Pistol-type electronic starter

Abstract

We provide a pistol-type electronic starter that can clearly communicate the starting signal to competitors. [Solution] The pistol-type electronic starter of the present invention comprises a pistol-shaped body, a memory for storing electronic sound data, an external microphone connection terminal for connecting a microphone for the user via wired or wireless means, a built-in speaker that converts the electronic sound signal output from the memory into sound and the user's voice signal input from the microphone into sound, a trigger that acts as a trigger for emitting the electronic sound, a switch for turning on the input from the microphone, an external speaker connection terminal for connecting an external speaker via wired or wireless means, and an output control unit that, when the external speaker is connected, outputs the electronic sound signal or the user's voice signal from the external speaker connection terminal and prevents sound from being emitted from the built-in speaker.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pistol-type electronic starter, and more particularly to a pistol-type electronic starter capable of selectively emitting an electronic sound of a start signal or a voice from a microphone from a built-in speaker or an external speaker.

Background Art

[0002] For example, pistol-type starters used for start signals in sports competitions include paper detonator types and electronic types. The paper detonator type uses the bursting sound of a small amount of gunpowder wrapped in paper and has been used for a long time. The electronic type stores data of a telecommunication sound corresponding to the bursting sound of gunpowder in a memory and emits an electronic sound from a speaker.

[0003] An electronic pistol-type starter can emit an electronic sound from a speaker mounted on a pistol-shaped main body. However, even if it is sufficient when used in practice, for example, in a competition held in an outdoor stadium or the like, the sound may be felt to be small for the competitors. It is desirable that the start signal can also be heard by the relevant persons and spectators.

[0004] Also, prior to emitting the start signal, it is common to give commands such as "At your positions" and "Ready", and such commands are often issued from another speaker using a microphone. Therefore, the procedures up to the start and the equipment configuration become complicated. In some cases, the speaker mounted on the main body of the pistol-type starter and the speaker prepared for the microphone may cause howling.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] This invention was made based on these circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a pistol-type electronic starter that can clearly communicate the starting signal to the competitor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The gist of this invention is as follows: (1) The pistol-type electronic starter of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a pistol-shaped body; a memory for storing electronic sound data; an external microphone connection terminal for connecting a microphone for the user via wired or wireless means; a built-in speaker that converts the electronic sound signal output from the memory into sound and the user's voice signal input from the microphone into sound; a trigger that acts as a trigger for emitting the electronic sound; a switch for turning on the input from the microphone; an external speaker connection terminal for connecting an external speaker via wired or wireless means; and an output control unit that, when the external speaker is connected, outputs the electronic sound signal or the user's voice signal from the external speaker connection terminal and prevents sound from being emitted from the built-in speaker. (2) The system further includes an output mode selection switch that allows the output from the external speaker connection terminal to be selected to either AUX mode or WM mode. (3) The external speaker connection terminal outputs the electronic sound signal or the user's voice signal wirelessly to the external speaker via a relay connected to the external speaker connection terminal. (4) The built-in speaker comprises a first speaker positioned at the tip of the pistol-shaped barrel facing forward, and a second speaker positioned at the lower side of the barrel facing downward. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the pistol-type electronic starter of the present invention, electronic sounds stored in memory or the user's voice input via the microphone can be selectively emitted from either the built-in speaker or an external speaker depending on the situation and location of use, such as practice or competition, making it possible to clearly communicate the starting signal to competitors. Furthermore, by providing an output control function that outputs either the electronic sound signal or the user's voice signal from the external speaker connection terminal when an external speaker is connected, and controls the built-in speaker not to emit sound, it is possible to prevent sound duplication and feedback. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a pistol-type electronic starter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of a pistol-type electronic starter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a right side view of the pistol-type electronic starter shown above. [Figure 4] This is a left side view of the pistol-type electronic starter shown above. [Figure 5] This is a front view of the pistol-type electronic starter shown above. [Figure 6] This is a rear view of the pistol-type electronic starter shown above. [Figure 7] This is a plan view of the pistol-type electronic starter shown above. [Figure 8] This is a bottom view of the pistol-type electronic starter shown above. [Figure 9] This is a right side view showing the internal structure of the pistol-type electronic starter described above. [Figure 10] This is a block diagram of the control system for the pistol-type electronic starter shown above. [Figure 11] This is an example of how the above-mentioned pistol-type electronic starter is used. [Figure 12] This is an example of connecting external devices to the above-mentioned pistol-type electronic starter. [Figure 13] This is another example of connecting external devices to the pistol-type electronic starter described above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] A pistol-type electronic starter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the technical scope of the present invention shall not be limited in any way by the embodiments described below.

[0011] Figures 1 to 8 show the external appearance of the pistol-type electronic starter 1 of this embodiment. Figure 9 shows the internal structure of the pistol-type electronic starter 1. Figure 10 is a block diagram of the control system of the pistol-type electronic starter 1. As shown in Figures 1 to 8, the pistol-type electronic starter 1 has the external shape of a pistol. The pistol-shaped body 10 has an exterior made of resin such as plastic and has space inside for mounting various components. As an example, the body 10 is molded thinly from resin using a mold. The pistol-shaped body 10 mainly consists of a grip 10A that the user holds, a trigger 10B that emits an electronic sound, and a barrel 10C. The pistol shape in Figures 1 to 8 is a preferred example and is not limited to this shape. Also, it is sufficient if it is a size that can be held in one hand by the user, and there may be variations for adults and children.

[0012] Inside the grip 10A portion, a circuit board 20 on which an IC (Integrated Circuit), which is an example of the control unit 2, is mounted is arranged. The IC as the control unit 2 controls the operation and external input / output of the pistol-type electronic starter 1. The circuit board 20 is equipped with a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and stores programs and various information necessary for operation. The various information includes data of electronic sounds. The electronic sound used as a start signal preferably imitates the sound of gunpowder explosion such as "bang". However, the electronic sound is not limited to the explosion sound. The electronic sounds stored in a memory such as ROM are not limited to one type, and may be multiple types. When the user pulls the trigger 10B while the power is ON, the IC as the control unit 2, for example, reads a program from the memory and executes it, and controls to output the electronic sound stored in the memory and emit it from the speakers (built-in speakers) 3A and 3B.

[0013] The built-in speakers 3A and 3B are arranged inside the barrel 10C portion. The built-in speakers 3A and 3B include a first speaker 3A and a second speaker 3B. The first speaker 3A is arranged at the tip of the barrel 10C so as to face forward. That is, the speaker cone is arranged to face forward. For example, a plurality of through holes 11A are formed at the tip of the barrel 10C made of resin so that the speaker sound can be easily propagated. The second speaker 3B is arranged on the lower side surface portion of the barrel 10C so as to face downward. That is, the speaker cone is arranged to face downward. A plurality of through holes 11B are formed on the lower side surface portion of the barrel 10C so that the speaker sound can be easily propagated. When the first and second speakers 3A and 3B are arranged in this way, the sound emitted simultaneously from the two speakers has a stronger directivity in the diagonally downward direction where the propagation ranges overlap. Usually, as shown in FIG. 11, the user pulls the trigger 10B while pointing the pistol-type electronic starter 1 diagonally upward. As a result, the directivity of the sound (start signal) toward the competitor can be enhanced.

[0014] Furthermore, inside the part of the gun body 10C, a battery box for holding the battery 12 is arranged. The battery 12 serves as the power source for operating the pistol-type electronic starter 1. The switch 13 for turning on / off the power is arranged, for example, on the upper surface side of the main body 10. In FIG. 9, as an example of the battery 12, dry batteries connected in series are illustrated. The battery 12 may be rechargeable or non-rechargeable. The battery 12 is incorporated into the battery box by opening the opening / closing lid 14 provided on the main body 10. Instead of dry batteries and the battery box, a rechargeable battery may be mounted as the power source. The pistol-type electronic starter 1 of the present embodiment has a function of operating in an ECO (Economy) mode. The ECO mode is such that the IC as the control unit 2 reduces the output to the built-in speakers 3A, 3B, thereby suppressing the volume of sound / voice and making the battery 12 last longer. For example, when used indoors or in a place with strong reverberation, there is also the merit that howling can be suppressed by setting the ECO mode. The switch 15 for selecting the ECO mode is arranged, for example, near the battery box so as to appear when the opening / closing lid 14 is opened (not shown).

[0015] Also, at the bottom of the gun grip 10A, an external speaker connection terminal 40 for connecting the external speaker 4 is provided. The external speaker connection terminal 40 is, for example, configured such that a plug terminal can be inserted. When making a wired connection with the external speaker 4, the plug terminal of the external speaker 4 is connected to the external speaker connection terminal 40. Alternatively, when making a wireless connection with the external speaker 4, the plug terminal of a repeater 41 (see FIG. 12) that can communicate wirelessly with the external speaker 4 is connected to the external speaker connection terminal 40. Therefore, the input / output through the external speaker connection terminal 40 can be selectively switched, for example, to the AUX mode in the case of a wired connection and the WM mode in the case of a wireless connection. The output mode selection switch 42 is arranged at the bottom of the gun grip 10A.

[0016] When connected to the external speaker 4, the IC acting as control unit 2 outputs an electronic sound signal or the user's voice signal input from the microphone 5 (described later) from the external speaker connection terminal 40 in the output mode selected by the output mode selection switch 42, and controls the built-in speakers 3A and 3B to not emit sound / voice. In other words, the IC acting as control unit 2 also functions as an output control unit. For example, if the electronic start signal is emitted from both the built-in speakers 3A and 3B and the external speaker 4, a slight timing difference may cause the sound to be duplicated. Also, feedback between speakers may occur. Therefore, it is equipped with an output control function that can prevent these issues. Furthermore, the IC acting as control unit 2 also has an output control function that turns off the input from the microphone 5 when the electronic start signal is being played.

[0017] The slight timing discrepancy mentioned above is due to a slight delay before the external speaker 4 emits sound. This is caused by the time it takes from when the user pulls the trigger 10B until the external speaker 4 emits sound. Ideally, the time required from pulling the trigger 10B until the external speaker 4 emits sound should be 0.1 seconds or less.

[0018] Furthermore, an external microphone connection terminal 50 for connecting a microphone (external microphone) 5 for the user is provided at the bottom of the gun grip 10A. The external microphone connection terminal 50 is designed so that, for example, the plug terminal of the microphone 5 can be inserted. The microphone 5 may be connected via a wired or wireless connection, as long as the IC acting as the control unit 2 and the microphone 5 can communicate with each other. The type of microphone 5 is not limited, but a headset microphone or a lavalier microphone is preferred.

[0019] The switch 51 for turning on the microphone 5 is located near the trigger 10B of the main unit 10. In this embodiment, as a preferred example, the device is positioned so that when the user holds the pistol-type electronic starter 1 in their right hand, they can pull the trigger 10B with their index finger and press the switch 51 with their thumb. For example, the user presses the switch 51 to turn on the microphone 5 and says a command such as "On your marks." The voice signal from the user input from the microphone 5 is emitted from the built-in speakers 3A, 3B or the external speaker 5. After that, the user releases their thumb to release the switch 51, turning off the microphone 5, and pulls the trigger 10B to emit a start signal (electronic sound). The IC acting as the control unit 2 controls the output so that no electronic sound is emitted even if the trigger 10B is pulled while the microphone 5 is ON.

[0020] The main unit 10 is equipped with a light emitter 6. A preferred example of the light emitter 6 is an LED. The control unit 2, acting as an IC, controls the light emitter 6 to emit an electronic sound from the built-in speakers 3A, 3B or the external speaker 5, and to illuminate for a predetermined time when the trigger 10B is pulled. The predetermined time is several seconds. This allows the competitor to visually recognize the start signal. As previously described, the user usually points the pistol-type electronic starter 1 diagonally upwards and pulls the trigger 10B (see Figure 11), so it is preferable to place the light emitter 6 on the bottom side of the main unit 10. Furthermore, a switch 61 is provided on the main unit 10 so that the user can choose whether or not to illuminate the light.

[0021] Figure 11 shows an example of the use of the pistol-type electronic starter 1, specifically its use as a starting signal in track and field events. The user points the pistol-type electronic starter 1 diagonally upwards and pulls the trigger 10B. By equipping it with the first speaker 3A and second speaker 3B as described above, the directionality of the sound (start signal) can be strongly directed towards the athlete.

[0022] Figures 12 and 13 show an example of a pistol-type electronic starter 1 with an external speaker 4 and a microphone 5 connected. Figure 12 shows the microphone 5 connected via a wired connection and the external speaker 4 connected wirelessly via a repeater 41. The plug terminal of the repeater 41 is connected to the external speaker connection terminal 40. In this case, the output mode selection switch 42 is set to WM mode. Figure 13 shows the microphone 5 and external speaker 4 connected via a wired connection. In this case, the output mode selection switch 42 is set to AUX mode.

[0023] For the reasons stated above, this embodiment makes it possible to provide a pistol-type electronic starter 1 that can clearly communicate the starting signal to the competitor.

[0024] Although the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those with ordinary skill in the art that various substitutions, modifications, and changes to the form and details can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] 1. Pistol-type electronic starter 2 Control Unit 3A Speaker 1 3B 2nd speaker 4. External speakers 40 External speaker connection terminal 5 microphones 50 External microphone connection terminal

Claims

1. The pistol-shaped body, The memory that stores the electronic sound data, An external microphone connection terminal for connecting a microphone for the user via wired or wireless means, A built-in speaker that converts the electronic sound signal output from the memory into sound, and the user's voice signal input from the microphone into sound and emits it, The trigger that emits the aforementioned electronic sound, A switch to turn on the input from the aforementioned microphone, An external speaker connection terminal for connecting external speakers via wired or wireless connection, A pistol-type electronic starter, characterized by comprising: an output control unit that outputs the electronic sound signal or the user's voice signal from the external speaker connection terminal when the external speaker is connected, and prevents sound from being emitted from the built-in speaker.

2. The pistol-type electronic starter according to claim 1, further comprising an output mode selection switch that allows the output from the external speaker connection terminal to be selected to AUX mode or WM mode.

3. The pistol-type electronic starter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the external speaker connection terminal outputs the electronic sound signal or the user's voice signal wirelessly to the external speaker via a relay connected to the external speaker connection terminal.

4. The pistol-type electronic starter according to claim 1, characterized in that the built-in speaker comprises a first speaker positioned to face forward at the tip of the pistol-shaped barrel and a second speaker positioned to face downward at the lower side of the barrel.

Images