JP6048658B2 - keyboard - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a keyboard, and more particularly to an audio output function.

  As a keyboard connected to a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC), a keyboard having a voice output function is conventionally used.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional configuration in which a keyboard, a speaker, and a monitor incorporating a voice output function are connected to a PC. In FIG. 3, the PC 10 is provided with a hard disk 11 for storing audio data such as voice messages, for example, a keyboard 20 is connected via a USB cable C1, and a speaker 30 is connected via an audio cable C2. A monitor 40 is connected via a monitor cable C3.

  The keyboard 20 is provided with an MPU 21 that performs overall control of the keyboard, a key operation unit 22, a voice synthesis LSI 23, a voice data memory 24, an amplifier circuit 25, a built-in speaker 26, and the like.

  Assuming that the PC 10 has a function of monitoring and operating, for example, plant equipment (not shown), the operator needs to monitor the sound output of the speaker 30 and the monitoring screen and operation screen of the plant equipment displayed on the monitor 40. In response to this, the key operation unit 22 of the keyboard 20 is operated, and the plant equipment and the like are operated and controlled via the PC 10.

  Further, when any abnormality occurs in the plant facility or the like, the PC 10 drives the built-in speaker 26 provided on the keyboard 20 to output an electronic buzzer sound, for example, in order to notify the operator of the abnormality.

  In order to sound the electronic buzzer sound, a command for sounding the electronic buzzer sound is transmitted from the PC 10 to the MPU 21 provided on the keyboard 20. The MPU 21 that has received this command transmits a command for sounding the electronic buzzer sound to the voice synthesis LSI 23 in order to sound the electronic buzzer sound.

  The voice synthesis LSI 23 that has received the command reads the audio data from the voice data memory 24, performs D / A conversion therein, converts the audio data into an audio signal, and outputs the audio signal to the amplifier circuit 25. The amplifier circuit 25 amplifies the audio signal, drives the built-in speaker 26, and outputs an electronic buzzer sound.

  Furthermore, when reproducing and outputting audio data such as voice messages stored in the hard disk 11 provided in the PC 10, an external speaker 30 is connected. It is assumed that the importance of the audio signal reproduced and output from the speaker 30 is set lower than the electronic buzzer sound output from the built-in speaker 26 of the keyboard 20.

Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which a speaker for issuing an alarm when an error occurs is provided to transmit an operation signal from a wireless keyboard so that the occurrence of the error can be confirmed by hearing.
Patent Document 2 describes a configuration in which a sound generation means such as a sound circuit and a speaker is provided in the keyboard device, and further, a means for instructing interruption / resumption of output from the speaker is provided.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-95900 JP 2000-112628 A

  However, according to the configuration of FIG. 3, it is impossible to make a sound other than the electronic buzzer sound from the keyboard 20, and therefore, if it is desired to make a sound other than the electronic buzzer sound, a new external speaker 30 must be prepared. In addition, there is a problem that a space for installing the external speaker 30 must be secured.

  The present invention solves these problems, and an object thereof is to realize a keyboard capable of producing a plurality of sounds from a single keyboard.

In order to achieve such an object, the invention described in claim 1 of the present invention is
In a keyboard that has a built-in voice output function and is connected to a personal computer with a plant facility operation monitoring function via a USB cable .
A first speaker for outputting an electronic buzzer sound based on the first audio data stored in the audio data memory;
Control means for controlling the first speaker to output the electronic buzzer sound when receiving an instruction from the personal computer issued when an abnormality of the plant facility occurs via the USB cable;
Conversion means for receiving second audio data stored in a storage means included in the personal computer from the personal computer via the USB cable, and converting the received second audio data into an audio signal from digital to analog; ,
A second speaker for outputting the audio signal converted by the conversion means;
When the sound signal is emitted from the second speaker in a state where the first speaker is sounding an electronic buzzer sound, the amplifier circuit that drives the second speaker is controlled to control the volume of the second speaker. And a volume control means for limiting the above.

The invention of claim 2 is the keyboard of claim 1,
The control means grasps the loudness of the sound produced from the first speaker based on the timbre or the number of simultaneous reproductions of the sounds from the first speaker and the second speaker, The loudness of the sound produced from the second speaker is grasped based on the magnitude of the drive signal inputted from the personal computer to the USB cable, and the loudness of the sound emitted from the first loudspeaker and the second loudspeaker are grasped. The volume of the second speaker is controlled by comparing the volume of the sound emitted from the second speaker .

The invention of claim 3 is the keyboard according to claim 1 or claim 2,
The control means monitors the load state of the entire keyboard, and when the power load reaches a maximum state which is a predetermined load state, the control means reduces the load by limiting the volume of the second speaker. Features.

The invention of claim 4 is the keyboard according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
The sound of the first speaker is set to be more important than the sound of the second speaker .

  Thus, a plurality of sounds can be produced from one keyboard.

It is a block diagram which shows one Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the other Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the example of a conventional structure with which the keyboard in which the audio | voice output function was integrated, the speaker, and the monitor were connected to PC.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and the same reference numerals are given to portions common to FIG. The difference between FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 is a system for reproducing and outputting audio data such as voice messages stored in the hard disk 11 provided in the PC 10.

  In the configuration of FIG. 1, in reproducing and outputting audio data such as voice messages stored in the hard disk 11 provided in the PC 10, an internal speaker 20 is used instead of the external speaker 30 of FIG. 3. A USB DAC 27, an amplifier circuit 28, and a built-in speaker 29 are provided.

  That is, when audio data such as voice messages stored in the hard disk 11 provided in the PC 10 is reproduced and output, it is stored in the hard disk 11 using audio reproduction software installed in the PC 10 in advance. Play the audio data.

  At this time, in order to set the output destination of the audio data to the USB DAC 27 provided in the keyboard 20, the USB DAC 27 is set by the sound setting of the OS software (for example, MS-Windows (registered trademark)) installed in the PC 10. Select.

  Here, the USB DAC 27 has a function of D / A converting audio data transmitted from the hard disk 11 of the PC 10 via the USB cable C4 and outputting it as an audio signal. The audio signal output from the USB DAC 27 is input to the amplifier circuit 28 and amplified, and the amplified output is input to the built-in speaker 29 as a drive signal.

  Thereby, the built-in speaker 29 outputs the audio data transmitted from the hard disk 11 of the PC 10 as an audio signal.

  It is assumed that the importance of the audio signal output as an audio signal from the built-in speaker 29 is lower than the electronic buzzer sound output from the other built-in speaker 26.

  By the way, as a power source for the keyboard 20, a maximum of 5V / 1A is supplied from the USB port of the PC 10 via the two USB cables C1 and C4. If a sound other than the electronic buzzer sound and the electronic buzzer sound is sounded at the same time, and both volume adjustments reach the maximum value, the load on the keyboard 20 will increase and the power capacity will be insufficient with only the power supply from the USB port. It is also conceivable that all the functions of the keyboard 20 are stopped.

  Therefore, in order to maintain the stable operation of the keyboard 20, it is necessary to forcibly limit the volume of the other speaker 29 when an electronic buzzer is sounding from one speaker 26. Specifically, when one speaker 26 is producing an electronic buzzer sound, the amplification degree of the amplifier circuit 28 that drives the other speaker 29 is automatically controlled from the MPU 21. When the electronic buzzer sound does not sound from one speaker 26, the sound volume of the other speaker 29 is returned to the state before being forcibly limited.

  According to such a configuration, one of the two speakers 26 and 29 incorporated in the keyboard 20 can be used for an electronic buzzer sound and the other can be used for a sound other than the electronic buzzer sound. It is not necessary to prepare a new external speaker in order to make a sound other than the above, and it is not necessary to secure a space for installing the external speaker.

  The MPU 21 that controls the entire keyboard 20 has a function of adjusting the load by monitoring the load state of the entire keyboard 20, and immediately reduces the load when the power load of the keyboard 20 reaches a maximum state. Thus, the load adjustment is performed so that the function of the keyboard 20 does not stop due to power shortage.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, and the same reference numerals are given to portions common to FIG. The difference between FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is the cable that connects the PC 10 and the keyboard 20. That is, in the configuration of FIG. 1, the PC 10 and the keyboard 20 are connected by two USB cables C1 and C4, whereas in the configuration of FIG. 2, the PC 10 and the keyboard 20 are connected by one USB cable C5. There is.

  In FIG. 2, the keyboard 20 is provided with a USB HUB controller 50, and the MPU 21 and the USB DAC 27 are connected to the USB HUB controller 50. The keyboard 20 is connected to the PC 10 via the USB HUB controller 50 and one USB cable C5.

  In addition, as a method of controlling the volume of the sound emitted from the other speaker 29 while the electronic buzzer is sounding from one speaker 26, the loudness of the sound produced by the one speaker 26 and the other speaker 29 is compared. There is a method for controlling the volume of the other speaker 29.

  Specifically, the MPU 21 grasps the magnitude of the sound produced from one speaker 26 from the tone color and the number of simultaneous reproductions of the produced sound, and the magnitude of the sound produced from the other speaker 29 from the USB DAC 27 to the amplification circuit. This is grasped on the basis of the magnitude of the drive signal input to 28. Then, the MPU 21 compares the sound volume information of the speakers 26 and 29 and controls the volume of the sound produced by the other speaker 29 while considering the load balance of the sound produced by the speakers 26 and 29.

  Note that the sound produced from one speaker 26 is more important than the sound produced from the other speaker 29, and therefore the volume of the sound produced from one speaker 26 is not reflected in the control. Further, the control of the sound emitted from the other speaker 29 is the same as the method described in FIG.

  According to the configuration of FIG. 2, the PC 10 and the keyboard 20 need only be connected by a single USB cable C5, so that only one USB port of the PC 10 needs to be secured in order to connect the keyboard 20. The degree of freedom of the USB port can be improved.

  Since the MPU 21 controls the volume of the speaker 29 while considering the load balance of both the speakers 26 and 29, the volume of the speaker 29 does not become extremely small.

  When the conventional keyboard shown in FIG. 3 is replaced with the keyboard of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, only one USB port of the PC 10 is used as in the conventional case. It can be inherited as it is. At that time, the MPU 21 driver software is compatible with the old product and can be used as it is.

  In addition, since the standard driver of the Windows (registered trademark) OS can be used for the driver software of the USB DAC 27, it is not necessary to prepare a new software and maintenance and replacement of the keyboard 20 can be easily performed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of sounds can be produced from a single keyboard, which is suitable as a keyboard used in a control system that monitors and operates plant equipment and the like.

10 PC
11 Hard disk 20 Keyboard 21 MPU
22 Key operation unit 23 Speech synthesis LSI
24 Audio data memory 25, 28 Amplifier circuit 26, 29 Speaker 27 USB DAC
40 Monitor 50 USB HUB controller C1, C4, C5 USB cable C3 Monitor cable

Claims (4)

In a keyboard that has a built-in voice output function and is connected to a personal computer with a plant facility operation monitoring function via a USB cable .
A first speaker for outputting an electronic buzzer sound based on the first audio data stored in the audio data memory;
Control means for controlling the first speaker to output the electronic buzzer sound when receiving an instruction from the personal computer issued when an abnormality of the plant facility occurs via the USB cable;
Conversion means for receiving second audio data stored in a storage means included in the personal computer from the personal computer via the USB cable, and converting the received second audio data into an audio signal from digital to analog; ,
A second speaker for outputting the audio signal converted by the conversion means;
When the sound signal is emitted from the second speaker in a state where the first speaker is sounding an electronic buzzer sound, the amplifier circuit that drives the second speaker is controlled to control the volume of the second speaker. And a volume control means for limiting the sound . The control means grasps the loudness of the sound produced from the first speaker based on the timbre or the number of simultaneous reproductions of the sounds from the first speaker and the second speaker, The loudness of the sound produced from the second speaker is grasped based on the magnitude of the drive signal inputted from the personal computer to the USB cable, and the loudness of the sound emitted from the first loudspeaker and the second loudspeaker are grasped. 2. The keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein the volume of the second speaker is controlled by comparing the volume of the second sound . The control means monitors the load state of the entire keyboard, and when the power load reaches a maximum state which is a predetermined load state, the control means reduces the load by limiting the volume of the second speaker. The keyboard according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The keyboard according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the importance of the sound produced by the first speaker is set higher than the sound produced by the second speaker .

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