JPS6057155B2 - Recording and playback device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a recording/playback device having an audio storage function.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a recording/playback device that is small, lightweight, and has an audio storage function that requires less frequent battery replacement.

Another object of the present invention is to facilitate the integration of voice storage functions into portable devices such as watches, calculators, and electronic memos.

In conventional recording and reproducing devices, a magnetic tape recording method has generally been used.

On the other hand, as calculators, radios, etc. have become smaller in size, there has been an increasing demand for smaller audio recording devices, ie, tape recorders. Traditional tape recording methods are not suitable for compact devices. First, advanced mechanisms such as motors that control the rotation of the tape are difficult to reduce in size and weight.

Second, driving mechanisms such as motor relays consumes a considerable amount of power, and the lifespan of batteries, which are the power source for portable devices, is too short, reducing commercial value.

Thirdly, miniaturization places a load on the mechanism, and at the same time, tapes are inevitably miniaturized, resulting in poor playback audio quality.

Fourth, it takes time to search because the tape is fast-forwarding and reversing.

The present invention eliminates these drawbacks and uses a semiconductor storage device as a storage medium in place of the conventional magnetic tape.

The block diagram in FIG. 1 shows the gist of the present invention, and 1 is a semiconductor memory device comprising a semiconductor memory.

The address of this semiconductor memory is determined by an address controller 8 consisting of an address counter. Clock signal Cl is supplied to A/D converter 4 and D/A converter 5
At the same time, it serves as a sampling clock for the address counter and controls data input/output of the memory in synchronization with the two converters. The audio signal input from the microphone 2 is amplified by the amplifier 3, further digitized by the A/D converter 4, and stored in the semiconductor memory 1. This is the recording operation. For reproduction, the data output from the semiconductor memory is converted into an analog audio signal by the D/A converter 5, and the speaker 7 is driven by the amplifier 6. Further, the 1/0 boat 10 receives signals from the keyboard or the switch 9 to control recording, playback, and retrieval, and also plays the role of outputting an address display to the display 11.
When an address is specified using the keyboard 9, the specified address is immediately called up, and there is no need for fast-forwarding or reversing functions as with a tape, so there is no time required. At this time, if a microcomputer with a built-in program is used as the address controller 8 instead of an address counter, even more advanced functions will be possible. Examples include automation of recording and playback, repeat, automatic search, etc. Furthermore, if the 1/0 boat 10 has a register function, it can hold the output from the clock circuit based on a common clock signal, and can also notify the time on the display. In other words, sharing the clock function,
It is also possible to simultaneously store the recording time and time in the semiconductor storage device and display them on the display during playback. FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the semiconductor memory device of the present invention.

Due to the nature of voice storage, it is necessary to be able to write and erase data and to be nonvolatile. When such a CMOS memory is used, the quiescent current is very small, so non-volatility can be achieved with extremely low power consumption. Also, the operating power is 15 kHz because the addressing frequency is at most about 10 KHz.
It becomes 10μA or less at V. K.T. ．． BZT is a data input/output line, and data is written and read. A is an address line that controls transistors 14 and 15. 12 and 13 constitute converter flip-flops for storage.

Figure 3 shows another example of a semiconductor storage device as an audio storage medium.
This is an example using non-volatile memory.

16 is a floating gate, which is embedded in the insulation film 17.

When a voltage higher than the voltage that causes an avalanche drop is applied to the drain P+ and the substrate N, high-energy electrons cross the barrier of the gate film, are injected into the floating gate, and are held as they are for one or more cycles. Therefore, the channel resistance of the transistor is determined by the amount of this injected charge. Figure 4 shows this relationship.

That is, the avalanche voltage Vav. The above is applied to the drain to control the channel resistance Reff. This injection time is approximately 100 μSec. Further, Vav can be up to about 5■. FIG. 5 shows an example of the configuration of a storage section of a recording/playback device using this nonvolatile memory cell. voice input AI
n is amplified by an amplifier 18, matched in bias with the memory cell by a buffer 19, and input to the cell. The cell 22 is selected by an address signal A'' made up of a memory transistor 23 and an address control transistor 24, and stores 1 bit of data converted into a digital form by an A/D converter.E
is a charge erasing signal. For reproduction, the transistor 25 is turned ON by QE, and the channel resistance Reff is directly detected by the load resistance e and is outputted via the amplifier 20. The memory transistor used here does not have to be of the floating gate (FAMOS) type, but may be of any non-volatile type, such as tunnel injection type B. The present invention uses a semiconductor memory as a storage device, and the required capacity is 16 Kbit/sec in a digital storage method.For example, a 256 Kbit/chip nonvolatile memory using a 2 μm pattern is used to store one memory using 6 chips. It is possible to record audio of the time.

This is so compact that it can even fit into a wristwatch. Therefore, the size can be sufficiently reduced and the weight can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, the power consumption during recording and playback is so low that even ordinary silver batteries can be used, since there is no motor power at all. Further, the control device 1C used in the present invention will be more convenient if it is combined with the functions of a calculator, a clock, etc.

For example, in addition to the audio storage area, semiconductor recording devices also have time and
It can also be used to store time, calculation steps or results. Furthermore, if the address controller is a microcomputer, functions such as a clock, calculator, and voice storage can be controlled by a series of software, making it possible to integrate them into the same chip. In addition, the display body can be used in common for voice address display, clock display, and computer display, making it possible to create a compact portable information device with high commercial value by using all semiconductors. As described above, the present invention uses a writable and erasable semiconductor memory device to allow the user to repeatedly record and play back any desired audio, and also allows the user to record and reproduce desired audio by specifying any address using a keyboard or the like. can be played back instantly, and at this time, the address designation can be made while confirming it on the display, making the operation easier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the invention. 1 is a semiconductor memory device, 8 is an address controller, 9 is a keyboard, 10 is an I/0 board, and 11 is a display body. Further, 2 and 3 are audio input sections, 2 is a microphone, and 3 is an amplifier. 4 is an A/D converter, 5 is a D/A converter, 6
, 7 is an audio output section, 6 is an amplifier, and 7 is a speaker.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An A/D converter that converts an audio signal into a digital signal, a writable and erasable semiconductor storage device that stores the digital signal, a D/A converter that converts the digital signal stored in the semiconductor storage device into an analog signal, and the A recording and reproducing device comprising a speaker that reproduces an analog signal as audio, a keyboard or a switch that specifies an address of the semiconductor storage device, and a digital signal that controls the address by designation of the keyboard or switch and that is stored in the semiconductor storage device. 1. A recording and reproducing device comprising: an address controller for accessing an address; and a display device for displaying a signal based on an address designated by the keyboard or switch.