(19) Japan Patent Office (JP)
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`(12) Japanese Unexamined Utility
`Model Application Publication (U)
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`(11) Japanese Unexamined Utility
`Model Application Publication
`Number
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`H7-6954
`(43) Publication date: January 31, 1995
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`Identification codes
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`JPO file number
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` FI
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`Technical indications
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`501 R
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`7525-5D
`9296-5D
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`(51) Int. Cl.6
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`G11B
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`19/02
`17/22
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`Request for examination: Not yet requested Number of claims: 1 FD (Total of 2 pages)
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`(21) Application number
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`Japanese Patent
`Application
`H4-64700
`
`(71) Applicant
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`000101732
`Alpine Electronics, Inc.
`1-1-8 Nishi Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
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`(22) Date of application
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`August 24, 1992
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`(72) Inventor
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`Kenji OUCHIDA
`Alpine Electronics, Inc.
`1-1-8 Nishi Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
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`(54) (TITLE OF THE INVENTION) Bus-format conversion unit
`
`(57) (ABSTRACT)
`(PROBLEM) Provide an interface unit for automotive audio
`equipment that renders possible the addition of a CD
`changer made by company B to a main unit made by
`company A as well as the addition of a CD changer made
`by company A to a main unit made by company B.
`(MEANS FOR SOLVING) The unit is constituted by splitting
`signals into three systems, namely a control system, audio
`system and power system, and providing a conversion
`circuit for each of these systems. The interface unit 1
`linking the CD changer 2 and the main unit 3 is provided
`with a control system conversion portion 4, audio system
`conversion portion 5 and power conversion portion 6. A
`small microcomputer is used for the control system
`conversion portion 4, rendering possible conversion of the
`bus line. A differential amp and level-matching amp are
`used in the audio system conversion portion 5 to perform
`differential signal to ground signal conversion, and a
`regulator is used in the power conversion portion to
`perform voltage conversion.
`
`
`
`Petitioner Toyota Motor Corp. Exhibit 1107
`1107.0001
`
`

`
`Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication H7-6954
`(2)
`
`(SCOPE OF UTILITY MODEL CLAIMS)
`(CLAIM 1) For an interface unit serving to connect an
`additional CD changer having a different signal format to
`the main unit of automotive audio equipment, a bus-format
`conversion unit characterized in that the aforesaid signal is
`split into three systems, namely a control system, audio
`system and power system, and a conversion circuit is
`provided for each of these systems.
`(BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS)
`(FIG. 1) Block structure diagram of the entirety of an
`embodiment example of this invention.
`(FIG. 2) Block structure diagram of the control system
`conversion portion of an embodiment example of this
`invention.
`(FIG. 3) Waveform diagram of the signal from the control
`system conversion portion of an embodiment example of
`
`
`this invention.
`(FIG. 4) Block structure diagram of the audio system
`conversion portion of an embodiment example of this
`invention.
`(FIG. 5) Block structure diagram of the power conversion
`portion of an embodiment example of this invention.
`(DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS)
`1
`Interface unit
`2
`CD changer
`3
`Main unit
`4
`Control system conversion portion
`5
`Audio system conversion portion
`6
`Power conversion portion
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`(Fig. 1)
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`(Fig. 2)
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`Data out
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`Data in
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`Bus line
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`Bi-directional
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`To H, U
`bus input
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`Microcomputer
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`Data in
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`Clock
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`chan
`ger
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`Chip enable
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`Data out
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`chan
`ger
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`(Fig. 3)
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`(Fig. 4)
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`(Fig. 5)
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`Regulator
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`chan
`ger
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`chan
`ger
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`
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`Petitioner Toyota Motor Corp. Exhibit 1107
`1107.0002
`
`

`
`Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication H7-6954
`(3)
`
`(DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION)
`
`
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`(0001)
`
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`(INDUSTRIAL FIELD OF APPLICATION)
` This invention relates to automotive audio equipment, particularly to a device used when the main unit of automotive audio
`equipment has already been installed in an automobile or the like, and a CD changer is to be added to this main unit, or vice
`versa.
`(0002)
`
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`
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`(PRIOR ART)
` When installing an audio device in a vehicle on the occasion of a vehicle purchase, it is common for a so-called “basic” main
`unit to be installed. If one were to subsequently attempt to add a CD changer capable of automatically changing and playing a
`plurality of loaded CDs, prior to now it would have been necessary to purchase and install a model produced by the same
`manufacturer as the “basic” main unit, as the format of signals connecting the respective devices vary from manufacturer to
`manufacturer. Furthermore, if a user had installed both of these devices produced by the same manufacturer, and at a later point
`wished to upgrade the main unit to, for example, a model produced by company A, it would have been necessary for the same
`reason to also purchase a new CD changer made by company A.
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`(0003)
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`(PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION)
` From the perspective of the user, this creates a significant economic burden in terms of expense, as it greatly limits the range of
`product options, whereas from the perspective of the manufacturer, this impedes sales, for which reason this invention has as its
`objective to make it possible to add a CD changer made by company B to a main unit made by company A, as well as to add a
`CD changer made by company A to a main unit made by company B.
`
`
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`(0004)
`
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`(MEANS OF SOLVING THE PROBLEM)
` For an interface unit serving to connect an additional CD changer having a different signal format to the main unit of
`automotive audio equipment, the aforesaid problem is overcome in this invention by splitting aforesaid signal into three systems,
`
`Petitioner Toyota Motor Corp. Exhibit 1107
`1107.0003
`
`

`
`Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication H7-6954
`(4)
`
`namely a control system, audio system and power system, and providing a conversion circuit for each of these systems.
`
`
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`(0005)
`
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`(ACTION)
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`In the control system conversion portion, a small microcomputer enables conversion of the bus line, while in the audio
`conversion portion, a differential amp and level-matching amp perform conversion between differential signal voltage and
`ground signal voltage, and in the power conversion portion, a regulator adjusts the difference in power voltage, thereby rendering
`it possible to add a CD changer made by company B to a main unit made by company A, as well as to add a CD changer made by
`company A to a main unit made by company B.
`
`
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`(0006)
`
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`(EMBODIMENT EXAMPLES)
` The drawings all show this invention, with Fig. 1 being a block diagram showing the overall structure. 1 is the interface unit
`according to this invention, which converts the format of the signal that links the CD changer 2 and the main unit 3, etc., and is
`provided with an internal 3-system conversion system, 4 is the control conversion portion for the bus line, clock control signal,
`etc., 5 is the audio conversion portion for the audio signal, and 6 is the power conversion portion for power supply, with this
`mutual linkage being provided via the aforesaid three conversion portion systems.
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`(0007)
` Fig. 2 is a detailed block structure diagram of the aforesaid control system conversion portion 4, with control of this signal
`system being achieved by communication over a serial data line using either an active-high or active-low signal. In the case of
`serial data, in some instances, a clock line or chip enable (inhibit) line is used. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide a
`microcomputer or the like in the conversion adapter in order to convert and unify these respective formats. In short, a
`microcomputer 4a is provided in said control system conversion portion 4, and the four lines from the connected CD changer 4
`are connected to the aforesaid microcomputer 4a thus: data IN line 2a via buffer 4b; clock line 2b via buffer 4c; chip enable line
`4d via buffer 4d; and data OUT line 2d via buffer 4e.
`
`Petitioner Toyota Motor Corp. Exhibit 1107
`1107.0004
`
`

`
`Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication H7-6954
`(5)
`
`(0008)
`
`
`
`In contrast, the aforesaid microcomputer 4a is connected to the bi-directional bus line leading to the main unit side (not shown
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`in the drawings) via data OUT buffer 4f and data IN buffer 4g. Thus, each buffer is provided for the purpose of voltage
`adjustment.
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`
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`(0009)
` Fig. 3 shows the signal waveform of the line between the microcomputer 4a and the CD changer 2, wherein data IN line 2a is
`the line that transmits the operational status of the other company’s CD changer 2, i.e. data such as PLAY, FWD, BWD, etc.,
`after which sent data is processed by the microcomputer 4a. Processing such as conversion of 14-bit data to 16-bit data and
`alteration of data arrays is performed. The clock line 2b serves to synchronize data read from the aforesaid data IN line 2a, and
`the chip enable line 2c is the data indicating a separator in the data on operational status, each of which has a timing waveform of
`the kind shown in the drawing.
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`
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`(0010)
` Although one embodiment example was described above, to expand the range of available inter-company format conversions,
`a switch can be provided on the microcomputer 4a to enable application to various models using a connection adapter between
`the CD changer and main unit.
`
`
`
`(0011)
` Fig. 4 is a block structure diagram of an example of audio signal system conversion. The audio system conversion portion 5 is
`provided with differential amps 5a and 5b and amps 5c and 5d, in series respectively therewith. Shown in the drawing is an
`example wherein, e.g., 200mV L and R differential output signals output from CD changer 2 are input to differential amps 5a, 5b,
`respectively, then converted to, e.g., 850mV ground-type audio signals by having amps 5c, 5d perform level-matching, and then
`input to main unit 3.
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`
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`(0012)
` Fig. 5 is a block structure diagram of an embodiment example of the power conversion portion. The power format of the CD
`changer also needs to be converted, as different companies use different formats, such as ACC, direct BTT line connection,
`
`Petitioner Toyota Motor Corp. Exhibit 1107
`1107.0005
`
`

`
`Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication H7-6954
`(6)
`
`regulated to about 10V, etc. In this example, the power conversion portion 6 is provided with a regulator 6a, and 14V battery
`voltage supplied from main unit 3 is supplied to the CD changer 2 after being converted by the regulator 6a to, e.g., 10V, whereas
`14V ACC voltage is supplied to the CD changer 2 as is.
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`
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`(0013)
`
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`(EFFECT OF THE INVENTION)
` As described above, according to this invention, for an interface unit serving to connect an additional CD changer having a
`different signal format to the main unit of automotive audio equipment, the aforesaid signal is split into three systems, namely a
`control system, audio system and power system, and a conversion circuit is provided for each of these systems, which has the
`significant effect of providing users with an economic advantage in terms of expense when it comes time to purchase new
`automotive audio equipment or install additional automotive audio equipment, thereby expanding the range of product options, as
`well as providing manufacturers with an advantage in terms of sales.
`
`Petitioner Toyota Motor Corp. Exhibit 1107
`1107.0006
`
`

`
`Petitioner Toyota Motor Corp. Exhibit 1107
`1107.0007