JP2006211487A - Voice input/output device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a voice input/output device capable of appropriately picking up voices of a user in any arbitrary posture so as to talk in a free posture. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of unit devices DU (i, j) sharing a function as a microphone and a function as a speaker and capable of switching control to validate any one of these functions are disposed in a planar pattern. A controller 200 generates an ultrasonic wave using a function as the speaker of the plurality of distributed unit devices, collects reflection sounds of the ultrasonic wave using the function of the microphone of the plurality of remaining distributed unit devices, selects one or more unit devices corresponding to a position of the mouth of the user based on a result, and operates the selected unit device as a microphone. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a voice input / output device suitable as a means for voice call.

There is a telephone as a general means for voice calls. When a user uses his telephone to send his / her voice to the other party, he / she must hold the handset, position the microphone near his mouth, and speak into the microphone. Calls with such handsets are cumbersome. In order to be able to make a call without a handset, for example, a microphone in the telephone is placed in a fixed position, and the user calls with a posture such that the microphone can properly pick up his / her voice. A method is conceivable. However, it is extremely cramped for the user to take a call posture according to the position of the microphone in this way. As a user, he wants to talk freely with his hands free. In this regard, Patent Document 1 captures the user with a camera, obtains the position of the user's mouth based on the user's image obtained thereby, and moves the microphone to a position where the sound uttered from the mouth can be appropriately picked up Disclosed.
JP-A-7-28488

  According to the technique of Patent Document 1, the microphone can be moved to a position where the user's voice can be picked up without bothering the user's hand. However, in this technique, since the position of the user's mouth is obtained by image recognition processing and the microphone is moved to that position, there is a problem that it takes time to properly match the position of the microphone to the position of the user's mouth. In addition, a device that is not originally required for a call, such as a camera for obtaining a user image, a device for performing image recognition processing, or a device for moving a microphone, must be provided separately. There was a problem of being.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and provides a voice input / output device that can appropriately pick up the voice of a user who takes an arbitrary posture and enables a call in a free posture. The purpose is to provide.

The present invention provides a voice input / output device having a plurality of unit devices arranged in a planar shape, which have both a function as a microphone and a function as a speaker, and capable of switching control for enabling one of these functions. An array, detection means for detecting whether or not each of the plurality of unit devices is facing some object, and detection that the detection means is facing the object among the plurality of unit devices Control means for controlling the voice input / output device array for selecting one or a plurality of unit devices in a device, operating the selected unit device as a microphone, and operating at least a part of the other unit devices as a speaker. A voice input / output device is provided.
In another preferred embodiment, the voice input / output device array also serves as the detection means. In this aspect, the control means generates an ultrasonic wave by a function of a speaker of a plurality of unit devices arranged in a distributed manner in the voice input / output device array, and reflects the reflected sound of the ultrasonic wave in the voice input / output device array. Sound is collected by the function of the microphones of the remaining plurality of unit devices dispersedly arranged, and it is detected whether each of the plurality of unit devices is facing any object based on the sound collection result, Select one or a plurality of unit devices that can be recognized as facing any object among the unit devices, operate the selected unit devices as microphones, and operate at least some other unit devices as speakers The voice input / output device array for controlling the audio input / output device array is controlled.
In another preferred aspect, the control means repeatedly executes control for selecting a unit device to function as the microphone.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a voice input / output system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This voice input / output system includes m × n unit devices DU (i, j) (i = 1 to m, j = 1 to n), a controller 200 for controlling the entire system, and control by the controller 200. The output voice processing / control unit 201, the input voice processing / control unit 202, and the switching control unit 203 that control each unit device DU (i, j) (i = 1 to m, j = 1 to n). It is configured.

  Each unit device DU (i, j) (i = 1 to m, j = 1 to n) includes an audio input / output unit 101 having both a function as a microphone and a function as a speaker, and an audio input / output unit 101. A speaker amplifier 102 that amplifies an audio signal supplied from the output audio processing / control unit 201 when used as a speaker and supplies the amplified signal to the audio input / output unit 101, and a case where the audio input / output unit 101 is used as a microphone A microphone amplifier 103 that amplifies the signal obtained from the voice input / output unit 101 and outputs the audio signal to the input voice processing / control unit 202, and the voice input / output unit 101 is connected to the speaker according to the switching control signal from the switching control unit 203. And a microphone / speaker switch 104 for switching between use as a microphone and use as a microphone.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the unit device DU (i, j). In this example, the audio input / output unit 101 in the unit device DU (i, j) includes a diaphragm 101a and two fixed plates 101b and 101c facing each other with the diaphragm 101a interposed therebetween. It is comprised by. In a preferred embodiment, the voice input / output unit 101 of each unit device DU (i, j) (i = 1 to m, j = 1 to n) has a thin square plate shape, for example, a wall in a room The audio input / output device array is configured in a vertical and horizontal manner so as to cover. The speaker amplifier 102 in the unit device DU (i, j) is an amplifier 102a that amplifies and outputs the audio signal supplied from the output audio processing / control unit 201 in the same phase, and inverts and amplifies the phase of the audio signal. And an amplifier 102b that outputs the signal. Further, the microphone amplifier 103 is constituted by a differential amplifier.

  When a switching control signal for causing the voice input / output unit 101 to function as a speaker is given, the microphone speaker switcher 104 connects the output terminal of the amplifier 102a in the speaker amplifier 102 to the fixed plate 101b of the voice input / output unit 101. The output terminal 102b is connected to the fixed plate 101c, and the electrode of the bias power source VB1 is connected to the diaphragm 101a. In this state, the audio signal from the output audio processing / control unit 201 is given to the fixed plate 101b in the audio input / output unit 101 via the amplifier 102a, and the audio signal is given to the fixed plate 101c via the amplifier 102b. And an audio signal of opposite phase. Therefore, a reciprocating vibration that moves to the fixed plate 101b side or the fixed plate 101c side according to the change in the instantaneous value of the audio signal is generated in the diaphragm 101a. As a result, plane waves corresponding to the original audio signal are radiated from the front and back surfaces (upper surface and lower surface in FIG. 2) of the flat audio input / output unit 101.

  On the other hand, when a switching control signal for causing the voice input / output unit 101 to function as a microphone is given to the microphone speaker switch 104, the non-inverting input terminal of the microphone amplifier 102 is connected to the fixed plate 101b of the voice input / output unit 101. The inverting input terminal is connected to the fixed plate 101c, and the electrode of the bias power source VB2 is connected to the diaphragm 101a. In this state, when the diaphragm 101a in the voice input / output unit 101 vibrates by receiving sound waves from the outside, electrical signals having a waveform corresponding to the vibration waveform and having opposite phases to each other are generated in the fixed plates 101b and 101c. To do. The microphone amplifier 103 performs differential amplification of each signal generated on the fixed plates 101 b and 101 c, and an audio signal obtained by the differential amplification is output to the input sound processing / control unit 202. The above is the details of the unit device DU (i, j) shown in FIG.

  In this embodiment, the voice input / output unit 101 of each unit device DU (i, j) (i = 1 to m, j = 1 to n) is an object in the vicinity in the horizontal direction in addition to the role as a microphone and a speaker. It plays a role as a sensor to detect the. This role will be clarified in the explanation of the operation of the present embodiment in order to avoid duplication of explanation.

In a preferred embodiment, the voice input / output system is connected to a telephone communication network or the Internet via a communication control unit for voice communication. When the communication partner's telephone number is input by operating an operation unit (not shown), the controller 200 causes the communication control unit to communicate between the voice receiving unit of the communication partner device and the output voice processing / control unit 201 and the voice of the communication partner device. It has a function of establishing a two-way voice call connection connecting the transmission unit and the input voice processing / control unit 202.
The above is the details of the configuration of the voice input / output system according to the present embodiment.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
When the user inputs the telephone number or IP address of the communication partner device by operating the operation unit (not shown) and instructs the start of the call, the controller 200 executes processing for establishing a connection with the communication partner device. At the same time, a routine whose flow is shown in FIG. 3 is executed.

  First, the controller 200 executes a speaker head position measurement process (step S1). In this speaker head position measurement process, the controller 200 instructs the switching control unit 203 to output a switching control signal for measuring the speaker head position. According to this instruction, the switching control unit 203 distributes among the unit devices DU (i, j) (i = 1 to m, j = 1 to n) according to a pattern stored in advance for measuring the speaker head position. A switching control signal for causing the voice input / output unit 101 to function as a speaker is sent to the microphone speaker switchers 104 of the plurality of unit devices arranged, and the voice input / output unit 101 is sent to the microphone speaker switchers 104 of the other unit devices. Sends a switching control signal that causes the to function as a microphone. FIG. 4 shows the state of each audio input / output unit 101 of the unit device DU (i, j) (i = 1 to m, j = 1 to n) after this switching control is performed. In this example, the sound input / output unit 101 of the unit device DU (i, j) whose indexes i and j are both odd numbers and the unit device DU (i, j) whose indexes i and j are both even numbers are microphones. On the other hand, the audio input / output unit 101 of the unit device DU (i, j) in which one of the indexes i and j is odd and the other is even is a speaker, and the speakers and microphones are arranged in a mosaic as a whole. It has become.

  Next, the controller 200 instructs the output sound processing / control unit 201 to output an ultrasonic wave. In accordance with this instruction, the output sound processing / control unit 201 sends a drive signal necessary for generating an ultrasonic wave to the speaker amplifier 102 of the unit device DU (i, j) (i = 1 to m, j = 1 to n). . As a result, in the unit device DU (i, j) (i = 1 to m, j = 1 to n) to which the switching control signal for functioning as a speaker is given, the output audio processing / control unit The drive signal from 201 is amplified by the amplifiers 102 a and 102 b in the speaker amplifier 102, and then applied to the fixed plates 101 b and 101 c of the audio input / output unit 101 via the microphone speaker switch 104, and from both the front and back sides of the audio input / output unit 101. Ultrasound is emitted. Since this ultrasonic wave is a plane wave with strong directivity, if there is any object in front of the voice input / output unit 101, it is reflected there, and the ultrasonic wave that is the reflected wave is the voice that emitted the ultrasonic wave. It reaches the input / output unit 101 and another audio input / output unit 101 adjacent thereto.

  In the voice input / output unit 101 that functions as a microphone among the voice input / output units 101 that the ultrasonic waves reach, the vibration plate 101a vibrates according to the ultrasonic waves, and electric signals corresponding to the vibrations are generated in the fixed plates 101b and 101c. These two-phase electric signals are sent to the microphone amplifier 103 via the microphone speaker switch 104. These two-phase electric signals are differentially amplified by the microphone amplifier 103 and sent to the input sound processing / control unit 202. The input audio processing / control unit 202 monitors the output signal of the microphone amplifier 103 of each unit device DU (i, j) (i = 1 to m, j = 1 to n), and based on this monitoring result, Of the voice input / output unit 101 functioning as a microphone, the one that the ultrasonic wave reaches is obtained and reported to the controller 200.

  In the example shown in FIG. 5, a person as shown by a broken line stands in front of the voice input / output units 101 arranged vertically and horizontally, and the ultrasonic waves reflected by the person's body function as a microphone. A state in which the input unit 101 reaches the one indicated by the oblique lines is shown. When the controller 200 receives a report regarding the voice input / output unit 101 to which the ultrasonic wave has reached, the controller 200 is located at the top of the voice input / output units 101, that is, in the example of FIG. It is determined that there is a user's head.

  When the speaker head position measurement processing is completed as described above, the controller 200 executes speaker and microphone setting processing (step S2). In the setting process in step S2, the controller 200 selects the voice input / output unit 101 near the voice input / output unit 101 determined as the head position in the speaker head position measurement process as a microphone. In the setting process of step S2, the position of the mouth of the speaker is estimated from the position of the head obtained by the speaker head position measurement process, and one voice input / output unit facing the position of the mouth 101 may be selected as a microphone, or a plurality of audio input / output units 101 within a certain range centering on this single audio input / output unit 101 may be selected as microphones. When this selection is finished, the controller 200 causes the switching control unit 203 to output a switching control signal indicating that the voice input / output unit 101 selected as the microphone functions as a microphone and the other voice input / output unit 101 functions as a speaker. To instruct.

  Thereafter, after the connection for the call is established and the call is started, the controller 200 repeats the processes of steps S1 and S2. That is, the head position measurement of the speaker is performed by generating ultrasonic waves from the voice input / output units distributed and detecting the reflected sound (see FIG. 6A), and then measuring the head position of the speaker. The voice input / output unit that functions as a microphone is selected on the basis of the result (see FIG. 6B), the head position of the speaker is measured (see FIG. 6C), and the voice input that functions as the microphone again is selected. The output unit is selected (see FIG. 6D), and the speaker head position measurement and the selection of the voice input / output unit that functions as a microphone are alternately repeated.

  Therefore, even if the speaker changes his posture during a call, such as sitting on a chair as shown in FIG. 7 or standing as shown in FIG. 8, voice input / output facing the mouth position of the speaker The unit 101 is selected as a microphone, and the voice of the speaker is appropriately picked up and transmitted to the call partner apparatus.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the operation of the voice input / output device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment, when selecting the voice input / output unit to function as a microphone based on the result of the speaker head position measurement process, all the voice input / output units other than the voice input / output unit selected as the microphone are used as speakers. It was made to function (refer FIG.6 (b) and (d)). On the other hand, in this embodiment, when selecting the voice input / output unit that functions as a microphone based on the result of the speaker head position measurement process, even if the voice input / output unit is not the one selected as the microphone, Unless it functions as a speaker during the human head position measurement process, it does not function as a speaker (see FIGS. 9B and 9D). That is, voice input / output units other than those selected as microphones that do not function as speakers during the speaker head position measurement process are not allowed to function as microphones or speakers. By performing such control, the number of voice input / output units functioning as a speaker and the change in arrangement are reduced between the period during which the speaker's head position measurement processing is performed and the other period, It is possible to reduce the change in loudness of the speaker playback sound.

<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 10 shows the operation of the voice input / output device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the second embodiment is further improved. In the second embodiment, regardless of how many times the speaker head position measurement process is performed, a plurality of voice input / output units at predetermined positions are allowed to function as microphones in the speaker head position measurement process. (See FIGS. 9A and 9C). In contrast, in the present embodiment, the maximum number of voice input / output units function as microphones in the first speaker head position measurement process (see FIG. 10A). After selecting the voice input / output to function as a microphone based on the processing result (see FIG. 10B), in the second speaker head position measurement process, the voice input that was selected as the microphone immediately before is input. Only the voice input / output unit within a predetermined range centering on the output unit is caused to function as a microphone (see FIG. 10C). The same applies thereafter, and in the second and subsequent speaker head position measurement processing, only the voice input / output unit within the predetermined range centering on the voice input / output unit selected as the microphone immediately before is used as a microphone. . According to the present embodiment, a large number of voice input / output units are used as microphones at the start of a call. Thereafter, the number of voice input / output units used as microphones is reduced and the change in the number is reduced. be able to. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the temporal change in the volume that can be heard by the call partner after the start of the call.

<Fourth embodiment>
FIG. 11 is a time chart showing the operation of the voice input / output device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Aside from those who like to talk while walking, normal people do not change their posture and their mouth position when they are enthusiastic about talking. However, when you are not speaking and listening to the other party, you are often bored and tend to change your attitude. The present embodiment focuses on this point, and performs the speaker head position measurement process during a period when the user is not speaking, and performs the speaker head position measurement during a period when the user is speaking. Not performed. In order to perform such control, in this embodiment, the output voice processing / control unit 201 in FIG. 1 has a function of detecting the level of the voice sent from the other party, and the user input via the microphone is provided. A function for detecting the audio level is provided in the input audio processing / control unit 202. Then, the controller 200 alternately performs a speaker head position measurement process and a process of selecting a voice input / output unit to function as a microphone based on the result of the process when there is no voice input from the user for a predetermined time or longer. The operation to repeat is started. In the meantime, the voice from the other party may be played from the voice input / output unit as a speaker. Regardless of whether this happens, the head of the speaker The part position measurement process and the selection of the voice input / output unit that functions as a microphone are alternately repeated. When the voice input from the user is started, the voice input / output unit selected as the microphone immediately before that is continuously used as the microphone.

  At that time, since the posture is slightly changed even when talking, the following control may be performed after the voice input from the user is started. That is, a voice input / output unit within a predetermined range centering on the voice input / output unit selected as a microphone immediately before the start of voice input from the user is selected as a microphone, and the microphone of each selected voice input / output unit at that time The movement of the position of the user's mouth is predicted based on the output level of the amplifier 103, and the operation of updating the voice input / output unit that functions as a microphone is repeated based on the prediction result. For example, when the output level of the microphone amplifier 103 of the upper voice input / output unit is rising and the output level of the microphone amplifier 103 of the lower voice input / output unit is decreasing among the voice input / output units arranged vertically, It is predicted that the position of the user's mouth is rising, and the range of the voice input / output unit that functions as a microphone is shifted upward. According to this aspect, since the operation of intermittently repeating the speaker head position measurement is not performed during the period in which the user is speaking (that is, the period in which the other party is listening to the user's voice), The temporal change in the volume of the user's voice to be heard can be suppressed.

<Other embodiments>
In each embodiment described above, the voice input / output unit also serves as a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object facing the unit device. However, instead of using the voice input / output unit as a sensor in this way, for example, an infrared sensor or the like may be provided in each unit device, thereby detecting the presence or absence of an object facing each unit device. .

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a voice input / output device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the unit device in the embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the controller in the same embodiment. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement of the embodiment. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the same embodiment. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement of the embodiment. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the same embodiment. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the same embodiment. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the audio | voice input / output apparatus which is 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the audio | voice input / output apparatus which is 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the audio | voice input / output apparatus which is 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 200 ... Controller, 201 ... Output voice processing / control part, 202 ... Input voice processing / control part, 203 ... Switching control part, DU (i, j) (i = 1-m, j = 1-n) ... Unit device DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Voice input / output part 102 ... Speaker amplifier 103 ... Microphone amplifier 104 ... Microphone speaker switcher

Claims (3)

An audio input / output device array in which a plurality of unit devices having a function as a microphone and a function as a speaker and capable of switching control for enabling one of these functions are arranged in a plane;
Detecting means for detecting whether or not each of the plurality of unit devices is facing an object;
Among the plurality of unit devices, one or a plurality of unit devices are selected from those detected by the detection means as facing some object, and the selected unit devices are operated as microphones, and other unit devices are selected. Control means for controlling the audio input / output device array for operating at least a part of the speaker as a speaker;
A voice input / output device comprising: A voice input / output device array in which a plurality of unit devices having both a function as a microphone and a function as a speaker and capable of switching control for enabling any one of these functions are arranged in a plane;
A plurality of dispersed unit devices in the voice input / output device array generate ultrasonic waves by the function as speakers, and the reflected sound of the ultrasonic waves is distributed in the voice input / output device array as a plurality of remaining units. Sound is collected by the function of the microphone of the device, and it is detected whether or not each of the plurality of unit devices is facing any object based on the sound collection result. The audio input / output device array for selecting one or a plurality of unit devices among those recognized as being operated, operating the selected unit devices as microphones, and operating at least some of the other unit devices as speakers A voice input / output device comprising: control means for controlling   The voice input / output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit repeatedly executes control for selecting a unit device to function as the microphone.

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