REPRODUCTION DEVICE AND REPRODUCTION METHOD

• US 20110305349A1
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Asada, Kohei, Itabashi, Tetsunori, Ohashi, Yoshio
• Granted Patent: US 8,761,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/007 Protection circuits for transducers

Abstract

A reproduction device includes an information reading unit that reads sensitivity information from a storage unit of a headphone device which has a speaker reproducing an electric signal of an audible signal as a sound and the storage unit storing the sensitivity information for the speaker, an adjustment unit that adjusts an output level of the electric signal supplied to the headphone device, and a control unit that reads the sensitivity information from the storage unit via the information reading unit, and controls the adjustment unit such that the electric signal lies in an allowable maximal output level based on the sensitivity information.

Claims

1. A reproduction device comprising:

an information reading unit that reads sensitivity information from a storage unit of a headphone device which has a speaker reproducing an electric signal of an audible signal as a sound and the storage unit storing the sensitivity information for the speaker;

an adjustment unit that adjusts an output level of the electric signal supplied to the headphone device; and

a control unit that reads the sensitivity information from the storage unit via the information reading unit, and controls the adjustment unit such that the electric signal lies in an allowable maximal output level based on the sensitivity information.

2. The reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit includes:

a power amplifier that is a stage which outputs the electric signal to the headphone device; and

a voltage switching unit that switches voltages supplied to the power amplifier, and

wherein the control unit controls the voltage switching unit to switch the supplied voltages based on the sensitivity information.

3. The reproduction device according to claim 2, wherein the information reading unit includes:

an L channel terminal, an R channel terminal, a ground terminal, and a power and control terminal as a connection unit with the headphone device; and

a connection switching unit that performs connection switching for the L channel terminal and the R channel terminal between a terminal state for connecting the control unit to the storage unit of the headphone device and a terminal state for supplying the audible signal to the headphone device, and

wherein the control unit can communicate with the storage unit via the L channel terminal and the R channel terminal by switching the terminal states of the connection switching unit.

4. The reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit includes an equalizer unit that processes the electric signal, and

wherein the control unit controls the equalizer unit such that the electric signal lies in an allowable maximal output level based on the sensitivity information.

5. The reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit includes a gain unit that performs a gain process for the electric signal, and

wherein the control unit controls the gain unit such that the electric signal lies in an allowable maximal output level based on the sensitivity information.

6. The reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit includes a limiter unit that performs a limiter process for the electric signal, and

wherein the control unit controls the limiter unit such that the electric signal lies in an allowable maximal output level based on the sensitivity information.

7. The reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit includes a compressor unit that processes the electric signal, and

wherein the control unit controls the compressor unit such that the electric signal lies in an allowable maximal output level based on the sensitivity information.

8. The reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit of the headphone device can communicate wirelessly, and

wherein the information reading unit wirelessly communicates with the storage unit.

9. The reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the sensitivity information is information in an allowable range of sensitivity of the speaker.

10. A reproduction method comprising:

reading sensitivity information from a storage unit of a headphone device which has a speaker reproducing an electric signal of an audible signal as a sound and the storage unit storing the sensitivity information for the speaker; and

adjusting an output level of the electric signal such that the electric signal supplied to the headphone device lies in an allowable maximal output level based on the sensitivity information.