Speech processing device and handset

Abstract

To provide a speech processing device capable of outputting a speech signal which is clearly perceived by a user at the receiving side without depending on a telephone at the receiving side and preventing complication around a body.SOLUTION: A speech processing device (10) includes: a speech processing part (11) which performs speech processing for making speech clear to a speech signal indicating a speech at the transmission side supplied from a transmitter (a microphone 21); and a housing (12) which houses the speech processing part (11) and is provided with a modular plug (a port P11) corresponding to a module jack (a port P21) of a handset (20).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an audio processing device connectable to a telephone handset, and to a handset equipped with an audio processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to receive questions and requests from users, many companies have established contact points known as call centers or support centers. In the following, a call center will be used as an example of a contact point. One or more telephones are installed in a call center. Each operator at the call center uses the telephone to talk to users, understand the questions and requests from the users, and convey the answers to those questions to the users.

[0003] Users who call a call center include users who are hard of hearing. Users who are hard of hearing may not be able to fully understand what the operator says. As a result, communication between the operator and the user may not go well.

[0004] Figures 1 and 2 of Patent Document 1 disclose an audio processor that is installed between a handset and a main unit that constitute a telephone set, and that can output an audio signal that has been processed so that the user on the receiving end perceives it as clear, without depending on the receiving end telephone set.

[0005] This voice processor continues to use the telephones already in use at the counters of the aforementioned companies, and simply installs it between the main unit and the handset; it can output processed voice signals to the receiving telephone so that the user on the receiving end perceives them as clear. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-108429 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, since the audio processor is installed near the main body of the telephone and then connected to the handset using a cable (see, for example, FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1), the area around the main body of the telephone tends to become cluttered.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems. Its purpose is to provide a voice processing device or a handset that can output a voice signal that has been processed so that the user on the receiving side feels it is clear, without depending on the telephone on the receiving side, and that does not make the surroundings of the main body of the telephone less cluttered compared to the voice processor of Patent Document 1. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the voice processing device of the first aspect of the present invention is a voice processing device installed between a handset and a main body that constitute a telephone, and comprises: a voice processing unit that performs voice processing to clarify a voice signal representing the voice of the sender supplied from a transmitter that constitutes the handset, and supplies the voice signal that has been subjected to the voice processing to the main body; and a housing that houses the voice processing unit, the housing having a modular plug that corresponds to the modular jack of the handset.

[0010] According to the above configuration, the voice processing unit performs voice processing on the voice signal representing the voice of the transmitting side to make the voice clearer, and supplies the processed voice signal to the main unit. Therefore, the voice signal that has been processed so that the user of the receiving side perceives it as clear can be output without depending on the telephone of the receiving side.

[0011] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the housing that houses the audio processor is provided with a modular plug that corresponds to the modular jack of the handset, so that the audio processor can be fixed near the handset using the modular jack and modular plug. Therefore, compared to the audio processor of Patent Document 1, the audio processor of this embodiment does not clutter the area around the main body of the telephone.

[0012] In this way, the voice processing device can output voice signals that have been processed so that the user on the receiving end perceives them as clear, without depending on the receiving end telephone, and compared to the voice processor of Patent Document 1, this voice processing device does not clutter the area around the main body of the telephone.

[0013] In the voice processing device of the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the voice processing device of the first aspect described above, a configuration is adopted which further includes a cable interposed between the handset and the main body, one end of which is directly connected to the housing.

[0014] By simply replacing the cable between the handset and the main body of a previously used telephone set with the information processing device according to the second aspect, the owner or user of the telephone set (e.g., a company with a counter or an operator at the counter) can upgrade the telephone set so that it can output a voice signal that has been processed so that the user at the receiving end feels it is clear, without depending on the telephone set at the receiving end. Therefore, according to the above configuration, even if the handset and the cable are directly connected in the previously used telephone set, the telephone set can be easily upgraded.

[0015] In the voice processing device of the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the voice processing device of the first aspect described above, a configuration is adopted in which the housing is provided with a modular jack corresponding to a modular plug provided at one end of a modular cable interposed between the handset and the main body.

[0016] By simply adding the information processing device according to the third aspect between the handset and main body of a previously used telephone, the owner or user of the telephone (e.g., a company or operator with a customer service desk) can upgrade the telephone so that the telephone can output a voice signal that has been processed so that the user on the receiving end feels it is clear, without depending on the telephone on the receiving end. Therefore, this voice processing device is suitable for the previously used telephone when the cable between the handset and main body is a modular cable.

[0017] In a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the audio processing device according to the first aspect described above, the audio processing device further includes a first communication unit and a second communication unit capable of transmitting and receiving audio signals to each other, the first communication unit is accommodated in the housing, and a modular plug corresponding to a modular jack provided on the main body is connected to the second communication unit.

[0018] According to the above configuration, while obtaining the same effects as the information processing device according to the first aspect, it is possible to change the transmission and reception of audio signals between the handset and main body of the telephone set from a wired system to a wireless system.

[0019] In order to solve the above problems, the transmitter / receiver of the fifth aspect of the present invention is a handset-type transmitter / receiver which, together with a main body, constitutes a telephone set, and comprises a transmitter and a receiver, an audio processing unit which applies audio processing to an audio signal representing the voice of the transmitter supplied from the transmitter in order to clarify the voice, and supplies the processed audio signal to the main body, and a handset-type housing which accommodates the transmitter, the receiver, and the audio processing unit.

[0020] According to the above configuration, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the information processing device according to the first aspect.

[0021] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, unlike the information processing device according to the first aspect, it is not necessary to attach a voice processing device to the handset that has been used up until that point, so the area around the handset of the telephone does not become cluttered.

[0022] In the handset of the sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the handset of the fifth aspect described above, a configuration is adopted which further includes a cable interposed between the housing and the main body, one end of which is directly connected to the housing.

[0023] By simply replacing the handset and the cable between the handset and the main body of a previously used telephone set with the handset according to the sixth aspect, the owner or user of the telephone set (e.g., a company with a counter or an operator at the counter) can upgrade the telephone set so that it can output a voice signal that has been processed so that the user at the receiving end feels it is clear, without depending on the telephone at the receiving end. Therefore, according to the above configuration, even if the handset and the cable are directly connected in the previously used telephone set, the telephone set can be easily upgraded.

[0024] In the handset of the seventh aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the handset of the fifth aspect described above, a configuration is adopted in which the housing is provided with a modular jack corresponding to a modular plug provided at one end of a modular cable interposed between the handset and the main body.

[0025] By simply replacing the handset of a telephone set that has been used up until now with the handset according to the seventh aspect, the owner or user of the telephone set (e.g., a company with a counter or an operator at the counter) can upgrade the telephone set so that it can output a voice signal that has been processed so that the user at the receiving end feels it is clear, without depending on the telephone set at the receiving end. Therefore, this voice processing device is suitable for a telephone set that has been used up until now when the cable between the handset and the main unit is a modular cable.

[0026] In the handset of the eighth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the handset of the fifth aspect described above, a first communication unit and a second communication unit capable of transmitting and receiving voice signals to each other are further provided, the first communication unit is accommodated in the housing, and a modular plug corresponding to a modular jack provided on the main body is connected to the second communication unit.

[0027] According to the above configuration, while obtaining the same effects as the information processing device according to the fifth aspect, it is possible to change the transmission and reception of audio signals between the handset and main body of the telephone set from a wired system to a wireless system.

[0028] In order to solve the above problems, the handset of a ninth aspect of the present invention is a headset-type handset which, together with a main body, constitutes a telephone set, and comprises a fixing member for fixing the handset to a user's head or ear, a transmitter and a receiver which are directly or indirectly attached to the fixing member, an audio processing unit which applies audio processing to an audio signal representing the voice of the transmitting side supplied from the transmitter in order to clarify the voice, and which supplies the processed audio signal to the main body, and a housing which accommodates the audio processing unit.

[0029] According to the above configuration, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the information processing device according to the first aspect and the handset according to the fifth aspect.

[0030] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, unlike the information processing device according to the first aspect, it is not necessary to attach a voice processing device to the handset that has been used up until that point, so the area around the handset of the telephone does not become cluttered.

[0031] Also, while the handset according to the fifth aspect is a handset type, the handset according to the ninth aspect is a headset type. Therefore, according to the above configuration, a telephone user (e.g., an operator at a counter) can talk to a user on the receiving side in a hands-free manner (with both hands free).

[0032] In the handset according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the handset according to the ninth aspect described above, a configuration is adopted which further includes a cable interposed between the housing and the main body, the cable having one end directly connected to the housing.

[0033] By simply replacing the handset and the cable between the handset and the main body of a previously used telephone set with the handset according to the tenth aspect, the owner or user of the telephone set (e.g., a company with a counter or an operator at the counter) can upgrade the telephone set so that it can output a voice signal that has been processed so that the user at the receiving end feels it is clear, without depending on the telephone at the receiving end. Therefore, according to the above configuration, even if the handset and the cable are directly connected in the previously used telephone set, the telephone set can be easily upgraded.

[0034] In the handset of an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the handset of the ninth aspect described above, a configuration is adopted in which the housing is provided with a modular jack corresponding to a modular plug provided at one end of a modular cable interposed between the handset and the main body.

[0035] By simply replacing the handset of a telephone set that has been used up until now with the handset according to the eleventh aspect, the owner or user of the telephone set (e.g., a company with a counter or an operator at the counter) can upgrade the telephone set so that it can output a voice signal that has been processed so that the user at the receiving end feels it is clear, without depending on the telephone set at the receiving end. Therefore, this voice processing device is suitable for a telephone set that has been used up until now when the cable between the handset and the main unit is a modular cable.

[0036] In the handset of the twelfth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the handset of the ninth aspect described above, a first communication unit and a second communication unit capable of transmitting and receiving voice signals to each other are further provided, the first communication unit is accommodated in the housing, and a modular plug corresponding to a modular jack provided on the main body is connected to the second communication unit.

[0037] According to the above configuration, while obtaining the same effects as the information processing device according to the ninth aspect, it is possible to change the transmission and reception of audio signals between the handset and main body of the telephone set from a wired system to a wireless system. Effect of the Invention

[0038] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a voice processing device or handset that can output a voice signal that has been processed so that the user on the receiving end perceives it as clear, without depending on the receiving end telephone, and that does not clutter the area around the main body of the telephone, compared to the voice processor of Patent Document 1. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0039] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a telephone set to which a voice processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Diagram 2] 2 is a schematic diagram of the voice processing device shown in FIG. 1 and a handset of the telephone set shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3]FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a telephone body to which a handset according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a telephone body to which a handset according to a third embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Diagram 5] 2 is a block diagram of a telephone to which the voice processing device shown in FIG. 1 is applied. [Figure 6] 2 is a graph showing frequency characteristics in a telephone in a state where the voice processing device shown in FIG. 1 is applied. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0040] [Outline of the voice processing device and handset] In order to receive questions and requests from users, many companies have a desk called a call center or support center. In the following, a call center is used as an example of a desk. One or more telephones are installed in a call center. Each operator at the call center uses the telephone to talk to users, understand the questions and requests from the users, and convey the answers to those questions to the users.

[0041] The voice processing device 10 (see Figs. 1 and 2) and the handset 20A and 20B (see Figs. 3 and 4) according to an embodiment of the present invention are arranged in such a call center and can be suitably applied to the telephone 1 that is already in use. Also, each of the handset 20A and 20B can be suitably applied as a handset constituting a new telephone 1. In the following, a user using the telephone 1 is referred to as a user on the sending side, and a user using a telephone to which the telephone 1 is connected is referred to as a user on the receiving side. This specification is intended to mainly explain a situation in which a user of the telephone 1 makes a voice and a user of a telephone to which the telephone 1 is connected hears the voice. The above-mentioned operator is an example of a user on the sending side.

[0042] Users who call the call center as described above (users on the receiving side) include users who are hard of hearing. The telephone set 1 to which the voice processing device 10 and the handset 20A, 20B are applied is likely to be effective when the user using the telephone set on the other side is a user who is hard of hearing.

[0043] Therefore, the location of the telephone 1 to which the voice processing device 10 and the handset 20A, 20B are applied is not limited to a call center, but may be, for example, a nursing center in an inpatient ward of a hospital, or may be a home. Examples of users on the receiving side include the following: if the telephone 1 is located in a call center, users of products or services of the company that has the call center installed may be included; if the telephone 1 is located in a nursing center, patients hospitalized in a hospital may be included; if the telephone 1 is located in a home, family members of the home may be included.

[0044] In the following, a voice processing device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a handset 20A according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 3, and a handset 20B according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a telephone 1 to which the voice processing device 10 is applied. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the voice processing device 10 and the handset 20 included in the telephone 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a main body 30 of the telephone 1 to which the handset 20A is applied. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a main body 30 of the telephone 1 to which the handset 20B is applied.

[0045] Fig. 1 shows telephone 1 in a state where the modular jack and modular plug are not connected. Fig. 2 shows handset 20 and voice processing device 10 in a state where the modular plug constituting port P11 and the modular jack constituting port P21 are connected. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show telephones 1A and 1B in a state where the modular plugs constituting ports P21A and P21B and the modular jack constituting port P31 are not connected.

[0046] The voice processing units 11, 11A, and 11B included in the voice processing device 10 and the handsets 20A and 20B will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6, using the voice processing unit 11 as a representative. Figure 5 is a block diagram of the telephone 1 to which the voice processing device 10 is applied. Figure 6 is a graph showing frequency characteristics of the telephone 1 to which the voice processing device 10 is applied.

[0047] [Embodiment 1] The telephone 1 includes a handset 20, a main body 30, a modular cable 40, and a modular cable 50, and is often sold as a single package. In the first embodiment, it is assumed that a company that purchases the telephone 1 installs the telephone 1 in a call center and provides user support services. The voice processing device 10 according to the first embodiment is a product suitable for later application to a telephone 1 that has already been purchased in this way. In the following, each member that constitutes the telephone 1 will be briefly described, followed by a description of the voice processing device 10.

[0048] <Handset> 1, the handset 20 includes a microphone 21, a speaker 22, a housing 23, and a port P21. The microphone 21 and the speaker 22 are housed in a handset-type housing 23. Furthermore, each of the microphone 21 and the speaker 22 is connected to the port P21 inside the housing 23. The microphone 21 is an example of a transmitter, and the speaker 22 is an example of a receiver.

[0049] The microphone 21 converts the voice uttered by the user on the transmitting side into a voice signal and supplies the voice signal to the port P21. In this embodiment, the voice signal is an analog signal and an electrical signal. However, the microphone 21 may be configured to convert the voice uttered by the user on the transmitting side into the voice signal, which is a digital signal.

[0050] For example, an electric condenser microphone can be used as the microphone 21. A direct current voltage for driving is applied to the electric condenser microphone. In addition, electric condenser microphones are often connected using connectors of different types depending on the manufacturer or model.

[0051] The speaker 22 converts the audio signal supplied from the port P21, which is a converted audio signal from a voice uttered by a user on the receiving side, into audio and outputs the audio. In this embodiment, the audio signal supplied from the port P21 is an analog signal and an electrical signal. However, the audio signal supplied from the port P21 may be a digital signal, and the speaker 22 may be configured to convert the digital audio signal into audio.

[0052] The port P21 is an example of a port of the handset 20, and in this embodiment, a modular jack conforming to the RJ-9 standard is used. However, the port P21 is not limited to a modular jack conforming to the RJ-9 standard. Any modular jack capable of inputting and outputting audio signals may be used as the port P21.

[0053] <Main body> 1, the main body 30 includes a housing 31 and ports P31 and P32. The ports P31 and P32 are a pair of ports of the main body 30, and are provided in the housing 31.

[0054] The port P31 is an example of a port on the handset 20 side of the main body 30, and in this embodiment, like the port P21, a modular jack conforming to the RJ-9 standard is used.

[0055] The port P32 is an example of a line-side port of the main unit 30, and in this embodiment, a modular jack conforming to the RJ-11 standard is used. However, the port P32 is not limited to a modular jack conforming to the RJ-11 standard. For example, a modular jack conforming to the RJ-12 standard or the RJ-14 standard may be used as the port P32.

[0056] The main body 30 is a main body of a telephone using a two-wire telephone line. The main body 30 is configured to enable two-way communication of voice signals with the main body of the telephone on the receiving side by connecting the telephone line to port P32 and connecting the handset 20 to port P31. The main body 30 may be configured in the same manner as the main body of an existing telephone. Therefore, in this embodiment, a description of the main body 30 is omitted.

[0057] The main body 30 outputs a synthesized voice signal supplied to a port P31 from an additive synthesizer 116 of the voice processing device 10 (to be described later) to a modular cable 50 (to be described later).

[0058] <Modular cable> Each of the modular cables 40 and 50 includes a plurality of signal lines. Each of the signal lines is made of a conductor so as to be capable of transmitting an audio signal, which is an electrical signal.

[0059] 1, modular cable 40 has a modular plug 41 at one end and a modular plug 42 at the other end. In this embodiment, the modular jack on the main body 30 side is modular plug 41, and the modular jack on the handset 20 side is modular plug 42. Modular cable 40 connects port P12 of the voice processing device 10 (described later) to port P31 of the main body 30.

[0060] Similarly, modular cable 50 has a modular plug 51 at one end and a modular jack at the other end. In this embodiment, the modular jack on the main unit 30 side is referred to as modular plug 51. The modular jack at the other end of modular cable 50 is connected to a modular outlet not shown in Fig. 1. Modular cable 50 connects port P32 of main unit 30 to a telephone line.

[0061] In this embodiment, the modular cable 40 is a cable provided with modular plugs 41, 42 conforming to the RJ-9 standard at both ends. Also, in this embodiment, the modular cable 50 is a cable provided with modular plugs conforming to the RJ-11 standard at both ends. However, the standards of the modular cables 40, 50 are not limited to these. The standards of the modular cables 40, 50 can be appropriately selected so as to correspond to the standards of the modular jacks constituting each of the above-mentioned ports P21, P31, P32 and the modular outlet on the telephone line side.

[0062] <Audio processing device> 1, the voice processing device 10 is installed between the handset 20 and the main body 30. The voice processing device 10 includes a voice processing unit 11, a housing 12, and ports P11 and P12. The ports P11 and P12 are a pair of ports of the voice processing device 10 and are provided in the housing 12.

[0063] The port P11 is an example of the port on the handset 20 side of the pair of ports of the voice processing device 10, and in this embodiment, a modular plug conforming to the RJ-9 standard is adopted, similar to the port P21. The standard of the modular plug constituting the port P11 may be appropriately determined so as to be the same standard as that of the modular jack constituting the port P21. In other words, the modular plug constituting the port P11 corresponds to the modular jack constituting the port P21.

[0064] The port P12 is an example of the port on the main body 30 side (in other words, the modular cable 40 side) of the pair of ports of the audio processing device 10, and in this embodiment, a modular jack conforming to the RJ-9 standard is adopted, similar to the modular jack constituting the port P21 and the modular plug 42 of the modular cable 40. The modular jack constituting the port P12 corresponds to the modular plug 42 provided at one end of the modular cable 40.

[0065] A modular plug and a modular jack that correspond to each other can transmit audio signals when mated together.

[0066] The voice processing unit 11 is configured to perform voice processing for clarifying a voice signal representing the voice of the speaking side, supplied from a microphone 21 constituting the handset 20, and to supply the processed voice signal to the main body 30. An example of the configuration of the voice processing unit 11 will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0067] The housing 12 houses the audio processing unit 11. The dashed lines illustrating the audio processing unit 11 in FIG.

[0068] The shape of the housing 12 can be determined appropriately. In this embodiment, the shape of the housing 12 is a rectangular parallelepiped that is composed of six flat surfaces and has eight rounded corners and twelve rounded edges.

[0069] 2, a switch 13 is provided on one of six planes constituting the housing 12. The switch 13 is one specific example of an adjuster 115 (see FIG. 5) of the audio processing unit 11, which will be described later, and is configured to adjust the strength of the audio processing for voice clarification applied by the audio processing unit 11.

[0070] 2, the position of the port P11 in the housing 12 is preferably determined so that the housing 12 of the sound processing device 10 can be offset with respect to the housing 23 of the handset 20. According to this configuration, an offset amount Δ is formed between the part of the housing 23 that houses the microphone 21 and the sound processing device 10. Therefore, even if the handset 20 is placed at a predetermined position on the main body 30, interference that may occur between the sound processing device 10 and the main body 30 can be avoided.

[0071] (Modification of connection method) In the audio processing device 10 shown in FIG. 1, in order to connect the housing 12 and the modular cable 40, a modular jack and a modular plug 42 that constitute the port P12 are used.

[0072] However, these modular jack and modular plug 42 may be omitted, and one end of a cable interposed between the handset 20 and the main body 30 may be directly connected to the housing 12. In this case, the voice processing device 10 of this modified example includes a cable interposed between the handset 20 and the main body 30, one end of which is directly connected to the housing 12, in addition to the voice processing unit 11 and the housing 12. Note that the handset 20A shown in Fig. 3 employs a system in which a cable is directly connected to the housing, as in this modified example.

[0073] In another modification of the voice processing device 10, a wireless system can be adopted as the communication system between the handset 20 and the main body 30. In this case, the voice processing device 10 may further include a first communication unit and a second communication unit capable of transmitting and receiving voice signals to and from each other. Here, the first communication unit is accommodated in the housing 12, and a modular plug corresponding to a modular jack (the modular jack constituting the port P31) provided on the main body 30 may be connected to the second communication unit. Note that the handset 20B shown in FIG. 4 adopts a wireless system using the first communication unit and the second communication unit, as in this modification.

[0074] [Embodiment 2] A handset 20A according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The handset 20A together with a main body 30 constitutes a telephone set 1A.

[0075] The main body 30 shown in Fig. 3 is the same as the main body 30 shown in Fig. 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the description of the main body 30 is omitted. Note that the handset 20A is a modified version of the handset 20 shown in Fig. 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, only the modifications of the handset 20A from the handset 20 will be described.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 3, the handset 20A includes a voice processing unit 11A, a microphone 21, a speaker 22, a housing 23A, and a cable 24A. The microphone 21 and the speaker 22 of the handset 20A are the same as the microphone 21 and the speaker 22 of the handset 20, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. The housing 23A has the same appearance as the housing 23. That is, the housing 23A is a handset type housing, and the handset 20A is a handset type handset. The housing 23A differs from the housing 23 in that the voice processing unit 11A is housed therein. The voice processing unit 11A is the same as the voice processing unit 11, but the housing in which it is housed has changed from the housing 12 of the voice processing device 10 to the housing 23A of the handset 20A, and therefore the reference numeral has been changed to 11A.

[0077] Housing 23A also differs from housing 23 in that one end of cable 24A is directly connected to housing 23A. The other end of cable 24A is an example of port P21A of handset 20A. In this specification, a cable having modular plugs at both ends, such as modular cable 40 shown in Fig. 1, is referred to as a modular cable, and a cable having a modular jack at only one of both ends, such as cable 24A shown in Fig. 3, is simply referred to as a cable.

[0078] In this embodiment, a modular plug that corresponds to the modular jack that constitutes port P31 of main body 30, that is, a modular plug that complies with the RJ-9 standard, is used as port P21A. However, the standard to which the modular plug that constitutes port P21A complies is not limited to the RJ-9 standard, and it may be any standard that corresponds to the standard to which the modular jack that constitutes port P31 complies.

[0079] (Summary of embodiment 2) As described above, the handset 20A is a handset type handset that constitutes the telephone set 1A together with the main body 30. The handset 20A includes a voice processing unit 11A and a housing 23A.

[0080] The audio processing unit 11A performs audio processing on the audio signal representing the voice of the transmitting side, which is supplied from the microphone 21, and the microphone 21 and speaker 22, to clarify the audio, and supplies the processed audio signal to the main body 30. This audio processing unit 11A is configured in the same manner as the audio processing unit 11 shown in FIG.

[0081] Housing 23A is a handset-type housing that houses microphone 21, speaker 22, and audio processor 11A.

[0082] Moreover, handset 20A further includes cable 24A interposed between housing 23A and main body 30. One end of cable 24A is directly connected to housing 23A.

[0083] (Modification of connection method) In a modified example of handset 20A, modular cable 40 shown in Fig. 1 can be used instead of cable 24A. In this case, a modular jack corresponding to modular plug 42 provided at one end of modular cable 40 may be provided on housing 23A.

[0084] In another modification of the handset 20A, a wireless system can be adopted as the communication system between the handset 20A and the main body 30. In this case, the handset 20A may further include a first communication unit and a second communication unit capable of transmitting and receiving audio signals to and from each other. Here, the first communication unit is accommodated in the housing 23A, and the second communication unit may be connected to a modular plug corresponding to a modular jack (the modular jack constituting the port P31) provided on the main body 30. Note that the handset 20B shown in FIG. 4 adopts a wireless system using the first and second communication units, as in this modification.

[0085] [Embodiment 3] A handset 20B according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The handset 20B together with the main body 30 constitutes a telephone set 1B.

[0086] The main body 30 shown in Fig. 4 is the same as the main body 30 shown in Fig. 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the description of the main body 30 is omitted. Note that the handset 20B is based on the handset 20A shown in Fig. 3, but has been modified from a handset type to a headset type, and the communication method between the handset 20B and the main body 30 has been changed to a wireless method. Therefore, in this embodiment, only the modification of the handset 20B from the handset 20A will be described.

[0087] 4, the handset 20B includes a voice processor 11B, a microphone 21B, a pair of speakers 22B1 and 22B2, a pair of housings 23B1 and 23B2, a first communication unit 24B1, a second communication unit 24B2, a housing 24B3, a cable 24B4, a headband 25B, and a microphone boom arm 26B. Although the handset 20B is a binaural type having a pair of speakers 22B1 and 22B2 corresponding to both ears, a modified example of the handset 20B may be a monoaural type having one speaker 22B1 corresponding to one ear.

[0088] The handset 20B is a headset type handset. The headband 25B is an example of a fixing member that fixes the handset 20B to the user's head. In one modification of the handset 20B, a neckband, which is another example of a fixing member, can be used instead of the headband 25B. By using a neckband instead of the headband 25B, it is possible to suppress the messing of hair even when the handset 20B is fixed to the head. Another example of a fixing member is an ear loop or an ear hook for hanging the handset 20B on the ear. The handset 20B equipped with an ear loop or an ear hook is a headset type handset that is an ear hook type.

[0089] The microphone 21B is a member corresponding to the microphone 21 included in the handset 20 and the handset 20A, and is an example of a transmitter. In the handset 20B, the microphone 21B is fixed to the housing 23B1 via a microphone boom arm 26B.

[0090] The speakers 22B1 and 22B2 are members corresponding to the speaker 22 included in the handset 20 and the handset 20A, and are an example of a receiver. The speaker 22B1 is housed in a housing 23B1, and the speaker 22B2 is housed in a housing 23B2.

[0091] As described above, the housing 23B1 houses the speaker 22B1, and the housing 23B2 houses the speaker 22B2. The housings 23B1 and 23B2 are also called housings. In addition, ear pads are provided on the surfaces of the housings 23B1 and 23B2 that come into contact with the head.

[0092] The housing 23B1 houses the audio processor 11B and the first communication unit 24B1 in addition to the speaker 22B1. The audio processor 11B is the same as the audio processor 11, but the housing in which it is housed has changed from the housing 12 of the audio processing device 10 to the housing 23B1 of the handset 20B, so the reference numeral has been changed to 11B.

[0093] The first communication unit 24B1 and the second communication unit 24B2 configure a wireless communication module capable of transmitting and receiving audio signals to and from each other. The wireless communication method between the first communication unit 24B1 and the second communication unit 24B2 can be appropriately selected from existing wireless communication methods.

[0094] The housing 24B3 is a housing that houses the second communication unit 24B2. A modular plug corresponding to the modular jack that constitutes the port P31 of the main body 30 is connected to the second communication unit 24B2 via a cable 24B4. This modular plug is an example of the port P21B of the handset 20B.

[0095] In this embodiment, a modular plug conforming to the RJ-9 standard is used as the modular plug constituting port P21B. However, the standard to which the modular plug constituting port P21B conforms is not limited to the RJ-9 standard, and it may be the same as the standard to which the modular jack constituting port P31 conforms.

[0096] As described above, by interposing cable 24B4 between second communication unit 24B2 and housing 24B3, and the modular plug constituting port P21B, even if the modular jack constituting port P31 of main body 30 is located at a position recessed from housing 31, the modular plug constituting port P21B can be inserted into the modular jack.

[0097] 4, when it is assumed that the modular jack constituting the port P31 is provided at a position exposed on the surface of the housing 31, the cable 24B4 may be omitted and the modular jack constituting the port P31 may be provided directly on the housing 24B3. In this case, the handset 20B can be considered as one aspect of a dongle.

[0098] Note that power is required to perform wireless communication between the first communication unit 24B1 and the second communication unit 24B2. Therefore, it is preferable that a battery that supplies electrodes to the audio processing unit 11B and the first communication unit 24B1 is housed inside the housing 23B1, and it is preferable that a battery that supplies electrodes to the second communication unit 24B2 is housed inside the housing 24B3. These batteries are preferably rechargeable batteries (e.g., lithium ion batteries).

[0099] Chargers that use USB cables (such as those that comply with the PD standard) are widely used as chargers for charging the batteries, so a suitable charger can be selected from among the technologies available on the market. In this case, it is sufficient to provide a USB connector (such as a connector that complies with the USB Type C standard) on each of the housings 23B1 and 24B3 as a charging connector.

[0100] (Summary of embodiment 3) As described above, the handset 20B is a headset-type handset that constitutes the telephone set 1B together with the main body 30. The handset 20B includes a headband 25B, which is an example of a fixing member, a microphone 21B, a pair of speakers 22B1, 22B2, an audio processor 11B, and housings 23B1, 23B2.

[0101] The headband 25B is a fixing member for fixing the handset 20B to the user's head, although the fixing member may also be configured to fix the handset 20B to the user's ear.

[0102] The microphone 21B is fixed to the headband 25B via the housing 23B1 and the microphone boom arm 26B. Therefore, in this embodiment, the microphone 21B is indirectly provided to the headband 25B.

[0103] The speakers 22B1 and 22B2 are fixed to the headband 25B via the housings 23B1 and 23B2. Therefore, in this embodiment, the speakers 22B1 and 22B2 are indirectly provided to the headband 25B. However, the speakers 22B1 and 22B2 may be directly fixed to the headband 25B.

[0104] The audio processing unit 11B performs audio processing on the audio signal representing the voice of the speaking side supplied from the microphone 21B in order to clarify the voice, and supplies the processed audio signal to the main body 30.

[0105] The housing 23B1 is configured to house the audio processing unit 11B.

[0106] The handset 20B further includes a first communication unit 24B1 and a second communication unit 24B2 capable of transmitting and receiving audio signals to and from each other. The first communication unit 24B1 is accommodated in a housing 23B1. A modular plug corresponding to a modular jack constituting a port P31 of the main body 30 is connected to the second communication unit 24B2. This modular plug is an example of a modular plug corresponding to a modular jack provided on the main body 30.

[0107] (Modification of connection method) In a modified example of handset 20B, a modular cable 40 shown in Fig. 1 may be used instead of first communication unit 24B1 and second communication unit 24B2. In this case, a modular jack corresponding to modular plug 42 provided at one end of modular cable 40 may be provided on housing 23B1.

[0108] In a further modified example of handset 20B, the modular jack provided on housing 23B1 and modular plug 42 shown in Fig. 1 may be omitted, and one end of a cable interposed between handset 20B and main body 30 may be directly connected to housing 23B1. In this case, handset 20B of this modified example includes, in addition to audio processor 11B and housing 23B1, a cable interposed between handset 20B and main body 30, one end of which is directly connected to housing 23B1. Handset 20A shown in Fig. 3 employs a system in which a cable is directly connected to a housing, as in this modified example.

[0109] [Audio Processing Unit in Each Embodiment] As described above with reference to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the voice processing device 10 includes a voice processing unit 11, the handset 20A includes a voice processing unit 11A, and the handset 20B includes a voice processing unit 11B. The voice processing units 11, 11A and 11B have the same configuration, and are simply marked with different reference numerals to clarify the difference in the housings in which they are housed. Therefore, in the following, the voice processing unit 11 is used as a representative of the voice processing units 11, 11A and 11B, and the voice processing unit 11 will be described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the telephone 1 to which the voice processing device 10 is applied. In Fig. 5, in order to make the transmission path of the voice signal easier to understand, a block diagram of not only the voice processing device 10 but also the telephone 1 is illustrated. Fig. 6 is a graph showing the frequency characteristics of the telephone 1.

[0110] The audio processing unit 11 is configured to perform audio processing on the audio signal supplied from the microphone 21 in order to clarify the audio, and to output the audio signal that has been subjected to the audio processing.

[0111] 5, the audio processing unit 11 includes a port P11, a port P12, a branching unit 111, a phase corrector 112, a filter (bandpass filter) 113, an amplifier 114, an adjuster 115, and an additive synthesizer 116. The audio processing unit 11 further includes a power supply unit, a detection unit, and a control unit, which are not shown in FIG.

[0112] The port P11 is a port connected to the microphone 21. The port P11 receives a voice signal S converted from a voice uttered by a speaker by the microphone 21. V is provided by microphone 21.

[0113] Audio signal S V As shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 6548938, includes a first formant component, a second formant component, ..., and an nth formant component. Note that n depends on the user on the transmitting side and, although there may be some individual differences, is a positive integer of at least 4. Note that the first formant component, the second formant component, ..., and the nth formant component can be read as the first formant, the second formant, ..., and the nth formant, respectively, shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 6548938.

[0114] It should be noted that the first formant component, the second formant component, . . . , and the nth formant component are described in Patent Document 1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted in this embodiment.

[0115] The branching unit 111 receives the audio signal S V The first audio signal S V1 and the second audio signal S V2 In this embodiment, the branching unit 111 branches into the first audio signal S V1 and the second audio signal S V2 The intensity ratio between the branching portion 111 and the light source 120 is 1:1, that is, the distribution ratio is 1:1. However, the distribution ratio of the branching portion 111 is not limited to 1:1 and can be set appropriately.

[0116] In addition, the first audio signal SV1 and the second audio signal S V2 The spectrum of each of the speech signals S V That is, the spectrum of the first audio signal S V1 and the second audio signal S V2 Each of the formants includes a first formant component, a second formant component, . . . , an nth formant component.

[0117] The filter 113 receives the first audio signal S V1 The filter 113 is a high-pass filter that removes low-frequency components, which are components with frequencies less than 400 Hz, from the first audio signal S V1’ Therefore, the first audio signal S V1’ is a speech signal that does not contain a first-order formant component, but contains second-order formant components, third-order formant components, ..., n-th order formant components.

[0118] The amplifier 114 receives the first audio signal S V1’ The first speech signal S is amplified to increase the intensities of the second, third, ..., nth formant components. V1” Output.

[0119] The adjuster 115 adjusts the gain of the amplifier 114. The audio processing device 10 shown in Fig. 2 is configured to control the adjuster 115 using the switch 13 provided on the housing 12, and adjust the gain to three levels from 0 to 2. The adjuster 115 is configured so that when "0" is selected by the switch 13, the gain becomes 1x, when "1" is selected by the switch 13, the gain becomes 3x, and when "2" is selected by the switch 13, the gain becomes 5x.

[0120] However, the number of stages of the switch 13 constituting the adjuster 115 and the gain selected by the switch 13 are not limited to the above example, and can be appropriately selected. For example, the gain may be configured such that when "0" is selected by the switch 13, the gain is 0 times, when "1" is selected by the switch 13, the gain is 1 time, and when "2" is selected by the switch 13, the gain is 5 times. When the gain is set to 0 times, the voice processing in the voice processing device 10 is substantially canceled. Therefore, the voice processing unit 11 converts the voice signal supplied from the microphone 21 into voice and outputs it from the speaker without performing voice processing for clarifying the voice. When it is known that voice clarity processing is not necessary, the voice processing may be canceled as described above. In addition, it is usually possible to use the device with the voice processing canceled, and when a gesture that seems difficult for the listener to hear is recognized, the speaker can appropriately adjust the adjuster 115 to adjust the degree of voice processing in the voice processing device 10. Also, the adjuster 115 may be a volume that changes the gain continuously, instead of the switch 13 that changes the gain discretely. Also, when the user who will be the listener can be identified to some extent, the gain is preset, and the adjuster 115 may be omitted.

[0121] The phase corrector 112 converts the first audio signal S V1” The second audio signal S V2 That is, the phase corrector 112 corrects the phase of the first audio signal S V1” A second audio signal S that is in phase with V2’ Output.

[0122] The additive synthesizer 116 receives the first audio signal S V1” and the second audio signal S passed through the phase corrector 112. V2’ The synthesized voice signal S SV and generate a synthetic speech signal S SV is supplied to port P12.

[0123] The port P12 is a port connected to the main body 30. The terminal of the port P12 receives the synthesized voice signal S SV is supplied.

[0124] In this way, the audio processing device 10 receives the audio signal S V The synthesized speech signal S SV is supplied to the speaker 22.

[0125] The microphone 21 receives an analog audio signal S V The port P12 supplies the synthesized voice signal S SV The microphone 21 supplies the digital audio signal S V to the port P11, and the port P12 supplies a synthesized voice signal S SV may be configured to supply the liquid to the body 30.

[0126] In the audio processing unit 11, each of the phase corrector 112, the filter 113, the amplifier 114, and the additive synthesizer 116 is configured with an analog circuit. However, each of the phase corrector 112, the filter 113, the amplifier 114, and the additive synthesizer 116 may be configured with a digital circuit.

[0127] In addition, in the audio processing unit 11, the audio processing unit 11 outputs a first audio signal S V1 The filter 113 is a high-pass filter that performs filtering on the first audio signal S V1Therefore, the filter 113 may be configured to remove (1) low-frequency components having a frequency less than 400 Hz, and (2) high-frequency components having a frequency greater than 7 kHz. That is, the filter 113 may be a band-pass filter that passes components having a frequency equal to or greater than 400 Hz and equal to or less than 7 kHz, or may be a band-pass filter that passes components having a frequency equal to or greater than 400 Hz and equal to or less than 5 kHz. In this case, the filter 113 may be realized as one band-pass filter, or may be realized by connecting a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter in series.

[0128] Furthermore, in the audio processing unit 11, the housing 12 is made of aluminum. However, the material constituting the housing 12 is not limited to aluminum, and may be, for example, a metal such as copper or stainless steel. Furthermore, the material constituting the housing 12 may be mainly made of resin with a metal layer provided on the surface. Since at least the surface of the housing 12 is covered with metal, the housing 12 can block electromagnetic waves that penetrate from the outside to the inside. However, even when resin is used as the material constituting the housing 12, the metal layer provided on the surface of the housing 12 may be omitted. In that case, it is preferable to take measures against electromagnetic waves inside the housing 12.

[0129] The power supply unit, the detection unit, and the control unit, which are not shown in FIG. 5, are each configured as follows.

[0130] The power supply unit supplies power to the voice processing unit (particularly the amplifier 114) and the control unit. In order to make the voice processing device 10 portable, the power supply unit is preferably a rechargeable battery (e.g., a lithium ion battery). By using a battery as the power supply unit, the speaker can speak while moving freely without worrying about a power cable.

[0131] Chargers that use USB cables (such as those that comply with the PD standard) are widely used as chargers for charging the battery, so a suitable charger can be selected from among the technologies available on the market. In this case, a USB connector (such as a connector that complies with the USB Type C standard) may be provided on the housing 12 as a connector for charging.

[0132] However, an AC / DC converter such as an AC adapter may be used as the power supply unit. By using an AC / DC converter as the power supply unit, a commercial power source can be used, so the speaker can speak without worrying about the remaining power. The power supply unit may also employ both a battery and an AC / DC converter.

[0133] The detection unit is configured to detect whether or not the power is being supplied from the power supply unit to the audio processing unit. If the power supply unit is functioning normally, the detection unit supplies detection information indicating "Yes" to the control unit. On the other hand, if the power supply unit is not functioning normally, the detection unit supplies detection information indicating "No" to the control unit. If the power supply unit is an AC / DC converter, an example of a state in which the power supply unit is not functioning normally is a power outage. If the power supply unit is a battery, an example of a state in which the power supply unit is not functioning normally is a dead battery.

[0134] The control unit outputs the audio signal S according to the detection result of the detection unit. V If the detection result of the detection unit is "Yes", the control unit controls the selection unit to perform or not perform audio processing on the audio signal S V On the other hand, if the detection result of the detection unit is "No", the control unit controls the selection unit to perform audio processing on the audio signal S V The selection unit is controlled so as not to perform audio processing on the

[0135] Moreover, the audio processing device 10 may further include a polarity switch and an amplifier interposed between the port P11 and the branching unit 111.

[0136] (speaker) The speaker 22 converts the audio signal supplied from the port P21, which is a converted audio signal from a voice uttered by a user on the receiving side, into audio and outputs the audio. In this embodiment, the audio signal supplied from the port P21 is an analog signal and an electrical signal. However, the audio signal supplied from the port P21 may be a digital signal, and the speaker 22 may be configured to convert the digital audio signal into audio.

[0137] <Frequency characteristics of audio processing device> 6 is a graph showing frequency characteristics of the telephone 1 to which the voice processing device 10 is applied. V 6 shows the frequency characteristic of the audio signal S after the output value is adjusted by the amplifier interposed between the port P11 and the branching portion 111. V 6 shows the frequency characteristic of the first audio signal S after passing through the amplifier 114. V1” The characteristic line d shown in FIG. 6 shows the frequency characteristic of the synthetic speech signal S SV 6 shows the frequency characteristics of the audio signal. The difference between characteristic line b and characteristic line d, indicated by the arrows in FIG.

[0138] The first audio signal S represented by the characteristic line c V1” The output level of the frequency characteristic can be adjusted by adjusting the gain of the amplifier 114 using the adjuster 115.

[0139] <Effects of the audio processing unit>

[0140] Here, the effect will be described using a voice processing device 10 equipped with a voice processing unit 11. This effect can also be obtained in a handset 20A equipped with a voice processing unit 11A, and in a handset 20B equipped with a voice processing unit 11B.

[0141] The voice processing unit 11 is a conversation assistance device equipped with a function that provides a method for reliably conveying the contents of a conversation in a face-to-face conversation with a hearing-impaired person. This method was born from an idea completely opposite to that of conventional hearing aids and sound collectors, and the speaker emits a voice that has been processed to make it easier for the hearing-impaired person to hear via the voice processing device 10, making it possible for the hearing-impaired person to convey the contents of the conversation without using a hearing aid or the like.

[0142] The voice clarity technology by the voice processing unit 11 focuses on the fact that the efficiency of the cochlea, the auditory organ of the inner ear, which causes hearing impairment due to aging, in converting voice to electrical signals, especially in the high frequency band (called formant), is reduced, hindering the understanding of language, and adopts the feature that hearing can be restored by performing processing to emphasize the high frequency components contained in words. In the spectrum analysis of voice, the peak frequency with the highest level that appears at the lowest frequency is called the first formant, the second peak frequency is called the second formant, etc., and each peak frequency appears at an integer multiple point, and the peak frequency differs depending on the speaker's bone structure, etc., but it has been clarified by our many findings over many years that the formant components necessary for understanding language generally need to be reliably heard from the first formant to the fourth formant, and it has been confirmed that the voice processing unit 11 can demonstrate its effect by mainly compensating for 400Hz to 5KHz.

[0143] As described above, the audio processing unit 11 includes the port P11, the branching unit 111, the filter 113, the amplifier 114, the phase corrector 112, the additive combiner 116, and the port P12.

[0144] According to the above configuration, the amplifier 114 receives the first audio signal S V1’ is amplified to produce a second audio signal S V2Therefore, the voice processing unit 11 can output a synthetic voice signal in which the first formant component is not amplified and predetermined formant components (for example, the second, third, and fourth formant components) are amplified. Therefore, the voice processing unit 11 can output a synthetic voice signal S that the listener can perceive as clear without using an auxiliary device. SV can be output.

[0145] As a result, the possibility of misunderstandings occurring between the speaker and the listener or of upsetting the listener can be reduced, making it easier for communication to proceed smoothly between the speaker and the listener.

[0146] In addition, when the voice is to be made clear, the first voice signal S V1 (1) low-frequency components having a frequency of less than 400 Hz and (2) high-frequency components having a frequency of more than 7 kHz are removed from the first audio signal S V1’ is amplified to produce a first audio signal S V1” and the second audio signal S V2 However, the wavelength of a human voice is usually about 100 Hz or more and 1 kHz or less. Therefore, in the voice processing unit 11, the filter 113 often filters only the low-frequency components into the first voice signal S V1 That is, in the filter 113, the first audio signal S V1 Therefore, the filter 113 can be simply configured, and costs can be reduced.

[0147] In addition, in the audio processing unit 11, each of the phase corrector 112, the filter 113, the amplifier 114, and the additive synthesizer 116 is preferably configured by an analog circuit.

[0148] According to the above configuration, the voice processing unit 11 can be easily configured and can be made smaller in size. Furthermore, compared to a case where the filter 113 is configured with a digital circuit, the voice processing device 10 configured in this way can output a synthetic voice signal S that the listener perceives as clearer. SV This is believed to be because filter 113 configured with an analog circuit is more likely to have gentler filtering characteristics in the lower limit region of the passband (i.e., the region near 400 Hz) than filter 113 configured with a digital circuit.

[0149] Moreover, it is preferable that the audio processing unit 11 further includes an adjuster 115 .

[0150] According to the above configuration, the speaker user can adjust the gain of the amplifier 114 according to the state of the listener user, regardless of the listener user's intention. In other words, the degree of clarity in the synthetic voice signal can be adjusted. Therefore, the voice processing unit 11 configured in this way outputs the synthetic voice signal S in which the degree of clarity is adjusted according to the listener user. SV can be output.

[0151] In the audio processing unit 11, the filter 113 is preferably configured to remove the low-frequency components below a lower limit frequency and the high-frequency components above an upper limit frequency. The band between the lower limit frequency and the upper limit frequency may include second, third, and fourth formant components.

[0152] The inventors of the present application have found that the frequency band that contributes to the clarity of the audio signal is approximately 400 Hz to 7 kHz. According to the audio processing unit 11 configured in this manner, the amplifier 114 outputs the first audio signal S V1’ Amplify.

[0153] The voice processing unit 11 can output a synthetic voice signal in which the first formant components are not amplified and predetermined formant components (for example, the second, third and fourth formant components) are amplified.

[0154] In addition, in the audio processing unit 11, the audio signal S V and the synthetic speech signal S SV Each of is preferably an analog signal.

[0155] In addition, in the audio processing unit 11, each of the phase corrector 112, the filter 113, the amplifier 114, and the additive synthesizer 116 is preferably configured by an analog circuit.

[0156] This allows voice processing unit 11 to be easily configured and the voice processor to be made smaller. Furthermore, voice processing unit 11 configured in this way can output a synthetic voice signal that the listener perceives as clearer than when filter 113 is configured using a digital circuit.

[0157] [Modification of the Audio Processing Unit] In the following, modified examples of the audio processing unit will be described using audio processing unit 11 as a representative of audio processing units 11, 11A, and 11B.

[0158] The voice processing unit 11 may be realized, for example, so as to include the configuration described in the patent publications related to the following patent numbers, or in combination with the configuration. The technologies described in each of the patent publications of Japanese Patent No. 3731179 and Japanese Patent No. 6548938 are technologies for implementing voice processing for voice clarity by focusing on first-order (or low-order) formant components and high-order formant components (see, for example, FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 3731179 and FIG. 4 of Japanese Patent No. 6548938). Therefore, instead of the configuration shown in the block diagram of FIG. 5, the configurations shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 of Japanese Patent No. 3731179 may be adopted as the configuration for realizing the voice processing unit 11, or the configuration shown in FIG. 5 of Japanese Patent No. 6548938 may be adopted. The voice processing unit 11 is required only to perform voice processing on the voice signal representing the voice of the speaking party supplied from the microphone 21 in order to clarify the voice, and to supply the voice signal that has undergone the voice processing to the main body 30.

[0159] Moreover, instead of the audio processing unit 11 shown in FIG. 5, the configuration of FIG. 4 in Japanese Patent No. 7105756 can be adopted.

[0160] [Modification of the voice processing device] In the following, a modified example of the voice processing device according to one aspect of the present invention will be described using the voice processing device 10 as a representative of the voice processing device 10 and the handsets 20A and 20B.

[0161] In the voice processing device 10, the handset 20 to which the voice processing device 10 is connected constitutes a telephone set 1 together with a main body 30. That is, in the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the device to which the voice processing device 10 and the handset 20 are connected is the main body 30 of the telephone set 1. However, in this reference example, the device to which the voice processing device 10 and the handset 20 are connected is not limited to the main body 30, and may be, for example, a personal computer or a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal.

[0162] In this case, the standard for connecting the audio processing device 10 to a personal computer or a mobile terminal can be appropriately selected from existing standards. Examples of such standards include USB, Bluetooth, and HDMI (registered trademark).

[0163] For example, when connecting the voice processing device 10 to a personal computer using USB, a USB connector such as Type-A or Type-C may be provided on the housing 12 of the voice processing device 10, and a USB cable may be used instead of the modular cable 40. Also, when connecting the handset 20B to a personal computer using Bluetooth, a communication module conforming to the Bluetooth standard may be used instead of the first communication unit 24B1.

[0164] [Additional Notes] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0165] 1 telephone 10 Audio processing device P11 port (modular plug) P12 port (modular jack) 11, 11A, 11B Audio processing unit 111 Branch 112 Phase corrector 113 Filters 114 Amplifier 115 Regulator 116 Additive Synthesizer 12 Housing (Housing for audio processing device) 13. Switch 20,20A,20B handset P21 port (modular jack) 21 Microphone 22 Speaker (receiver) 23, 23A, 23B1, 23B2 Housing (handset housing) 24A Cable 24B1 1st Communication Department 24B2 2nd Communication Department 25B Headband (fixing member) 26B Microphone Boom Arm 30 Main unit P31, P32 ports (modular jack) 40,50 Modular Cable 41,42,51 Modular plug

Claims

1. A voice processing device installed between a handset and a personal computer or a mobile terminal, a voice processing unit that performs voice processing for clarifying a voice signal representing a voice of a speaking side, the voice signal being supplied from a transmitter constituting the handset, and that supplies the processed voice signal to the personal computer or the mobile terminal; A housing that houses the audio processing unit.

13. A voice processing device comprising:

2. The present invention further includes a cable between the handset and the personal computer or mobile terminal, the cable having one end directly connected to the housing.

2. The audio processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The housing is provided with a port corresponding to a connector provided at one end of a cable between the handset and the personal computer or mobile terminal.

2. The audio processing device according to claim 1 .

4. Further comprising a first communication unit and a second communication unit capable of transmitting and receiving audio signals to and from each other, The first communication unit is accommodated in the housing, A connector corresponding to a port provided on the personal computer or mobile terminal is connected to the second communication unit.

2. The audio processing device according to claim 1 .

5. A handset-type telephone set connected to a personal computer or a mobile terminal, A transmitter and a receiver; a voice processing unit that performs voice processing for clarifying a voice signal representing a voice of a speaking side, the voice signal being supplied from the transmitter, and that supplies the processed voice signal to the personal computer or the mobile terminal; and a handset-type housing that houses the transmitter, the receiver, and the audio processing unit. A handset characterized in that

6. The cable may be disposed between the housing and the personal computer or mobile terminal, and one end of the cable may be directly connected to the housing.

6. A handset according to claim 5.

7. The housing is provided with a port corresponding to a connector provided at one end of a cable between the handset and the personal computer or mobile terminal.

6. A handset according to claim 5.

8. Further comprising a first communication unit and a second communication unit capable of transmitting and receiving audio signals to and from each other, The first communication unit is accommodated in the housing, A connector corresponding to a port provided on the personal computer or mobile terminal is connected to the second communication unit.

6. A handset according to claim 5.

9. A headset-type handset connected to a personal computer or a mobile terminal, A fixing member for fixing the handset to a user's head or ear; A transmitter and a receiver provided directly or indirectly on the fixed member; a voice processing unit that performs voice processing for clarifying a voice signal representing a voice of a speaking side, the voice signal being supplied from the transmitter, and that supplies the processed voice signal to the personal computer or the mobile terminal; A housing that houses the audio processing unit. A handset characterized in that

10. The cable may be disposed between the housing and the personal computer or mobile terminal, and one end of the cable may be directly connected to the housing.

10. A handset according to claim 9.

11. The housing is provided with a port corresponding to a connector provided at one end of a cable between the handset and the personal computer or mobile terminal.

10. A handset according to claim 9.

12. Further comprising a first communication unit and a second communication unit capable of transmitting and receiving audio signals to and from each other, The first communication unit is accommodated in the housing, A connector corresponding to a port provided on the personal computer or mobile terminal is connected to the second communication unit.

10. A handset according to claim 9.

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