JP2005309948A - Information providing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information providing device capable of providing information about targets desired by a user, without forcing the user to do complex operations. <P>SOLUTION: An object information database 250 has registered therein target identification information that specifies each target, target position information that specifies the position of each target, target shape information that specifies the shape of each target, and explanation information that provides the content of an explanation about each target, with those pieces of information associated with one another. When receiving user position information, user direction information and an instruction to select a target from a control part 230, a target search part 240 refers to the target information database 250 and an obstacle information database 260 and makes a selection, etc., of the target about which the user wants an explanation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

    The present invention relates to a technique for providing information related to an object such as an episode related to a picture displayed in a museum or the like.

  In art museums, museums, etc., voice guide devices are widely used to explain the exhibits (objects) to users by voice. In the vicinity of each object, a number tag describing an identification number (such as “3323”) for identifying each object is affixed, and each user speaks the identification number described on the number tag. By appropriately inputting the information into the guide device, the user listens to the explanation of the target object (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-320295 (FIG. 3)

However, in order to listen to the explanation of the object in the above prior art, each user finds the corresponding number tag and performs a troublesome operation such as appropriately inputting the identification number described on the number tag into the voice guide device. There was a need.
In addition, for example, when the object is a three-dimensional object such as a large piece of art, it is necessary to stick a plurality of number tags in the vicinity of the object. If there is a problem, there is a problem that a comment on an object that has nothing to do with the object actually desired by the user is reproduced.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and an object thereof is to construct an information providing apparatus capable of providing information on an object desired by a user without forcing the user to perform troublesome operations. And

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an information providing apparatus according to the present invention specifies a position detection unit that detects a user's position, a direction detection unit that detects the user's direction, and a position and a shape of each object. Object storage means for storing object information and provision information of each object in association with each other, the detected position of the user and the direction of the user, and the position of each object specified by the object information And the shape, the corresponding object is identified based on the comparison result, the acquisition means for acquiring the provision information of the identified object from the storage means, the position of the user to be detected and the direction of the user And the position and shape of each target object specified by the target object information, the corresponding target object is specified based on the comparison result, and the provision information of the specified target object is acquired from the storage means And resulting unit, characterized by comprising an output means for outputting the provided information acquired.

  According to such a configuration, the detected position of the user and the direction of the user are compared with the position and shape of each target object (such as a painting) specified by the target object information, and a response is made based on the comparison result. The object to be identified is identified. In this way, since the target is specified in consideration of not only the position of the target but also the shape of the target, the target that the user wants to output provided information (such as an episode of the target) is accurately specified. (See FIG. 6 and the like).

  In a preferred aspect of the present invention, input means for inputting an output instruction for the provision information is further provided, and the output means outputs the provision information in response to the input of the output instruction. According to this aspect, since the provision information is output in response to the output instruction, for example, if the user can input the output instruction, the provision information can be acquired at any timing of the user. .

  Here, in the present invention, the information processing apparatus further includes obstacle storage means for storing obstacle information that is information related to each obstacle and identifies the position of each obstacle, and the acquisition means is detected. The position of the user and the direction of the user, the position and shape of each object specified by the object information, and the position of each obstacle specified by the obstacle information are compared. The aspect which specifies the target object based on based is preferable.

  Furthermore, it further includes an elevation angle detecting means for detecting an angle of the user's line of sight, and the acquisition means includes the detected position of the user, the direction of the user, the angle of the user's line of sight, and the object information. The aspect which compares the position and shape of each target object specified by, and specifies the corresponding target object based on the comparison result is further preferable.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the provision information is sound information for outputting the characteristics of the object by sound, and the output unit reproduces and outputs the acquired sound information.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide information on an object desired by a user without forcing the user to perform troublesome operations.

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

A. First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a voice guide system (information providing apparatus) 100 according to the present embodiment.
The voice guide system 100 includes an operation remote controller 110, a guide body 120 including commentary information (described later) of all objects to which the present system is applied, and a headphone 130 worn by a user. A processing unit U for detecting the position of the user and the direction of the user (particularly the direction of the user's line of sight) is disposed on the arm of the headphone 130. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the operation remote controller 110, the guide main body 120, and the processing unit U are wirelessly connected to each other. Further, the place where the processing unit U is disposed is arbitrary. For example, a configuration in which the processing unit U is mounted on an information terminal carried by the user and connected to the headphones 130 may be adopted.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the voice guidance system 100. As shown in the figure, the processing unit U includes a position information acquisition unit (position detection unit) 210, a direction information acquisition unit (direction detection unit) 220, and a control unit (acquisition unit) 230. Among these, the position information acquisition unit 210 is a means for detecting the position of the user wearing the headphones 130 and outputting the detection result as user position information, and is configured by a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver or the like. Regarding user position detection, in addition to using the GPS described above, an ultrasonic sensor or infrared sensor that is effective for position measurement in a limited range (such as indoors), ultrasonic waves and infrared rays (or light waves) The arrival time difference may be used.

  The direction information acquisition unit 220 is a unit that detects the direction of the face of the user wearing the headphones 130 (that is, the direction of the line of sight) and outputs the detection result as user direction information. For example, various sensors such as a geomagnetic sensor and a gyro sensor Consists of. But the method of detecting a user's direction is not limited to a geomagnetic sensor or a gyro sensor. For example, the headphone 130 may be provided with two position sensors, and the direction may be detected from the difference between the positions detected by the position sensors.

  The operation remote controller (input means) 110 includes a plurality of buttons such as a playback button B1 for inputting an instruction to start explanation of an object (instruction to output provided information) and a stop button B2 for inputting an instruction to end the explanation. It has an operator.

  The control unit 230 is means for centrally controlling each unit constituting the voice guide system 100. When the control unit 230 receives an instruction to start explanation of an object from the operation remote controller 110 via wireless or the like, the position information acquisition unit 210 and the direction information acquisition unit 220 are triggered by the reception (input) of the start instruction. Request location information and user direction information. In response to the request, the position information acquisition unit 210 and the direction information acquisition unit 220 supply the control unit 230 with user position information indicating the user's position and user direction information indicating the direction of the user's line of sight. The control unit 230 transfers the supplied user position information and user direction information and an object selection instruction to the guide body 120.

  On the other hand, the guide body 120 includes an object search unit (acquisition means) 240, an object information database 250, and an obstacle information database 260. Among these, the object search unit 240 receives the user position information, the user direction information, and the object selection instruction from the control unit 230 of the processing unit U, refers to the object information database 250 and the obstacle information database 260, The user performs processing such as selection of an object that the user wants to comment on.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the registered contents of the object information database 250, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the registered contents of the obstacle information database 260.
The object information database 250 includes object identification information for identifying each object, object position information for identifying the position of each object, object shape information for identifying the shape of each object, and each object Information that should be provided to the user about the object (information for outputting the commentary contents of the object, such as the name of the object and the episode related to the object, in the voice; hereinafter referred to as “commentary information”) is registered in association with each other Has been. In this embodiment, as each object position information and object shape information, for example, position information that specifies the position of the object by three-dimensional (or two-dimensional) position coordinates, shape information that specifies the shape of the object by polygons, etc. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any information capable of specifying the position and shape of each object can be employed.

  On the other hand, the obstacle information database 260 includes obstacle identification information for specifying each obstacle, obstacle position information for specifying the position of each obstacle, and obstacle shape information for specifying the shape of each obstacle. Registered in association. As for each obstacle position information and obstacle shape information, as described above, a shape that specifies the shape of the object by position information that specifies the position of the obstacle by three-dimensional (or two-dimensional) position coordinates, a polygon, or the like. Adopt information. Further, in the present embodiment, an example in which both the obstacle position information and the obstacle shape information are registered in the obstacle information database 260 is illustrated, but either one of the obstacle position information and the obstacle shape information is registered. It may be an embodiment.

5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining an object selection operation by the object search unit 240. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, when the object A is present in front of the obstacle α as viewed from the user and the object B is present on the other side of the obstacle α, the object search unit 240 first performs the control unit 230. The position of the user and the direction of the line of sight are specified based on the user position information and the user direction information supplied from. Then, the object search unit (acquisition means) 240 includes the position and line-of-sight direction of the user, the position and shape of each object specified by each object position information and object shape information, and each obstacle position information. Then, the object to be selected (selected object) is determined by comparing the position and shape of each obstacle specified by the obstacle shape information.

  Here, with respect to the selection target, for example, a rule such as “when there is an obstacle on the user's line of sight (on the extension of the line of sight), an object on the line of sight present before the obstacle” is set in advance. The selection target may be determined according to this rule. However, the object does not always exist on the user's line of sight, and the object may not exist on the user's line of sight. In such a case, output a voice message prompting reselection (such as "The target cannot be specified. Please change the direction of the line of sight. Please indicate again.") Or select the target closest to the user's line of sight. You can deal with it. The object search unit 240 determines the selection object according to such rules. As a result, when there is an obstacle on the user's line of sight as shown in FIG. 5, only the object A existing in front of the obstacle α as viewed from the user is determined as the selection object.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, the object C and the object D exist in the vicinity (within the field of view) of the user, and the object C is closest to the user, but the user actually wants explanation. May be the object D. In the present embodiment, the selection target is determined not only based on the position of each target but also considering the shape of each target. For this reason, in the case shown in FIG. 6, the shape of each object is taken into consideration, and the object that the user actually wants to explain (object D in FIG. 6) is determined as the selection object.

  When the object search unit (acquisition means) 240 determines the selection object in this way, the object search unit (acquisition means) 240 acquires the commentary information registered in association with the selection object from the object information database 250, and the processing unit U This is supplied to the control unit 230. The control unit 230 supplies the received commentary information to the reproduction unit 270. The reproduction unit (output unit) 270 generates an audio signal representing the description content of the target object (“this engraving is xx in a year”) based on the description information supplied from the control unit 230, Supply to headphones 130. Thereby, each user can listen to the explanation content of the object desired by the user (for example, the object A shown in FIG. 5) from the headphones 130.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, each user can listen to the explanation of the desired object by a simple operation such as turning the reproduction button of the remote control with the line of sight toward the object. it can. Thereby, even a user who is not good at using the device, such as an elderly person or a child, can easily use it. Further, since the selection target is determined in consideration of not only the position of the target but also the shape of the target, the target that the user does not want to explain is erroneously selected as the selection target. Etc. can be suppressed.

B. Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. As modifications, for example, the following can be considered. In addition, the structure which combined suitably each aspect illustrated as a modification below may also be employ | adopted.

<Modification 1>
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a voice guidance system 100 ′ according to the first modification. The voice guidance system 100 ′ is provided with an elevation angle information acquisition unit 215 in the processing unit U shown in FIG. Therefore, the parts corresponding to those in FIG. This elevation angle information acquisition unit (elevation angle detection means) 215 detects the angle of the user's line of sight with respect to the horizontal direction (for example, the angle of the line of sight when 0 ° is directly below and 180 ° is directly above), and the detection result is line of sight. It is means for outputting as elevation angle information, and is composed of, for example, an inclinometer or a gyro sensor. Upon receiving the line-of-sight elevation angle information from the elevation angle information acquisition unit 215, the control unit 230 sends these to the object search unit 240.

  The object search unit 240 receives user position information, user direction information, and an object selection instruction from the control unit 230 (see the description of the above embodiment) and also receives line-of-sight elevation angle information. Then, the object search unit 240 includes the position of the user, the direction of the line of sight and the angle of the line of sight, the position and shape of each object specified by each object position information and object shape information, and each obstacle position information. Then, the object to be selected (selected object) is determined by comparing the position and shape of each obstacle specified by the obstacle shape information. Since subsequent operations can be described in the same manner as in the present embodiment, description thereof is omitted. As described above, according to the present modification, each user has an advantage of being able to select a mural with a picture on the ceiling or an exhibit installed on the ceiling as an object and listen to the explanation. In the above example, the angle of the user's line of sight is detected, but in addition to (or instead of) the user's eyeball position is detected, and the selection target is determined in consideration of the line of sight of the line of sight. Also good.

<Modification 2>
Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which the commentary content of the object is reproduced by voice, but the commentary content may be reproduced by characters or images. For example, a display unit for explanation display is provided in the guide main body 120 and the like, and explanation information for displaying the explanation contents of each object by characters and images is registered in the object information database 250. In addition, in order to be able to select the playback mode of commentary content, multiple types of commentary information such as commentary information for voice reproduction, commentary information for character reproduction, commentary information for image reproduction, etc. are stored in the object information database. 250 may be registered.

<Modification 3>
In the present embodiment, the case of using the headphones 130 has been described. However, a head-mounted display such as a transflective type may be used instead of the headphones. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram in a case where the explanation content of the object is notified using the head mounted display.
A user wearing a head-mounted display confirms an actual picture (that is, an object) via the display DP, and at the same time, confirms an explanation content by a moving image (image) displayed on the picture. Further, the user confirms the commentary contents by sound output from the speaker SP (or headphones). As a result, it is possible to notify the user of more detailed description content compared to the case where the description content of the object is notified using only the voice. Note that a specific implementation method in the case where the commentary content is notified by a moving image has been described in the second modification, and thus will be omitted.

<Modification 4>
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an object search unit 240 ′ and an object information database 250 ′ according to the fourth modification.
In the object information database 250 ′, object area information (room number in FIG. 9) representing the area where the object exists is registered in addition to the position information, shape information, and commentary information shown in FIG. The object search unit 240 ′ receives user position information and user direction information from the position information acquisition unit 210 and the direction information acquisition unit 220, respectively, and also receives user area information indicating the user's presence area from the operation remote controller 110 or the like. Note that area information can be input, for example, by providing a room number input button or the like indicating the user's presence area on the operation remote controller 110. As another example, for example, the user position information generated by the position information acquisition unit 210 is compared with area map information (not shown) representing the position range of each area, and based on the comparison result, the user presence area (room) Number, etc.) may be specified, and user area information representing the specified existence area may be delivered to the object search unit 240 ′.

  Upon receiving the user position information, the user direction information, and the user area information in this manner, the target object search unit 240 'first searches the target object information database 250 using the user area information as a search key. Then, the object search unit 240 'selects object area information that matches (or is closest to) the user area information. For example, when the user area information is “room number 1”, the target area information “room number 1” is selected by the target object search unit 240 ′. After the object search unit 240 ′ reduces the search range by specifying the object area information in this way, the user position and line-of-sight information based on the user position information and the user direction information, as in the present embodiment. Identify the direction. Then, the object search unit 240 compares the position of the user and the direction of the line of sight with the position and shape of each object specified by each object position information and object shape information. decide. Since the subsequent operation can be described in the same manner as in the present embodiment, the description thereof is omitted. Thus, by reducing the search range by specifying the object area information, it is possible to greatly shorten the time required for determining the selection object and to increase the selection accuracy. In addition, by limiting the area of the object in this way, it is possible to select an object without having the obstacle information database 260 even when there is an object (for example, a picture or the like) only at the wall. Become.

<Modification 5>
Further, in the present embodiment, a case has been described in which one piece of explanatory information is provided for one object, but two or more pieces of explanatory information may be provided for one object. FIG. 10 is a diagram exemplifying registration contents of the object information database 250 ″ according to the modification 5. FIG. 11 illustrates an object selection operation by the object search unit 240 ″ according to the modification 5. It is a figure for doing.
As shown in FIG. 10, in the object information database 250 ″, a plurality of pieces of commentary information are registered in association with each object. The object search unit 240 '' selects any comment information from a plurality of comment information based on the position of the user.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 11, when the user is viewing the object B from the P1 point, the object search unit 240 ″ retrieves the description information 2- of the object B from the object information database 250 ″. 1 is selected, and when the user views the object B from the point P2, the comment information 2-2 of the countermeasure B is selected from the object information database 250 ″, and the user selects the object B at the point P3. In the case of viewing from the above, the comment information 2-3 of the object B is selected from the object information database 250 ″. In this way, even for the same target object, different explanation contents are notified depending on the position viewed by the user. Of course, not only the position of the user but also different commentary contents may be notified depending on the direction of the user's line of sight, the angle of the user's line of sight, and the like.

<Modification 6>
In the above embodiment, a configuration in which an object (and thus commentary information) is automatically selected according to the position and direction of the user is exemplified. In addition to this, the user arbitrarily selects the object and its commentary information. Configurations that can be selected may also be employed. For example, as in the above-described embodiment, a first operation mode (hereinafter referred to as “auto mode”) in which commentary information is selected according to the position and direction of the user, and an identification code (for example, an object or commentary) input by the user A configuration may be adopted in which the user can arbitrarily select one of the second modes (hereinafter referred to as “manual mode”) in which the commentary information is selected according to the number for identifying information). FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the configuration of the operation remote controller 110 ′ in this modification. As shown in the figure, the operation remote controller 110 ′ includes a plurality of operators such as an auto mode button B61, a numeric button B63, and a confirmation button B65. A user who desires the auto mode operates the confirm button B65 after pressing the auto mode button B61. When this operation is detected, the control unit 230 of the processing unit U and the object search unit 240 of the guide main body 120, as shown in the above embodiment, the position and direction of the user (further, the line of sight shown in the first modification example). The target object is specified in accordance with the angle), and comment information corresponding to the target object is acquired and output from the playback unit 270 to the headphones 130. On the other hand, the user who desires the manual mode appropriately operates the numeric buttons B63 to obtain the identification code assigned to the desired object (for example, the number written on the number tag attached to each object). After that, the confirm button B65 is pressed. When this operation is detected, the object search unit 240 selects the object corresponding to the identification code input by the user by referring to the contrast object information database 250, and acquires the commentary information of the object. The data is output from the playback unit 270 to the headphones 130. According to this configuration, the user can appropriately switch between the auto mode and the manual mode. For example, by selecting the auto mode, not only can the commentary information of the object corresponding to the position and direction of the user be acquired. The commentary information can also be output by selecting in a manual mode an object that is located away from the user or an object that is not on the user's line of sight.

<Modification 7>
In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the commentary information is output in response to an operation on the operation remote controller 110 (or the operation remote controller 110 ′ of Modification 6) is exemplified, but the timing at which the comment information is output is arbitrary. For example, the explanation information may be output when the period during which the user's position and the direction of the line of sight are maintained substantially constant exceeds a predetermined time. In this configuration, the control unit 230 of the processing unit U obtains the user position information and the user direction information for each unit time having a predetermined time length, thereby calculating a change amount of the user position and direction per unit time. When the amount of change falls below a predetermined threshold value, commentary information is output by the operation of the above embodiment, while when the amount of change exceeds the threshold value (that is, the user's position and direction are maintained substantially constant). If it is not done), do not output commentary information. According to this configuration, for example, when the user stops for a predetermined time before an object such as a picture, comment information on the object is automatically output, so that the burden on the user who operates the operation remote controller 110 is increased. There is an advantage of being reduced.

<Modification 8>
The correspondence relationship between each function of the voice guide system described above and the hardware such as the processing unit U and the guide main body 120 is arbitrary. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration in which the object search unit 240, the object information database 250, and the obstacle information database 260 are provided in the guide body 120, but some or all of them are in the processing unit U. A configuration in which the guide main body 120 having the object search unit 240 and the object information database 250 or the obstacle information database 260 are separate hardware may be employed. Further, for example, each server storing the object search unit 240, the object information database 250, and the obstacle information database 260 may be configured to perform wireless or wired communication via various networks such as a LAN (Local Area Network). good. In addition, since the functions of the voice guidance system according to the embodiments and modifications described above are realized by the CPU (or DSP) executing the program stored in the memory, the CD-ROM is used for such a program. It may be recorded and distributed on a recording medium such as the Internet, or distributed via a communication network such as the Internet.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the audio | voice guidance system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the function structure of the audio | voice guidance system which concerns on the same embodiment. It is the figure which illustrated the registration content of the target object information database concerning the embodiment. It is the figure which illustrated the registration contents of the obstacle information database concerning the embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the selection operation | movement of the target concerning the embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the selection operation | movement of the target object concerning the embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the audio | voice guidance system which concerns on the modification 1. It is explanatory drawing in the case of alert | reporting the description content of the target object which concerns on the modification 3. It is the figure which illustrated the target object search part and target object information database which concern on the modification 4. It is the figure which illustrated the object database concerning modification 5. It is a figure for demonstrating the selection operation | movement of the target object concerning the modification. It is a figure which shows the structure of the operation remote control which concerns on the modification 6. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

100, 100 '... Voice guidance system, 110, 110' ... Operation remote control, B1 ... Play button, B2 ... Stop button, 120 ... Guide body, 130 ... Headphone, U ..Processing unit 210 ... Position information acquisition unit 220 ... Direction information acquisition unit 230 ... Control unit 240, 240 ', 240' '... Object search unit 250, 250' , 250 '' ... object information database, 260 ... obstacle information database.

Claims (5)

Position detecting means for detecting the position of the user;
Direction detecting means for detecting the direction of the user;
Object storage means for storing the object information for specifying the position and shape of each object and the provision information of each object in association with each other;
The detected position of the user and the direction of the user are compared with the position and shape of each target specified by the target information, the corresponding target is specified based on the comparison result, and the specified target Acquisition means for acquiring information provided on the object from the storage means;
An information providing apparatus comprising: output means for outputting the acquired provision information. Comprising input means for inputting an instruction to output the provided information;
The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs the provision information in response to an input of the output instruction. It further includes obstacle storage means for storing obstacle information that is information related to each obstacle and identifies the position of each obstacle,
The acquisition means includes the detected position of the user and the direction of the user, the position and shape of each object specified by the object information, and the position of each obstacle specified by the obstacle information. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the corresponding objects are identified based on the comparison result. Further comprising an elevation angle detecting means for detecting an angle of the user's line of sight,
The acquisition unit compares the detected position of the user, the direction of the user, and the angle of the line of sight of the user with the position and shape of each object specified by the object information, and obtains a comparison result. The corresponding object is specified based on the information providing apparatus according to claim 1. The provided information is voice information for outputting the characteristics of the object by voice,
The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit reproduces and outputs the acquired audio information.

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