Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2007-290051 and 2008-260396, filed Nov. 7, 2007 and Oct. 7, 2008, respectively, of which full contents are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an audio signal processing circuit. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Recently, an FM (frequency modulation) transmission circuit is used to reproduce music data recorded in a portable music reproduction device, etc., for example, by a car stereo (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications No. 2006-262521 and No. 2007-88657, for example.) 
       FIG. 5  shows an example of a commonly-used configuration of a transmission device  200  including an FM transmission circuit  300  for transmitting an audio signal. A frequency of a carrier wave in the FM transmission circuit  300  is required to be determined in consideration with a frequency of an FM radio, etc., being used in a surrounding area. Thus, firstly a user is required to set the frequency of the carrier wave in the FM transmission circuit  300 . Specifically, the user operates a key (not shown) of a setting device  310  so that the frequency of the carrier wave displayed on a display screen (not shown) of the setting device  310  becomes a desirable frequency. Furthermore, after the frequency of the carrier wave is determined, the user operates the key (not shown) of the setting device  310  so that frequency data of the carrier wave is output to a microcomputer  320 . The microcomputer  320  outputs the frequency data from the setting device  310 , as serial data SDA synchronized with a clock signal SCL, to the FM transmission circuit  300 . The FM transmission circuit  300  generates a stereo composite signal based on audio signals RIN and LIN input from a music reproduction device  330  and a carrier wave of a frequency based on the serial data SDA input from the microcomputer  320 , and modulates the carrier wave by the stereo composite signal, to be output as an output signal OUT to an antenna (not shown). The resistors  400  and  410  are pull-up resistors respectively for the clock signal SCL and the serial data SDA. 
     In the above transmission device  200 , other than the FM transmission circuit  300 , the setting device  310  and the microcomputer  320  are required for setting the frequency of the carrier wave in the FM transmission circuit  300 . In general, the setting device  310  includes a display screen (not shown) for displaying the frequency of the carrier wave, a driving circuit for driving the display screen, etc. The microcomputer  320  is configured on a separate chip from that on which the FM transmission circuit  300  is. Furthermore, in a common transmission device  200 , for example, in a case where the user sets transmission power for the FM transmission circuit  300 , there are also required the microcomputer  320 , etc., as in a case of setting the frequency of the carrier wave as described above. Thus, there has been a problem that a mounting area of the transmission device  200  becomes large. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An audio signal processing circuit according to an aspect of the present invention, comprises: a holding circuit configured to receive a clock signal and set data corresponding to the clock signal, and to hold the set data; a processing circuit configured to process at least one of a first audio signal and a second audio signal input in parallel, based on the set data of the holding circuit; and a set data output circuit configured to output the clock signal to the holding circuit based on the first audio signal corresponding to the clock signal, and output the set data to the holding circuit based on the second audio signal corresponding to the set data. 
     Other features of the present invention will become apparent from descriptions of this specification and of the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For more thorough understanding of the present invention and advantages thereof, the following description should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a configuration of a transmission device  10 , which is an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a timing chart for explaining an operation of a transmission device  10 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a timing chart showing an example of an address and data output from a music reproduction device having a positive logic output; 
         FIG. 4  is a timing chart showing an example of an address and data output from a music reproduction device having a negative logic output; and 
         FIG. 5  shows an example of a transmission device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     At least the following details will become apparent from descriptions of this specification and of the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a configuration of a transmission device  10 , which is an embodiment of the present invention. The transmission device  10  is a device for outputting an output signal OUT (output signal) to an antenna (not shown) so as to transmit audio signals RIN (first audio signal) and LIN (second audio signal) input from, for example, a music reproduction device (not shown), based on levels of a first control signal CONT 1  (selection signal) and a second control signal CONT 2  (update control signal) each of which is input from an external switch (not shown) such as a toggle switch. The transmission device  10  includes a data generation circuit  20 , an FM transmission circuit  21 , and a switch SW 1 . In an embodiment of the present invention, the audio signals RIN and LIN respectively correspond to a right-side audio signal and a left-side audio signal of stereo audio signals. 
     First, outlines of circuits included in the transmission device  10  are described. 
     The data generation circuit  20  is a circuit for generating a clock signal SCLK (first output signal) and data SDA (second output signal) that are digital signals respectively according to levels of audio signals RIN and LIN input from a music reproduction device (not shown), based on the first control signal CONT 1 . The data generation circuit  20  includes NMOS transistors  30 ,  31 , resistors  32 ,  33 , and a switch SW 2 . It is assumed that the first control signal CONT 1  is set either to a high level (hereinafter, H-level) or a low level (hereinafter, L-level) by an external switch (not shown) being operated by a user. The data generation circuit  20  corresponds to a set-data output circuit of the present invention. 
     The FM transmission circuit  21  is a circuit for outputting the audio signals RIN and LIN, as the output signal OUT that can be received by an FM radio (not shown,) based on the clock signal SCLK and data SDA output from the data generation circuit  20 , and an enable signal CE (instruction signal) output from the switch SW 1 . The FM transmission circuit  21  includes a first setting circuit  40 , an output circuit  41 , and terminals  80 - 85 . It is assumed that the FM transmission circuit  21  is an integrated circuit. 
     The first setting circuit  40  is a circuit for outputting to the output circuit  41  latch data LD for setting a frequency, a level, etc., of the output signal OUT output from the FM transmission circuit  21 , based on the clock signal SCLK, data SDA, and enable signal CE. The first setting circuit  40  includes AND circuits  50  and  51 , a shift register  52 , an address decoder  53 , and a latch circuit  54 . The clock signal SCLK, data SDA, and enable signal CE are input respectively via the terminals  80 - 82 . 
     The output circuit  41  is a circuit for performing processing such as modulation and amplification for the audio signals RIN and LIN input via the terminals  83 ,  84  from the music reproduction device (not shown,) based on the latch data LD input from the first setting circuit  40 , to be output as the output signal OUT which can drive the antenna (not shown) connected to the terminal  85 . The output circuit  41  includes a second setting circuit  60 , a stereo modulation circuit  61 , a frequency modulation circuit  62 , and a power amplifier  63 . 
     The switch SW 1  outputs the enable signal CE to the terminal  82  based on the second control signal CONT 2  which is set either to a high level (hereinafter, H-level) or a low level (hereinafter, L-level) by operating the external switch (not shown.) In an embodiment of the present invention, it is assumed that the enable signal CE is H-level when the second control signal CONT 2  is H-level , and the enable signal CE is L-level when the second control signal CONT 2  is L-level. In other words, when the second control signal CONT 2  is H-level, the switch SW 1  is so operated that a power supply VCC is connected with the terminal  82 , and when the second control signal CONT 2  is L-level, the switch SW 1  so operated that a ground GND is connected with the terminal  82 . 
     Next, the circuits included in the transmission device  10  are described in detail. 
     The switch SW 2  of the data generation circuit  20  is connected to each of source electrodes of the NMOS transistors  30  and  31  at one end thereof. The switch SW 2  is connected, at the other end thereof, to the ground GND when the first control signal CONT 1  is H-level, and to the power supply VCC when the first control signal CONT 1  is L-level. 
     Firstly, an operation is described of the data generation circuit  20  when the first control signal CONT 1  is H-level. Since the NMOS transistor  30  and resistor  32  make up an inverter, a clock signal SCLK is output, which is a digital signal according to a level of the audio signal RIN input to a gate electrode of the NMOS transistor  30 . More specifically, when the level of the audio signal RIN is higher than a threshold voltage of the inverter made up of the NMOS transistor  30  and resistor  32 , the clock signal SCLK is L-level, and when the level of the audio signal RIN is lower than the above threshold voltage, the clock signal SCLK is H-level. Similarly, since the NMOS transistor  31  and resistor  33  also make up an inverter, the data SDA is output, which is a digital signal according to a level of the audio signal LIN, from the inverter made up of the NMOS transistor  31  and resistor  33 . 
     Secondly, when the first control signal CONT 1  is L-level, each of the source electrodes of the NMOS transistors  30  and  31  and each of the drain electrodes thereof are connected to the power supply VCC. Thus, the clock signal SCLK and data SDA are always H-level irrespective of the levels of the audio signals RIN and LIN to be input. 
     The enable signal CE input to the first setting circuit  40  of the FM transmission circuit  21  is changed to H-level or L-level by the external switch (not shown) being switched in state by the user, as described above. The enable signals CE are input to one input of the AND circuit  50  and one input of the AND circuit  51 . Thus, when the enable signal CE is H-level, the clock signal SCLK is output as a clock signal CLK from the AND circuit  50 , and the data SDA is output as data DA from the AND circuit  51 . On the other hand, when the enable signal CE is L-level, each of the clock signal CLK output from the AND circuit  50  and the data DA output from the AND circuit  51  is L-level. 
     The shift register  52  is an n-bit register, and is a circuit for sequentially shifting and holding the data DA output from the AND circuit  51  in timing of a rising edge of the clock signal CLK output from the AND circuit  50 . It is assumed that the shift register  52  outputs n1-bit data, which is input earlier in time in n-bit data held therein, as an address selection signal AO to the address decoder  53 , and outputs n2-bit data, which is input later in time in the n-bit data, as set data DO to the latch circuit  54 . 
     It is assumed that a predetermined n1-bit address is assigned to the address decoder  53 , and when the address selection signal AO matches the predetermined address, the address decoder  53  outputs a decode signal DEC for updating the data held by the latch circuit  54  to the latch circuit  54 . 
     It is assumed that the latch circuit  54  is a circuit which, when the decode signal DEC is output thereto, latches the n2-bit set data DO output from the shift register  52  to output the set data DO, as latch data LD, to the output circuit  41 . 
     Firstly, an operation is described of the first setting circuit  40  when the enable signal CE is H-level. Since one input of the AND circuits  50  and one input of the AND circuit  51  are H-level, the clock signal SCLK is output as the clock signal CLK from the AND circuit  50 , and the data SDA is output as the data DA from the AND circuit  51 . In the shift register  52 , the data DA, which is input in the timing of the rising edge of the clock signal CLK, is sequentially shifted and held. When the address selection signal AO output from the shift register  52  matches the predetermined address of the address decoder  53 , the latch circuit  54  outputs, as the latch data LD, the n2-bit set data DO which is input later in time in the data DA input to the shift register  52 . On the other hand, when the address selection signal AO output from the shift register  52  does not match the predetermined address of the address decoder  53 , the decode signal DEC is not input to the latch circuit  54 , and therefore, the latch data LD is not updated. 
     Secondly, when the enable signal CE is L-level, one input of the AND circuits  50  and one input of the AND circuit  51  are L-level. Accordingly, the clock signal CLK and the data DA output from the AND circuits  50  and  51  are L-level irrespective of a clock signal SCLK and data SDA to be input, and therefore, the data held in the shift register  52  are not updated. Consequently, since the decode signal is not output from the address decoder  53 , the latch data LD are not updated. 
     The second setting circuit  60  in the output circuit  41  is a circuit which outputs predetermined n3-bit data as a first set signal SET 1  to the stereo modulation circuit  61 , predetermined n4-bit data as a second set signal SET 2  to the frequency modulation circuit  62 , and predetermined n5-bit data as a third set signal SET 3  to the power amplifier  63 , in the n2-bit latch data LD input from the latch circuit  54 . 
     The stereo modulation circuit  61  is a circuit which sets the audio signals RIN and LIN input from the music reproduction device (not shown) to levels that are based on the first set signal SET 1  of n3 bits, and then generates a stereo composite signal SO. The stereo modulation circuit  61  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an attenuator (not shown) capable of attenuating the levels of the audio signals RIN and LIN based on the first set signal SET 1  of n3 bits. 
     The frequency modulation circuit  62  is a circuit which generates a carrier wave of a frequency that is based on the second set signal SET 2  of n4 bits to modulate the carrier wave with the stereo composite signal SO from the stereo modulation circuit  61 . In an embodiment of the present invention, the carrier wave modulated with the stereo composite signal SO is denoted by a modulated signal MOD. 
     The power amplifier  63  is a circuit which amplifies power of the modulated signal MOD with an amplification factor which is based on the third set signal SET 3  of n5 bits, to be output as an output signal OUT from an antenna (not shown) connected to the terminal  85 . 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a configuration is made, as mentioned before, such that each of the stereo modulation circuit  61 , the frequency modulation circuit  62 , and the power amplifier  63  can be set as to a circuit state. However, it is not necessary that all of the circuits are changed in state every time the latch data LD is updated. That is, it is possible that one or two circuits among the stereo modulation circuit  61 , the frequency modulation circuit  62 , and the power amplifier  63  are changed in state. Specifically, for example, when changing only the amplification factor in the power amplifier  63 , in the latch data which has already been held, such data may be updated that only the n5-bit data for the third set signal SET 3  is changed while the n3-bit data for the first set signal SET 1  and the n4-bit data for the second set signal SET 2  are not changed, as a new latch data LD in the latch circuit  54 . 
     Here, an operation is described of the transmission device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Hereinafter, in an embodiment of the present invention, a description is made assuming that the shift register  52  is a 10-bit register and that, in data input to the shift register  52 , 4-bit datft input earlier in time is used as the address selection signal AO, and the 6-bit data input later in time is used as the set data DO. It is also assumed that, in the 6-bit set data DO, 2-bit dat which is input to the shift register  52  just after the address selection signal AO is data for setting an attenuation amount of the attenuator (not shown), and the following 2-bit data is data for setting a frequency of the carrier wave, and the last 2-bit one is data for setting an amplification factor of the power amplifier  63 . 
     Furthermore, an address assigned to the address decoder  53  is represented by, for example, (1, 0, 1, 0), which is hereinafter denoted as first address data AD 1 , in an embodiment of the present invention. In addition, data for a desirable attenuation amount of the attenuator (not shown) is represented by, for example, (1, 1), data for a desirable frequency of the carrier wave is represented by, for example, (0, 1), and data for desirable amplification factor of the power amplifier  63  is represented by, for example, (1, 0). Accordingly, in an embodiment of the present invention, in order to set the above desirable data respectively for the stereo modulation circuit  61 , the frequency modulation circuit  62 , and the power amplifier  63 , the data (1, 0, 1, 0) and the data (1, 1), (0, 1), and (1, 0) need to be input sequentially as the serial data SDA to the shift register  52  on the rising edge of the clock signal SCLK, in the first setting circuit  40 . In an embodiment of the present invention, the data (1, 1), (0, 1), and (1, 0), which are sequentially input so as to desirably set each of the stereo modulation circuit  61 , the frequency modulation circuit  62 , and the power amplifier  63 , are put together to be represented as a first data Dl (1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0). 
     As described before, the data generation circuit  20  inverts the levels of the input signals RIN and LIN by the inverters to be rendered the clock signal SCLK and data SDA, respectively. Accordingly, in order to output the first address data AD 1  and first data Dl as the data SDA from the data generation circuit  20  on the rising edge of the clock signal SCLK, the data obtained by inverting each bit of the first address data AD 1  and first data Dl needs to be input as the audio signal LIN to the data generation circuit  20  on the falling edge of the inverted clock signal SCLK. In an embodiment according to the present invention, data (0, 1, 0, 1) obtained by inverting each bit of the first address data AD 1  is denoted by second address data AD 2 , and data (0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1) obtained by inverting each bit of the first data D 1  is denoted by second data D 2 . In an embodiment of the present invention, it is assumed that in the music reproduction device (not shown) a setting music file is saved in advance so that the second address data AD 2  and second data D 2  are output as the audio signal LIN, in synchronization with the falling edge of a predetermined clock signal output as the audio signal RIN. 
     Firstly, the user operates the external switch (not shown) so that both of the first control signal CONT 1  and enable signal CE are H-level, as shown in a timing chart of major signals in the transmission device  10  shown in  FIG. 2 . Then, the above setting music file saved in the music reproduction device (not shown) is read and the setting music file is reproduced. As a result, the predetermined clock signal is input as the audio signal RIN, and the second address data AD 2  and second data D 2  are input as an audio signal LIN, to the data generation circuit  20 , respectively. As described before, the data generation circuit  20  inverts a level of the audio signal RIN and a level of the audio signal LIN respectively by inverters. Accordingly, the first address data AD 1  and first data Dl are output as the data SDA from the data generation circuit  20  in synchronization with the rising edge of the clock signal SCLK. Since the enable signal CE is H-level, the first address data AD 1  and then the first data Dl are sequentially input to the shift register  52  in the first setting circuit  40 . Since the first address data AD 1  is so set as to match the address assigned to the address decoder  53 , when the first address data AD 1  and first data Dl are all held by the shift register  52 , the address decoder  53  outputs the decode signal DEC. The shift register  52  outputs the first data Dl as the set data DO to the latch circuit  54 . When the decode signal DEC is input to the latch circuit  54 , the latch circuit  54  outputs the first data Dl as the latch data LD to the second setting circuit  60  in the output circuit  41 . Thus, the second setting circuit  60 , based on the first data Dl, outputs the first set signal SET 1 , second set signal SET 2 , and third set signal SET 3  to the stereo modulation circuit  61 , frequency modulation circuit  62 , and power amplifier  63 , respectively, and therefore, the above circuits are set in desirable states. 
     Secondly, the user operates the external switch (not shown) so that the first control signal CONT 1  and the enable signal CE are L-level. In an embodiment according to the present invention, since the numbers of bits of the first address data AD 1  and first data Dl and a period of the clock signal SCLK are determined in advance, the user can operate the external switch (not shown) so that the first control signal CONT 1  and enable signal CE become L-levels after the latch data LD is updated. Then, the user operates the music reproduction device (not shown) so that a desirable music file saved in the music reproduction device (not shown) is selected and the audio signals RIN and LIN are output based on the desirable music file from the music reproduction device (not shown.) At this time, the first control signal CONT 1  is L-level, and therefore, outputs of the data generation circuit  20  are H-level irrespective of the levels of audio signals RIN and LIN. Furthermore, since the enable signal CE is L-level, data held in the shift register  52  is not updated, and therefore, the output circuit  41  is not changed in state. As a result, the output circuit  41  modulates the carrier wave of the desirable frequency with the stereo composite signal SO according to the audio signals RIN and LIN, to output the output signal OUT of a desirable level to the antenna (not shown.) 
     The transmission device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention having a configuration described above can set the attenuation amount of the audio signals RIN and LIN input to the FM transmission circuit  21 , the frequency of the carrier wave, and the amplification factor of the modulated signal MOD, by inputting the predetermined clock signal as the audio signal RIN and the second address data AD 2  and second data D 2  as the audio signal LIN from a music reproduction device (not shown.) Generally speaking, in order to set the frequency, etc., as described above, for an FM transmission circuit, a microcomputer is needed. In order to set a frequency of a carrier wave, it is required to provide a setting device for setting the frequency of the carrier wave, a display screen (not shown) for displaying the frequency of the carrier wave, a driving circuit for driving the display screen, etc., as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open publication No. 2007-88657, for example. In the transmission device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention, a mounting area can be made smaller, as compared with the above common transmission device. In addition, the above display screen, etc., for displaying the frequency of the carrier wave are not required, and therefore, costs can be reduced. In an embodiment of the present invention, the switches SW 1  and SW 2  are provided. However, a configuration may be made such that the terminal  82  is connected with the power supply VCC, and the source electrodes of the NMOS transistors  30  and  31  are connected with the ground GND, respectively, without using the switches SW 1  and SW 2 , for example. In a case where a common music file is reproduced, digital signals having waveforms illustrated in  FIG. 2  are not likely to be output as the audio signals RIN and LIN. Accordingly, even in a case of a configuration where the above switches SW 1  and SW 2  are not used, data held in the latch circuit  54  is not likely to be updated by the audio signals RIN and LIN, and thus, there is a low probability that data are erroneously set for the second setting circuit  60  in the output circuit  41 . 
     In the transmission device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention, after the frequency being set of the carrier wave of the FM transmission circuit  21 , the external switch (not shown) is so operated that the first control signal CONT 1  becomes L-level. Therefore, while a music file being reproduced, the clock signal SCLK and data SDA of H-level are always output from the generation circuit  20 , thereby extremely decreasing a probability that the data held in the latch circuit  54  are erroneously updated. Furthermore, when the first control signal CONT 1  is L-level, even during the reproduction of a music file, a current is not passed through the inverter made up of the NMOS transistor  30  and resistor  32 , nor in the inverter made up of the NMOS transistor  30  and resistor  32 , and therefore, power consumption can be reduced. 
     In the FM transmission circuit  21  according to an embodiment of the present invention, the latch data LD of the output circuit  41  is updated only when the address decoder  53  outputs the decode signal DEC. Therefore, for example, in the case of a configuration where the switches SW 1  and SW 2  are not provided, and the terminal  82  is connected with the power supply VCC and each of the source electrodes of the NMOS transistors  30  and  31  is connected with the ground GND, and even in a case of erroneously operating the switches SW 1  and SW 2  in an embodiment of the present invention, data of the second setting circuit in the output circuit  41  is not likely to be set erroneously. 
     The transmission device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided with the switch SW 1  capable of changing the level of the enable signal CE by operating the external switch (not shown.) Therefore, for example, in a case where the frequency of the carrier wave of the FM transmission circuit  21  is set with the clock signal SCLK, data SDA, and enable signal CE, that is, in a case where the frequency is set by means of common three-wire system data transmission, the user can implement the setting by operating the external switch (not shown) in accordance with inputs of the clock signal SCLK and data SDA. 
     The above embodiments of the present invention are simply for facilitating the understanding of the present invention and are not in any way to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present invention may variously be changed or altered without departing from its spirit and encompass equivalents thereof. 
     For example, in the FM transmission circuit  21  according to an embodiment of the present invention, the user operates the external switch (not shown) in accordance with inputs of the clock signal SCLK and data SDA to change the enable signal CE. However, in a case of common two-wire system data transmission, only the clock signal SCLK and data SDA are input to the FM transmission circuit  21 . Accordingly, in a case where the FM transmission circuit  21  is only used for the two-wire system data transmission, a configuration may be made such that the clock signal SCLK and data SDA are directly input to the shift register  52 . Consequently, in the transmission device  10 , the switch SW 1  and the external switch (not shown) for controlling the switch SW 1 , the AND circuits  50  and  51  in the FM transmission circuit  21 , and the terminal  82  can be eliminated. Even in the above case where the switch SW 1 , etc., are eliminated, if the first control signal CONT 1  is rendered L-level after the clock signal SCLK and data SDA are directly input to the shift register  52 , both the clock signal SCLK and data SDA become H-level, thereby decreasing a probability that erroneous data is input to the shift register  52 . 
     In the transmission device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention, only the FM transmission circuit  21  is an integrated circuit, however, the data generation circuit  20  and switch SW 1  can also be integrated. In a case where the data generation circuit  20  and switch SW 1  are integrated, the terminals  80  and  81  can be eliminated. 
     The output circuit  41  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a configuration that the attenuation amount of the attenuator (not shown) in the stereo modulation circuit  61 , the frequency of the carrier wave in the frequency modulation circuit  62 , and the amplification factor of the power amplifier  63  are set based on the latch data LD, however, this is not limitative. For example, a configuration may be made such that the output circuit  41  includes a bias current circuit (not shown) for supplying a bias current according to a reference current to each of circuits included in the output circuit  41  and a reference current value of the bias current circuit (not shown) is set based on the latch data LD. In this case, for example, if the reference current value of the second setting circuit  60  is set at O (zero) based on the latch data LD, a consumption current of the output circuit  41  is suppressed. Furthermore, a configuration may be made such that, the second setting circuit  60  can change the stereo composite signal SO output from the stereo modulation circuit  61  from a stereo signal to a monaural signal based on latch data LD. 
     The attenuator (not shown) of the stereo modulation circuit  61  according to an embodiment of the present invention attenuates both the levels of the input audio signals RIN and LIN based on the latch data LD. However, a configuration may be made, for example, such that a first attenuator (not shown) and a second attenuator (not shown) are provided as the attenuator (not shown) so that each of the levels can be attenuated of the audio signals RIN and LIN, thereby changing the attenuation amount of one of the above two attenuators based on the latch data LD. 
     As mentioned before, the music reproduction device (not shown) according to an embodiment of the present invention outputs the second address data AD 2  and second data D 2  as the audio signal LIN in synchronization with the falling edge of the predetermined clock signal output as the audio signal RIN by reproducing the stored setting music file. However, some music reproduction devices output first address data AD 1  and first data D 1 , which are inverted, and an inverted audio signal RIN, instead of the second address data AD 2  and second data D 2 , which are desirable, even when reproducing the above setting music file. In the other words, when reproducing a setting music file, some music reproduction devices output desirable logical data, etc., while some music reproduction devices output logical data obtained by inverting the desirable logic, etc. Here, the music reproduction device which outputs the desirable logical data in reproducing the setting music file is referred to as a positive-logic output music reproduction device, and the music reproduction device which outputs the logical data obtained by inverting the desirable logic is referred to as a negative-logic output music reproduction device. Accordingly, in a case where the music reproduction device used by the user is the negative-logic output music reproduction device, data obtained by inverting the audio signal LIN is input to the shift register  52  in synchronization with the rising edge of the predetermined clock signal output as the audio signal RIN. For this reason, even in a case of reproducing the setting music file so as to update the latch data LD, the first address data AD 1  assigned to the address decoder  53  is not input, and accordingly, the latch data LD is not updated. Therefore, instead of the above setting music file, a setting music file may be used, which is capable of outputting data compatible with each of the positive-logic output and negative-logic output music reproduction devices. Hereinafter, an operation is described of the transmission device  10  when using such a setting music file referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 3  shows an example of waveforms when the positive-logic output music reproduction device reproduces the above setting music file. Here, the right side audio signal output from the positive-logic output music reproduction device corresponds to an audio signal RIN 1  and the left side audio signal output therefrom corresponds to an audio signal LIN 1 , respectively. In addition, it is assumed herein that when the setting music file is reproduced, data for a positive-logic output and data for a negative-logic output are output in turn. The positive-logic output music reproduction device firstly outputs the second address data AD 2  and second data D 2 , which are data for the positive-logic output, in synchronization with the falling edge of the predetermined clock signal output as the audio signal RIN 1 . Then, the positive-logic output music reproduction device outputs the first address data AD 1  and first data D 1 , which are data for the negative-logic output, in synchronization with the rising edge of the predetermined clock signal output the audio signal RIN 1 . The audio signals RIN 1  and LIN 1  are inverted in the data generation circuit  20  into the clock signal SCLK and data SDA. Accordingly, the first address data AD 1  and first data D 1  are input to the shift register  52  in synchronization with the rising edge of the clock signal SCLK, and the data obtained by inverting the audio signal LIN 1  is input in synchronization with the rising edge of the clock signal SCLK. However, as described before, the address assigned to the address decoder  53  is the first address data AD 1 , and therefore, only the first data D 1  is stored in the latch circuit  54  based on the data for the positive-logic output, as a result. That is, the data obtained by inverting the audio signal LIN 1  based on the data for the negative-logic output is not input to the latch circuit  54 . 
       FIG. 4  shows an example of waveforms when the negative-logic output music reproduction device reproduces the setting music file capable of outputting data compatible with each of the positive-logic output and negative-logic output music reproduction devices. Here, the right side audio signal output from the negative-logic output music reproduction device corresponds to an audio signal RIN 1  and the left side audio signal output therefrom corresponds to an audio signal LIN 2 . When the above setting music file is reproduced, the negative-logic output music reproduction device outputs the audio signals RIN 2  and LIN 2  obtained by inverting logics of the audio signals RIN 1  and LIN 1 . That is, firstly, the first address data AD 1  and first data Dl are output as data for the positive-logic output from the music reproduction device in synchronization with the rising edge of the predetermined clock signal. Then, the second address data AD 2  and second data D 2  are output as data for a negative-logic output from the music reproduction device in synchronization with the falling edge of the predetermined clock signal. Thus, firstly, data obtained by inverting the audio signal LIN 2  is input to the shift register  52  in synchronization with the rising edge of the clock signal SCLK. Then, the first address data AD 1  and first data Dl are input to the shift register  52  in synchronization with the rising edge of the clock signal SCLK. As a result, only the first data Dl which is based on the data for the negative-logic output is stored in the latch circuit  54 . On the other hand, the data obtained by inverting the audio signal LIN 2  which is based on the data for the positive-logic output is not input to the latch circuit  54 . Thus, the latch data LD can be updated with reliability, by using the setting music file compatible with each of the positive-logic output and negative-logic output music reproduction devices, in either of the cases where the positive-logic output music reproduction device is used or the negative-logic output music reproduction device is used.

Technology Category: h