Abstract:
A voice signal processing device connected to a smart device is provided. The voice signal processing device is connected to a smart phone, a tablet computer or the like and includes a voice signal input and output function mounted thereon. The voice signal processing device returns a sound generated by the smart device or a sound generated from the exterior into the smart device as a high-quality sound and is configured to extract a voice signal from a wire coupled to the smart device and the ear receiver and configured to input the extracted voice signal into the input terminal of the microphone of the smart device. A voice signal output from the smart device is configured to be extracted and conveniently input into the smart device and loss and distortion is minimized in the process of extracting and returning the voice signal.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Korean Application No. 10-2015-0096407 filed on Jul. 7, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    (a) Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a voice signal processing device connected to a smart device and more particularly to a smart phone, a tablet computer that has a voice signal input and output function mounted thereon, that returns a sound generated by the smart device or a sound generated in the exterior, into the smart device as a high-quality sound by extracting a voice signal from a wire connecting the smart device  10  and the ear receiver  21  and inputting the extracted voice signal into the input terminal  12  of the microphone  22  of the smart device  10 . 
         [0004]    (b) Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Generally, a smart device  10  such as a smart phone, a tablet computer or the like that utilize a multi-function information device include high performance processing unit, a large capacity memory unit and a high resolution touch screen are mounted to perform a variety of application programs, rather than being used as a simple communication device. In other words, the smart device  10  overcomes the temporal and spatial constraints in using an information device by minimizing power consumption and maximizing portability through miniaturization and reduction of weight, and the miniaturization and reduction of weight are accomplished by applying an integrated input and output device having combined input and output functions. For example, a touch screen of the smart devices  10 , and integration of the processing unit and the memory unit are typically embedded in the smart device  10 . 
         [0006]    Currently, smart devices  10  have performance comparable to those of general desktop computers in processing speed. Since an application program performing various functions such a game, a multimedia information processing function and the like is executed according thereto, a function of inputting and outputting a high-quality voice signal is also included. Although input and output of a voice signal of the smart device  10  can be performed through a built-in speaker and a built-in microphone, a voice input and output device can be omitted. Alternately, the output power can be insufficient based on the miniaturization and weight reduction of the smart device  10  described above. Accordingly, a detachable device such an earphone as shown in  FIG. 1  is utilized. 
         [0007]    In a conventional voice signal input and output device for a smart device  10 , a structure of configuring an earphone jack  23  at an end of a wire to which an ear receive  21  and a microphone  22  are connected are in  FIG. 1  and are combined with the smart device  10  such as a smart phone or the like. In other words a structure of driving the ear receiver  21  using a voice signal output from the smart device  10  and inputting a voice signal generated by the microphone  22  into the smart device  10 , and although the ear receiver  21  and the microphone  22  are integrated by appearance, they respectively have independent structures in an electrical behavior. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, in a conventional earphone mounting a microphone  22  as shown in  FIG. 1 , the ear receiver  21  outputs a voice signal transmitted from the smart device  10 , and the microphone  22  inputs a sound generated from the exterior into the smart device  10 , and thus any type of interaction cannot be expected at all between the voice output signal and the input signal of the smart device  10 . Individual processing of the output voice signal and the input voice signal necessarily invites limitation in utilizing the smart device  10 , and, for example, there must be a constraint in the process of minimizing loss and distortion of a sound output from the smart device  10  and recording the sound or adding the sound to a recorded video. 
         [0009]    In particular, when a situation of recording a sound generated by the smart device  10  into the same smart device  10  is assumed, a sound output from a built-in speaker or the ear receiver  21  and propagates in the air and is recorded in a method of inputting the sound into a built-in microphone or the microphone  22  mounting an earphone. The volume and quality must be degraded. Particularly, when a user executes a moving image capture application program while playing a game using the smart device  10  and records a game screen together with a sound or plays back a music file recorded in the smart device  10  while photographing a moving image using the smart device  10  and inserts the music as background music, this function cannot be sufficiently utilized with all the superior voice input and out and voice processing performance of the smart device  10  itself and does not meet the expectation of the user. 
         [0010]    The above information disclosed in this section is merely for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    A conventional voice signal input and output device for a smart device  10 , has a structure of configuring an earphone jack  23  at an end of a wire to which an ear receive  21  and a microphone  22  are connected as shown in  FIG. 1  and being combined with the smart device  10  such as a smart phone or the like. 
         [0012]    In one aspect of the present invention, a voice signal processing device connected to a smart device  10  is provided. The voice signal processing device coupled to the smart device  10  may include an output terminal  11  configured to output a voice signal and an input terminal  12  for configured to input a voice signal. The voice signal extraction and input device for the smart device may include a main body  30  disposed on a wire that couples the output terminal  11  and the input terminal  12  of the smart device  10  to an ear receiver  21  and a microphone  22 . A wire that couples the output terminal  11  of the smart device  10  to the ear receiver  21  and a wire that couples the input terminal  12  of the smart device  10  to the microphone  22  may be coupled to each other within the interior of the main body  30  through a connection unit  31 . The voice signal output from the output terminal  11  may be configured to be extracted through the connection unit  31  and may be configured to flow into the wire that connects the microphone  22  and the input terminal  12  and may be input into the input terminal  12 . 
         [0013]    Additionally an extracted signal control unit  35  may be disposed within the connection unit  31  to transform the extracted voice signal. An integrated speaker  36  may be connected to the output terminal  11  of the smart device  10  and may be disposed within in the main body  30 . 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The above and other features of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof illustrated the accompanying drawings which are given hereinbelow by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary perspective view showing a conventional earphone for a smart phone; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is an exemplary perspective view according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is an exemplary configuration view according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is an exemplary perspective view showing a modified embodiment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an exemplary perspective view showing an integrated earphone according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is an exemplary perspective view showing an earphone embedded with a speaker and a microphone according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    The detailed configuration and operating principles of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the invention to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other exemplary embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0022]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. For example, in order to make the description of the present invention clear, unrelated parts are not shown and, the thicknesses of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity. Further, when it is stated that a layer is “on” another layer or substrate, the layer may be directly on another layer or substrate or a third layer may be disposed therebetween. 
         [0023]    Although an exemplary embodiment is described as using a plurality of units to perform the exemplary process, it is understood that the exemplary processes may also be performed by one or plurality of modules. Additionally, it is understood that the term controller/control unit refers to a hardware device that includes a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store the modules and the processor is specifically configured to execute said modules to perform one or more processes which are described further below. 
         [0024]    Furthermore, control logic of the present invention may be embodied as non-transitory computer readable media on a computer readable medium containing executable program instructions executed by a processor, controller/control unit or the like. Examples of the computer readable mediums include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, compact disc (CD)-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards and optical data storage devices. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed in network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable media is stored and executed in a distributed fashion, e.g., by a telematics server or a Controller Area Network (CAN). 
         [0025]    As shown,  FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary view of the appearance and a use state of an earphone. The earphone may include a connection jack  38  combined with a smart phone  10 , a main body  30 , and a voice input and output device (e.g., a general earphone mounting) a microphone  22  that may be combined with the main body  30 . In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , a wire may extend from the bottom of the main body  30  and the connection jack  38  may be coupled at an end of the wire and combined with the smart device  10  and a jack coupling aperture  39  may be formed on the top of the main body  30  and an earphone jack  23  of the earphone may be coupled to the jack coupling aperture  39  formed on the top of the main body  30 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is an exemplary view showing the structure and an electrical connection of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the present invention relates to a voice signal processing device connected to the smart device  10  coupled to an output terminal  11  configured to output a voice signal and an input terminal  12  configured to input a voice signal and installed on a wire that couples the smart device  10  to the ear receiver  21  and the microphone  22 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the main body  30  may be disposed on a wire that couples the output terminal  11  and the input terminal  12  of the smart device  10  to the ear receiver  21  and the microphone  22 . A wire may couple the output terminal  11  of the smart device  10  to the ear receiver  21  and a wire that couples the input terminal  12  of the smart device  10  to the microphone  22  may be coupled to each other within the interior of the main body  30  through a connection unit  31 . 
         [0027]    In particular, the voice signal output from the output terminal  11  connected to an output signal processing unit  15  of a sound chipset embedded in the smart device  10  to the ear receiver  21  may be configured to be transmitted through the wire and the voice signal may be extracted through the connection unit  31  embedded in the main body  30  and may be configured to flow into the wire that couples the microphone  22  and the input terminal  12 . The extracted voice signal may be configured to flow into the wire input into the input terminal  12  coupled to an input signal processing unit  16  of the sound chipset embedded in the smart device  10 . In other words, the voice signal generated by the output signal processing unit  15  of the sound chipset embedded in the smart device  10  is not output from a built-in speaker or the ear receiver  21  and is not input into the microphone  22  through propagation of the voice signal in the air or physical vibration of the smart device  10 . However, the voice signal output from the output terminal  11  may be configured to be directly and electrically input into the input terminal  12  of the smart device  10  via the connection unit  31  without physical propagation, loss and distortion of the sound may be effectively suppressed. 
         [0028]    In addition, as shown in  FIG. 3 , an extracted signal control unit  35  may include the connection unit  31  of the main body  30  configured to control the voice signal extracted from the wire connecting the output terminal  11 . The extracted signal control unit  35  may include a circuit configured to process a voice signal. For example the connection unit  31  may be configured to increase or decrease the voice signal to a proper output level or may be configured to extract noise during the input of the voice signal output from the output terminal  11  into the input terminal  12 . Particularly, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a user&#39;s intention may be effectively reflected in extracting and inputting a voice signal by configuring a handling button capable of user handling. For example, as volume control may be disposed in the main body  30  and may be configured to connect the handling button to the extracted signal control unit  35 . 
         [0029]    Furthermore,  FIGS. 4 and 5  are exemplary views respectively showing an exemplary embodiment that directly couples the connection jack  38  to the main body  30  and an exemplary embodiment that couples the main body  30  and the earphone. Additionally, as shown in the figures, the configuration and connection method of the main body  30  may be diversely modified. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , although a jack coupling aperture  39  may be formed in the main body  30  of the present invention and a separate earphone may be combined. Further extraction and return of a voice signal through the exemplary embodiment may be performed regardless of connection of the earphone. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , in an exemplary embodiment, the main body  30  may be independently used without combination of a separate earphone. In other words since an integrated speaker  36  connected to the output terminal  11  of the smart device  10  may be disposed within the interior of the main body  30 , a user may hear a sound output from the smart device  10  without an earphone. Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 6 , since an integrated microphone  37 , as well as the integrated speaker  36 , may also be disposed within the interior of the main body, an external sound may be input into the smart phone  10  without combination of a separate microphone or an earphone mounting a microphone. Through the present invention, a voice signal output from the smart device  10  may be extracted and input into the smart device  10 , and loss and distortion may be reduced when the voice signal is extracted and returned. Particularly, since a sound output from the smart device  10  may be freely utilized as an input sound when a a voice or a video is recorded through the smart device  10  and user&#39;s convenience and utilization of the smart device  10  may be enhanced. 
         [0031]    Hereinabove, although the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover, various modifications and equivalents arrangements altered by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure claimed in the following claims.