JP4179716B2 - Audio system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an audio system including a digital broadcast receiver.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Digital broadcasting has been spreading worldwide, including Europe and Canada, and will be put to practical use in Japan. Digital broadcasts, unlike analog broadcasts, store a lot of information in their broadcast waves (carrier waves) due to their nature, so it takes time until audio or video is output when a channel is selected by a receiver. There is a feature.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
For example, in digital broadcasting DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) implemented in Europe, it takes about 4 to 10 seconds from user tuning to audio output. Especially when the radio wave condition is poor, 30 seconds may be required. For this reason, the user is frustrated every time when receiving the digital broadcast, and consequently does not like the reception of the digital broadcast.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to shorten the time from digital broadcast channel selection to digital broadcast audio or video output in an audio system including a digital broadcast receiver.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been made to achieve the above object. The present invention provides an audio system comprising a plurality of audio sources including a digital broadcast receiving unit and a control unit that controls the operation of each audio source , wherein the control unit is configured to turn the plurality of audio sources on when the audio system is turned on. with operating the audio source selected at the end of the previous audio system used among audio sources, Ru to initiate a predetermined operation in the digital broadcast receiver.
[0006]
According to the present invention, before the user selects a digital broadcast, the audio frequency control unit completes an auto search, confirmation of the presence of a frequency, decoding as much as possible, etc. for the digital broadcast. Thereby, when the user actually selects the digital broadcast after turning on the power of the audio frequency, it is possible to obtain the output of the audio or video of the digital broadcast in a short time.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an in-vehicle audio system will be described with reference to the drawings. An example of receiving DAB as digital broadcasting will be described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an audio system to which the present invention is applied.
The illustrated audio system 11 includes a navigation / television receiving unit 12, an AM / FM broadcast receiving unit 13, a CD / MD deck 14, a cassette deck 15, and a DAB receiving unit 16 as audio sources, each of which is controlled by a control unit 17. Be controlled. The units 12 to 17 are connected by a LAN. The control unit 17 is configured by a microcomputer and includes a CPU, a memory, and the like. The output of each source is switched and controlled by the control unit 17, amplified by the amplifier 18, and output from the speaker 19.
[0008]
The navigation / TV receiver 12 is connected to the GPS and TV antenna 21, the AM / FM broadcast receiver 13 has an antenna 22, and the DAB receiver 16 is connected to the DAB antenna 23.
FIG. 2 shows a sequence from frequency setting to audio output in the DAB receiver 16.
[0009]
Steps S1 to S5 are a frequency setting sequence. In step S1, band selection of the RF module unit is performed. In step S2, the RF module unit waits for power supply stabilization. This takes about 100 msec. In step S3, the frequency of the demodulation LSI is set. In step S4, a reception permission response waiting from the demodulation LSI is waited. This takes a time of 800 msec or more, and on average takes about 2 seconds. In step S5, the frequency setting is post-processed.
[0010]
Steps S6 and S7 are waiting for service information acquisition. In step S6, MCI acquisition setting is performed. This takes about 100 msec. In step S7, service information acquisition is waited for.
Steps S8 to S14 are a channel setting sequence. In step S8, service selection (channel setting start) is performed based on the user's decision. In step S9, the channel setting is canceled. In step S10, the process waits for MPEG decoding to stop. This takes about 150 msec. In step S11, MPEG decoder disable is set. In step S12, MPEG decoder enable is set. Steps S11 and S12 require a time of about 50 msec. In step S13, the channel is set. In step S14, the MPEG decoding is waited for. This takes about 100 msec.
[0011]
In step S15, mute release wait is performed as mute control. This takes about 750 msec. When this mute control is finished, sound is output from the speaker 19.
In the sequence shown in FIG. 2, it takes 4 to 10 seconds, and in some cases 30 seconds, from the selection of DAB to the end of the mute control as described above. In the present embodiment, simultaneously with the power-on of the audio frequency 11, the control unit 17 executes a part of the sequence shown in FIG. As a result, when the user sets the DAB channel, if the sequence until the control unit 17 ends the audio output is completed, the audio is immediately output. If the sequence is being executed, the sequence is continued. Is output. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an audio output with less waiting time than in the past.
[0012]
There are various examples of DAB sequences executed by the control unit 17 at the same time when the audio system is turned on, as shown below.
(Example 1)
FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of the first embodiment.
When the power of the audio system 11 is turned on, the mode selection of the last source is performed in step S21 as in the conventional system, and the process proceeds to the normal operation of the audio system 11 in step S22. In the last source mode selection in step S21, the source (for example, the CD / MD deck 14) selected last when the audio system 11 was used last time is selected. In the normal operation of step S22, the last source is displayed on a display unit (not shown), and then control according to the user's selection of the source, play instruction, and the like is performed.
[0013]
On the other hand, when the power is turned on, the DAB auto search is performed. In step S23, the DAB receiver 16 is activated, and seek is started in step S24. When the seek for the band is completed in step S25, the frequency, subchannel, etc. obtained as a result of the seek are stored in step S26. Thereafter, the process proceeds to the normal operation of the system in step S22.
[0014]
As a result, since the DAB receiving unit 16 has already completed step S8 shown in FIG. 2, when the user selects DAB as the source in the normal operation of the system in step S22, the operations after step S9 are performed. Be started. As described above, since the process of steps S9 to S15 is only performed until the reproduced sound is output after the user selects DAB, the time until the sound is output as compared with the conventional system. Can be shortened and user dissatisfaction can be reduced.
[0015]
(Example 2)
FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of the second embodiment.
Steps S31 and 32 when the power is turned on are the same as steps S21 and S22 of the first embodiment (FIG. 3).
Simultaneously with the power-on, the DAB last channel is received. In step S33, the DAB receiving unit 16 is activated, and in step S34, the last channel received in the previous DAB (last channel: the latest received channel is always stored in the last channel memory. , The last channel is called from this last channel memory when the last channel data is required). When the decoding is completed in step S35, the process proceeds to the normal operation of the system in step S32.
[0016]
As a result, since the DAB receiver 16 has completed step S14 shown in FIG. 2, when the user selects DAB as the source in the normal operation of the system in step S32, the process proceeds to step S14 in FIG. After waiting for mute release, the reproduced sound of the last channel is output. Thereafter, this output continues until the user selects a different source or a different channel of DAB.
[0017]
According to this example, when the user powers on the system and selects DAB, the sound of the last channel is output until the sound of the selected channel is output, and the sound of the last channel is output to the display unit. Is displayed. Thereafter, when the data processing for the selected DAB is completed, the audio of the selected channel is output. Therefore, the user can enjoy DAB without being aware of the waiting time.
[0018]
(Example 3)
In this example, a user's favorite channel (favorite channel) is received instead of the last channel of the second embodiment. The operation of this example can be executed by changing a part of the flowchart of FIG.
In this example, a favorite channel (for example, a channel that a user frequently receives personally) is set in the system in advance. In the flowchart of FIG. 4, only step S34 is changed. Here, processing for setting the favorite channel is performed instead of setting the last channel. As a result, the broadcast content of the favorite channel set in advance by the user is output after the user selects a channel with DAB until the playback sound of that channel is output. About the other point, the effect similar to Example 2 can be acquired. Note that the setting of the favorite channel may be performed by, for example, a method of setting a channel being reproduced at that time by operating a predetermined switch.
[0019]
Example 4
FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the fourth embodiment.
In FIG. 5, steps S21 to S26 are the same as those in FIG. 3 of the first embodiment, except that step S27 is inserted after step S26. When the seek result is stored in step S26, the data obtained by the search process is automatically set in the preset channel in step S27. Thus, in the normal operation of the system in step S22, when the user presses a desired preset button, the operation after step S9 in FIG. 2 is started, which makes it easier for the user to use.
[0020]
(Example 5)
FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the fifth embodiment.
Steps S41 and S42 when the power is turned on are the same as steps S21 and S22 in the first embodiment (FIG. 3).
At the same time as the power is turned on, an auto search is performed for DAB. In step S43, the DAB receiving unit 16 is activated. In step S44, the position (region) of the vehicle is read from the navigation / TV receiving unit 12, and in step S45, a list of broadcasting stations in the region is read. This broadcast station list may be either one stored in the navigation / TV receiver 12 or one stored in the DAB receiver 16.
[0021]
In step S46, seek is performed according to the broadcast station list to receive. In step S47, data such as subchannel broadcast information as a result of seek is stored, and in step S49, data obtained by the search process is automatically set to a preset channel. This step S49 is the same as step S27 in the fourth embodiment (FIG. 5).
[0022]
According to this example, since the navigation / television receiving unit 12 is used to receive broadcast stations in the area of the vehicle in advance, the seek process in DAB can be completed in a shorter time.
Further, in this example, when the automobile moves and changes occur in the area and the broadcast station that can be received, the preset can be automatically redone. In this case, during the normal operation of the system in step S42, interruption after step S44 is performed periodically (every predetermined time or every predetermined distance). In this case, if there is no change in the broadcast station list read out in step S45, it is preferable to skip steps S46 to S49 and to perform the processing in steps S46 to S49 when a change occurs.
[0023]
(Example 6)
FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of the sixth embodiment.
In the first to fifth embodiments described above, when the audio system 11 is turned on, the DAB reception is started simultaneously with the normal processing, so that the user actually selects the DAB reception and then the DAB playback audio. The time until the output of is reduced. However, even if the time is shortened in such a way, there is a case where no sound is output immediately after the DAB is selected. In this example, the waiting time is prevented from being felt by the user.
[0024]
In the normal operation (steps S22, 32, and 42) of the system in the first to fifth embodiments (FIGS. 3 to 6), when the user selects DAB as the source (step S51 in FIG. 7), data processing for DAB reception is performed. This is performed following the processing that has been executed so far (step S52).
On the other hand, simultaneously with the selection of DAB by the user in step S51, in step S53, a message such as “Please wait for a while while receiving” is sent to the display unit (not shown) of the audio system 11. By displaying this message, the user can recognize that the DAB is ready to be output, so even if the DAB playback sound is not output, the user waits for the sound to be output without feeling uncomfortable. Can do.
[0025]
When the data processing in step S52 is completed, DAB playback audio is output in step S55. At the same time, in step S54, the message displayed on the display unit is deleted.
Although the sixth embodiment has been described above, the present embodiment can be further modified. For example, instead of displaying the message in step S53, or displaying the message and switching to another source such as the CD / MD deck 14, the reproduced audio or video can be output. In this case, when the DAB data processing in step S52 is completed, the output of other sources is stopped in step S54.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in the audio system containing a DAB receiving part, the time from the selection of a digital broadcast to the output of a digital broadcast can be shortened actually or experience.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an audio system to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a sequence of a DAB receiving unit in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of the operation of the audio system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing second and third embodiments of the operation of the audio system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a fourth embodiment of the operation of the audio system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a fifth embodiment of the operation of the audio system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a sixth embodiment of the operation of the audio system of FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Audio system 12 ... Navigation / TV receiving part 13 ... AM / FM broadcast receiving part 14 ... CD / MD deck 15 ... Cassette deck 16 ... DAB receiving part 17 ... Control part 18 ... Amplifier 19 ... Speakers 21, 22, 23 ... antenna

Claims (8)

In an audio system comprising a plurality of audio sources including a digital broadcast receiving unit, and a control unit for controlling the operation of each audio source ,
The control unit operates an audio source selected last when the audio system is used from the plurality of audio sources when the audio system is turned on, and starts a predetermined operation in the digital broadcast receiving unit. audio system characterized in that it makes. Having a memory for storing the last channel selected by the digital broadcast receiver when the audio system was used last time;
Wherein, as the predetermined operation in the digital broadcast receiver, an audio system according to claim 1, wherein the row Ukoto control to receive the last channel stored in the memory. Having a memory for storing the user's favorite favorite channel;
Wherein, as the predetermined operation in the digital broadcast receiver, an audio system according to claim 1, wherein the row Ukoto control for receiving said Feba retriever channel digital broadcasting stored in the memory. Wherein, in the predetermined operation in the digital broadcast receiver, an audio system according to claim 1, characterized in that for automatically setting the data obtained by the channel search in the preset channel. Broadcasting the control unit, which acquires its own position audio system from the navigation system connected to the audio system, reads the broadcast station list according to the region including the position, won by performing a search process according to the broadcast station list 5. The audio system according to claim 4, wherein information is automatically set in a preset channel. 6. The audio system according to claim 5, wherein the control unit automatically resets the preset channel when a change occurs in a broadcast station that can be received by changing a position of the own audio system. Wherein, when the digital broadcast receiver as an audio source is selected, during a period from the operation of the digital broadcast receiver is started until digital broadcasting is output, of said plurality of audio sources The audio system according to claim 1, wherein one audio source excluding the digital broadcast receiving unit is operated . A display panel, and when the digital broadcast receiving unit is selected as an audio source, the control unit displays the display panel between the start of the operation of the digital broadcast receiving unit and the output of the digital broadcast. The audio system according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined message is displayed on the audio system.

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