Earphone device

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to operate a desired function without causing a user to feel pressure when an earphone device is worn on the ear. This earphone device (1) is provided with a sound-generating unit (10) that is worn on the ear of a user. A sound-emitting unit (10) is provided with: an antenna (171) that receives an audio signal; a drive unit (16) that drives in accordance with the audio signal received by the antenna; and a battery (18) that stores power supplied to the antenna. The battery is charged when the sound production unit is accommodated in the charger. The sound generating unit is in a stopped state when the sound generating unit is housed in the charger (30), and is in an operating state when the sound generating unit is not housed in the charger. The operation mode of the sound generating unit in the operation state comprises a first operation mode and a second operation mode. When the state of the sound-emitting unit is switched from the stopped state to the operating state, the operating mode of the sound-emitting unit within a predetermined time after the switching is a first operating mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an earphone device. Background Art

[0002] The earphone device is worn on the user's ear and outputs sound waves corresponding to the audio signal from the sound source such as a portable terminal such as a smartphone, a portable music player, etc. Among the earphone devices, small and multifunctional products are increasing. In recent years, true wireless earphones that are not physically connected to the left and right sound units by cables have become popular (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). True wireless earphones receive audio signals from the sound source via wireless communication lines such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0003] Among true wireless earphones, for example, true wireless earphones with noise reduction functions are known (for example, refer to Patent Document 2). The noise reduction function of the true wireless earphones is enabled, for example, when the true wireless earphones are turned on. When the noise reduction function is enabled, when one sounding unit of the true wireless earphone is worn on one ear, the ear will hear the external sound shielded by the noise reduction function. On the other hand, the other ear of the other sounding unit that is not wearing the true wireless earphone will hear the external sound. Therefore, the user will feel discomfort and stress due to the different sounds heard from both ears.

[0004] In addition, among true wireless headphones, for example, there are true wireless headphones that enable the noise reduction function by operating the operation switch. Since the true wireless headphones are only the size that can be stored in the auricle, the operation switch configured in the true wireless headphones is relatively small, and the operation method must also be simple. Since the user is blindly operating the operation switch of the true wireless headphones next to the ear, misoperation will occur more often. On the other hand, among true wireless headphones, there are also true wireless headphones that detect whether the headphones are worn through wearing sensors (infrared sensors, capacitive sensors, etc.) and switch the noise reduction function to enabled. However, true wireless headphones with wearing sensors may have some malfunctions, such as: the wearing sensor does not respond due to individual differences, or the wearing sensor responds when the headphones are put into the pocket of clothes.

[0005] Prior art literature

[0006] Patent literature:

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-039243

[0008] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-023637 Summary of the invention

[0009] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0010] An object of the present invention is to enable an earphone device to perform a desired function when the earphone device is worn on the ear.

[0011] Solutions for solving problems

[0012] The earphone device of the present invention is characterized in that it has a sounding unit worn on the ear of the user, the sounding unit having: an antenna that receives an audio signal; a driving unit that is driven according to the audio signal received by the antenna; and a battery that stores power supplied to the antenna, the battery is charged when the sounding unit is accommodated in a charger, the sounding unit is in a stopped state when the sounding unit is accommodated in the charger, and is in an operating state when the sounding unit is not accommodated in the charger, the operating mode of the sounding unit in the operating state includes a first operating mode and a second operating mode, and when the state of the sounding unit is switched from a stopped state to an operating state, the operating mode of the sounding unit within a specified time after the switching is the first operating mode.

[0013] Effects of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, a desired function can be performed when the earphone device is worn on the ear. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the earphone device according to the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Functional block diagram of a headphone device.

[0017] Figure 3 Yes, there is Figure 1 3D view of the charger in the state of the earphone device.

[0018] Figure 4 is housed in Figure 3 Functional block diagram of the earphone device in a charger state.

[0019] Figure 5 is from Figure 3 1 is a functional block diagram of the earphone device in a state where the earphone device is removed from the charger.

[0020] Figure 6 It is shown Figure 1 A sequence diagram of the operation of the headphone device.

[0021] Figure 7 It is shown Figure 1 A sequence diagram of another operation of the headphone device.

[0022] Figure 8 is from Figure 3 Another functional block diagram of the headphone device in a state where the headphone device is removed from the charger.

[0023] Fig. 9 It is shown Figure 8 Flow chart of the operation of the headphone device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] First Embodiment

[0025] Hereinafter, an embodiment (hereinafter referred to as “first embodiment”) of an earphone device (hereinafter referred to as “this device”) of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0026] Structure of the earphone device

[0027] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing the first embodiment of the present device 1 .

[0028] Figure 2 This is a functional block diagram of the present device 1.

[0029] The device 1 is worn on the user's ear and outputs sound waves corresponding to audio signals from a sound source S such as a portable terminal such as a smartphone or a portable music player. The device 1 receives audio signals from the sound source S via a wireless communication line such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0030] The "user" refers to a natural person who wears the device 1 on the ear for use.

[0031] The device 1 includes a left sound unit 10 and a right sound unit 20. The device 1 is a so-called true wireless headset in which the left and right sound units 10 and 20 are not physically connected by cables or the like.

[0032] The left sound emitting unit 10 is worn on the left ear of the user, and outputs a sound wave corresponding to an audio signal from a sound source S. The left sound emitting unit 10 includes a left housing 11, a left sound guide tube 12, a left earplug 13, a left operation switch 14, a left power receiving terminal 15, a left drive unit 16, a left circuit board 17, a left battery 18, and a left microphone 19. The left sound emitting unit 10 is an example of a sound emitting unit in the present invention, and is an example of a first sound emitting unit.

[0033] The left housing 11 accommodates a left drive unit 16, a left circuit board 17, a left battery 18, and a left microphone 19. The left housing 11 is made of a synthetic resin such as plastic.

[0034] The left sound guide tube 12 guides the sound waves from the left driving unit 16 to the external auditory canal of the left ear of the user when the device 1 is used. The left sound guide tube 12 is integrally formed with the left housing 11.

[0035] The left earplug 13 is in close contact with the external auditory canal of the user when the left sound generating unit 10 is worn on the left ear. The left earplug 13 is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the left sound guide tube 12. The left earplug 13 is made of elastic material such as silicone rubber.

[0036] The left operating switch 14 is a switch for controlling the operation of the device 1. The left operating switch 14 is, for example, a push switch. When the left sound unit 10 is worn on the left ear, the left operating switch 14 is arranged on the outer side surface of the left housing 11, which is exposed from the left ear. For specific operations of the left operating switch 14, refer to the following content. The left operating switch 14 is an example of an operating unit in the present invention.

[0037] It should be noted that the left operating switch in the present invention may also be a touch sensor. In the case where the left operating switch is a touch sensor, the portion exposed from the left ear (for example, the outer side of the left housing, the outermost surface of the left housing opposite to the ear side ( Figure 1 A small touch sensor is configured in the circular area shown by the reference symbol "T" in the figure. The operation of the touch sensor is a click, a long press, a slide, etc. by the user. The touch sensor is, for example, a known touch sensor such as a resistive type or a capacitive type.

[0038] The left power receiving terminal 15 is connected to a charger 30 (see Figure 3 ) receives the power supplied to the left battery 18. The left power receiving terminal 15 is exposed to the outside of the left housing 11. Figure 5 As shown, in the left housing 11, the left power receiving terminal 15 is electrically connected to the left battery 18 and the left timer processing circuit 174 described later. The specific function of the left power receiving terminal 15 will be described later.

[0039] The left drive unit 16 is driven according to an audio signal from a sound source S received from a left receiving circuit 171 described later. That is, the left drive unit 16 outputs a sound wave according to the audio signal from the sound source S. The left drive unit 16 is, for example, a moving coil electroacoustic transducer. The left drive unit 16 is an example of a drive unit in the present invention.

[0040] The left circuit board 17 is a substrate on which electronic circuits described later are mounted. The left circuit board 17 is, for example, a PCB (Printed Circuit Board). The left circuit board 17 is electrically connected to the left operating switch 14, the left drive unit 16, the left battery 18, and the left microphone 19.

[0041] A left receiving circuit 171 , a left signal processing circuit 172 , a left transmitting / receiving circuit 173 , a left timer processing circuit 174 , a left mode circuit 175 , a left amplifier circuit 176 , and a left ANC (Active Noise Control) circuit 177 are mounted on the left circuit board 17 .

[0042] The left receiving circuit 171 receives an audio signal from a sound source S via a wireless communication line. The audio signal received by the left receiving circuit 171 is a digital signal. The left receiving circuit 171 transmits the received audio signal to the left signal processing circuit 172 and the left transmitting / receiving circuit 173. The left receiving circuit 171 is an example of an antenna in the present invention.

[0043] The left signal processing circuit 172 processes the audio signal received from the left receiving circuit 171 and sends the processed signal to the left driving unit 16. The left signal processing circuit 172 is, for example, a D / A conversion circuit. That is, the signal processed by the left signal processing circuit 172 is, for example, an analog signal that has been D / A converted.

[0044] The left transmission / reception circuit 173 transmits / receives signals (audio signals, command signals described later, etc.) with the right transmission / reception circuit 273 of the right sound emitting unit 20 described later. For the specific operation of the left transmission / reception circuit 173, see the following content. The left transmission / reception circuit 173 is an example of the first communication unit in the present invention.

[0045] The left timer processing circuit 174 has a timer, and performs processing required for the operation of the left sounding unit 10 according to the timer time. The left timer processing circuit 174 generates a command signal according to the timer time, and sends the command signal to the left transmission / reception circuit 173 and the left mode circuit 175. For the specific operation of the left timer processing circuit 174, see the following content.

[0046] The "timer time" refers to the time measured by the timer included in the left timer processing circuit 174. The timer time may also be measured by the timer included in the right timer processing circuit 274 described later.

[0047] The “instruction signal” is a signal generated and sent by the left timer processing circuit 174 , and is a signal for instructing the left mode circuit 175 and the right mode circuit 275 described later to switch the operation mode of the left and right sound emitting units 10 , 20 .

[0048] The "operation mode" is a mode indicating a state in which one of the functions of the left and right sound emitting units 10 and 20 is being operated. The operation mode includes a first operation mode and a second operation mode. For details of the operation mode, see the following content.

[0049] The left mode circuit 175 switches the operation mode of the left sound unit 10 according to the command signal from the left timer processing circuit 174. The operation modes of the left sound unit 10 include a hear-through mode and an ANC mode. The left mode circuit 175 switches the connection between the left amplifier circuit 176 or the left ANC circuit 177 and the left timer processing circuit 174. In the present embodiment, the operation mode of the left sound unit 10 when the state of the left sound unit 10 is switched from the stop state to the operation state is the first operation mode, and the operation mode of the left sound unit 10 after switching from the first operation mode is the second operation mode.

[0050] The “sound transmission mode” refers to an operation mode in which the sound transmission function operates, and the sound transmission function introduces the sound outside the left sound unit 10 into the left sound unit 10 so that the user can hear the sound of the surrounding environment.

[0051] The “noise reduction mode” refers to an operation mode in which a noise reduction function operates. The noise reduction function outputs a cancellation sound of a phase opposite to the external sound (the sound around the user) of the left sound emitting unit 10 to shield (silence) the external sound.

[0052] The “stop state” refers to a state in which the left sound unit 10 is not operating. The stop state is, for example, a state in which the power from the left battery 18 is stopped from being supplied to the electronic circuit of the left circuit board 17 and the electronic circuit mounted on the left circuit board 17 is not operating.

[0053] The “operating state” refers to a state in which the left sound unit 10 is operating. The operating state is, for example, a state in which power from the left battery 18 is supplied to the electronic circuit of the left circuit board 17 and the electronic circuit mounted on the left circuit board 17 is operating.

[0054] The left amplifier circuit 176 amplifies the sound outside the left sound unit 10 picked up by the left microphone 19, and sends it as an amplified signal to the left signal processing circuit 172. When the left sound unit 10 is operated in the sound transmission mode, the left mode circuit 175 operates the left amplifier circuit 176. The left amplifier circuit 176 is, for example, a known amplifier circuit.

[0055] The left ANC circuit 177 generates a cancellation signal of an opposite phase corresponding to the sound outside the left sound unit 10 picked up by the left microphone 19, and sends the cancellation signal to the left signal processing circuit 172. When the left sound unit 10 operates in the noise reduction mode, the left mode circuit 175 operates the left ANC circuit 177. The left ANC circuit 177 is, for example, a known ANC circuit.

[0056] It should be noted that the operation mode of the left sound unit may also include a "normal mode", in which neither the sound transmission function nor the noise reduction function is operated. That is, the operation mode of the left sound unit 10 may also include a "normal mode" and any one of the "sound transmission mode" or the "noise reduction mode". When the operation mode of the left sound unit is the normal mode, the left mode circuit neither operates the left amplification circuit nor the left ANC circuit.

[0057] The left battery 18 stores power required for the operation of the left sound unit 10 (for example, power supplied to the left circuit board 17, etc.) The left battery 18 is an example of a battery in the present invention.

[0058] The left microphone 19 picks up sound outside the left sound emitting unit 10. The left microphone 19 is, for example, a known condenser microphone.

[0059] The right sound unit 20 is worn on the right ear of the user, and outputs a sound wave corresponding to the audio signal from the sound source S. The structure of the right sound unit 20 is the same as that of the left sound unit 10. That is, the right sound unit 20 includes a right housing 21, a right sound guide tube 22, a right earplug 23, a right operation switch 24, a right power receiving terminal (not shown), a right drive unit 26, a right circuit board 27, a right battery 28, and a right microphone 29. The right sound unit 20 is an example of the second sound unit in the present invention.

[0060] The right housing 21 corresponds to the left housing 11, the right sound guide tube 22 corresponds to the left sound guide tube 12, the right earplug 23 corresponds to the left earplug 13, the right operating switch 24 corresponds to the left operating switch 14, the right power receiving terminal corresponds to the left power receiving terminal 15, the right drive unit 26 corresponds to the left drive unit 16, the right circuit board 27 corresponds to the left circuit board 17, the right battery 28 corresponds to the left battery 18, and the right microphone 29 corresponds to the left microphone 19. The components corresponding to each other have the same functions. The right operating switch 24 is an example of the operating unit in the present invention. The right drive unit 26 is an example of the drive unit in the present invention. The right battery 28 is an example of the battery in the present invention.

[0061] The right circuit board 27 is electrically connected to the right operating switch 24 , the right driving unit 26 , the right battery 28 , and the right microphone 29 , respectively.

[0062] The right circuit board 27 is provided with a right receiving circuit 271, a right signal processing circuit 272, a right transmitting / receiving circuit 273, a right timer processing circuit 274, a right mode circuit 275, a right amplifier circuit 276, and a right ANC circuit 277. The right receiving circuit 271 corresponds to the left receiving circuit 171, the right signal processing circuit 272 corresponds to the left signal processing circuit 172, the right transmitting / receiving circuit 273 corresponds to the left transmitting / receiving circuit 173, the right timer processing circuit 274 corresponds to the left timer processing circuit 174, the right mode circuit 275 corresponds to the left mode circuit 175, the right amplifier circuit 276 corresponds to the left amplifier circuit 176, and the right ANC circuit 277 corresponds to the left ANC circuit 177. The components corresponding to each other have the same functions. Therefore, in the right circuit board 27, the description of the operation common to the left circuit board 17 is omitted. The right receiving circuit 271 is an example of the antenna in the present invention. The right transmitting / receiving circuit 273 is an example of the second communication unit in the present invention.

[0063] Charger structure

[0064] Next, the structure of the charger 30 of the present device 1 will be described. Figure 1-2 .

[0065] Figure 3 It is a perspective view of the charger 30 in a state where the device 1 is housed.

[0066] This figure shows a state in which the left and right sounding units 10 and 20 are housed in the charger 30 , respectively, and a cover 312 to be described later is opened.

[0067] Figure 4 1 is a functional block diagram of the device 1 and the charger 30 .

[0068] This figure shows a state where the device 1 is housed in a charger 30. In this figure, a dotted line indicates a flow of electric power, and a solid line indicates a flow of a signal.

[0069] The charger 30 is a charger dedicated to the present device 1. When the left and right sound units 10 and 20 are accommodated in the charger 30, the left and right sound units 10 and 20 are electrically connected to the charger 30. When the left and right sound units 10 and 20 are accommodated in the charger 30, the left battery 18 of the left sound unit 10 and the right battery 28 of the right sound unit 20 are charged. The charger 30 includes a case 31, a control circuit 32, a battery 33, a power supply terminal 34, and an external power supply terminal 35.

[0070] The case 31 includes a main body 311, a cover 312, and a storage portion (not shown). The case 31 is made of a synthetic resin such as plastic.

[0071] The main body 311 accommodates the storage unit, the control circuit 32, the battery 33, and the power supply terminal 34. The main body 311 is a hollow cylindrical shape with a rounded rectangular bottom in a plan view.

[0072] The cover 312 prevents the left and right sounding units 10 and 20 accommodated in the accommodation part from popping out of the accommodation part. The cover 312 is attached to the main body 311 in an openable and closable manner. When the cover 312 closes the main body 311, the cover 312 is locked to the main body 311.

[0073] The control circuit 32 controls the operation of the charger 30. The control circuit 32 is electrically connected to the battery 33, the power supply terminal 34, and the external power supply terminal 35. For the specific operation of the control circuit 32, refer to the following content.

[0074] The battery 33 stores power from the external power source 40. The power from the external power source 40 is supplied to the battery 33 via the control circuit 32. When the left and right sound units 10 and 20 are accommodated in the charger 30, the power stored in the battery 33 is supplied to the left and right sound units 10 and 20 respectively via the control circuit 32. Even when the charger 30 is not connected to the external power source 40, the power stored in the battery 33 is supplied to the accommodated left and right sound units 10 and 20 respectively.

[0075] The power supply terminal 34 is exposed in the housing portion and is electrically connected to the control circuit 32 , and is connected to the battery 33 via the control circuit 32 .

[0076] When the left sound unit 10 is stored in the charger 30, the left power receiving terminal 15 is electrically connected to the power supply terminal 34. At this time, power is supplied to the left battery 18 of the left sound unit 10. On the other hand, when the left sound unit 10 is taken out of the charger 30, the electrical connection between the left power receiving terminal 15 and the power supply terminal 34 is disconnected. At this time, power is stopped from being supplied to the left battery 18 of the left sound unit 10. In the right sound unit 20, the relationship between the power supply terminal 34 and the right power receiving terminal (not shown) is the same as the relationship between the power supply terminal 34 and the left power receiving terminal 15.

[0077] The external power terminal 35 is, for example, a USB terminal for a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable for supplying power from the external power source 40 to the battery 33. The external power terminal 35 is disposed on the outer side surface of the main body 311.

[0078] Relationship between the headset unit and the charger

[0079] Next, the relationship between the device 1 and the charger 30 is described. In the following description, the relationship between the device 1 and the charger 30 is described by taking the left sound unit 10 as an example.

[0080] First, the operation of the left sound unit 10 and the charger 30 when the left sound unit 10 is stored in the charger 30 will be described (see Figure 4 ). When the charger 30 is connected to the external power source 40, the control circuit 32 monitors and controls the flow of power. The control circuit 32 monitors the state of charge of the battery 33, supplies power to the battery 33 if the battery 33 is not fully charged, and stops supplying power to the battery 33 if the battery 33 is fully charged. In this way, the control circuit 32 reliably monitors the state of charge of the battery 33 and controls the state of charge of the battery 33.

[0081] When the left sounding unit 10 is accommodated in the charger 30, the control circuit 32 detects that the left power receiving terminal 15 is electrically connected to the power supply terminal 34. The control circuit 32 that detects the connection supplies power to the left battery 18 via the power supply terminal 34 and the left power receiving terminal 15. As a result, the left battery 18 stores the supplied power. That is, when the left sounding unit 10 is accommodated in the charger 30, the left battery 18 is charged. When the left sounding unit 10 is accommodated in the charger 30, the state of the left sounding unit 10 is the stopped state.

[0082] Next, the operation of the left sounding unit 10 in a state where the left sounding unit 10 is removed from the charger 30 will be described.

[0083] Figure 5 1 is a functional block diagram of the device 1 and the charger 30 .

[0084] This figure shows a state where the device 1 is removed from the charger 30 .

[0085] When the left sound unit 10 is removed from the charger 30, the electrical connection between the left power receiving terminal 15 and the power supply terminal 34 is disconnected. At this time, the control circuit 32 of the charger 30 detects the disconnection of the electrical connection between the left power receiving terminal 15 and the power supply terminal 34. The control circuit 32 that detects the disconnection stops supplying power from the battery 33 to the power supply terminal 34.

[0086] When the left sounding unit 10 is removed from the charger 30, the left timer processing circuit 174 of the left sounding unit 10 detects that the electrical connection between the left power receiving terminal 15 and the power supply terminal 34 is disconnected. The left timer processing circuit 174, which detects the disconnection, generates a command signal for switching to the first operation mode, and sends the command signal to the left mode circuit 175 and the left transmission / reception circuit 173.

[0087] When the left sound unit 10 is taken out from the charger 30, the connection between the left power receiving terminal 15 and the power supply terminal 34 is disconnected, so the power supply to the left battery 18 stops. At this time, the power from the left battery 18 starts to be supplied to the electronic circuit of the left circuit board 17. In other words, when the left sound unit 10 is taken out from the charger 30, the state of the left sound unit 10 is switched from the stop state to the operation state. That is, when the left sound unit 10 is not accommodated in the charger 30, the state of the left sound unit 10 is the operation state.

[0088] The relationship between the left sound unit 10 and the charger 30 described above is the same as the relationship between the right sound unit 20 and the charger 30 .

[0089] Operation of the headphone unit(1)

[0090] Next, the operation of the present device 1 will be described.

[0091] Figure 6 It is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the present device 1.

[0092] This figure is a sequence diagram showing an example of switching the operation mode of the left and right sound emitting units 10 and 20 from the sound transmission mode to the noise reduction mode.

[0093] In the following description of the operation of the present device 1, the user takes out the left sound unit 10 of the left and right sound units 10 and 20 from the charger 30 and wears it on the ear, and then takes out the right sound unit 20 from the charger 30 and wears it on the ear.

[0094] When the user takes out the left sound unit 10 from the charger 30, power from the left battery 18 is supplied to the electronic circuit mounted on the left circuit board 17, and the left sound unit 10 is started (S10). In other words, when the left sound unit 10 is taken out from the charger 30, the state of the left sound unit 10 is switched from the stopped state to the running state.

[0095] In addition, when the left sound unit 10 is taken out of the charger 30, the left sound unit 10 starts to operate in the first operation mode, i.e., the sound transmission mode (S11). That is, when the state of the left sound unit 10 is switched from the stop state to the operation state, the operation mode of the left sound unit 10 becomes the first operation mode, i.e., the sound transmission mode.

[0096] Next, the left sound emitting unit 10 transmits a connection signal from the left transmission / reception circuit 173 (S12).

[0097] The “connection signal” is a signal transmitted / received between the left transmission / reception circuit 173 and the right transmission / reception circuit 273 in order to establish a communication connection between the left and right sound emitting units 10 and 20 .

[0098] When the state of the sound unit 10 is switched from the stop state to the running state, when the left receiving circuit 171 receives the audio signal from the sound source S, the audio signal is sent to the left signal processing circuit 172 and the left sending / receiving circuit 173. In addition, the left ANC circuit 177 generates a cancellation signal and sends it to the left signal processing circuit 172. In the left signal processing circuit 172, the audio signal sent from the left receiving circuit 171 is superimposed on the cancellation signal sent from the left ANC circuit 177 and sent to the left driving unit 16. The left driving unit 16 outputs a sound wave with a noise reduction function according to the superimposed signal.

[0099] The left sound unit 10 taken out from the charger 30 is worn on the left ear of the user in the state of operating in the first operating mode, that is, the sound transmission mode. Since the left sound unit 10 worn on the left ear operates in the sound transmission mode, the user can hear the external sound heard from the left ear wearing the left sound unit 10 and the external sound heard from the right ear wearing nothing. Therefore, the user can hear the external sound from both ears without feeling uncomfortable.

[0100] Next, the user takes out the right sound unit 20 from the charger 30. When the right sound unit 20 is taken out from the charger 30, power from the right battery 28 is supplied to the electronic circuit mounted on the right circuit board 27, and the right sound unit 20 is started (S20). In other words, when the right sound unit 20 is taken out from the charger 30, the state of the right sound unit 20 is switched from the stopped state to the running state.

[0101] In addition, when the right sound unit 20 is taken out from the charger 30, the right sound unit 20 starts to operate in the first operation mode, i.e., the sound transmission mode (S21). That is, when the state of the right sound unit 20 is switched from the stop state to the operation state, the operation mode of the right sound unit 20 becomes the first operation mode, i.e., the sound transmission mode.

[0102] When the state of the right sound unit 20 is switched from the stop state to the running state, when the left receiving circuit 171 receives an audio signal from the sound source S, the audio signal is sent to the right signal processing circuit 272 via the left sending / receiving circuit 173 and the right sending / receiving circuit 273. In addition, the right ANC circuit 277 generates a cancellation signal and sends it to the right signal processing circuit 272. In the right signal processing circuit 272, the audio signal sent from the right sending / receiving circuit 273 is superimposed on the cancellation signal sent from the right ANC circuit 277 and sent to the right drive unit 26. The right drive unit 26 outputs a sound wave with a noise reduction function according to the superimposed signal.

[0103] Next, in the right sound emitting unit 20, the connection signal transmitted from the left transmission / reception circuit 173 is received by the right transmission / reception circuit 273. The received connection signal is transmitted from the right transmission / reception circuit 273 to the left transmission / reception circuit 173 (S22).

[0104] Next, in the left and right sound emitting units 10 and 20, when a connection signal is transmitted / received between the left transmitting / receiving circuit 173 and the right transmitting / receiving circuit 273, the connection is established (S13, S23). In other words, the connection is established at the time when the left transmitting / receiving circuit 173 receives from the right transmitting / receiving circuit 273 that the right sound emitting unit 20 is in the operating state.

[0105] When the connection is established, the left timer processing circuit 174 starts counting the preset setting time (S14). Similarly, when the connection is established, the right sound unit 20 starts counting the preset setting time (S24).

[0106] "Set time" refers to the time set to the following time when one sound unit (the left sound unit 10 in this embodiment) is taken out from the charger 30, and the time is assumed to be the elapsed time from when the other sound unit (the right sound unit 20 in this embodiment) is taken out from the charger 30 to when the other sound unit (the right sound unit 20) is worn. In this embodiment, the time when the connection is established is regarded as the timing to take out the other sound unit (the right sound unit 20). In this device 1, when the counting of the set time ends, it is assumed that the left and right sound units 10 and 20 are worn on the ears, and the operation described later (switching of the operation mode) is performed. In this embodiment, the set time is pre-set. In this embodiment, the set time is, for example, 2 seconds.

[0107] It should be noted that, in the present invention, as will be described later in the second embodiment, the set time may be set based on a comparison result of timer times measured by the left and right timer processing circuits.

[0108] Here, the present device 1 does not have a wearing sensor that an existing true wireless headset has. Therefore, in the present device 1, the time point when the connection is established is set as the timing of taking out another sound unit (right sound unit 20), and the time after a set time from this timing is set as the timing of wearing the left and right sound units 10, 20. According to this setting, the left and right sound units 10, 20 operate in a sound transmission mode before being worn on the user's ears, and the left and right sound units 10, 20 automatically operate in a noise reduction mode when they are worn on the user's ears. That is, the operating mode of the left and right sound units 10, 20 automatically switches from the first operating mode (sound transmission mode) to the second operating mode (noise reduction mode) when the left and right sound units 10, 20 are worn on the user's ears. Therefore, the user can hear external sounds without feeling discomfort and pressure when one sound unit (left sound unit 10) is worn on one ear, and can hear music that eliminates external sounds when the left and right sound units 10, 20 are worn on the user's ears. In this way, in the present device 1, it is possible to switch from the sound transmission mode to the noise reduction mode without causing discomfort or stress to the user.

[0109] When the count of the set time is completed (S15, S25), the left timer processing circuit 174 sends a command signal to the left mode circuit 175 (S16). Similarly, the right timer processing circuit 274 sends a command signal to the right mode circuit 275 (S26).

[0110] The left mode circuit 175 that receives the command signal switches the electronic circuit connected to the left signal processing circuit 172 from the left amplifier circuit 176 to the left ANC circuit 177. Similarly, the right mode circuit 275 that receives the command signal switches the electronic circuit connected to the right signal processing circuit 272 from the right amplifier circuit 276 to the right ANC circuit 277. That is, the operation modes of the left and right sound emitting units 10 and 20 are simultaneously switched from the sound transmission mode to the noise reduction mode (S17, S27). In other words, after the standby time has passed since the state of the left sound emitting unit 10 was switched from the stop state to the operation state (after the switching), the operation modes of the left and right sound emitting units 10 and 20 are switched from the first operation mode (sound transmission mode) to the second operation mode (noise reduction mode).

[0111] The "standby time" refers to the time when the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) that has become the running state waits in the state of the first running mode without switching the running mode. In other words, the standby time is the time from when the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) starts running in the first running mode to when the running mode of the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is switched to the second running mode. In this embodiment, the standby time is assumed to be the time from when one sound unit (left sound unit 10) is taken out of the charger 30 to when the other sound unit (right sound unit 20) is worn on the ear. In this embodiment, the standby time in the left sound unit 10 is the following total time, which includes the time from when the state of the left sound unit 10 is switched from the stop state to the running state (time point) to when the connection is established (in other words, the time point when the state of the right sound unit 20 is switched from the stop state to the running state), and the time from when the counting of the set time starts to when the counting ends. The standby time is an example of the predetermined time in the present invention.

[0112] During the counting of the set time, the right sound unit 20 is worn on the right ear in the state of operating in the first operating mode, that is, the sound transmission mode. Here, until the set time has passed, the operating mode of the left and right sound units 10, 20 is the sound transmission mode. Therefore, even if the left and right sound units 10, 20 are worn on both ears, the user can hear the external sound from both ears. In addition, after the left and right sound units 10, 20 are worn on both ears, the operating mode of the left and right sound units 10, 20 is switched from the sound transmission mode to the noise reduction mode. Therefore, the user can actually feel the switch from the sound transmission mode to the noise reduction mode.

[0113] In the left sound emitting unit 10, the left ANC circuit 177 sends a cancellation signal to the left signal processing circuit 172. In the left signal processing circuit 172, the audio signal sent from the left receiving circuit 171 is superimposed on the cancellation signal sent from the left ANC circuit 177 and sent to the left driving unit 16. Based on the superimposed signal, a sound wave with a noise reduction function is output from the left driving unit 16. The right sound emitting unit 20 also performs the same operation as the left sound emitting unit 10 and outputs a sound wave with a noise reduction function.

[0114] Summary (1)

[0115] According to the embodiment described above, the device 1 has a left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) worn on the ear of the user. The left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) includes a left receiving circuit 171 (right receiving circuit 271), a left drive unit 16 (right drive unit 26), and a left battery 18 (right battery 28). The left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is in a stopped state when the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is accommodated in the charger 30, and is in an operating state when the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is not accommodated in the charger 30. The operating mode of the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) in such an operating state includes a first operating mode and a second operating mode. When the state of the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is switched from a stopped state to an operating state, the operating mode of the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) within the first standby time (predetermined time) counted from the switching is the first operating mode. According to this structure, when the state of the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is switched from the stop state to the running state, the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) runs in the first running mode from the time of the switch to the time when the standby time has passed. Therefore, when the user wears the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) on the ear, since the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is already running in the first running mode, the desired function (the sound transmission function in this embodiment) can be run without causing the user to feel stressed.

[0116] In addition, according to the embodiment described above, in the present device 1, when the state of the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is switched from the stop state to the running state, after the first standby time (predetermined time) has passed since the switching, the running mode of the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is the second running mode. According to this structure, after the standby time has passed since the switching, the running mode of the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is automatically switched to the second running mode. Therefore, when the user wears the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) on the ear, it is possible to switch the running mode in the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) and run the desired function without causing the user to feel stressed.

[0117] Moreover, according to the embodiment described above, the present device 1 includes a left sound unit 10 and a right sound unit 20. When the left sound unit 10 and the right sound unit 20 are in a stopped state and the left sound unit 10 is switched to an operating state, the operating mode of the left sound unit 10 is the first operating mode until the right sound unit 20 is switched to an operating state. According to this structure, when the left sound unit 10 is switched to an operating state, the operating mode of the left sound unit 10 is already operating in the first operating mode. Therefore, when the user wears the left sound unit 10 on the ear, since it is already operating in the first operating mode, the desired function can be operated without causing the user to feel stressed.

[0118] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, after the standby time (predetermined time) has passed since the right sound unit 20 was switched to the operating state, the operating mode of the left sound unit 10 operating in the first operating mode is switched to the second operating mode. According to this structure, after the standby time has passed since the right sound unit 20 was switched to the operating state, the operating mode of the left sound unit 10 is automatically switched to the second operating mode. Therefore, it is possible to avoid erroneous operation in switching the operating mode, and the operating mode can be switched and the desired function can be operated without causing stress to the user.

[0119] In addition, according to the embodiment described above, the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) has a noise reduction function, and in the first operating mode, the noise reduction function is disabled, and in the second operating mode, the noise reduction function is enabled. According to this structure, since the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) automatically switches between enabling and disabling the noise reduction function, the user's erroneous operation is avoided in the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20), and the user does not feel stress. After the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is worn on the user's ear, by setting a set time (standby time) for switching the noise reduction function to enable in the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20), the user can actually feel the switch to the noise reduction function.

[0120] In addition, according to the above-described embodiment, the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) has a sound transmission function, which is enabled in the first operating mode and disabled in the second operating mode. According to this structure, the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is worn on one ear of the user while operating with the sound transmission function. Therefore, the user can hear external sounds in the same way in the ear wearing the left sound unit 10 and the ear wearing nothing. In other words, the user can hear external sounds from both ears without feeling uncomfortable.

[0121] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the left sounding unit 10 includes a left transmitting / receiving circuit 173, and the right sounding unit 20 includes a right transmitting / receiving circuit 273. The standby time (predetermined time) is determined based on the time point when the left transmitting / receiving circuit 173 receives from the right transmitting / receiving circuit 273 that the right sounding unit 20 is in operation. According to this structure, even if the left and right sounding units 10 and 20 do not include a wearing sensor, the operating modes of the left and right sounding units 10 and 20 are switched at an appropriate time because the timing when the user wears the left and right sounding units 10 and 20 is predicted. In addition, when only one sounding unit is used, the first operating mode is maintained. That is, while one sounding unit is worn only on one ear, the operating mode suitable for use with one ear is maintained.

[0122] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, in the device 1, when the operation mode of the left sound unit 10 is switched from the first operation mode to the second operation mode, the operation mode of the right sound unit 20 switched from the stop state to the operation state is switched from the first operation mode to the second operation mode. According to this structure, the operation modes of the left and right sound units 10 and 20 worn on the left and right ears can be switched at the same time.

[0123] It should be noted that, in the present invention, the first operation mode may be the noise reduction mode, and the second operation mode may be the sound transmission mode.

[0124] In addition, in the present invention, the operating mode can also be switched when the connection between the left transmitting / receiving circuit and the right transmitting / receiving circuit is disconnected. For example, a user who is using the left and right sound-emitting units sometimes removes a sound-emitting unit from one ear and stores it in the charger. In such a case, the operating mode of the other sound-emitting unit is controlled to switch from the noise reduction mode to the sound transmission mode with the disconnection between the left transmitting / receiving circuit and the right transmitting / receiving circuit as the trigger point.

[0125] Second Embodiment

[0126] Next, another embodiment of the present device 1 (hereinafter referred to as "the second embodiment") is described, centering on the parts that are different from the first embodiment described previously. In the second embodiment, what is different from the first embodiment is the method of setting the set time, that is, the time from the time when the state of the left and right sound-emitting units 10, 20 in the operation of the present device 1 is switched from the stop state to the running state to the time when the connection is established is compared, and the set time is set according to the comparison result. In the following description, the same figure marks are marked for the elements common to the first embodiment, and part or all of the description thereof is omitted.

[0127] Operation of the headphone unit(2)

[0128] Figure 7 It is a sequence diagram showing another operation of the present device 1 .

[0129] This figure is a sequence diagram showing an example of switching the operation mode of the left and right sound emitting units 10 and 20 from the sound transmission mode to the noise reduction mode.

[0130] When the user takes out the left sound unit 10 from the charger 30 , power from the left battery 18 is supplied to the electronic circuit mounted on the left circuit board 17 , and the left sound unit 10 is activated ( S30 ).

[0131] Next, the left sound emitting unit 10 starts measuring the timer time through the left timer processing circuit 174 (S31).

[0132] In addition, the left sound generating unit 10 starts operating in the first operating mode, that is, the sound transmission mode (S32).

[0133] Next, the left sound emitting unit 10 transmits a connection signal from the left transmission / reception circuit 173 (S33).

[0134] The left sound unit 10 taken out from the charger 30 is worn on the user's left ear while operating in the first operating mode, i.e., the sound transmission mode. Since the left sound unit 10 worn on the left ear operates in the sound transmission mode, the user can hear the external sound heard from the left ear wearing the left sound unit 10 and the external sound heard from the right ear wearing nothing. Therefore, the user can hear the external sound from both ears without feeling uncomfortable.

[0135] Next, the user removes the right sound unit 20 from the charger 30. When the right sound unit 20 is removed from the charger 30, power from the right battery 28 is supplied to the electronic circuit mounted on the right circuit board 27, and the right sound unit 20 is activated (S50).

[0136] Next, the right sound generating unit 20 starts measuring the timer time through the right timer processing circuit 274 (S51).

[0137] In addition, the right sound emitting unit 20 starts operating in the first operating mode, that is, the sound transmission mode (S52).

[0138] Next, the connection signal transmitted from the left transmission / reception circuit 173 is received by the right transmission / reception circuit 273. The received connection signal is transmitted from the right transmission / reception circuit 273 to the left transmission / reception circuit 173 (S53).

[0139] Next, in the left and right sound emitting units 10 and 20, when a connection signal is transmitted and received between the left transmission / reception circuit 173 and the right transmission / reception circuit 273, the connection is established (S34, S54).

[0140] When the connection is established, the left timer processing circuit 174 ends measuring the timer time by the left timer processing circuit 174 (S35). Similarly, when the connection is established, the right sound unit 20 ends measuring the timer time by the right timer processing circuit 274 (S55).

[0141] The left timer processing circuit 174 compares the measurement result (time A) of the timer time of the left timer processing circuit 174 with the measurement result (time B) of the timer time of the right timer processing circuit 274, and sets the set time (S36, S56). In the left timer processing circuit 174, the following processing is performed. First, the left timer processing circuit 174 compares time A and time B. Next, after comparing time A and time B, the left timer processing circuit 174 selects the longer timer time (time A, time B). The selected timer time becomes the candidate for the set time, that is, the first candidate time. Here, the left timer processing circuit 174 compares the first candidate time with a predetermined sampling time (5 seconds in this embodiment). When the first candidate time is shorter than the sampling time, the left timer processing circuit 174 sets the first candidate time as the set time. On the other hand, when the first candidate time is longer than the sampling time, the left timer processing circuit 174 sets the predetermined second candidate time (2 seconds in this embodiment) as the set time.

[0142] Here, as described above, the set time is set based on the comparison result of the timer times measured by the left and right timer processing circuits 174 and 274. The timer time of the left timer processing circuit 174 is the elapsed time (time A) from the time point when the state of the left sound unit 10 is switched from the stop state to the running state to the time point when the state of the right sound unit 20 is switched from the stop state to the running state (in this embodiment, the connection establishment is regarded as the timing when the left sound unit 10 is worn on the left ear). On the other hand, the timer time of the right timer processing circuit 274 is the elapsed time (time B) which is a very short time and is calculated from the time point when the state of the right sound unit 20 is switched from the stop state to the running state to the time point when the connection is established. Therefore, by comparing the time A and the time B, the present device 1 can always set the set time based on the timer time (first candidate time) of the sound unit (left sound unit 10) first taken out from the charger 30.

[0143] The elapsed time (the time from when the left sound unit 10 is taken out of the charger 30 to when it is worn on the left ear) is a unique time that varies from user to user, and in the present embodiment, the set time is set according to the elapsed time. Therefore, in the present device 1, the desired function can be operated at the best timing for each user. In addition, when the first candidate time is longer than the sampling time, the present device 1 regards that the user has only used the sound unit (left sound unit 10) that was first taken out of the charger 30, and the setting time for the sound unit (right sound unit 20) that is subsequently taken out of the charger 30 does not use the first candidate time, but uses the second candidate time. Therefore, whether only one sound unit (left sound unit 10) is used, or the other sound unit (right sound unit 20) is used later, the present device 1 can make the left and right sound units 10 and 20 respectively operate the desired functions at appropriate times.

[0144] Next, after the set time is set by the left timer processing circuit 174, the left timer processing circuit 174 and the right timer processing circuit 274 share the set time via the left transmission / reception circuit 173 and the right transmission / reception circuit 273. The left timer processing circuit 174 and the right timer processing circuit 274 simultaneously start counting the set time according to the set time (S37, S57).

[0145] When the count of the set time is completed (S38, S58), the left timer processing circuit 174 sends a command signal to the left mode circuit 175 (S39). Similarly, the right timer processing circuit 274 sends a command signal to the right mode circuit 275 (S59).

[0146] Next, the operation modes of the left and right sound emitting units 10 and 20 are simultaneously switched from the sound transmission mode to the noise reduction mode (S40, S50). In other words, after the standby time has elapsed since the state of the left sound emitting unit 10 was switched from the stop state to the operation state (after the switching), the operation modes of the left and right sound emitting units 10 and 20 are switched from the first operation mode (sound transmission mode) to the second operation mode (noise reduction mode).

[0147] Summary (2)

[0148] According to the embodiment described above, in the present device 1, the standby time (prescribed time) is determined based on the following elapsed time, which is calculated from the time point when the state of the left sound unit 10 is switched from the stop state to the running state, to the time point when the state of the right sound unit 20 is switched from the stop state to the running state. According to this structure, the timing of switching the operating mode in the left and right sound units 10, 20 is determined based on the actual usage status of the user, and the actual usage status of the user includes the elapsed time spent by the user wearing the left sound unit 10, the subsequent elapsed time until the right sound unit 20 is taken out of the charger 30, etc. Therefore, the operating modes of the left and right sound units 10, 20 can be switched at a time that is appropriate for the user. Since the operating mode is switched at an appropriate time, the desired function can be performed without causing stress to the user.

[0149] It should be noted that, in the present invention, the timing of ending the measurement of the timer time is not limited to the time point when the connection is established. That is, for example, the timing of ending the measurement of the timer time may also be the time point when the left sound unit becomes able to send / receive a connection signal with the right sound unit.

[0150] In addition, in the present invention, the set time may not be set based on the result of comparing time A and time B. That is, for example, the set time may be determined based on the elapsed time from the time when the state of the left sound unit is switched from the stop state to the running state to the time when the state of the right sound unit is switched from the stop state to the running state. The set time may also be flexibly set based on the time the user spends wearing the sound unit, etc.

[0151] Third Embodiment

[0152] Next, another embodiment of the present device 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "third embodiment") is described, centering on the parts that are different from the first embodiment described previously. The difference from the first embodiment is that, in the third embodiment, the first operating mode is an operation disabled mode, and the second operating mode is an operation enabled mode. In addition, the time during the operation of the present device 1, which is calculated from the time when the state of a sounding unit 10, 20 is switched from a stopped state to an operating state to the time when the operating mode is switched, is also different from that of the first embodiment. In the following description, the same figure marks are marked for the elements common to the first embodiment, and part or all of the description thereof is omitted.

[0153] Structure of earphone unit and charger

[0154] Figure 8 1 is a functional block diagram of the device 1 and the charger 30 .

[0155] This figure shows the state where the device 1 is taken out from the charger 30. For the convenience of explanation, the left signal processing circuit 172, the left amplifier circuit 176, and the left ANC circuit 177 are omitted in this figure (see Figure 5 ) icon.

[0156] The left signal processing circuit 172 is mounted on the left circuit board 17 (see Figure 5 )、left transmission / reception circuit 173, left timer processing circuit 174, left mode circuit 175, left amplifier circuit 176 (refer to Figure 5 )、Left ANC circuit 177 (refer to Figure 5 ), left operation switching circuit 178, left function control circuit 179.

[0157] The left mode circuit 175 switches the operation mode of the left sound unit 10 according to the command signal from the left timer processing circuit 174. The operation mode of the left sound unit 10 includes an operation disabled mode and an operation enabled mode. In this embodiment, the first operation mode is the operation disabled mode, and the second operation mode is the operation enabled mode.

[0158] The "operation disabled mode" refers to an operation mode in which the operation signal from the left operation switch 14 is not input to the left function control circuit 179 even if the user operates the left operation switch 14. In the operation disabled mode, the operation signal indicating the operation content of the left operation switch 14 is intercepted by the left operation switching circuit 178 and is not sent to the left function control circuit 179. Therefore, in the left sound unit 10 operating in the operation disabled mode, the function corresponding to the operation content of the left operation switch 14 is not operated. That is, in the left sound unit 10 operating in the operation disabled mode, the operation function of the left operation switch 14 is disabled.

[0159] The “operation signal” is a signal indicating the operation content of the left operation switch 14, and is generated by the left operation switch 14 according to the operation content of the left operation switch 14 by the user. The generated operation signal is sent to the left function control circuit 179 via the left operation switching circuit 178.

[0160] The "operation enable mode" refers to an operation mode in which an operation signal from the left operation switch 14 is input to the left function control circuit 179 when the user operates the left operation switch 14. In the operation enable mode, the operation signal is sent from the left operation switching circuit 178 to the left function control circuit 179. Therefore, in the left sound unit 10 operating in the operation enable mode, a function corresponding to the operation content of the left operation switch 14 is operated. That is, in the left sound unit 10 operating in the operation enable mode, the operation function of the left operation switch 14 is enabled.

[0161] The left operation switching circuit 178 is a switch circuit that switches whether or not there is an electrical connection between the left operation switch 14 and the left function control circuit 179. The left operation switching circuit 178 electrically connects the left operation switch 14 and the left function control circuit 179, or disconnects the connection, according to a command signal from the left mode circuit 175. Specifically, when the operation mode of the sound unit 10 is the first operation mode (operation disabled mode), the left operation switching circuit 178 disconnects the electrical connection between the left operation switch 14 and the left function control circuit 179. On the other hand, when the operation mode of the sound unit 10 is the second operation mode (operation enabled mode), the left operation switching circuit 178 electrically connects the left operation switch 14 and the left function control circuit 179.

[0162] The left function control circuit 179 controls the operation of various functions of the left sound unit 10 according to the operation signal. The functions controlled by the left function control circuit 179 include, for example, volume adjustment, sound quality selection, enabling / disabling of the sound transmission function and the noise reduction function, switching of music or call sound, etc. For the specific control of the left function control circuit 179, see the following content.

[0163] Operation of the headphone unit(3)

[0164] Fig. 9 This is a flowchart showing another operation of the present device 1 .

[0165] This figure shows an example in which the operation mode of the left sound emission unit 10 is switched from the operation disabled mode to the operation enabled mode.

[0166] In the following description of the operation of the present device 1 , the user first removes the left sound unit 10 from the charger 30 .

[0167] When the user takes out the left sound unit 10 from the charger 30, power from the left battery 18 is supplied to the electronic circuit mounted on the left circuit board 17, and the left sound unit 10 is started (S70). At this time, the state of the left sound unit 10 is switched from the stopped state to the running state.

[0168] Next, when the left sounding unit 10 is removed from the charger 30, the preset standby time (5 seconds in this embodiment) starts to be counted (S71). At this time, the left timer processing circuit 174 starts to count the standby time.

[0169] In this embodiment, the “standby time” refers to the time during which the left sounding unit 10 in the operating state stands by in the first operating mode without switching the operating mode.

[0170] In addition, when the left sound unit 10 is taken out of the charger 30, the left sound unit 10 starts to operate in the first operation mode, i.e., the operation disabled mode (S72). That is, when the state of the left sound unit 10 is switched from the stop state to the operation state, the operation mode of the left sound unit 10 becomes the first operation mode, i.e., the operation disabled mode.

[0171] Next, the left sounding unit 10 transmits a connection signal from the left transmitting / receiving circuit 173. When the right sounding unit 20 is removed from the charger 30 during the counting of the standby time, the connection between the left sounding unit 10 and the right sounding unit 20 is established.

[0172] When the counting of the standby time ends (S73), the left timer processing circuit 174 sends a command signal to the left mode circuit 175 (S74).

[0173] The left mode circuit 175 that receives the instruction signal switches the operation mode of the left operation switching circuit 178 from the operation disabled mode (first operation mode) to the operation enabled mode (second operation mode) (S75). At this time, the operation of the left operation switch 14 is enabled. In the left sound unit 10 that operates in the operation enabled mode, the operation signal generated by operating the left operation switch 14 is sent to the left function control circuit 179. The left function control circuit 179 controls the functions of the left sound unit 10 according to the operation signal. That is, for example, when the operation signal shows the operation content of enabling the noise reduction function, the left function control circuit 179 operates the left ANC circuit 177 via the left mode circuit 175 or directly, and sends the cancellation signal to the left signal processing circuit 172. In addition, for example, when the operation signal shows the operation content of enabling the sound transmission function, the left function control circuit 179 operates the left amplifier circuit 176 via the left mode circuit 175 or directly, and sends the amplified signal to the left signal processing circuit 172.

[0174] The left sound unit 10 taken out from the charger 30 is worn on the user's left ear while operating in the first operating mode. As mentioned above, since the left sound unit 10 is only large enough to be accommodated in the auricle, the left operating switch 14 of the left sound unit 10 is relatively small and the operation method must also be simple. Since the user operates the left operating switch 14 of the left sound unit 10 next to the ear without visually observing the left sound unit 10, misoperation may occur. In the present embodiment, when the left sound unit 10 is worn on the left ear, the operating mode of the left sound unit 10 is the operation disabled mode. Since the operation of the left operating switch 14 is set to disabled, the left sound unit 10 can be worn on the left ear without misoperation.

[0175] It should be noted that in this embodiment, when the operating switch is a touch sensor, the user only needs to touch the touch sensor when wearing it on the ear to complete the operation. Touching the touch sensor may cause erroneous operation. Therefore, when the operating switch is a touch sensor, the headphone device of this embodiment is particularly effective.

[0176] The operation of the right sound unit 20 is the same as that of the left sound unit 10. Therefore, in the right sound unit 20 as well, the operation of the right operation switch 24 is disabled during the period from when the right sound unit 20 is removed from the charger 30 to when the standby time has elapsed.

[0177] It should be noted that the operation modes of the left and right sound emitting units may be switched simultaneously. In this case, for example, the operation modes of the left and right sound emitting units may be switched according to the elapse of the standby time described in the first and second embodiments.

[0178] Summary (3)

[0179] According to the embodiment described above, the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is provided with a left operating switch 14 (right operating switch 24) for controlling the operation of the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20). The operation function of the left operating switch 14 (right operating switch 24) is disabled in the first operation mode and enabled in the second operation mode. According to this structure, when the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is worn on the user's ear, since the operation function of the left operating switch 14 (right operating switch 24) is disabled, the user can wear the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) on the ear without causing an erroneous operation. When the user wears the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) on the ear, since no erroneous operation will occur, the user will not feel stress. In addition, since the operation mode of the left sound unit 10 (right sound unit 20) is automatically switched to the second operation mode when it is worn on the ear, the desired function can be operated without causing the user to feel stress.

[0180] It should be noted that, in the present invention, the standby time (predetermined time) is not limited to the time of the present embodiment. That is, for example, the time in the present invention can be set according to the time until the user wears the sound generating unit.

[0181] In addition, in the present invention, the first embodiment (second embodiment) and the third embodiment are described as separate embodiments, but they may be combined. In addition, for example, the operation mode of the third embodiment may be switched after the operation mode of the first embodiment (second embodiment) is switched. Conversely, the operation mode of the first embodiment (second embodiment) may be switched after the operation mode of the third embodiment is switched.

[0182] Furthermore, in the present invention, the flow of power and the flow of signals in each embodiment are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the flow of power and the flow of signals in each embodiment.

[0183] Description of Reference Numerals

[0184] 1: This device (headphone device)

[0185] 10: Left sound unit (sound unit, first sound unit)

[0186] 14: Left operating switch (operating part)

[0187] 16: Left drive unit (drive unit)

[0188] 171: Left receiving circuit (antenna)

[0189] 173: Left transmission / reception circuit (first communication unit)

[0190] 18: Left battery (battery)

[0191] 20: Right sound unit (sound unit, second sound unit)

[0192] 24: Right operating switch (operating part)

[0193] 26: Right drive unit (drive unit)

[0194] 271: Right receiving circuit (antenna)

[0195] 273: Right transmission / reception circuit (second communication unit)

[0196] 28: Right battery (battery)

[0197] 30: Charger.

Claims

1. An earphone device, It is characterized in that A sound generating unit is provided which is worn on the ear of the user. The sound-emitting unit has: an antenna that receives audio signals; a driving unit, which is driven according to the audio signal received by the antenna; and a battery that stores power supplied to the antenna, The battery is charged when the sound unit is accommodated in the charger, The sound-generating unit is in a stopped state when the sound-generating unit is accommodated in the charger, and is in a running state when the sound-generating unit is not accommodated in the charger. The operation mode of the sound-emitting unit in the operation state includes a first operation mode; and a second operation mode, When the state of the sound generating unit is switched from the stop state to the operation state, the operation mode of the sound generating unit within a predetermined time after the switching is the first operation mode.

2. The headphone device according to claim 1, in, When the state of the sound generating unit is switched from the stop state to the operation state, the operation mode of the sound generating unit is changed to the second operation mode after the predetermined time has elapsed since the switching.

3. The headphone device according to claim 1, in, The sound generating unit includes an operation unit for controlling the operation of the sound generating unit. An operation function of the operation unit is disabled in the first operation mode and enabled in the second operation mode.

4. The headphone device according to claim 1, in, The sound generating unit comprises: a first sound-emitting unit, which is worn on one ear of the user; and a second sound-emitting unit, which is worn on the other ear of the user, When the first sound emitting unit and the second sound emitting unit are in the stopped state and the first sound emitting unit is switched to the running state, the running mode of the first sound emitting unit is the first running mode until the second sound emitting unit is switched to the running state.

5. The headphone device according to claim 4, in, After the predetermined time has elapsed since the second sound emitting unit was switched to the operating state, the operating mode of the first sound emitting unit operating in the first operating mode is switched to the second operating mode.

6. The headphone device according to claim 5, in, The sound generating unit has a noise reduction function. In the first operating mode, the noise reduction function is disabled. In the second operation mode, the noise reduction function is enabled.

7. The headphone device according to claim 6, in, The sound-emitting unit has a sound transmission function. In the first operating mode, the sound transmission function is enabled. In the second operating mode, the sound transmission function is disabled.

8. The headphone device according to claim 5, in, The predetermined time is determined based on an elapsed time from a time point when the first sound emitting unit switches from the stop state to the operating state to a time point when the second sound emitting unit switches from the stop state to the operating state.

9. The headphone device according to claim 5, in, The first sound emitting unit includes a first communication unit for communicating with the second sound emitting unit. The second sound emitting unit includes a second communication unit for communicating with the first sound emitting unit. The predetermined time is determined based on a time point when the first communication unit receives from the second communication unit that the second sound emission unit is in the operating state.

10. The earphone device according to claim 5, in, When the first sound emitting unit is switched from the first operation mode to the second operation mode, the operation mode of the second sound emitting unit switched from the stop state to the operation state is switched from the first operation mode to the second operation mode.

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