperature sensor, it can be implemented without increasing the cost.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart in the second embodiment of the present invention. The same steps as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same step numbers, and the description is omitted. This second
In the embodiment, the fan 1 is set based on the operation rate of the karaoke apparatus 1.
3 is driven.

That is, when the number of selected songs exceeds 10 (A5: YES), the CPU 5 clears the number of selected songs (B1), clears the timer (B2), and calculates the operating rate (B2). B3). The operating rate is the ratio of the total time of the actual playback time of each song to the time from the selection of the first song to the selection of the eleventh song. Means rising.

Then, when the operation rate obtained as described above exceeds the reference operation rate, the CPU 5 (B4:
YES), it is determined that the temperature in the apparatus has risen due to the predetermined operating state, and the fan 13 is driven for the drive time (A9, A10, A11). Thus, even if the temperature inside the device rises due to the high operation rate, it is possible to prevent the temperature inside the device from rising excessively.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart in the third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is characterized in that the fan 13 is driven when a predetermined number of karaoke songs are continuously reproduced.

That is, when the first tune is selected (C2: YES), the CPU 5 determines that the reproduction is completed (C1
2: YES), a timer is set (C13),
The number of selected songs is incremented (C14).

Then, the second song is selected (C2: N
O) When the reproduction is started (C3: YES), the timer is turned off (C4), and it is determined whether or not the elapsed time by the timer exceeds the reference time (C5).

At this time, if the elapsed time from the end of the reproduction of the first music to the start of the reproduction of the second music is sufficiently long (C5: Y
ES) Since the heat generated during the reproduction of the first music is radiated before the reproduction of the second music, the temperature rise in the apparatus is determined to be low, and after the number of music selections is cleared, (C1
5) Go to step C1.

If the elapsed time from the end of the reproduction of the first tune to the start of the reproduction of the second tune is short (C5: NO), it is determined that the temperature in the apparatus has risen, and the number of selected tunes is incremented. C6) After confirming that the number of selected songs does not exceed 10 (C7: NO), a timer is set (C16).

Each time a song is selected as described above, the elapsed time from the end of the previous playback to the start of the current playback is determined, and 10 songs are continuously selected in a state where the elapsed time is shorter than the reference time. (C7: YES), it is determined that the apparatus is in the predetermined operating state and the temperature in the apparatus is rising,
After the number of selected songs is cleared (C8), the fan 13 is driven for the drive time (C9, C10, C11). Thereby, even if the temperature inside the apparatus rises due to the continuous reproduction of the karaoke music, it is possible to prevent the temperature inside the apparatus from excessively rising due to the drive of the fan 13.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified or expanded as follows. A refrigeration cycle or a Peltier element may be used as the cooling device. The present invention may be applied to an automatic certificate issuing device and various information providing terminals.

[0035]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the information providing apparatus of the present invention, when the reproducing means for reproducing the information data is in a predetermined operating state, the cooling device is driven for a predetermined time. Therefore, there is an excellent effect that the temperature inside the device can be prevented from excessively rising by the cooling device without using the temperature sensor.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an operation of a CPU according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a fan stop processing operation of the CPU.

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a karaoke device (information providing device), 5 is a CPU (reproducing means, control means), 7 is a hard disk device, and 13 is a fan (cooling device).

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An information providing apparatus comprising: a reproducing unit for reproducing information data; and a cooling device for cooling the inside of the device, wherein the cooling device is provided when it is determined that the reproducing unit is in a predetermined operating state. An information providing apparatus, comprising: a control unit that drives the device for a predetermined time. 2. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means determines that a predetermined operating state is established when said reproducing means reproduces information data exceeding a reference number within a predetermined time. apparatus. 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines that the predetermined operation state is established when an operation rate until the reproduction means reproduces a predetermined number of information data exceeds a reference operation rate. Item 2. The information providing device according to Item 1. 4. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines that a predetermined operating state is established when the reproduction unit continuously reproduces the information data exceeding a reference number.
Information providing device as described.