Communications: electrical – Continuously variable indicating – With meter reading
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-08
2002-12-10
Zimmerman, Brian (Department: 2635)
Communications: electrical
Continuously variable indicating
With meter reading
C340S870030, C340S870030, C348S705000, C348S706000, C381S077000, C381S080000, C381S081000, C381S123000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06492909
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio signal processing apparatus suitable for use in a stereophonic apparatus called a system stereo in which a plurality of audio appliances are used in combination.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the art, a stereophonic apparatus called a system stereo in which used in combination are a plurality of audio appliances has been on market in various types.
FIG. 1
shows an example of this kind of stereophonic apparatus, in which each of the audio appliances is connected to an amplifier apparatus
50
. In detail, a compact disk reproducing apparatus
61
which reproduces a compact disk (CD) on which a digital audio signal is recorded, a tuner
62
receiving an FM broadcast, an AM broadcast and so on, a disk recording and reproducing apparatus
63
which records and reproduces an audio signal by using a magneto optical disk (or optical disk) such as a minidisk (MD) or the like, and a tape recording and reproducing apparatus
64
which records and reproduces an audio signal by using a tape cassette are connected to the amplifier apparatus
50
. An audio signal, which is selected by a function change-over switch provided in the amplifier apparatus
50
from the audio signals which are supplied from the respective audio appliances
61
,
62
,
63
and
64
to the amplifier apparatus
50
, is subjected to a predetermined processing (amplification processing in a power amplifier, various signal processing in a DSP and so on) and the audio signal thus processed is supplied to left and right speaker units
65
L and
65
R connected to the amplifier apparatus
50
and then acoustic sounds are produced therefrom. The audio signal selected by the function change-over switch is also supplied to the apparatuses
63
and
64
capable of recording the audio signal, and a desired audio signal can be recorded by the apparatus
63
or
64
.
In the system stereophonic apparatus connected as mentioned above, it is necessary to connect the respective audio appliances
61
through
64
to the amplifier apparatus
50
by using a number of audio signal lines.
FIG. 2
shows an example of the arrangement of a connection terminal portion on the rear surface of the amplifier apparatus
50
shown in FIG.
1
. As shown in
FIG. 2
, there are provided an input terminal
51
to be connected with the compact disk reproducing apparatus
61
, an input terminal
52
to be connected with the tuner
62
, an input/output terminal
53
to be connected with the disk recording and reproducing apparatus
63
, an input/output terminal
54
to be connected with the tape recording and reproducing apparatus
64
, and a speaker terminal
55
to be connected with the speaker units
65
L and
65
R. In this case, the input terminals
51
and
52
are terminals inputted with left and right audio signals, respectively, and each of which is formed of two jacks, while the input/output terminals
53
and
54
are terminals inputted with the left and right audio signals and terminals outputting the same and each of which is formed of four jacks.
As set forth above, on the rear surface of the amplifier apparatus
50
, there are arranged a number of connection terminal units, and the respective audio appliances are connected to the amplifier apparatus in such a manner that a plug, which is called a pin plug provided on a tip end of each connection cord connected to each audio appliance, is inserted into each predetermined jack of the amplifier apparatus for connection. The connection work, however, requires much time and further easily permit erroneous connection. In other words, the input and output terminals of the audio signal are formed of jacks that are the same in shape and, as shown in
FIG. 2
, a name or the like of the appliance to be connected is indicated near each terminal. However, upon carrying out an actual connecting work, since a number of jacks are the same in shape and also located close to one another, the connection is mistaken frequently.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the problem mentioned above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an audio signal processing apparatus by which the connection work of a system stereophonic apparatus can be carried out easily with no complexity.
According to the present invention, there is provided an audio signal processing apparatus which is provided with a plurality of terminal units each having at least an audio signal input contact piece and a control signal contact piece, and a control means for judging the kind of an audio appliance connected to each terminal unit on the basis of a control signal obtained at the terminal unit and for making a function selection means select, when a function change-over command to select any of the audio appliances is issued, a terminal unit to which is connected the appliance of kind thus discriminated.
According to the present invention, when a function change-over command to change over an audio appliance is issued by a key operation or the like, the terminal unit connected with the appliance indicated by that command is judged by the control means, and the corresponding terminal unit is selected by the function selection means. Therefore, even when a plurality of audio appliances are connected to any ones of a plurality of terminal units prepared in any order, the connected audio appliance can be selected correctly.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5414417 (1995-05-01), Heo
patent: 5699052 (1997-12-01), Miyahara
patent: 5802300 (1998-09-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 5838393 (1998-11-01), Simpson et al.
patent: 5959539 (1999-09-01), Adolph et al.
Hirano Koji
Nakamura Keiichi
Saegusa Shigeru
Washikawa Sakae
Dalencourt Yves
Maioli Jay H.
Zimmerman Brian
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