JPS61179500A - Voice memory - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an audio memory device for recording and reproducing broadcast contents of a radio receiver or the like.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, tape recorders have been used to record broadcast content from radio receivers, conversation content, music, etc., and are widely used. However, a disadvantage of tape recorders is that it is necessary to feed the tape back and forth in order to select the desired content, which is very time consuming. To compensate for this drawback, an audio memory device is used that digitizes and records audio signals in order to quickly reproduce sound from any location, albeit for a short period of several seconds.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a conventional audio memory device. In the figure, l is an audio device including an AM, FM radio, record player, tape deck, microphone, microphone amplifier, etc. 2 is an amplifier, 3 is a speaker, and audio device 1
The audio signal output from the is amplified by an amplifier 2 and can be heard through a speaker 3. These are traditional stereos.

This is well known from radio etc. 4 is an A/D conversion circuit that converts the audio signal of the audio device 1 into a digital signal suitable for recording at each sampling time. Contains a filter.

5 is a control circuit, and 6 is an audio data memory. The control circuit 5 includes a microcomputer and a program memory for operating the microcomputer, receives digital data from the A/D conversion circuit 4, and stores it in the data memory 6. Record.

The control circuit 5 also reads digital data recorded in the data memory 6 and supplies it to the D/A conversion circuit 7.

Further, the data memory 6 is composed of a RAM (random access memory), and the control circuit 5 is connected to an address bus 6.
1 and a data bus 62.

7 is a D/A conversion circuit, 8 is a changeover switch, and the D/A conversion circuit 7 includes a data latch and a smoothing low-pass filter in addition to the D/A converter, and receives the digital signal from the control circuit 5. The reproduced sound output is converted into an analog audio output and is applied to the amplifier 2 via the changeover switch 8.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a changeover switch, which is used to switch between the audio output from the audio device 1 and the reproduction output from the D/A conversion circuit 7, and is controlled by the control circuit 5 via a control line 56.

, and 51 and 52 are a recording switch and a playback switch connected to the control circuit 5, and the listener can press the recording switch 5.
When 1 is pressed, the control circuit 5 starts recording, and the digital data path 5 starts controlling to reproduce the recorded contents in the data memory 6 as long as the data memory capacity allows.

Further, an AID conversion command signal 53 is sent from the control circuit 5 to the A/D conversion circuit 4, and according to this command, the A/D conversion circuit 4 samples and holds the analog signal at that time.
After that, A/D conversion is started. When the A/D conversion is completed, the A/D conversion circuit 4 sends an A/D conversion completion signal 54 to the control circuit 5, thereby notifying the control circuit 5 that the A/D conversion has been completed. .

Further, a D/A conversion data launch signal 55 is sent from the control circuit 5 to the D/A conversion circuit 7, and this signal causes the D/A
The conversion circuit 7 latches digital data from the control circuit 5 and then starts D/A conversion.

Next, the operation will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG. When the recording switch 51 is operated, the control circuit 5 starts recording (step 101).

Recording takes 1 sampling time (for example, 1QKHz for 1 sampling time)
00 μs) to record one piece of digital data. Therefore, processing is performed in synchronization with the sampling time (step 102).

The control circuit 5 sends an A/D conversion start command signal 53 to the A/D conversion circuit 4 in synchronization with the sampling time (step 1).
03), A/D conversion is started.

The A/D conversion circuit 4 samples and holds the audio analog signal at that time in accordance with this command, and then converts this analog signal into a digital signal.

This conversion time must be within one sampling time.

When the A/D conversion is completed, the A/D conversion circuit 4 outputs an A/D conversion completion signal 54 to the control circuit 5. The control circuit 5 detects this signal 54 (step 104)
, when this signal is detected, the digital data is read (step 105) and recorded in the data memory 6.

The control circuit 5 sequentially increases the recording address by one address starting from address 0 for the digital data obtained by A/D conversion at each sampling time (step 106).
The address information is sent to the data memory 6 via the address bus 61 and recorded at that address (step 107).
In this way, when the data memory 6 becomes full, recording ends (step 108).

Next, when the playback switch 52 is operated (step 201
), the control circuit 5 first sets the selector switch 8 to the reproduction output side (step 202), and starts reproduction. Playback is also performed at the same sampling time as during recording, and processing is performed in synchronization with the sampling time.

That is, in synchronization with the sampling time (step 203)
, the control circuit 5 first increments the reproduction address by 1 from address 0 (step 204), sends the address information to the data memory 6 via the address bus 61, and reads out the data at that address via the data bus 62. (Step 205) The read digital data is
The signal is applied to the A conversion circuit 7, and at the same time, the data latch signal 55 is applied from the control circuit 5 and launched to the D/A converter (step 206), where it is D/A converted (step 207) and becomes a reproduced audio output. The playback audio output is controlled by the selector switch 8. Amplifier 2. It is output via the speaker 3. Then, as in the case of recording, if the entire data memory is reproduced, the reproduction ends (step 208), and the selector switch 8 returns to its original state (step 209).

A conventional voice memory device is configured as described above.
When the listener operates the recording switch, the audio signal from the audio device is recorded, and when the listener operates the playback switch, the recorded content can be reproduced.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve] However, it is rare to want to listen to the entire recorded content, and the content that is necessary and desired is often only a part of it.
In such cases, conventional devices have the problem of not being able to select the necessary location and listening to unnecessary parts (sometimes even the unnecessary content being longer than the necessary content). In addition, some devices were equipped with a playback address selection switch to solve this problem, but with this, the playback start point can only be selected at fixed time intervals, so it is difficult to reduce unnecessary parts. However, there was a problem in that it could not be set to 0.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to skip unnecessary content, and
The purpose is to obtain a voice memory device that can quickly search for necessary content.

[Means for solving problems]

The audio memory device according to the present invention includes a silence detecting means for detecting a silent part of an external audio signal, a means for storing the external audio signal into an audio data memory, and a voice memory device that detects a silent part of an external audio signal, a means for storing the external audio signal into an audio data memory, The apparatus is provided with reproduction control means for causing a restoration circuit to reproduce the signal recorded in the silence data memory.

[Effect]

In this invention, when there is a recording request, the recording control means records an external audio signal and its silent position;
When there is a reproduction request, the reproduction control means reproduces the audio signal from the recorded silent position, so that it becomes easy to search for the content desired to be heard during reproduction.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a voice memory device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As is clear from FIG. 1, this embodiment includes a recording circuit 20 that converts an external audio signal into a signal suitable for recording, an audio data memory 6 for recording the signal from the recording circuit 20, A restoration circuit 60 that restores the contents of the memory 6 to produce an audio signal, a silence detection means 30 that detects a silent portion of the audio signal from the outside, and a silence detection position detected by the silence detection means 30 is recorded. and a reproduction control means 50 for causing the restoration circuit to reproduce the signal recorded in the audio data memory 6 from the external audio signal detection position in response to a recording request from a listener. It is something that

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a voice memory device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, numerals 1 to 8 are the same as those in the conventional embodiment, so their explanation will be omitted.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a silence detection circuit (silence detection means) which detects a silence portion from the audio signal output from the audio device 1 and outputs a detection signal 9.
1 is sent to the control circuit 5. This determination of silence is made based on whether the audio level is lower than a certain darkness value.

1+Q is a silence position table memory, which is constituted by a RAM and is a memory for storing address information of the audio data memory 6 where silence has occurred during recording. This silent position table memory 10 is connected to the control circuit 5 through an address bus 101 and a data bus 102. 57.5B, 5
9. 501 to 5ON are skip switches, reset switches, repeat switches added in this embodiment,
A sentence switch, the added switch 57, 5B,
59.501 to 5ON are used during reproduction.

When the listener presses the skip switch 57, the control circuit 5 interrupts the conventional playback and starts playback from the next silent position.

Similarly, when the reset switch 58 is pressed, the control circuit 5 stops the reproduction midway.

Similarly, when the repeat switch 59 is pressed, the control circuit 5 interrupts the conventional playback, returns to the silent position where the playback started, or returns to the previous silent position, and starts the playback.

Similarly, when the sentence switches 501 to 5ON are pressed, the control circuit 5 starts reproduction from the beginning silent position of the sentence corresponding to the switch.

Next, the operation will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG.

Since the operation during recording is exactly the same as that of the conventional device, the explanation thereof will be omitted. The silence detection circuit 9 determines whether or not the audio signal is silent at each sampling time, and if it is silent, sends a silence detection signal 91 to the control circuit 5. When the control circuit 5 receives the silence detection signal 91, it writes the recording address information of the data memory at that time into the silence position table memory 10 (step 110).
) If silence continues, all of this address information is not recorded, but only one piece of address information immediately before the sound changes is recorded as a representative of this silent section (step 111).
) As described above, the recording control circuit 5 sequentially writes address information one by one into the silence position table memory 10 in the detection order every time silence is detected.

Note that silence is used as a sentence break in this example, but silence occurs not only at sentence breaks in speech, but also at sound breaks, consonants, etc., so it is best not to make short silent sections silent. In this embodiment, a silent section of about 300 ms or more is treated as silent.

Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents recorded in the audio data memory, and Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of the silence position table memory. In Fig. 3, ■ indicates a sound part and U indicates a silent part. show.

A more detailed explanation will be given below using FIG. 3.

During recording, data is recorded in the data memory 6 in order from address O up to the maximum address, but the contents of the recorded data repeatedly include sound and silence. The data that started with sound at the beginning of recording will be silent, sound,
It changes to silence, but as mentioned above, the address immediately before the silent part changes to the next sound part is X11, the top X2
The second highest address X3... can be detected, and this address information is recorded in the silent position table memory 10 as shown in FIG.

Next, the operation during playback will be explained.

When the listener presses the playback switch 52 (step 201)
, the control circuit 5 first sets the starting address of the playback address to address 0 (step 210), sets the selector switch 8 to the playback output side (step 202), and plays back the contents recorded in the data memory 6 from the starting address 0. do. However, if content that is unnecessary for the listener is reproduced, in the apparatus of this embodiment, the skip switch 57 can be pressed to skip the content. That is, when the skip switch 57 is pressed (step 211), the control circuit 5 stops the currently ongoing playback at address Y1, and stores the silence position table memory 10.
Silent position data X1 which is the next silent position after address Y1
The address is searched, the reproduction address is changed to the top of X11 (step 212), and the reproduction of the top of X11 is restarted. If the skip switch 57 is pressed again during playback, the control circuit 5
Similarly, the current playback is stopped at address Y2, for example, and the next upstream playback at number X22 is restarted. By using the skip switch 57 in this manner, the listener can skip unnecessary reproduction content and quickly search for necessary reproduction content. If there is no more data in the silent position table memory 10, the playback ends (step 213).
.

Further, when the reset switch 58 is pressed (step 21
4) The control circuit 5 performs processing to end the reproduction;
If the reset switch 58 is operated by the listener after listening to the desired content and when unnecessary content begins to be reproduced, the reproduction can be ended at that time.

Also, when the repeat switch 59 is pressed (step 21
5), the control circuit 5 stops the playback that is currently being performed, searches for the silent position data address X1 that is one position before the current playback address, and changes the playback address to the top of X11.Step 2
12), restart the upstream playback of this X11. This repeat switch 59 is convenient for the listener to use when he/she wants to listen to the desired content again and again. Of course, it is also possible to memorize the playback start address instead of the previous silent position address and return to that address to resume playback. If there is no previous silent position address, playback will start from the first address.

Sentence switches 501 to 5 ON are silent position table memory 1
When the 0 sentence switches 501 corresponding to the silent positions recorded in 0 are pressed (step 216), the control circuit 5
reads the head silence position data X1 address of the silence position table memory 10, sets X11 to the top as the reproduction address (step 210), and reproduces the X11th upstream audio signal. When the sentence switch 502 is pressed, it goes up to address X22, when the sentence switch 503 is pressed, it goes up from address X3, and so on.
Play the audio signal. Note that for the audio signal whose X11 upward playback is started when the sentence switch 501 is pressed, the X22 upward playback may be stopped, or may be played back up to the final address of the data memory 6.

In the above embodiment, the case where audio signals are recorded and played back is described, but this is applicable to music and sound effects.

It is also possible to record and reproduce other sound signals such as onomatopoeic sounds, and the same effects as in the above embodiment can be achieved.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the audio data memory 6 and the silent position table memory 10 are separate memories, but
These can also be combined into one memory.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the silence detection circuit 9 is configured to detect silent portions from an external analog audio signal, but it is also possible to detect silent portions from a digital signal after A/D conversion. At this time, the control circuit 5 detects silence.
It can also be processed as software in the internal microcomputer.

Further, in the above embodiment, the changeover switch 8 is provided, but this can be omitted by using another amplifier and a speaker exclusively for reproduction.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the voice memory device according to the present invention is configured to detect silent parts during recording and record the silent positions, so that necessary recorded content can be easily searched for with simple operations. I heard that there is an effect that can be done.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an audio memory device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of the device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the recorded contents of the silent position table memory, FIG. 5 is a flow chart diagram showing the operation of the device shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing the conventional audio memory device. , FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation.

Claims (7)

[Claims] (1) A recording circuit that converts an external audio signal into a signal suitable for recording, an audio data memory for recording the signal from the recording circuit, and a restoration circuit that restores the contents of the memory to create an audio signal. a silence detection means for detecting a silent portion of the audio signal from the outside; a silence position table memory for recording the silence detection position detected by the silence detection means; recording control means for recording an external audio signal in the audio data memory, receiving a signal from the silence detection means and recording the silence detection position in the silence position table memory; An audio memory device comprising: reproduction control means for causing the restoration circuit to reproduce the signal recorded in the audio data memory from the silence detection position recorded in the silence position table memory. (2) The recording circuit includes an A/D conversion circuit that converts the audio signal into a digital signal, and the restoration circuit includes an A/D conversion circuit that converts the digital signal recorded in the audio data memory into an audio signal. The audio memory device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with an /A conversion circuit. (3) The audio memory device according to claim 1, wherein the data indicating the silence detection position is an address of the audio data memory. (4) In response to a request from a listener, the playback control means causes the signal recorded in the audio data memory to be played back from a silence detection position requested by the listener. 2. The audio memory device according to item 2. (5) The audio memory device according to claim 2, wherein the reproduction control means stops the reproduction of the audio signal in response to a request from a listener. (6) The playback control means restarts the playback from the silence detection position one position before the playback address of the audio data memory currently being played in response to a request from the listener. The audio memory device according to scope 2. (7) The playback control means restarts playback from the next silence detection position of the playback address of the audio data memory currently being played in response to a request from the listener. 2. The audio memory device according to item 2.