Countdown audio generation apparatus and countdown audio generation system

• US 6,778,756 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2000
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sovereign Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakayasu, Tetsuyuki, Fujioka, Souichirou, Fujimura, Kazuya, Abe, Toshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US09/598,751
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.516, H04/N.591, H04/N.5781, H04/N.592, H04/N.979, 386/1, 386/4, 386/52, 386/55, 386/60, 386/62, 386/64, 386/65, 704/278, 434/307.A, 434/307.R, 434/308, 434/309, 434/311-312, 434/318, 434/319, 360/13, 360/15, 360/31, 369/1, 369/83, 369/84
• US Class Current: 386/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal

Abstract

A countdown audio generation apparatus comprises a reproduction unit for reproducing a video signal and time information between which predetermined synchronization is maintained; a video output unit for outputting the video signal reproduced by the reproduction unit; a countdown audio generation unit for generating a countdown audio signal which informs that the time information reproduced by the reproduction unit reaches a predetermined countdown end time; and an audio output unit for outputting the countdown audio signal generated by the countdown audio generation unit. Therefore, the user of this apparatus can know the predetermined countdown end time by the countdown audio.

Claims

1. A countdown audio generation apparatus comprising:

a reproduction unit for reproducing a video signal and time information between which predetermined synchronization is maintained;

a video output unit for outputting the video signal reproduced by the reproduction unit;

a countdown audio generation unit for generating a countdown audio signal which informs that the time information reproduced by the reproduction unit reaches a predetermined countdown end time; and

an audio output unit for outputting the countdown audio signal generated by the countdown audio generation unit.

2. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 1 wherein the countdown audio generation unit generates the countdown audio signal from when the time information has reached a time a predetermined period before the countdown end time.

3. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 1 wherein the countdown audio generation unit generates the countdown audio signal until the countdown end time.

4. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a text video generation unit for generating a text video signal indicating the contents equivalent to the contents described on a predetermined manuscript;

a video synthesis unit for synthesizing the text video signal and the reproduced video signal; and

said video output unit outputting a synthetic video signal obtained by the video synthesis unit.

5. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 1 wherein said reproduction unit reproduces an audio signal as well, and said audio output unit further outputs the audio signal reproduced by the reproduction unit.

6. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:

an audio superposing unit for superposing the reproduced audio signal and the countdown audio signal; and

said audio output unit outputting the reproduced audio signal and the countdown audio signal which have been superposed by the audio superposing unit.

7. The countdown audio generation unit of claim 1 further comprising:

an external audio input unit to which an audio signal is supplied from the outside;

a recording unit for recording the external audio signal supplied to the external audio input unit; and

said audio output unit outputting the external audio signal as well.

8. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

an audio superposing unit for superposing the countdown audio signal and the external audio signal; and

said audio output unit outputting the countdown audio signal and the external audio signal which have been superposed by the audio superposing unit.

9. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 7 wherein said recording unit records the video signal reproduced by the reproduction unit.

10. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 7 wherein said reproduction unit reproduces an audio signal as well, and said audio output unit further outputs the audio signal reproduced by the reproduction unit.

11. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a first audio superposing unit for superposing the external audio signal and the reproduced audio signal;

a second audio superposing unit for superposing the superposed audio signal obtained by the first superposing unit and the countdown audio signal; and

said audio output unit outputting the countdown audio signal, the external audio signal, and the reproduced audio signal which have been superposed by the first and second superposing units.

12. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 10 wherein said recording unit records the reproduced audio signal as well.

13. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a first audio superposing unit for superposing the external audio signal and the reproduced audio signal;

a second audio superposing unit for superposing the superposed audio signal obtained by the first audio superposing unit and the countdown audio signal;

said audio output unit outputting the countdown audio signal, the external audio signal, and the reproduced audio signal which have been superposed by the first and second audio superposing units; and

said recording unit recording the external audio signal and the reproduced audio signal which have beep superposed by the first audio superposing unit.

14. A countdown audio generation apparatus comprising:

a reproduction unit for reproducing an audio signal and time information between which predetermined synchronization is maintained;

a countdown audio generation unit for generating a countdown audio signal from when the reproduced time information has reached a time a predetermined period before a predetermined countdown end time to when the countdown end time comes;

an external audio input unit to which an audio signal is supplied from the outside; and

an audio output unit for outputting the countdown audio signal, the reproduced audio signal obtained by the reproduction unit, and the external audio signal inputted to the external audio input unit.

15. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 14 wherein said countdown audio generation unit generates the countdown audio signal on the basis of the rhythm of audio reproduced by the reproduction unit.

16. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

said reproduction unit reproducing a video signal as well; and

a video output unit for outputting the video signal reproduced by the reproduction unit.

17. The countdown audio generation apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a first audio superposing unit for superposing the external audio signal and the reproduced audio signal;

a second audio superposing unit for superposing the superposed audio signal obtained by the first audio superposing unit and the countdown audio signal; and

said audio output unit outputting the countdown audio signal, the external audio signal, and the reproduced audio signal which have been superposed by the first and second audio superposing units.

18. A countdown audio generation system comprising a countdown audio generation apparatus and an audio transmission/reception apparatus,

said countdown audio generation apparatus comprising:

a reproduction unit for reproducing an audio signal and time information between which predetermined synchronization is maintained;

a countdown audio generation unit for generating a countdown audio signal from when the reproduced time information has reached a time a predetermined period before a predetermined countdown end time to when the countdown end time comes;

a first external audio input unit to which an audio signal is supplied from the outside;

a first transmission/reception unit for transmitting the countdown audio signal, the reproduced audio signal obtained by the reproduction unit, and the external audio signal inputted to the first external audio input unit, to the audio transmission/reception apparatus, and receiving an audio signal transmitted from the audio transmission/reception apparatus; and

a first audio output unit for outputting the countdown audio signal the reproduced audio signal, the external audio signal inputted to the first external audio input unit, and the audio signal received by the first, transmission/reception unit; and

said audio transmission/reception apparatus comprising;

a second external audio input unit to which an audio signal is supplied from the outside;

a second transmission/reception unit for receiving the audio signals transmitted from the countdown audio generation apparatus, and transmitting the external audio signal inputted to the second external audio input unit, to the countdown audio generation apparatus; and

a second audio output unit, for outputting the audio signals received by the second transmission/reception unit, and the external audio signal inputted to the second external audio input unit.

19. The countdown audio generation system of claim 18 wherein said countdown audio generation unit generates the countdown audio signal on the basis of the rhythm of audio reproduced by the reproduction unit.

20. The countdown audio generation system of claim 18 wherein a plurality of audio transmission/reception apparatuses correspond to one countdown audio generation apparatus.