JP2002287953A - User interface system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a user interface system capable of reducing the size, the cost and power consumption of interface equipment, and realizing excellent man-machine interface to a user. SOLUTION: This user interface system comprises a plurality of interface equipment, and the interface equipment comprises a synthesizing means of output signal for the interface and a communication means for inputting and/or outputting communication signals such as infrared rays which cannot be sensed by human, and performs user interface by emitting the output signal. The plurality of interface equipment perform operations related to each other by transmitting information between the communication means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a user interface system for providing a user interface by emitting sound.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When operating, there are devices that provide an interface to a user by emitting sound. Considering the case where this device is not used alone but is used by multiple devices and operates by emitting voices to each other, the devices emit voices to each other, making it appear as if the devices are talking to each other. Has an excellent man-machine interface.

[0003] In order to realize this man-machine interface, a method is currently used in which a voice recognition device is mounted inside a device that interfaces with a user.

[0004]

However, when a voice recognition function is installed in each device, the system becomes complicated, the size of the entire device becomes large, and the cost becomes very high. Also, the power consumption required for the speech recognition device is large.

[0005] Furthermore, erroneous recognition of the voice recognition device often causes malfunctions due to communication errors between devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the size, cost and power consumption of an interface device, and provide a user-friendly machine. An object of the present invention is to provide a user interface system that realizes an interface.

[0007]

That is, the present invention comprises a plurality of interface devices. Each of these interface devices inputs an output signal for interface and a communication signal which cannot be detected by a living body.
Or having a communication means to output, and while performing a user interface by issuing the output signal, the plurality of interface devices perform a related operation by transmitting information between each of the communication means, It relates to a user interface system.

According to the present invention, by transmitting information between communication means for inputting and / or outputting a communication signal which cannot be sensed by a living body, the plurality of interface devices operate in relation to each other. Such a voice recognition device is not required. Therefore, the size, cost, and power consumption required for the speech recognition device can be reduced.

In this case as well, the output signal is generated by the interface output signal synthesizing means to perform the user interface, and the information is transmitted between the communication means which cannot detect the living body. Operating the plurality of interface devices to transmit information by the output signal issued for the user interface,
Excellent man-machine interface for users.

In the transmission of the information, the error rate in the communication means is much lower than the error rate in the communication means when the conventional speech recognition device is used. Malfunctions due to communication errors can be reduced.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically based on embodiments.

[0012] The user interface system according to the present invention is preferably configured such that the output signal synthesizing means synthesizes an audio signal and a human as the living body recognizes the audio signal. Alternatively, the user interface may be performed using the display display or both the voice and the display display.

Then, when the first interface device operates, a voice is emitted by the voice synthesizing means,
At the same time, it is preferable that information on the operation and the voice or information on an operation and a voice to be performed next is transmitted to the second interface device by the communication unit.

As described above, the user interface system according to the present invention can provide a user interface by emitting, for example, a sound as the output signal, and can transmit the information by the communication means. For human beings, the plurality of interface devices recognize each other's voices, and seem to be related to each other and have a conversation, so that an excellent man-machine interface for human beings can be realized.

[0015] When a user interface is provided by emitting a sound as the output signal, it is preferable that the plurality of interface devices are located in a short distance from each other so that the human can recognize the sound. Compared with the speech recognition device, the size, cost, and power consumption can be suppressed much smaller, and a portable interface device that is smaller, more expensive, and driven by a battery can be expected.

The communication means that cannot be sensed by the living body includes infrared, ultrasonic, radio wave or electromagnetic induction. In the case of the infrared communication, for example, a photocoupler can be used, in the case of the ultrasonic and radio wave communication, for example, an antenna and a radio wave receiver and a transmitter can be used, and in the case of the electromagnetic induction communication, for example, generation of magnetic force lines A device that detects data from a device and magnetism can be used. Since the information can be transmitted using these communication means, information exchange between the interface devices can be performed efficiently, and the error rate is much higher than, for example, the error recognition rate of information in a voice recognition device. Can be lowered. Therefore, the user interface system according to the present invention can further reduce malfunctions due to communication errors between the interface devices.

Further, it is preferable that the plurality of interface devices are lifestyle-related devices, production-related devices, or play equipment.

Hereinafter, a user interface system according to the present invention when the plurality of interface devices are an electric rice cooker and a microwave oven as the lifestyle related devices will be described. That is, a voice synthesizing unit as an output signal synthesizing unit for the interface,
An electric rice cooker equipped with a communication unit for inputting and / or outputting a communication signal that cannot be sensed by a human, and capable of informing the end of rice cooking by voice using the voice synthesis unit; and the voice synthesis unit and the communication unit. A description will be given of a cooperative operation with a microwave oven equipped with.

As shown in FIG. 1, an electric rice cooker 1 as the interface device includes a heating device 2 for cooking rice.
Control device 7 for controlling heating in addition to temperature and temperature sensor 3
have. Further, the control device 7 is connected to the voice synthesizing device 4 for generating voice, the speaker 5, and the communication device 6. The communication device 6 can input and / or output a communication signal that cannot be detected by the human, such as infrared communication, receive information from another device, or transmit information to another device. it can.

The microwave oven 2 as the interface device has a control device 14 for controlling heating in addition to the heating device 9 and the temperature sensor 10 for cooking.
Further, the control device 14 is connected to a voice synthesizing device 11 for generating voice, a speaker 12, and a communication device 13. The communication device 13 inputs and / or outputs a communication signal that cannot be detected by the human, such as infrared communication, receives information from other devices, and performs other operations, in the same manner as the communication device 6 described above. Information can be transmitted to the device.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electric rice cooker 1 utters a voice in minutes from the end of the rice cooking, for example, 10 minutes before the end of the rice cooking, to the end of the rice cooking.
For example, the rice cooking end time can be transmitted to the nearby microwave oven 2 by infrared communication. Microwave oven 2
Receives the information on the rice cooking end time from the electric rice cooker 1 in the communication device 13 and matches the rice cooking end time based on the time required for cooking the contents set by the user in advance and the received information content. So as to calculate the cooking start time,
Cooking can be started.

The electric rice cooker 1 and the microwave oven 8 as the interface devices can provide an interface to the user by voices emitted by the voice synthesizers 4, 11 and the speakers 5, 12 mounted respectively. Also, for example, such as the infrared communication,
It has communication devices 6 and 13 for inputting and / or outputting communication signals that cannot be sensed by humans, and information can be transmitted by these communication devices. , Size, cost, and power consumption can be reduced.

In this cooperative operation, the transmission of the information can be performed by the communication means that cannot be sensed by a human, such as the infrared communication, as described above, so that the information between the electric rice cooker 1 and the microwave oven 8 can be transmitted. Is low, and it is possible to reduce malfunctions.

The user interface system according to the present invention shown in FIG. 2 can be further modified. For example, the cooperative operation between the electric rice cooker 1 and the microwave oven 2 has been described. If the required cooking time of the contents differs,
While providing information to the user by making a sound,
It is also possible to transmit information between the respective microwave ovens by using the communication means, so that the cooking end time of each microwave oven becomes the same time.

FIG. 2 shows a case where the electric rice cooker 1 only utters the rice cooking end time and transmits the information to the microwave oven 2. When cooking starts, microwave 2
The information may be transmitted from the microwave oven 2 to the electric rice cooker 1 by the communication means at the same time that a voice is transmitted to notify the user of the fact.

Next, a description will be given of a user interface system according to the present invention in which the plurality of interface devices are conversational toys as the play equipment. That is, in the case where there are a plurality of conversation toys as the interface device equipped with voice synthesizing means as the output signal synthesizing means for the interface and communication means for inputting and / or outputting the communication signal which cannot be detected by the human. The following describes these cooperative operations.

As shown in FIG. 3, the configuration of the conversation toy as the interface device includes a control device 19 for controlling the contents of remarks, a voice synthesizing device 16 for producing voice, a speaker 17, and a communication device 18. It is made up. The communication device 18 inputs and / or outputs a communication signal that the human cannot detect, such as infrared communication,
It can receive information from another device (conversation toy) or transmit information to another device (conversation toy).

As shown in FIG. 4, for example, when the conversation toy 15a firstly says "How are you?"
5a, at the same time as this remark, the content of the remark can be transmitted to the conversation toy 15b by a communication means that cannot be detected by the human, such as infrared communication. Conversation toy 15b
By receiving information from the conversation toy 15a at the communication device 18, the user can know the contents of the first conversation toy 15a. Then, the conversation toy 15b synthesizes a consistent statement “Yes” in the control device 19 and the voice synthesizer 16 based on the information, and speaks “Yes”. Information that the user has said "yes" can be transmitted to another conversation toy by the communication means that cannot be sensed by the human.

By this cooperative operation, the conversation toys are
Since the conversation by transmitting and receiving information using the communication device 18 can be continued, the human being, as a user, feels as if the conversation toys have a consistent conversation, and for the user, Excellent man-machine interface can be realized.

Further, since the communication means which cannot be sensed by the human, such as the infrared communication, can be used, the size, cost and power consumption can be reduced as compared with the case where a voice recognition device is mounted. Thus, misunderstanding of information between conversational toys is low, and malfunctions can be reduced.

Further, the user interface system according to the present invention, when there are a plurality of conversation toys 15,
As shown in FIG. 5, one of the plurality of conversation toys may have control of all the conversation toys.

First, conversation toys can communicate their existence using the communication means that cannot be sensed by the human, such as infrared rays, and can determine which conversation toy has control. After that, the conversation toy having the control right conveys to the other conversation toy the contents to be uttered in accordance with the scenario stored therein by means of the communication signal which cannot be sensed by the human, and utters itself. In such a case, the user may speak by himself without giving a speech instruction to another conversation toy.

In this case as well, in the same manner as the user interface system according to the present invention shown in FIG. As a result, an excellent man-machine interface for the user can be realized.

Further, since the communication means which cannot be sensed by the human, such as the infrared communication, can be used, the size, cost and power consumption can be reduced as compared with the case where a voice recognition device is mounted. Thus, misunderstanding of information between conversational toys is low, and malfunctions can be reduced.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a case in which the conversation toys as the plurality of interface devices simultaneously utter voices and simultaneously transmit information by the communication means such as infrared rays. In this case, the conversation toy that has received the information earlier by the communication means can have the initiative of the cooperative operation.

In the user interface system according to the present invention, a case has been described in which a voice is emitted as the output signal synthesizing means for the interface. Alternatively, a display may be displayed, or the user interface may be displayed using both the voice and the display. Can also be planned.

[0037]

According to the present invention, by transmitting information between communication means for inputting and / or outputting communication signals which cannot be sensed by a living body, the plurality of interface devices operate in relation to each other. Therefore, for example, a voice recognition device becomes unnecessary, and the size, cost, and power consumption can be reduced.

In this case, the output signal synthesizing means for the interface emits the output signal to perform the user interface, and also transmits the information between the communication means which cannot detect the living body. The plurality of interface devices can operate as if information is transmitted by the output signal issued for the user interface, and a superior man-machine interface for a user is realized.

In transmitting the information, the error rate in the communication means is much lower than the error rate in the communication means when the conventional speech recognition device is used, so that the interface devices are not connected to each other. Malfunctions due to communication errors can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one configuration example of a user interface system based on the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a user interface system according to the present invention, taking an electric rice cooker and a microwave oven as examples.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conversation toy as an interface device used in a user interface system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a user interface system based on the present invention by taking a conversation toy as an example.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a user interface system based on the present invention by taking a conversation toy as an example.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a user interface system based on the present invention by taking a conversation toy as an example.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electric rice cooker, 2, 9 ... Heating device, 3, 10 ... Temperature sensor, 4, 11, 16 ... Speech synthesizer, 5, 12, 17
... Speaker, 6, 13, 18 ... Communication device, 7, 14, 1
9 ... Control device, 8 ... Microwave oven, 15, 15a, 15b
… Conversation toys

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus comprising a plurality of interface devices,
Each of these interface devices has an interface output signal synthesizing unit, and a communication unit for inputting and / or outputting a communication signal that cannot be detected by a living body, and performs a user interface by emitting the output signal. A user interface system in which the plurality of interface devices operate in relation to each other by transmitting information between the communication means. 2. The user interface system according to claim 1, wherein said output signal synthesizing means synthesizes an audio signal, and a human as said living body recognizes said audio signal. 3. A voice is emitted by the voice synthesizing means when the first interface device operates, and at the same time, information on the operation and the voice, or an operation and a voice to be caused next, is generated by the communication means. Transmitting the information to the second interface device;
The user interface system according to claim 2. 4. The user interface system according to claim 1, wherein the communication means that cannot detect the living body is based on infrared rays, ultrasonic waves, radio waves, or electromagnetic induction. 5. The user interface system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of interface devices are lifestyle-related devices, production-related devices, or play equipment.