JPH03219456A - Operation prohibiting device for acoustic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the start-up of acoustic equipment to be performed only by a specific person who knows a personal identification number by prohibiting the operation of the acoustic equipment unless inputting the personal identification number as far as a power source switch is turned on by turning on a prohibition preparatory switch and turning off the power source switch. CONSTITUTION:When the prohibition preparatory switch 24 is closed and the power source switch 22 is turned off at the time of completing an operation last time, a microcomputer(MC) 16 generates a prohibition command L, and sets an operation prohibiting state by opening prohibition switches 26A-26E, which prohibit the operation even when the switch 22 is closed. When the personal identification number set in advance with music selection switches 14A-14E is inputted in such state, a prohibition releasing command H is generated from the MC 16, and the switches 26A-26E are closed, which enables a prescribed operation to be performed. Thereby, only the specific person can perform the start-up of the acoustic equipment, and mischief and burglary can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to audio equipment such as a cassette tape recorder, and in particular, after the audio equipment is disabled, it cannot be started unless a predetermined password is set. The present invention relates to a device for inhibiting the operation of audio equipment.

Audio equipment such as cassette-type cheap recorders have recently improved in performance and become extremely expensive, but if such expensive audio equipment can only be used by specific people and cannot be used by others, there is a risk of malfunction or damage caused by mischief. Not only can it be avoided, but even if it is stolen, it cannot be used, so it can be avoided from being stolen. Conventionally, such expensive audio equipment has not been provided with a means to prohibit third parties from using it, so it has been impossible to prevent mischief and theft by third parties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a device for inhibiting the operation of audio equipment, which allows only a specific person who knows the password to start the audio equipment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
The figure shows an example in which the device for inhibiting the operation of audio equipment according to the present invention is applied to a cassette tape recorder with a car radio.
A to 12D indicate operation modes such as playback, stop, fast forward, and rewind of the tape recorder section, and 12E indicates operation switches for selecting the operation of the radio section, and 14
A to 14E indicate the tree set selection switches of the radio section. Microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as microcomputer) 1
6 outputs a control signal S in response to the operation switch to an operating section 18 consisting of a cheap coater operating section and a radio operating section to bring the operating section 18 into a selected operating state.

A DC power source (car battery) 20 is directly connected to the microcomputer 16 and the operating section 18, and is also connected to the microcomputer 16 via a power-on switch 22, such as an accessory switch of an automobile.

The microcomputer 16 includes a monitoring means that monitors a preset prohibition condition and generates a prohibition command when the prohibition condition is satisfied, and a PIN number input from a PIN input means to be described later or a preset PIN number. The invention includes a release signal generation means for generating a release signal when the release signal is matched with the above, and a prohibition release command generation means for generating a prohibition release command H in response to the release signal from the release signal generation means. The above prohibition condition is satisfied by two operations: closing the prohibition preparation switch 24 provided between the input side of the microcomputer 16 and the ground and opening the power supply switch 22. This prohibition preparation switch 24
is used to disable operation at the user's request in addition to emergencies such as theft. As will be described later, in the illustrated embodiment, the two operations of connecting the device to the power supply 20 and closing the power supply switch 22 are sufficient.

In the illustrated embodiment, the password input means is also used as preset channel selection switches 14A to 14E, and when these channel selection switches 14A to 14E are operated, the numbers "1" to "5" shown in the figure are input. These five tuning switches generate the signals that represent "1.1.1
．． It is possible to generate a personal identification number representing a five-digit number from ``1.1'' to ``5.5.5.5.5''.

The operation inhibiting device of the present invention further includes an operation inhibiting means for inhibiting and canceling the operation in response to the operation of the operation switch in response to the aforementioned inhibit command and H, respectively. This operation prohibition means consists of prohibition switches 26A to 26E provided between the microcomputer 16 and the operation switches 12A to 12E, respectively. These prohibition switches 26A to 26E are opened in response to a prohibition command, and closed in response to a prohibition release command H.

Next, the operation of the device of the present invention will be explained using the microcomputer 16 shown in FIG.
Write while referring to the program set in . When a vehicle-mounted radio cassette tape recorder (device) is installed in a vehicle, the device is first connected to a power source 20. Power on switch 22 is then closed to enable tape play or radio reception. These two consecutive operations by the user satisfy the prohibition conditions, a prohibition command is generated from the microcomputer 16, and the device does not operate even if the operation switches 12A to 12E are pressed to open the prohibition switches 26A to 26E. If the user knows the password and enters the correct password preset by the channel selection switches 14A to 14E, the microcomputer 16 will issue a prohibition release command H.
occurs and closes the prohibition switches 26A to 26E, so any one of the operation switches 12A to 12E can be closed to perform a desired operation. The above processing order is shown in blocks 1 through 6.13 of FIG. When the selected desired action is completed in the order shown in block 14.15, the desired action can be continued by closing any of the operating switches 12A to 12E again.

On the other hand, when the desired operation is completed and the operation switches 12A to 1
If the prohibition preparation switch 24 is closed without operating 2E, and the power on switch 22 is opened, the user's
The two consecutive operations satisfy the prohibition condition, and the microcomputer 16 generates a prohibition command, so that the prohibition switches 26A to 26E are prohibited from opening (see blocks 6 to 10).

Therefore, even if the power-on switch 22 is closed again, the operation cannot be performed unless the password is entered (see block 11.4). Note that even after the prohibition preparation switch 24 is closed, the operation switches 12A to 12E can be operated to be activated (see block 6.7.8.12).

Further, after the operation is completed, if the power supply switch 22 is opened without operating the operation switches 12A to 12E and the prohibition preparation switch 24. This operation by the user does not satisfy the prohibition conditions, and the microcomputer 16 does not generate a prohibition command, so it can be activated immediately by closing the power-on switch 22 again and operating only the operation switches 12A to 12E without entering the password. (see block 6.7.16.17.6).

In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a car-mounted cassette tape recorder with a radio, but the present invention can be applied to various other household audio equipment.

Furthermore, the prohibition switch 26 is not limited to the position after the mode selection switch, but can be placed in various positions such as between the microcomputer 16 and the operating section 18, and the prohibition conditions can be satisfied by the program of the microcomputer without providing a prohibition switch. After that, it is also possible to set the inhibited state so that the control signal S is not generated even if the operation switch is operated. Further, in the embodiment described above, the connection of the device to the power source 20 and the closing of the power on switch 22 are also prohibited conditions, but only the operation of the prohibition preparation switch 24 and the opening of the power on switch 22 may be prohibited conditions.

According to the present invention, as described above, the operation of the prohibition preparation switch and the release of the power supply switch are set as prohibition conditions, and when the prohibition conditions are satisfied, the operation of the audio equipment is disabled, and after that, the PIN code is disabled. Since the audio equipment cannot be operated without manual effort, it does not allow a third party to do mischief, and even if it is stolen, the audio equipment cannot be used, so it is possible to prevent theft. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram for explaining an embodiment of the operation inhibiting device for audio equipment according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a block diagram of a microcomputer used for operating the device according to the present invention. 12A to 12E--1---operation switch, 14A to 14E--111 station selection switch, 16----microcomputer, 18--111 operation section, 20-----1 power supply, 24- ---Prohibition preparation switch, 26A to 2
6E--111 prohibition switch.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In audio equipment that can operate in response to an operation switch on the condition that it is connected to a power source and turned on by a power-on switch, the operation by the operation switch is forced even though the above conditions are satisfied. The device is a device for forcibly prohibiting the operation by the operation switch when the two conditions of closing a manually operable prohibition preparation switch and subsequently opening the power supply switch are satisfied. operation prohibition means for prohibiting the audio equipment; a password input means for inputting a password; and release when the password input by the password input means matches a predetermined password. The operation prohibiting means includes a canceling signal generating means for generating a signal, and a prohibition canceling command generating means for generating a prohibition canceling command in response to the generation of the canceling signal, and the operation inhibiting means prohibits the prohibition until the prohibition canceling command is generated. A device for inhibiting the operation of audio equipment, characterized by maintaining the state. (2) The device for inhibiting operation of audio equipment according to claim 1, wherein the password input means is a radio channel selection switch.