RECORDER AND RECORDING METHOD

• US 20100074449A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tabata, Kazumasa
• Application Number:
  US12/513,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20100074449A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

To provide a recorder and other means for recording an audio signal of good quality with continuity maintained.

A recorder can record multichannel audio signals by switching one of multiple types of microphones to another. The microphones include first and second types of microphones for first and second numbers of channels. One of the first and second types is removable from and attachable to the recorder. The recorder includes: a signal processing section that receives the multichannel audio signals and record them on a storage medium; and a switching control section for controlling a signal path such that on sensing the removable/attachable microphones be removed or attached while audio signals picked up by the first type of microphones are being recorded, audio signals in the same number of channels as the first number, including at least one audio signal picked up by the second type of microphones, are sent to the signal processing section, which receives the audio signals in the same number of channels as the first number through the signal path and records them on the storage medium.

Claims

1. A recorder having the ability to record multichannel audio signals by switching one of multiple types of microphones to another,

the multiple types of microphones including a first type of microphones for a first number of channels and a second type of microphones for a second number of channels, either the first or second type of microphones being removable from and attachable to the recorder,

wherein the recorder comprises:

a signal processing section that receives the multichannel audio signals and records the signals on a storage medium; and

a switching control section for controlling a signal path such that on sensing the removable/attachable microphones be removed from or attached to the recorder while audio signals that have been picked up by the first type of microphones are being recorded, audio signals in the same number of channels as the first number, including at least one audio signal that has been picked up by the second type of microphones, are sent to the signal processing section, and

wherein the signal processing section receives the audio signals in the same number of channels as the first number through the signal path and records the audio signals on the storage medium, and

wherein if the first number of channels is greater than the second number of channels,

then the switching control section controls the signal path such that audio signals in the same number of channels as the first number, including the audio signals that have been picked up by the second type of microphones and a mute audio signal, are sent to the signal processing section.

2. The recorder of claim 1, wherein the first type of microphones are built in the recorder and the second type of microphones are connected to, but removable from and attachable to the recorder.

6. The recorder of claim 2, wherein the switching control section senses the second type of microphones be attached to the recorder while the audio signals that have been picked up by the first type of microphones are being recorded.

8. The recorder of claim 1, wherein after audio has stopped being recorded,

the switching control section controls the signal path such that the audio signals in the second number of channels, which have been picked up by the second type of microphones, are sent to the signal processing section.

3. A recorder having the ability to record multichannel audio signals by switching one of multiple types of microphones to another,

the multiple types of microphones including a first type of microphones for a first number of channels and a second type of microphones for a second number of channels, either the first or second type of microphones being removable from and attachable to the recorder,

wherein the recorder comprises:

a signal processing section that receives the multichannel audio signals and records the signals on a storage medium; and

a switching control section for controlling a signal path such that on sensing the removable/attachable microphones be removed from or attached to the recorder while audio signals that have been picked up by the first type of microphones are being recorded, audio signals in the same number of channels as the first number, including at least one audio signal that has been picked up by the second type of microphones, are sent to the signal processing section, and

wherein the signal processing section receives the audio signals in the same number of channels as the first number through the signal path and records the audio signals on the storage medium, and

wherein if the first number of channels is smaller than the second number of channels,

then the switching control section controls the signal path such that audio signals in the same number of channels as the first number, which have been selected from the audio signals that have been picked up by the second type of microphones, are sent to the signal processing section.

5. The recorder of claim 3, wherein the first type of microphones are connected to, but removable from and attachable to the recorder and the second type of microphones are built in the recorder.

7. The recorder of claim 5, wherein the switching control section senses the first type of microphones be removed from the recorder while the audio signals that have been picked up by the first type of microphones are being recorded.

4. (canceled)

9. A recording method to be carried out with a recorder having the ability to record multichannel audio signals by switching one of multiple types of microphones to another,

the multiple types of microphones including a first type of microphones for a first number of channels and a second type of microphones for a second number of channels, one of the first and second types of microphones being removable from and attachable to the recorder,

wherein the method comprises the steps of:

receiving the multichannel audio signals and recording the signals on a storage medium;

sensing the removable and attachable microphones be removed from, or attached to, the recorder while audio signals that have been picked up by the first type of microphones are being recorded;

controlling a signal path on sensing the microphones be removed or attached to output audio signals in the same number of channels as the first number including at least one audio signal that has been picked up by the second type of microphones; and

recording the audio signals in the same number of channels as the first number on the storage medium, and

wherein if the first number of channels is greater than the second number of channels,

then the step of controlling a signal path includes controlling the signal path such that audio signals in the same number of channels as the first number, including the audio signals that have been picked up by the second type of microphones and a mute audio signal, are output.