JP2010103853A - Sound volume monitoring apparatus and sound volume monitoring method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a sound volume independent of a positional relationship between a speaker and a microphone. <P>SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a sound volume monitoring apparatus 100 used for an acoustic system 1 including communication devices 11 and 12 which exchange sounds with each other via a communication network 10, comprising: a direct wave sound volume calculator 102 for calculating direct wave sound volume information 132 contained in a sound collecting signal m(t) and indicating the sound volume of a direct wave 142 in a sound output from a speaker 111; a distance calculator 101 for calculating distance information 131 indicating a distance between the speaker 111 and a microphone 112; a speaker position sound volume calculator 103 for calculating speaker position sound volume information 133 indicating the sound volume of a sound, output by the speaker 111, at a position spaced apart from the speaker 111 by a predetermined distance, while using the distance information 131 and the direct wave sound volume information 132; and a transmitter 104 for transmitting the speaker position sound volume information 133 to the communication device 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a volume monitoring device and a volume monitoring method, and more particularly, to a sound system including a first voice communication terminal and a second voice communication terminal that transmit and receive voice to and from each other via a communication network. The present invention relates to a volume monitoring device that monitors the volume of sound transmitted from a second voice communication terminal and output from a first voice communication terminal.

  In the audio conference system and the video conference system, generally, the installation condition of the speaker and microphone on the partner site side, the volume setting value of the connected device, etc. are not known on the local site side. As a result, the local site cannot confirm at what volume the voice of the local site is amplified at the partner site. Therefore, for example, when a user on the local site side asks the user on the other site side, if there is no reaction from the user on the other site side, the user on the local site side correctly speaks on the other site side. It becomes uneasy because it cannot be grasped because it is loud. For this reason, there is a problem that the user on the local site side needs to confirm whether or not the voice is correctly amplified by the user on the counterpart site side.

  To deal with this problem, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which the first point side acquires the volume of the voice that is loudened on the first point side, and notifies the second point side of the acquired volume. . Specifically, the first point side uses the sound pickup signal of the microphone installed on the first point side when the voice of the user on the second point side is amplified on the first point side, Get the volume on the point side. Thereby, the user on the second point side can know the sound volume of the voice that is loud on the first point side.

  However, the collected sound signal of the microphone on the first point side is not only the voice of the user on the second point side amplified by the speaker on the first point side, but also the voice of the user on the first point side and the sound on the first point side. There is also background noise. As a result, the technique described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that it is difficult to correctly acquire only the volume of the voice of the user on the second point side.

  As a technique for solving this problem, a technique described in Patent Document 2 is known. In the technique described in Patent Document 2, the first point side uses the pseudo echo generated by the echo canceller included in the first point side to acquire the volume of the voice that is amplified on the first point side.

Here, the pseudo echo generated by the echo canceller is the sound of the user on the second point side that is amplified from the speaker installed on the first point side out of the sound included in the collected sound signal of the microphone on the first point side. Corresponds to voice. Therefore, the technique described in Patent Literature 2 can acquire only the volume of the user's voice on the first point side and the sound of the user's voice on the second point side from which the influence of background noise on the first point side is removed.
JP 2004-48329 A JP 2007-267218 A

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 2, the volume acquired from the pseudo echo is the volume at the microphone position on the first point side. That is, even when the sound with the same volume is amplified from the speaker on the first point side, different sound volumes are acquired according to the positional relationship between the speaker on the first point side and the microphone. For example, when the position of the speaker and the microphone is close, the sound volume at the microphone position increases, and when the position of the speaker and the microphone is far, the sound volume at the microphone position decreases. Thereby, the user on the second point side cannot know the quantitative sound volume that is amplified on the first point side.

  As described above, the technique described in Patent Document 2 has a problem that the acquired sound volume changes according to the positional relationship between the speaker and the microphone. The technique described in Patent Document 1 has a similar problem.

  Therefore, the present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a volume monitoring apparatus and a volume monitoring method that can acquire a volume independent of the positional relationship between a speaker and a microphone.

  In order to achieve the above object, a volume monitoring apparatus according to the present invention is used in an acoustic system including a first voice communication terminal and a second voice communication terminal that transmit and receive voice to and from each other via a communication network. , A volume monitoring device for monitoring a volume of sound transmitted from the second voice communication terminal and output from the first voice communication terminal, wherein the first voice communication terminal includes the second voice communication terminal; The sound communication terminal generates a sound collection signal by collecting the first speaker that emits sound based on the speaker input signal transmitted via the communication network, and collects the sound. A first microphone that transmits a signal to the second voice communication terminal, and the volume monitoring device outputs the signal from the first speaker at the position of the first microphone included in the collected sound signal. Directly from the sound A direct wave volume calculation unit that calculates a direct wave volume that is a volume of the first sound, a distance calculation unit that calculates a distance between the first speaker and the first microphone, and the distance calculated by the distance calculation unit The first volume is the volume of the sound output by the first speaker at a predetermined distance from the first speaker using the direct wave volume calculated by the direct wave volume calculation unit. A first volume calculation unit that calculates a volume, and a transmission unit that transmits the first volume to the second voice communication terminal via the communication network.

  According to this configuration, the volume monitoring apparatus according to the present invention can calculate the volume of the sound output from the first speaker at a predetermined distance from the first speaker. Therefore, the volume monitoring apparatus according to the present invention can acquire the volume that is loudened from the speaker without depending on the positional relationship between the speaker and the microphone. Thereby, the user of the second voice communication terminal can more accurately grasp whether or not his / her voice is properly amplified in the first voice communication terminal.

  In addition, the first sound volume calculation unit may calculate a speaker position sound volume that is a sound volume of sound output from the first speaker at the position of the first speaker as the first sound volume.

  According to this configuration, the volume monitoring device according to the present invention can calculate the volume of the sound output by the first speaker at the position of the first speaker. Therefore, the volume monitoring apparatus according to the present invention can acquire the volume that is loudened from the speaker without depending on the positional relationship between the speaker and the microphone.

  The volume monitoring device further includes an acoustic transfer characteristic calculation unit that calculates an acoustic transfer characteristic between the first speaker and the first microphone, the direct wave volume calculation unit, and the distance calculation. At least one of the units may calculate the direct wave volume or the distance using the acoustic transfer characteristic.

  According to this configuration, the volume monitoring device according to the present invention uses the acoustic transfer characteristic calculated by the echo canceller conventionally used, or the distance between the first speaker and the first microphone or the direct wave volume. Can be calculated. Thereby, the function of the volume monitoring device can be realized while suppressing the function addition (cost increase) to the first voice communication terminal.

  In addition, the distance calculation unit calculates a time delay until the sound output from the first speaker is picked up by the first microphone using the acoustic transfer characteristics, and calculates the time delay from the time delay. The distance may be calculated, and the direct wave volume calculation unit may calculate the direct wave volume using the time delay, the speaker input signal, and the acoustic transfer characteristic.

  Further, the first sound volume calculation unit outputs sound from the first speaker using the distance calculated by the distance calculation unit and the direct wave sound volume calculated by the direct wave sound volume calculation unit. A distance-by-distance volume calculation unit that calculates a plurality of distance-by-distance volumes, which are sound volumes at a plurality of positions at different distances from the first speaker, as the first volume.

  According to this configuration, the volume monitoring device according to the present invention can calculate the volume at a plurality of distances from the first speaker. That is, the volume monitoring device according to the present invention can calculate a volume closer to the volume heard by the user of the first voice communication terminal.

  The volume monitoring apparatus further includes a reverberation characteristic calculation unit that calculates a reverberation characteristic of a space in which the first speaker is installed, and the first volume calculation unit further uses the reverberation characteristic to A reverberation adjusting unit that adjusts the plurality of distance-specific volumes calculated by the distance-based sound volume calculating unit, and the transmission unit uses the plurality of distance-specific volumes adjusted by the reverberation adjusting unit as the first sound volume. Then, it may be transmitted to the second voice communication terminal via the communication network.

  According to this configuration, the volume monitoring apparatus according to the present invention can calculate the volume taking into account the reverberation characteristics, and therefore can calculate a volume closer to the volume heard by the user of the first voice communication terminal.

  The volume monitoring device further includes an acoustic transfer characteristic calculation unit that calculates an acoustic transfer characteristic between the first speaker and the first microphone, and the reverberation characteristic calculation unit includes the acoustic transfer characteristic. The reverberation characteristics may be calculated using

  According to this configuration, the sound volume monitoring apparatus according to the present invention can calculate the reverberation characteristic using the acoustic transfer characteristic calculated by the echo canceller conventionally used. Thereby, the function of the volume monitoring device can be realized while suppressing the function addition (cost increase) to the first voice communication terminal.

  The volume monitoring apparatus further includes a noise level calculation unit that calculates a noise level that is a volume of noise in the first voice communication terminal, and the first calculation unit further includes the first volume being the first volume. A noise adjustment unit that adjusts the first sound volume to a substantially silent state when the noise level is lower than the noise level, and the transmission unit transmits the first sound volume adjusted by the noise adjustment unit via the communication network. Then, it may be transmitted to the second voice communication terminal.

  According to this configuration, the volume monitoring device according to the present invention can calculate the volume in consideration of the noise in the first voice communication terminal, and thus the volume closer to the volume heard by the user of the first voice communication terminal. It can be calculated.

  In addition, the volume monitoring device further includes the first voice communication terminal via the communication network to the second voice communication terminal when the first volume is larger than a predetermined volume. You may provide the warning part which transmits the information which alert | reports that an excessive loud sound was amplified.

  According to this configuration, the sound volume monitoring apparatus according to the present invention can warn the user of the second voice communication terminal when the excessive voice is amplified in the first voice communication terminal.

  Further, the sound volume monitoring device further uses the plurality of distance sound volumes calculated by the distance sound volume calculation unit to cause the sound output from the first speaker to be equal to or higher than a predetermined sound volume. A loudspeaker area calculation unit that calculates a distance from the speaker and generates loudspeaker area information indicating the distance, and the transmitter further transmits the loudspeaker area information via the communication network to the second It may be transmitted to the voice communication terminal.

  According to this configuration, the volume monitoring device according to the present invention can notify the voice communication terminal of the range in which the voice is heard in the first voice communication terminal. Thereby, the user of the second voice communication terminal can easily grasp whether his / her voice is heard by the user of the first voice communication terminal.

  The first microphone generates a sound collecting signal having directivity, and the sound volume monitoring device further performs non-directing on the sound collecting signal having directivity generated by the first microphone. The direct wave volume calculating unit may include a directing unit, and the direct wave volume calculating unit may calculate the direct wave volume included in the collected sound signal made omnidirectional by the omnidirectional unit.

  According to this configuration, even when the first microphone has directivity, the volume monitoring device according to the present invention can acquire the volume that is loudened from the speaker without depending on the positional relationship between the speaker and the microphone.

  The present invention can be realized not only as such a volume monitoring device but also as a volume monitoring method using characteristic means included in the volume monitoring device as a step, or such a characteristic step in a computer. It can also be realized as a program to be executed. Needless to say, such a program can be distributed via a recording medium such as a CD-ROM and a transmission medium such as the Internet.

  Furthermore, the present invention can be realized as a semiconductor integrated circuit (LSI) that realizes part or all of the functions of such a volume monitoring device, or an audio communication terminal, audio conference terminal, or It can be realized as a video conference terminal, or can be realized as an audio system, a voice conference system, or a video conference system including such a voice communication terminal, a voice conference terminal, or a video conference terminal.

  As described above, the present invention can provide a volume monitoring device and a volume monitoring method that can acquire a volume independent of the positional relationship between the speaker and the microphone.

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

(Embodiment 1)
The volume monitoring apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention calculates the volume of sound output by the speaker at the position where the speaker is installed. Thereby, the volume monitoring apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention can acquire a quantitative volume that does not depend on the positional relationship between the speaker and the microphone.

  First, the configuration of an acoustic system including a volume monitoring device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an acoustic system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
The acoustic system 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a communication device 11 installed at a first location, a communication device 12 installed at a second location, and a communication network 10. The communication device 11 and the communication device 12 are connected via the communication network 10. The communication device 11 and the communication device 12 are voice communication terminals, and transmit and receive real-time voice to and from each other via the communication network 10.

The communication device 11 includes a speaker 111 and a microphone 112.
The speaker 111 outputs sound based on the speaker input signal s (t) transmitted from the communication device 12 via the communication network 10.

  The microphone 112 collects sound around the communication device 11 to generate a sound collection signal m (t). Further, the microphone 112 transmits the sound collection signal m (t) to the communication device 12 via the communication network 10. In addition, the collected sound signal m (t) is generated by the user 120 of the communication device 12, which is output by the speaker 111, such as a sound emitted by the user 110 of the communication device 11, noise around the communication device 11, and the like. Audio.

The communication device 12 includes a speaker 121 and a microphone 122.
The speaker 121 outputs a sound based on the collected sound signal m (t) transmitted from the communication device 11 via the communication network 10.

  The microphone 122 collects sound around the communication device 12 to generate a sound collection signal. Further, the microphone 122 transmits the collected sound signal as a speaker input signal s (t) to the communication device 11 via the communication network 10. In addition, the sound collection signal includes a sound uttered by the user 120 of the communication device 12, a noise around the communication device 12, and a sound uttered by the user 110 of the communication device 11 that is output from the speaker 121. included.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of volume monitoring apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 2, the communication device 11 includes a volume monitoring device 100.

  The volume monitoring device 100 monitors the volume at which the voice transmitted from the communication device 12 is output by the communication device 11. In other words, the volume monitoring device 100 monitors the volume of the sound uttered by the user 120 of the communication device 12 at the communication device 11. Specifically, the volume monitoring apparatus 100 calculates the volume of the sound output from the speaker 111 at the position where the speaker 111 is installed, and transmits the calculated volume to the communication apparatus 12.

  This volume monitoring apparatus 100 includes a distance calculation unit 101, a direct wave volume calculation unit 102, a speaker position volume calculation unit 103, and a transmission unit 104.

  The distance calculation unit 101 calculates distance information 131 indicating the distance between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112 using the speaker input signal s (t) and the sound pickup signal m (t).

  In the direct wave volume calculation unit 102, the microphone 112 included in the sound pickup signal m (t) is installed using the speaker input signal s (t), the sound pickup signal m (t), and the distance information 131. The direct wave volume information 132 indicating the volume of the direct wave in the sound output from the speaker 111 at the selected position is calculated.

  Here, the direct wave is typically the sound that is directly input to the microphone 112 without being reflected by a reflector (wall) or the like, out of the sound output from the speaker 111.

  The speaker position volume calculation unit 103 uses the direct wave volume information 132 and the distance information 131 to calculate the speaker position volume information 133 that is the volume of the sound that is loudened by the speaker 111 at the position where the speaker 111 is installed. .

  The transmission unit 104 transmits the speaker position volume information 133 to the communication device 12 via the communication network 10.

The communication device 12 further includes a receiving unit 105 and a display unit 106.
The receiving unit 105 receives the speaker position volume information 133 transmitted from the transmitting unit 104 via the communication network 10.

  The display unit 106 is a display or the like that displays the volume at the position of the speaker 111 indicated by the speaker position volume information 133 received by the receiving unit 105. For example, the display unit 106 displays the volume indicated by the speaker position volume information 133 as a numerical value or a video (such as a meter).

  Here, for the sake of simplicity, an example will be described in which only communication device 11 includes volume monitoring device 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, but communication device 12 may also include volume monitoring device 100. In addition, the communication device 11 may include the receiving unit 105 and the display unit 106.

Hereinafter, the operation of the volume monitoring apparatus 100 configured as described above will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations performed by the volume monitoring device 100.

  First, the distance calculation unit 101 calculates distance information 131 indicating the distance between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112 using the speaker input signal s (t) and the sound collection signal m (t) (S101). . Here, the distance information 131 is information indicating the relative relationship between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112, specifically, the distance between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112, and the sound wave between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112. Including at least one of the time delays.

Specifically, the distance calculation unit 101 calculates the time delay of the sound wave between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112 using the following formulas (1) and (2). That is, the distance calculation unit 101, by obtaining the time delay tau _max to be c (tau) is maximum as shown in the following formula (2), the time delay tau _max of the sound wave between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112 calculate. Here, c (τ) is an absolute value of a correlation function between the speaker input signal s (t) and the sound pickup signal m (t) as shown in the equation (1).

In the above formula (1), <•> _t represents an average value with respect to time t.
The distance calculation unit 101, a distance d _m between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112, by using the sampling frequency F _s and the sound velocity V _s and the time delay tau _max, is calculated by the following equation (3).

The distance calculation unit 101, a distance d _m of the speaker 111 and the microphone 112 may be calculated from a camera image captured by a camera (not shown) to the communication apparatus 11 is provided.

The distance calculation unit 101, the time delay tau _max between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112, the distance d _m calculated by using the camera image, the equation (3) may be calculated using the.

  Next, the direct wave volume calculation unit 102 uses the speaker input signal s (t), the collected sound signal m (t), and the distance information 131 to calculate direct wave volume information 132 indicating the volume of the direct wave. (S102).

  Here, in the communication device 11, the speaker input signal s (t) transmitted from the communication device 12 is amplified from the speaker 111. The amplified sound is picked up by the microphone 112 through a plurality of paths including a direct path from the speaker 111 to the microphone 112 and a path reflecting on a reflector, a wall, a ceiling, a floor, and the like.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a situation in which the sound amplified by the speaker 111 is collected by the microphone 112. As shown in FIG. 4, the sound collected by the microphone 112 is amplified by the speaker 111, and the sound corresponding to the direct wave 142 input directly to the microphone 112 without being reflected by the reflector 141 or the like and the reflector And the sound corresponding to the reflected wave 143 input to the microphone 112 after being reflected by 141 or the like.

  Note that the direct wave 142 is not limited to sound that has propagated linearly along the shortest path between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112. For example, when a wall or an obstacle is disposed between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112, the direct wave is not collected, so that the volume monitoring device 100 can approximate the wall or Of the sound collected by the microphone 112 while bypassing an obstacle, the sound propagated through the shortest path between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112 is used. In other words, the direct wave used here is the sound first input to the microphone 112 out of the sound output from the speaker 111, and the volume of the microphone 112 out of the sound output from the speaker 111 is Make the loudest voice.

  Similarly, the distance indicated by the distance information 131 is not limited to the straight line distance between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112, and when a wall or an obstacle is disposed between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112. The distance is the length of the shortest path among the paths of the sound collected by the microphone 112 bypassing the wall or obstacle. In other words, the distance indicated by the distance information 131 is the length of the path through which the direct wave 142 propagates.

The direct wave volume calculation unit 102 calculates the direct wave volume information 132 using the speaker input signal s (t), the sound collection signal m (t), and the time delay τ _max . Specifically, the direct wave volume information 132 includes a direct wave signal s _d (t) that is an audio signal corresponding to the direct wave 142 and a direct wave signal sound pressure P _d that is a sound pressure of the direct wave 142. .

FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating an example of a speaker input signal s (t) that is amplified by the speaker 111. FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating an example of the direct wave signal s _d (t) collected by the microphone 112.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the direct wave signal s _d (t) corresponding to the direct wave 142 is picked up by the microphone 112 with a delay of time delay τ _max from the speaker input signal s (t). In addition, the collected sound signal m (t) collected by the microphone 112 includes a direct wave signal s _d (t) corresponding to the direct wave 142 and a plurality of reflected wave signals 153 corresponding to the plurality of reflected waves 143. Is included.

Specifically, the direct wave volume calculation unit 102 separates a signal corresponding to the direct wave 142 from the collected sound signal m (t) using the following equation (4), thereby obtaining a direct wave signal s. _d (t) is calculated. Further, the direct wave volume calculation unit 102 calculates the direct wave signal sound pressure P _d from the calculated direct wave signal s _d (t) using the following equation (5).

Actually, τ _max may slightly fluctuate and change due to various factors such as the influence of a path change due to an obstacle, the influence of a path change due to a wind or temperature change, and the influence of a sampling frequency. In order to mitigate these effects, the direct wave signal s _d (t) may be calculated with a data time margin of N points corresponding to several ms to several tens of ms as shown in Equation (6).

  Next, the speaker position volume calculation unit 103 uses the direct wave volume information 132 and the distance information 131, and the speaker position volume information that is the volume of the sound that is loudened by the speaker 111 at the position where the speaker 111 is installed. 133 is calculated (S103).

Here, the sound amplified by the speaker 111 corresponding to the speaker input signal s (t) is attenuated with the distance, and at the position of the microphone 112, the time characteristic indicated by the equation (4) and the sound pressure indicated by the equation (5) are obtained. Sound is picked up by level. Therefore, the speaker of the speaker position volume calculation unit 103, the direct wave volume information 132 (direct wave signal s _d (t), and direct wave signal sound pressure P _d), the position of the speaker 111 by using the distance d _m The position volume information 133 can be calculated. Here, the position of the speaker 111 is a position where the distance attenuation characteristic of the sound amplified by the speaker 111 starts to satisfy the relationship that it is inversely proportional to the distance. In the following description, the distance from the installation position of the speaker unit corresponding to the speaker 111 to the position where the relationship of being inversely proportional to this distance starts to be satisfied is referred to as d _s [m]. That is, the distance from the installation position of the speaker unit corresponding to the speaker 111 to the microphone 112 becomes d _m -d _s.

The speaker position sound volume information 133 includes a speaker position signal sp (t) that is an audio signal at the position of the speaker 111 and a speaker position signal sound pressure _Psp that is a signal sound pressure at the position of the speaker 111. Speaker position volume calculation unit 103, the direct wave signal s _d (t), by using the distance d _m, by the following equation (7), calculates a speaker position signal sp (t). That is, the speaker position volume calculation unit 103 calculates the speaker position signal sp (t) by multiplying the direct wave signal s _d (t) by the ratio d _m / d _s .

The speaker positions volume calculation unit 103 uses the direct wave signal sound pressure P _d, the distance d _m, by the following equation (8), calculates the speaker position signal sound pressure P _sp.

  Next, the transmission unit 104 transmits the speaker position volume information 133 calculated by the speaker position volume calculation unit 103 to the communication device 12 via the communication network 10 (S104).

  As described above, the volume monitoring apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention can acquire the volume that is loudened by the speaker 111 at the position of the speaker 111 and notify the communication apparatus 12 of the acquired volume. That is, the volume monitoring apparatus 100 can acquire a volume that does not depend on the positional relationship between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112. As a result, the user 120 of the communication device 12 can quantitatively grasp whether or not his / her voice is correctly amplified in the communication device 11.

  In the above description, the case where the sound is monaural has been described, but the present invention can also be applied to a case where there are two or more channels, that is, a plurality of speakers 111. That is, the volume monitoring apparatus 100 may calculate the speaker position volume information 133 for each speaker 111.

The speaker location volume information 133, the direct wave signal s _d (t), and may include only one of the direct wave signal sound pressure P _d. Similarly, the distance information 131 may include only one of the time delay tau _max and distance d _m. Moreover, the direct wave volume information 132 may include only one of the direct wave signal s _d (t) and the direct wave signal sound pressure P _d .

The speaker position sound volume information 133 may be information created using at least one of the direct wave signal s _d (t) and the direct wave signal sound pressure P _d . For example, the speaker position volume information 133 may be data of an image (such as a meter) that visually indicates the volume at the position of the speaker 111.

(Embodiment 2)
In the volume monitoring apparatus 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the distance calculation unit 201 and the direct wave volume calculation unit 202 use the acoustic transfer characteristics between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112, and the distance information 131 and the direct wave volume. Information 132 is calculated.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of volume monitoring apparatus 200 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Elements similar to those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  As illustrated in FIG. 6, the volume monitoring apparatus 200 includes an acoustic transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 in addition to the configuration of the volume monitoring apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. Further, the volume monitoring apparatus 200 differs from the volume monitoring apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1 in the configuration of the distance calculation unit 201 and the direct wave volume calculation unit 202.

  The sound transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 calculates the sound transfer characteristic 237 between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112 using the speaker input signal s (t) and the sound collection signal m (t). Specifically, the acoustic transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 estimates the acoustic transfer characteristic 237 using an echo canceller. For example, the acoustic transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 amplifies the sound from the speaker 111 by generating a pseudo speaker input signal s (t) in order to estimate the acoustic transfer characteristic 237. Furthermore, the sound transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 estimates the sound transfer characteristic 237 using the sound collection signal m (t) obtained by collecting the sound with the microphone 112.

  The echo canceller is used when removing echoes in a conventional communication device, and a part of the function of the echo canceller is used in the volume monitoring device 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, the function addition (cost increase) of the communication device 11 can be suppressed.

Here, the operation of the echo canceller will be briefly described.
The echo canceller removes a signal corresponding to the voice amplified by the speaker 111 from the collected sound signal m (t) collected by the microphone 112. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the voice amplified by the speaker 111 from being amplified again by the communication device 12. In other words, the echo canceller prevents echo and howling by canceling the sound that circulates from the speaker 111 to the microphone 112.

  Specifically, the echo canceller first estimates an echo transfer characteristic that is a transfer characteristic of the echo path, using the speaker input signal s (t). Next, the echo canceller multiplies the speaker input signal s (t) by the estimated echo transfer characteristic, so that the sound is amplified by the speaker 111 included in the collected sound signal m (t) collected by the microphone 112. The pseudo echo that is a signal corresponding to the voice is estimated. Next, the echo canceller subtracts the pseudo echo from the collected sound signal m (t), thereby removing the signal corresponding to the sound amplified by the speaker 111 from the collected sound signal m (t).

The acoustic transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 outputs the echo transfer characteristic estimated by the echo canceller as the acoustic transfer characteristic 237 to the distance calculation unit 201 and the direct wave volume calculation unit 202.
The distance calculation unit 201 calculates distance information 131 using the acoustic transfer characteristic 237.

  The direct wave volume calculation unit 202 calculates the direct wave volume information 132 using the acoustic transfer characteristic 237.

  FIG. 7 shows the acoustic transfer characteristic 237 represented by a finite impulse response, where the horizontal axis represents time τ and the vertical axis represents amplitude h (τ). As shown in FIG. 7, the amplitude peak 162 is the amplitude of the direct wave 142. The next peak 163 and the peak appearing after the peak 163 have an amplitude corresponding to each of the plurality of reflected waves 143, that is, an amplitude corresponding to reverberation characteristics.

Hereinafter, the operation of the volume monitoring apparatus 200 will be described.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations performed by the volume monitoring apparatus 200.

  First, the sound transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 calculates the sound transfer characteristic 237 between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112 using the speaker input signal s (t) and the sound collection signal m (t) (S201). .

Next, the distance calculation unit 201 calculates the distance information 131 using the acoustic transfer characteristic 237 estimated by the acoustic transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 (S202). Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the time of the peak 162 that is the amplitude of the direct wave 142 is the time delay τ _max between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112. Therefore, the distance calculation unit 201 can calculate the time delay τ _max by the following equation (9) using the acoustic transfer characteristic h (τ). That is, the distance calculation unit 201 calculates the time delay τ _max by calculating the time until the amplitude peak appears in the acoustic transfer characteristics.

The distance calculation unit 101, a distance d _m of the speaker 111 and the microphone 112, by using the sampling frequency F _s and the sound velocity V _s and the time delay tau _max, is calculated by the equation (3).

Next, the direct wave volume calculation unit 202 calculates the direct wave volume information 132 using the acoustic transfer characteristic h (τ) (S203). Specifically, the direct wave volume calculation unit 202 uses the speaker input signal s (t), the acoustic transfer characteristic h (τ), and the time delay τ _max to calculate the direct wave signal s _d ( t) is calculated. That is, the direct wave volume calculation unit 202 multiplies the peak of the acoustic transfer characteristic h (τ) by the speaker input signal s (t) at the time before the time delay τ _max to thereby generate the direct wave signal s _d ( t) is calculated.

Although it calculates the direct wave signal s _d (t) on the basis of the data of one point of the above formula (10) in tau _max, by utilizing the data of N points corresponding to the front and rear number 10ms of tau _max The direct wave signal s _d (t) may be calculated from the following equation (11).

  Next, the speaker position sound volume calculation unit 103 calculates the speaker position sound volume information 133 using the direct wave sound volume information 132 and the distance information 131 as in the first embodiment (S204).

  Next, the transmission unit 104 transmits the speaker position volume information 133 calculated by the speaker position volume calculation unit 103 to the communication device 12 via the communication network 10 (S205).

  As described above, the volume monitoring apparatus 200 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention acquires and acquires the volume independent of the positional relationship between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112, as in the volume monitoring apparatus 200 according to Embodiment 1. The communication device 12 can be notified of the sound volume. As a result, the user 120 of the communication device 12 can quantitatively grasp whether or not his / her voice is correctly amplified in the communication device 11.

  Furthermore, the volume monitoring apparatus 200 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention calculates the distance information 131 and the direct wave volume information 132 using the acoustic transfer characteristic 237 calculated by the echo canceller. Thereby, the volume monitoring apparatus 200 can suppress the function addition (cost increase) to the communication apparatus 11.

  In the above description, both the distance calculation unit 201 and the direct wave volume calculation unit 202 have been described using the acoustic transfer characteristic 237, but only one of the distance calculation unit 201 and the direct wave volume calculation unit 202 is an acoustic signal. A transfer characteristic 237 may be used.

  In the above description, the case where the sound is monaural has been described. However, even when there are two or more channels, that is, when there are a plurality of speakers 111, the sound transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 calculates the multi-channel sound transfer characteristic 237, and the distance The calculation unit 201 and the direct wave volume calculation unit 202 can calculate the distance information 131 and the direct wave volume information 132 for each speaker 111 by using the multi-channel acoustic transfer characteristic 237.

(Embodiment 3)
Volume monitoring apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention is a modification of volume monitoring apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1, and calculates the volume at a predetermined distance from the position of speaker 111.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram of volume monitoring apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The volume monitoring apparatus 300 shown in FIG. 9 includes a distance-based volume calculation unit 308 in addition to the configuration of the volume monitoring apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. Elements similar to those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  The distance-based sound volume calculation unit 308 uses the speaker position sound volume information 133 to calculate distance-based sound volume information 338 that is the sound volume at a plurality of positions at different distances from the speaker 111 of the sound output from the speaker 111. For example, the volume information 338 by distance is the volume of the sound that is amplified by the speaker 111 at a predetermined distance from the position of the speaker 111.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the sound volume monitoring apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Note that the processing in steps S301 to S303 shown in FIG. 10 is the same as the processing in steps S101 to S103 shown in FIG.

After step S303, the sound volume calculation unit 308 by distance calculates the sound volume information 338 by distance using the speaker position sound volume information 133 (S304). Here, the volume information 338 by distance is
A distance-specific signal sp _r (t) that is an audio signal amplified by the speaker 111 at a point away from the speaker 111 and a sound pressure level at a point that is r [m] away from the speaker 111 Signal sound pressure _Pr .

Specifically, the distance-specific volume calculation unit 308 calculates the distance-specific signal sp _r (t) using the speaker position signal sp (t) according to the following equation (12). That is, the distance-specific sound volume calculation unit 308 calculates the distance-specific signal sp _r (t) by dividing the speaker position signal sp (t) by the distance r.

The distance by volume calculation unit 308 calculates the distance-signal sound pressure P _r by the following formula (13) using the direct wave signal sound pressure P _d and the distance d _m.

  Next, the transmission unit 104 transmits the distance-specific volume information 338 calculated by the distance-specific volume calculation unit 308 to the communication device 12 via the communication network 10 (S305).

  The receiving unit 105 of the communication device 12 receives the volume information 338 according to distance transmitted by the transmitting unit 104. The display unit 106 displays the distance-specific volume indicated by the distance-specific volume information 338 received by the reception unit 105 as a numerical value or a video (distribution map or the like).

  As described above, the volume monitoring apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention acquires the volume that is loudened from the speaker 111 for each distance from the speaker 111 and does not depend on the positional relationship between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112. The communication device 12 can be notified of the acquired volume for each distance. As a result, the user 120 of the communication device 12 can quantitatively grasp whether or not his / her voice is correctly amplified in the communication device 11.

  Furthermore, since not only the volume at the position of the speaker 111 but also the volume according to the distance from the speaker 111 is displayed on the communication device 12, the user 120 of the communication device 12 can be heard more by the user 110 of the communication device 11. The volume close to the volume can be grasped.

  In the above description, the volume-by-distance calculation unit 308 calculates a plurality of distance-by-distance volume information 338 for each predetermined distance from the position of the speaker 111, but for each distance at a predetermined distance from the speaker 111. Only the volume information 338 may be calculated.

  Further, the volume-by-distance calculation unit 308 may calculate a plurality of distance-by-distance volume information 338 at an arbitrary plurality of distances from the position of the speaker 111.

Moreover, the volume information 338 by distance may include speaker position volume information 133.
The distance-specific volume information 338 may include only one of the distance-specific signal sp _r (t) and the distance-specific signal sound pressure _Pr . The distance-specific volume information 338 may be data created using at least one of the distance-specific signal sp _r (t) and the distance-specific signal sound pressure _Pr . For example, the speaker position volume information 133 may be data of an image (distribution map or the like) that visually indicates the volume for each distance.

  In the above description, the volume monitoring apparatus 200 calculates the speaker position volume information 133 and then calculates the distance volume information 338 using the speaker position volume information 133. However, the above formula (12) and formula As shown in (13), the distance-specific volume information 338 may be directly calculated using the distance information 131 and the direct wave volume information 132.

(Embodiment 4)
Volume monitoring device 400 according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention is a modification of volume monitoring device 300 according to Embodiment 3, and further adjusts volume-specific volume information 338 in consideration of the effects of reverberation and noise. To do.

  FIG. 11 is a block diagram of volume monitoring apparatus 400 according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. In addition to the configuration of volume monitoring apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 3, volume monitoring apparatus 400 shown in FIG. 11 further includes reverberation characteristic calculation section 409, noise level calculation section 410, and volume-by-distance adjustment section 411. Prepare. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the element similar to FIG. 9, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The reverberation characteristic calculation unit 409 calculates the reverberation characteristic 439 of the space in which the speaker 111 is installed, using the speaker input signal s (t) and the sound collection signal m (t).

  The noise level calculation unit 410 generates a noise level 440 using the collected sound signal m (t). The noise level 440 is the volume of noise in the communication device 11, in other words, the volume of noise included in the collected sound signal m (t).

  The distance-by-distance volume adjusting unit 411 generates the adjustment-distance-by-distance volume information 441 by adjusting the distance-by-distance volume information 338 using the reverberation characteristics 439 and the noise level 440. Specifically, the volume control unit 411 for each distance generates volume information 441 for each adjustment distance that is closer to the actual volume by adding a reverberation component to the volume information 338 for each distance corresponding to only the direct wave 142. . Also, the distance-by-distance volume adjustment unit 411 adjusts the distance-by-distance sound volume substantially silent when the distance-by-distance volume information 338 is equal to or lower than the noise level 440. In other words, the sound volume adjusting unit 411 for each distance sets the sound volume information 338 for each distance by substantially reducing the sound volume in the time interval of the sound volume of the noise level 440 or less among the sounds included in the sound information 338 for each distance. adjust.

The operation of the volume monitoring device 400 configured as described above will be described.
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the volume monitoring device 400. Note that the processing in steps S401 to S404 shown in FIG. 12 is the same as the processing in steps S301 to S304 shown in FIG.

After step S404, the reverberation characteristic calculation unit 409 calculates the reverberation characteristic 439 using the speaker input signal s (t) and the collected sound signal m (t) (S405). The reverberation characteristic 439 includes at least one of a ratio α between the direct wave 142 and the reverberation component and a reverberation signal s _rev (t) that is an audio signal corresponding to the reverberation component. Here, the reverberation component is a signal component that reaches the microphone after being reflected more than once on the wall, floor, or object.

First, the reverberation characteristic calculation unit 409 calculates the ratio α by the following equation (14) using the speaker input signal s (t), the sound collection signal m (t), and the time delay τ _max of the direct wave 142. . As shown in the following formula (14), the ratio α can be calculated by using a correlation function of the speaker input signal s (t) and the sound pickup signal m (t).

Note that τ _rev in the equation (14) is a time delay of the reverberation component. In addition, the reverberation component has a smaller sound pressure than the direct wave 142 and is easily affected by slight environmental fluctuations, and therefore the amplitude value tends to fluctuate. Therefore, it is also effective to calculate the ratio α using the average value as in the following formulas (15) and (16).

Here, N in the equations (15) and (16) is a time interval in which the average value is taken, and is a data length corresponding to a time of about several ms to 100 ms. In addition, the reverberation characteristic calculation unit 409 can calculate the reverberation signal s _rev (t), which is an audio signal corresponding to the reverberation component, using the ratio α, according to the following equation (17). That is, the reverberation characteristic calculation unit 409 can calculate the reverberation signal s _rev (t) by multiplying the direct wave signal s _d (t) by the ratio α.

Next, the distance-specific volume adjustment unit 411 adjusts the distance-specific volume information 338 using the reverberation characteristic 439 (S406). Specifically, the sound volume adjustment unit 411 for each distance uses the signal for each distance sp _r (t) and the reverberation signal s _rev (t), and the signal for each reverberation adjustment distance sp _r (t) according to the following equation (18). ) 'Is calculated. That is, the distance-specific volume adjustment unit 411 calculates the reverberation-adjusted distance-specific signal sp _r (t) ′ by adding the distance-specific signal sp _r (t) and the reverberation signal s _rev (t).

The distance by volume adjusting unit 411, by using the ratio α and the direct wave signal sound pressure P _d and the distance d _m, to calculate the reverberation adjustment distance-signal sound pressure P _r 'by the following equation (19).

Further, the noise level calculation unit 410 generates a noise level 440 using the collected sound signal m (t) (S407). Specifically, the noise level is a noise signal m _n (t), which is a sound collection signal m (t) in the non-speech section shown in the following equation (20), and a sound pressure of the noise signal m _n (t). Including a certain noise signal sound pressure P _n . Here, the non-speech section is a section in which voice is not collected by the communication device 11. That is, the non-speech section is a section in which neither the user 110 of the communication device 11 nor the user 120 of the communication device 12 is speaking. The noise signal sound pressure P _n is the sound pressure of the sound collection signal m (t) in the non-speech section. Specifically, the noise level calculation unit 410 calculates the noise signal sound pressure P _n using the mean value of the squares of the noise signal m _n (t) as shown in the following equation (21).

  In the above description, the example in which the noise signal is calculated using the collected sound signal m (t) in the section where the user 110 of the communication device 11 and the user 120 of the communication device 12 are not speaking has been described. An echo canceller output signal in a section where only the user 110 is not speaking may be used.

Next, the volume control unit 411 for each distance calculates the volume information 441 for each adjustment distance by adjusting the volume information 338 for each distance using the noise level 440 (S408). Here, of the sound that is amplified by the speaker 111, the sound that can be heard by the user 110 is a sound having a sound pressure higher than the noise signal sound pressure _Pn . Thus, the distance-specific volume adjustment unit 411 uses the noise level 440 to limit the distance-specific volume information.

The volume information 441 by adjustment distance includes a signal sp _r (t) ″ by adjustment distance and a signal sound pressure P _r ″ by adjustment distance.

Specifically, the sound volume adjustment unit 411 for each distance uses the noise signal m _n (t) and the signal for each reverberation adjustment distance sp _r (t) ′, and the sound signal sp for each correction distance according to the following equation (22). _r (t) '' is calculated. That is, the sound volume adjusting unit 411 for each distance substantially eliminates the sound signal in the time interval having an amplitude smaller than the noise signal m _n (t) among the sound signals included in the signal for each reverberation adjusting distance sp _r (t) ′. Thus, the audio signal sp _r (t) ″ for each correction distance is calculated.

The distance by volume adjusting unit 411, the noise signal sound pressure P _n and reverberation adjustment distance-signal sound pressure P _r 'using the, by the following equation (23), the correction distance-audio signal sound pressure P _r' ' Is calculated. That is, the sound volume adjustment unit 411 for each distance sets the signal sound pressure P _r 'for each reverberation adjustment distance to substantially zero when the signal sound pressure P _r ' for each reverberation adjustment distance is smaller than the noise signal sound pressure P _n. Then, the sound signal sound pressure P _r ″ for each correction distance is calculated.

  Next, the transmission unit 104 transmits the volume information 441 by adjustment distance calculated by the volume adjustment unit 411 by distance to the communication device 12 via the communication network 10 (S409).

  The reception unit 105 of the communication device 12 receives the volume information 441 by adjustment distance transmitted by the transmission unit 104. The display unit 106 displays the volume for each distance indicated by the volume information 441 for each adjustment distance received by the reception unit 105 as a numerical value or a video (distribution map or the like).

  As described above, the volume monitoring apparatus 400 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention can calculate the volume in consideration of the effects of reverberation and noise, and thus acquires and acquires a volume that more closely matches the volume actually heard by the user. The volume can be transmitted to the communication device 12.

  In the above description, the distance-dependent volume adjustment unit 411 adjusts the distance-specific volume information 338 using the reverberation characteristics 439 (S406), and further adjusts using the noise level 440 (S408). However, the sound volume adjusting unit 411 for each distance may adjust the sound volume information 338 for each distance using the noise level 440 (S408) and then adjusting the sound level information 338 using the noise level 440 (S408).

  Further, the sound volume adjustment unit 411 according to distance may perform only one of the adjustment using the reverberation characteristic 439 and the adjustment using the noise level 440 with respect to the sound volume information 338 according to distance.

Specifically, when the distance-specific volume adjustment unit 411 performs only the adjustment using the noise level 440 on the distance-specific volume information 338, the distance-specific volume adjustment unit 411 calculates the adjustment distance-specific signal sp _r ( t) ″ and the signal sound pressure P _r ″ for each adjustment distance are expressed by the following equations (24) and (25).

Note that the adjustment distance-specific volume information 441 may include only one of the adjustment distance-specific signal sp _r (t) ″ and the adjustment distance-specific signal sound pressure P _r ″. Similarly, the reverberation characteristic 439 may include only one of the ratio α and the reverberation signal s _rev (t). In addition, the noise level 440 may include only one of the noise signal m _n (t) and the noise signal sound pressure P _n .

  Further, the sound volume monitoring apparatus 100 or 200 according to the first or second embodiment may further include a noise level calculation unit 410 and a sound volume adjustment unit 411 for each distance. In other words, the sound volume adjustment unit 411 for each distance may perform adjustment using the noise level 440 described above on the speaker position sound volume information 133.

(Embodiment 5)
A volume monitoring apparatus 500 according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention is a modification of the volume monitoring apparatus 400 according to Embodiment 4, and has an acoustic transfer characteristic 237 similar to the volume monitoring apparatus 200 according to Embodiment 2. The reverberation characteristic 439 is estimated by using it.

  FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a configuration of volume monitoring apparatus 500 according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. Elements similar to those in FIGS. 6 and 11 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 13, volume monitoring apparatus 500 further includes an acoustic transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 in addition to the configuration of volume monitoring apparatus 400 according to Embodiment 4. Further, in the volume monitoring device 500, the configuration of the distance calculation unit 201, the direct wave volume calculation unit 202, and the reverberation characteristic calculation unit 509 is different from the volume monitoring device 400 according to the fourth embodiment.

  Note that the configurations of the acoustic transfer characteristic calculation unit 207, the distance calculation unit 201, and the direct wave volume calculation unit 202 are the same as those in the second embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  Here, as in the second embodiment, the acoustic transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 can be realized by using a part of functions of an echo canceller that has been conventionally used. Therefore, volume monitoring apparatus 500 according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention can suppress the function addition (cost increase) of communication apparatus 11.

  The reverberation characteristic calculation unit 509 calculates the reverberation characteristic 439 using the acoustic transfer characteristic 237. Specifically, the reverberation characteristic calculation unit 509 uses the acoustic transfer characteristic h (τ) to calculate the ratio α between the direct wave 142 and the reverberation component according to the following equation (26), equation (27), or equation (28). Is calculated.

In addition, the reverberation characteristic calculation unit 509 calculates the reverberation signal s _rev (t) by the following equation (29) using the acoustic transfer characteristic h (τ).

The above formula (29) in was calculated reverberation signal s _rev (t) on the basis of the data of one point of tau _rev, by utilizing the data of N points corresponding to the front and rear number ms~ number 100ms of tau _rev You may calculate like Formula (30).

  From the above, the sound volume monitoring apparatus 500 according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention calculates the reverberation characteristic 439 using the acoustic transfer characteristic 237 calculated by the echo canceller conventionally used. Thereby, the volume monitoring apparatus 500 can suppress the function addition (cost increase) to the communication apparatus 11.

  In the above description, the distance calculation unit 201, the direct wave volume calculation unit 202, and the reverberation characteristic calculation unit 509 all use the acoustic transfer characteristic 237. However, the distance calculation unit 201, direct wave volume calculation One or more of the unit 202 and the reverberation characteristic calculation unit 509 may use the acoustic transfer characteristic 237.

  In the above description, the case where the sound is monaural has been described. However, even when there are two or more channels, that is, when there are a plurality of speakers 111, the sound transfer characteristic calculation unit 207 calculates the multi-channel sound transfer characteristics 237, and the reverberation. The characteristic calculation unit 509 can calculate the reverberation characteristic 439 for each speaker 111 by using the multi-channel acoustic transfer characteristic 237.

(Embodiment 6)
Volume monitoring apparatus 600 according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention is a modification of volume monitoring apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1, and in addition to the function of volume monitoring apparatus 100, the sound that is loudened by speaker 111 is predetermined. When the volume is higher than the volume, the communication device 12 has a function of sending a warning.

  FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a configuration of volume monitoring apparatus 600 according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention. Elements similar to those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  A volume monitoring apparatus 600 shown in FIG. 14 includes a warning unit 612 in addition to the configuration of the volume monitoring apparatus 100.

  The warning unit 612 determines whether or not the volume indicated by the speaker position volume information 133 calculated by the speaker position volume calculation unit 103 is equal to or higher than a predetermined volume. Further, when the warning unit 612 determines that the volume indicated by the speaker position volume information 133 is equal to or higher than the predetermined volume, the volume of the sound amplified by the speaker 111 via the transmission unit 104 and the communication network 10 is increased. Warning information 642 indicating that the volume is above a predetermined level is transmitted to the communication device 12. In other words, the warning information 642 is information that warns that an excessive sound has been amplified in the communication device 11.

  With the above configuration, the volume monitoring device 600 according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention allows the communication device 12 to communicate with the communication device 12 when the sound transmitted from the communication device 12 is loudly louded by the speaker 111. A warning can be notified.

  The transmitting unit 104 may transmit both the speaker position volume information 133 and the warning information 642 to the communication device 12 or may transmit only the warning information 642 to the communication device 12.

  In the above description, the volume monitoring apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment further includes the warning unit 612. However, the volume monitoring apparatuses 200 to 500 according to the second to fifth embodiments further include a warning. A portion 612 may be provided. In other words, the warning unit 612 may transmit the warning information 642 to the communication device 12 when the volume at the predetermined distance r from the speaker 111 is equal to or higher than the predetermined volume.

(Embodiment 7)
A volume monitoring apparatus 700 according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention is a modification of the volume monitoring apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1, and a plurality of sound collection signals 742a collected by directional microphones 712a and 712b and After converting 742b into an omnidirectional sound pickup signal m (t), the volume at the speaker position is calculated using the converted sound pickup signal m (t).

  FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration of volume monitoring apparatus 700 according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention. Elements similar to those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  A volume monitoring apparatus 700 shown in FIG. 15 further includes an omnidirectional unit 713 in addition to the configuration of the volume monitoring apparatus 100. The communication device 11 also includes a plurality of microphones 712a and 712b having variable directivities.

  The omnidirectional unit 713 generates a sound collection signal m (t) by making the sound collection signals 742a and 742b having directivity collected by the microphones 712a and 712b omnidirectional. For example, in the case of a microphone system that collects omnidirectional sound with a plurality of directional microphones, the omnidirectional unit 713 collects the sound collected from each microphone with sound pressure equal to the sound from each direction. The sound pickup signal m (t) is generated by adding the sound so as to be heard.

  In addition, the distance calculation unit 101 and the direct wave volume calculation unit 102 calculate the distance information 131 and the direct wave volume information 132 using the sound collection signal m (t) that has been omnidirectional by the omnidirectional unit 713.

  With the above configuration, the volume monitoring device 700 according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention is louder than the speaker 111 that does not depend on the positional relationship between the speaker 111 and the microphone 112 even in the communication device 11 used by the directional microphone. Can be obtained volume.

  In the above description, the communication device 11 transmits the omnidirectional sound pickup signal m (t) to the communication device 12 via the communication network 10, but a plurality of sound pickup signals having directivity are provided. 742a to 742b may be transmitted to the communication device 12.

The number of directional microphones may be two or more.
In the above description, the sound volume monitoring apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1 further includes an omnidirectional unit 713, but the sound volume monitoring apparatuses 200 to 600 according to Embodiments 2 to 6 are further provided. The omnidirectional unit 713 may be provided.

(Embodiment 8)
Volume monitoring apparatus 800 according to Embodiment 8 of the present invention is a modification of volume monitoring apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 3, and further includes a loudspeaker region that indicates a range in which user 110 can hear the sound that is loudened by speaker 111. Information 844 is calculated.

  FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a configuration of volume monitoring apparatus 800 according to Embodiment 8 of the present invention. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the element similar to FIG. 9, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  A volume monitoring apparatus 800 shown in FIG. 16 includes a loudspeaker area calculation unit 814 in addition to the configuration of the volume monitoring apparatus 300.

Using the loudness area calculation unit 814 and the volume information 338 by distance, loudness area information 844 indicating a range (distance from the speaker 111) in which the sound loudened by the speaker 111 is larger than a predetermined volume is calculated. Specifically, loudspeaker region calculation unit 814, distance-signal sound pressure P _r in a plurality of distances, to calculate a larger distance r from a predetermined value as the loudspeaker region information 844.

  In addition, the transmission unit 104 transmits the sound area information 844 calculated by the sound area calculation unit 814 to the communication device 12 via the communication network 10.

  Note that the transmission unit 104 may transmit only the sound area information 844 to the communication apparatus 12 or may transmit the sound area information 844 and the sound volume information 338 for each distance to the communication apparatus 12.

  Further, the sound enhancement area information 844 may be image data that visually indicates a range in which the sound amplified by the speaker 111 is larger than a predetermined volume. In addition, the volume monitoring apparatus 800 uses the loudness area information 844 and the distance-specific volume information 338 to visually recognize a range that is larger than a predetermined volume on an image (distribution map or the like) that visually indicates the volume by distance. An image to which information (such as a frame indicating the range) is added may be generated, and data of the image may be transmitted to the communication device 12.

  In the above description, the sound volume monitoring apparatus 300 according to the third embodiment has been described as further including the loudness area calculation unit 814. However, the sound volume monitoring apparatus 400 or 500 according to the fourth or fifth embodiment is further provided. The loudspeaker area calculation unit 814 may be provided.

  In the description of the first to eighth embodiments, the communication device 11 on the receiving side includes the sound volume monitoring devices 100 to 800. However, the communication device 12 on the transmitting side transmits the sound monitoring device. You may provide 100-800. Further, a server or the like connected to the communication network 10 may include the volume monitoring devices 100 to 800.

(Embodiment 9)
In the ninth embodiment of the present invention, a communication system including the communication device 11 including any one of the sound volume monitoring devices 100 to 800 according to the first to eighth embodiments described above will be described.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a configuration of a communication system 2 that implements a communication service at two locations according to Embodiment 9 of the present invention.

  In FIG. 17, the communication device 11 disposed at the first base and the communication device 12 disposed at the second base are video / audio control devices having a communication function, and are interconnected via the communication network 10. Is possible.

  The communication device 11 acquires real-time video / audio data at the first site from the camera and the microphone, and transmits the acquired video / audio data to the communication device 12 via the communication network 10. Further, the communication device 11 receives the real-time video / audio data at the second site from the communication device 12 and outputs it to the display and the speaker of the own device.

  In addition, in order to provide a more realistic communication service that reduces the influence of distance despite the communication network 10, the communication devices 11 and 12 include a plurality of displays, cameras, microphones, and speakers. Is provided. These input / output devices are arranged in advance at suitable positions, and are characterized by this arrangement. This will be described in detail later with reference to the drawings.

  The communication network 10 may be a wired line or a wireless line, or a combination of both. Further, it may be a public network such as the Internet or a public telephone line, a local network closed in a limited domain such as a LAN (Local Area Network), or a combination of both. There may be.

  For communication between the communication device 11 and the communication device 12, for example, digital communication using RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) or TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is used.

  Further, it is assumed that the communication devices 11 and 12 are assigned IP addresses as address information indicating positions on the network. Other information such as a telephone number may be used as the address information instead of the IP address.

  Further, the data transmitted and received by the communication devices 11 and 12 is real-time video / audio data. However, the video / audio data recorded on a storage medium such as an optical disk or a hard disk can also be transmitted / received together with the real-time video / audio data. . The data transmitted and received by the communication devices 11 and 12 may be still image data, text, or document data such as HTML.

  As described above, the communication device 11 and the communication device 12 can output real-time video and audio of other bases by using a plurality of input / output devices arranged in advance in a suitable position. Communication services can be provided.

  Further, not only the communication service at the two bases shown in FIG. 17 but also the communication service by the interconnection at three or more bases is possible. FIG. 18 shows an example of the configuration of the communication system 3 including devices other than the communication devices 11 and 12 described above.

  In the communication system 3 shown in FIG. 18, a communication device 11, a communication device 12, a notebook PC (personal computer) 13, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) 15, a mobile phone 16, and a desktop PC 19 are connected. A communication system is implemented at five locations. Here, it is assumed that the communication network 10 that is a public telephone line and the Internet 18 are connected via a server 17 that is an Internet service provider.

  One or more of the notebook PC 13, PDA 15, mobile phone 16, and desktop PC 19 may include any of the volume monitoring devices 100 to 800 described above.

  Since the communication devices 11 and 12 are the same as those in FIG. 17, other devices will be described. As shown in FIG. 18, some or all of the constituent elements constituting the communication devices 11 and 12 may be configured by one system LSI (Large Scale Integration). That is, some or all of the constituent elements of the volume monitoring devices 100 to 800 described above may be configured by one system LSI.

  The notebook PC 13 does not have a built-in camera function, and the camera 14 is connected externally. The camera 14 is a device capable of moving image shooting such as a digital video camera. The notebook PC 13 transmits the video / audio data captured by the camera 14 to other devices via the communication network 10 as real-time video / audio data at the local site. When the camera 14 does not have a moving image shooting function but has only a still image shooting function, the shot still image data may be transmitted at regular intervals.

  The PDA 15 does not have a camera function and cannot transmit real-time video data of its own base. The PDA 15 outputs the received video data to the display and the speaker via the communication network 10 and transmits real-time audio data at the local site to other devices. If the camera function is provided, video / audio data can be transmitted and received.

  The mobile phone 16 is a mobile phone with a camera such as a CCD camera, and acquires real-time video and audio data at the local site from the camera and microphone and transmits them to other devices via the communication network 10. Also, the received video / audio data is output to the display and speaker of the device itself. Further, the mobile phone 16 includes a PDC (Personal Digital Communications) system, a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) system, a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) system, and a W-CDMA (Wide CDMA (Wide CDMA) system. Any communication method may be used, such as a Division Multiple Access (LTE) method and LTE (Long Term Evolution). In addition, the mobile phone 16 has a slot portion in which a storage medium that is a recording medium such as an SD card can be mounted, and data recorded on the recording medium is shared with other devices participating in the communication service. Is possible. Furthermore, connection to the communication network 10 by the mobile phone 16 may use other wireless communication functions such as WiMAX.

  The desktop PC 19 has a built-in camera function, acquires real-time video and audio data at its own location from the camera and microphone, and transmits them to other devices via the Internet 18 and the communication network 10. It is assumed that the Internet 18 and the communication network 10 are connected via a server 17 of an Internet service provider. Further, the desktop PC 19 outputs the received video / audio data to the display and the speaker of its own apparatus. The desktop PC 19 has at least one of a device capable of reading a storage medium such as an optical disk or an SD card and an external HDD or an internal memory, and is recorded on these. Data can be shared with other devices participating in the communication service.

  Each device is assigned a telephone number or an IP address as address information indicating a position on the network. Note that by using an IPv6-compatible IP address, it is possible to participate in the communication service using the same address even if each device physically moves.

  Further, each device may transmit the video / audio data by multicast to other devices participating in the communication service. In addition, a specific device (for example, the communication device 11) may be set as a server, and after the server receives and processes video / audio data from another device, it may be multicast to the other device.

  As described above, the communication device 11 and the communication device 12 can output real-time video and audio transmitted from each device located at a plurality of locations, and can provide a more realistic communication service.

  Next, the arrangement of input / output devices included in the communication devices 11 and 12 will be described. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the communication devices 11 and 12.

  The communication devices 11 and 12 include a main body 20, displays 21a, 21b, and 21c, cameras 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, and 22e, a microphone 23, speakers 24a, 24b, and 24c, and a remote control 26. . Each input / output device (displays 21a, 21b and 21c, cameras 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d and 22e, microphone 23, speakers 24a, 24b and 24c, and remote control 26) is connected to the main body 20. This connection may be a wired line or a wireless line. In addition, it is assumed that one or more users participating in the communication service are seated on the desk 25 facing the displays 21a, 21b, and 21c.

  The main body 20 is an information processing apparatus including a CPU and a memory. The main body 20 controls each input / output device, encodes video / audio data input from the input / output device, performs communication control processing via the communication network 10, and receives video / audio data received via the communication network 10. And the output processing of the decoded video / audio data to the input / output device.

  The displays 21a, 21b, and 21c are devices that display video and the like, and are, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a PDP (Plasma Display Panel). The displays 21a, 21b and 21c are arranged side by side on the front surface of the desk 25 so as to be positioned in front of the user participating in the communication service. Here, three displays are connected. On these three displays, images of participants at other bases are displayed as if they are seated at the desk 25. That is, the video of another base is divided and displayed according to the number of displays. Four or more displays may be connected.

  The cameras 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, and 22e are photographing devices having a moving image photographing function such as a digital video camera. The cameras 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d and 22e are arranged on the tops of the displays 21a, 21b and 21c. Here, five cameras are connected. The camera 22a is disposed at the center in the left-right direction of the display 21a located on the left. The camera 22e is disposed at the center in the left-right direction of the display 21c located on the right. The cameras 22b, 22c and 22d are arranged side by side at the center in the left-right direction of the display 21b located at the center. In addition, it is assumed that the shooting targets of the cameras arranged adjacent to each other partially overlap the video edges. As a result, the communication devices 11 and 12 can capture the video of the user who is seated at the desk 25 facing the direction of the displays 21a, 21b, and 21c, and can transmit it to other bases.

  The microphone 23 is an input device that collects surrounding sounds. The microphone 23 is arranged at the center of the desk 25. Moreover, you may arrange | position the directional microphone of the number according to the number of users who seated on the desk 25 so that it may be located in front of each user. One omnidirectional microphone and one or more directional microphones may be arranged in combination. As a result, it is possible to grasp the direction from which the sound is transmitted at the other site, and the other site can control the direction in which the sound is output.

  The speakers 24a, 24b and 24c are arranged behind the displays 21a, 21b and 21c. Here, three speakers are connected in accordance with the number of displays. This makes it possible to control the speaker that outputs sound in accordance with the images displayed on the displays 21a, 21b, and 21c. That is, the user's voice displayed on the display 21a is output from the speaker 24a.

  The remote control 26 is an operation input device that receives an input instruction from a user and transmits an operation input signal to the main body 20. The remote controller 26 may be operated by a user who sits on the desk 25. Although the operation input device is a remote control here, other operation input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse may be used. Moreover, you may arrange | position the operation input device of the number according to the number of users who seated on the desk 25 so that it may be located in front of each user.

  As described above, the communication devices 11 and 12 can provide communication services with other bases. That is, the user operates the remote control 26 to set a connection destination (another base), establish communication, and start a communication service. During the execution of the communication service, the cameras 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, and 22e capture the image of the user who sits on the desk 25, and at the same time, the microphone 23 collects sound.

  The main body 20 acquires real-time video / audio data of the local site from the cameras 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d and 22e and the microphone 23, performs encoding processing on the acquired video / audio data, and encodes the encoded video / audio data. To other locations. Further, the main body 20 receives the video / audio data of the other base, performs a decoding process on the received video / audio data, and sends the decoded video / audio data to the displays 21a, 21b and 21c and the speakers 24a, 24b and 24c. Output.

  Thereby, it becomes possible to mutually output real-time video and audio between a plurality of sites, and a more realistic communication service can be provided. In addition, during execution of the communication service, the user operates the remote control 26 to acquire data recorded in a storage medium that is a storage medium such as an optical disc or an SD card, and transmits / receives the data via the communication network 10. The data can be shared with other devices participating in the communication service.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the communication devices 11 and 12.
The communication devices 11 and 12 include a control unit 30, a voice encoding unit 31, a voice decoding unit 32, an image encoding unit 33, an image decoding unit 34, a power supply circuit 35, a timer circuit 36, a voice processing unit 37, a voice output. A unit 38, an audio input unit 39, a display processing unit 40, a display unit 41, an image processing unit 42, an image input unit 43, an operation input control unit 44, an operation input unit 45, a communication control unit 46, and a transmission / reception circuit 47. Each processing unit is connected to each other through a bus line. If necessary, a hard disk device 48 and a reading device 49 can be connected to the bus line. The hard disk device 48 and the reading device 49 are each connected to a bus line through an interface.

  The control unit 30 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 50, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 51, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 52, and controls the entire communication apparatus. The CPU 50 may be composed of a single CPU or a plurality of CPUs. The ROM 51 stores a computer program that defines the operation of the CPU 50. The computer program can also be stored in the hard disk device 48. The CPU 50 executes processing defined by the computer program while writing the computer program stored in the ROM 51 or the hard disk device 48 into the RAM 52 as necessary. The RAM 52 also functions as a medium for temporarily storing data generated as the CPU 50 executes processing. The ROM 51 includes a nonvolatile memory and a storage medium that can be written like a flash ROM and can retain stored contents even when the power is turned off. In addition, the RAM 52 includes a volatile memory and a storage medium that do not retain stored contents when the power is turned off.

  The audio encoding unit 31 converts the audio data notified from the audio processing unit 37 into encoded audio data by compression encoding using a specific encoding method, and converts the converted encoded audio data into a communication control unit. Output to 46.

  The audio decoding unit 32 generates reproducible audio data by decoding the encoded audio data notified from the communication control unit 46 by a specific decoding method, and the generated audio data is converted into an audio processing unit 37. Output to.

  The image encoding unit 33 converts the image data notified from the image processing unit 42 into encoded image data by compression encoding using a specific encoding method, and converts the converted encoded image data into a communication control unit. Output to 46.

  The image decoding unit 34 generates reproducible image data by decoding the encoded image data notified from the communication control unit 46 by a specific decoding method, and the generated image data is displayed on the display processing unit 40. Output to.

  The power supply circuit 35 activates the communication device in an operable state by supplying power received via the battery pack or the adapter to each processing unit by turning on the power key. The communication devices 11 and 12 may include a plurality of modes including a normal mode and a power saving mode. In the power saving mode, the power supply circuit 35 can reduce the necessary power by supplying power only to some of the processing units. For example, the communication devices 11 and 12 operate in a power saving mode in which power is supplied only to the communication control unit 46 and the transmission / reception circuit 47 when waiting for an incoming call from another base. The operation of the other processing unit may be started by transitioning from the mode to the normal mode.

The timer circuit 36 is a device that outputs a timer interrupt signal at a constant cycle.
The audio output unit 38 is a device that outputs audio data, and corresponds to the speakers 24a, 24b, and 24c described in FIG. The audio output unit 38 outputs the audio data notified from the audio processing unit 37.

  The voice input unit 39 is an input device that collects peripheral voices, and corresponds to the microphone 23 described with reference to FIG. The voice input unit 39 notifies the voice processing unit 37 of the collected voice signal.

  The audio processing unit 37 digitally converts the audio signal notified from the one or more audio input units 39, performs synthesis or processing on the converted digital audio signal, and converts the audio signal subjected to the processing into audio Notify the encoding unit 31. Further, the sound processing unit 37 can generate clearer sound data by a noise cancellation function or the like. Further, when there are a plurality of voice input units 39, the voice processing unit 37 can manage arrangement information of the plurality of voice input units 39 and generate voice data suitable for the arrangement. Further, the voice processing unit 37 performs division and processing of the voice data notified from the voice decoding unit 32 and notifies the generated voice data to the voice output unit 38. The sound processing unit 37 can manage arrangement information of the plurality of sound output units 38 and generate a plurality of sound data suitable for each sound output unit 38.

  The display unit 41 is a device that displays images, characters, and the like. This corresponds to the displays 21a, 21b, and 21c described in FIG. The display unit 41 displays the display data notified from the display processing unit 40 on the screen.

  The display processing unit 40 divides and processes the image data notified from the image decoding unit 34 and notifies the display unit 41 of the generated display data. The display processing unit 40 manages the arrangement information of the plurality of display units 41, and can generate a plurality of display data suitable for each display unit 41. The display processing unit 40 can also display the image of the local site by receiving the image data of the local site from the image processing unit 42 and outputting the image data to the display unit 41.

  The image input unit 43 is a shooting device having a moving image shooting function such as a digital video camera, and corresponds to the cameras 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, and 22e described in FIG. The image input unit 43 notifies the image processing unit 42 of the captured image data. The image input unit 43 may be a photographing device having only a still image photographing function, such as a digital still camera, and may notify the image processing unit 42 of photographed still image data at regular intervals.

  The image processing unit 42 performs composition and processing of image data notified from one or more image input units 43 and notifies the image encoding unit 33 of the result. The image processing unit 42 can manage the arrangement information of the plurality of image input units 43 and generate image data suitable for the arrangement. The image processing unit 42 can also display the image data of its own base directly on the display unit 41 by notifying the display processing unit 40.

  The operation input unit 45 is a device that receives an input instruction from the user and notifies the operation input control unit 44 of an operation input signal corresponding to the input instruction, and corresponds to the remote controller 26 described with reference to FIG. The operation input unit 45 may be another operation input device such as a keyboard and a mouse. The operation input unit 45 may receive an input instruction using a gyro function, a sensor function, or the like.

  The operation input control unit 44 receives the operation input signal notified from the operation input unit 45, converts the received operation input signal into corresponding control data, and outputs the control data to the control unit 30.

  The transmission / reception circuit 47 is a circuit that performs data transmission / reception via a network. For example, when the network is a wireless line, the transmission / reception circuit 47 modulates transmission data received from the communication control unit 46 by a predetermined method, transmits the modulated transmission / reception data on a wireless carrier wave, and induces to the antenna. It has a function of receiving a signal in a predetermined frequency band from among the high-frequency signals, and notifying the communication control unit 46 after demodulating the received signal.

  The communication control unit 46 uses the transmission / reception circuit 47 to establish communication between the other device and itself, and transmits / receives video / audio data via the network. For example, it has a call connection control (Call Control) function and a data communication control (IP, RTP, TCP, etc.) function. Also, the encoded audio data notified from the audio encoding unit 31 and the encoded image data notified from the image encoding unit 33 are received, and the received encoded audio data and encoded image data are received by a predetermined method. By multiplexing, video / audio data to be transmitted is generated. Further, the received video / audio data is demultiplexed by a predetermined method to separate into encoded audio data and encoded image data, and the separated encoded audio data is notified to the audio decoding unit 32 for separation. The encoded image data is notified to the image decoding unit 34. Further, when the communication devices 11 and 12 can be connected to a plurality of different networks, the communication devices 11 and 12 may include a plurality of communication control units 46 and transmission / reception circuits 47 corresponding to the respective networks.

  The hard disk device 48 is a device that writes and reads a computer program or data to and from the built-in hard disk.

  The reading device 49 is a device that reads a computer program or data recorded on a recording medium (for example, a CD, a DVD, or a memory card).

  The processing units other than the transmission unit 104 included in the volume monitoring devices 100 to 800 described above correspond to the audio processing unit 37, and the transmission unit 104 and the reception unit 105 correspond to the communication control unit 46 and the transmission / reception circuit 47. . The speakers 111 and 121 correspond to the audio output unit 38, the microphones 112 and 122 correspond to the audio input unit 39, and the display unit 106 corresponds to the display processing unit 40 and the display unit 41.

  As described above, the communication devices 11 and 12 are configured as computers having a plurality of input / output devices, and can provide communication services with other bases.

(Other variations)
Although the present invention has been described based on the above embodiment, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The following cases are also included in the present invention.

  (1) Each of the above devices is specifically a computer system including a microprocessor, ROM, RAM, a hard disk unit, a display unit, a keyboard, a mouse, and the like. A computer program is stored in the RAM or hard disk unit. Each device achieves its functions by the microprocessor operating according to the computer program. Here, the computer program is configured by combining a plurality of instruction codes indicating instructions for the computer in order to achieve a predetermined function.

  (2) A part or all of the constituent elements constituting each of the above-described devices may be constituted by one system LSI (Large Scale Integration). The system LSI is an ultra-multifunctional LSI manufactured by integrating a plurality of components on a single chip. Specifically, the system LSI is a computer system including a microprocessor, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. . A computer program is stored in the RAM. The system LSI achieves its functions by the microprocessor operating according to the computer program.

  (3) Part or all of the constituent elements constituting each of the above devices may be configured from an IC card that can be attached to and detached from each device or a single module. The IC card or the module is a computer system including a microprocessor, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. The IC card or the module may include the super multifunctional LSI described above. The IC card or the module achieves its function by the microprocessor operating according to the computer program. This IC card or this module may have tamper resistance.

  (4) The present invention may be the method described above. Further, the present invention may be a computer program that realizes these methods by a computer, or may be a digital signal composed of the computer program.

  The present invention also provides a computer-readable recording medium such as a flexible disk, hard disk, CD-ROM, MO, DVD, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, BD (Blu-ray Disc). Or recorded in a semiconductor memory or the like. The digital signal may be recorded on these recording media.

  Further, the present invention may transmit the computer program or the digital signal via an electric communication line, a wireless or wired communication line, a network represented by the Internet, a data broadcast, or the like.

  The present invention may be a computer system including a microprocessor and a memory, wherein the memory stores the computer program, and the microprocessor operates according to the computer program.

  In addition, the program or the digital signal is recorded on the recording medium and transferred, or the program or the digital signal is transferred via the network or the like and executed by another independent computer system. You may do that.

  (5) The above embodiment and the above modifications may be combined.

  The present invention can be applied to a volume monitoring apparatus, and in particular, can be applied to a volume monitoring apparatus used for an audio conference system, a video conference system, a hands-free telephone, and the like.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the acoustic system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of operation | movement of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the condition where the audio | voice signal amplified by the speaker which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention is picked up with a microphone. It is a figure which shows an example of the speaker input signal amplified by the speaker which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the direct wave signal picked up by the microphone which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the acoustic transmission characteristic which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of operation | movement of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of operation | movement of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of operation | movement of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 5 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 6 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 7 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the volume monitoring apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 8 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the communication system in 2 bases concerning Embodiment 9 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the communication system in the multiple bases concerning Embodiment 9 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of arrangement | positioning of the input / output device with which the communication apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 9 of this invention is provided. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the communication apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 9 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Acoustic system 2, 3 Communication system 10 Communication network 11, 12 Communication apparatus 13 Notebook PC
14 Camera 15 PDA
16 Mobile phone 17 Server 18 Internet 19 Desktop PC
20 Main body 21a, 21b, 21c Display 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e Camera 23 Microphone 24a, 24b, 24c Speaker 25 Machine 26 Remote control 30 Control unit 31 Audio encoding unit 32 Audio decoding unit 33 Image encoding unit 34 Image Decoding unit 35 Power supply circuit 36 Timer circuit 37 Audio processing unit 38 Audio output unit 39 Audio input unit 40 Display processing unit 41 Display unit 42 Image processing unit 43 Image input unit 44 Operation input control unit 45 Operation input unit 46 Communication control unit 47 Transceiver circuit 50 CPU
51 ROM
52 RAM
100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800 Volume monitoring device 101, 201 Distance calculation unit 102, 202 Direct wave volume calculation unit 103 Speaker position volume calculation unit 104 Transmission unit 105 Reception unit 106 Display unit 110, 120 User 111, 121 Speaker 112, 122, 712a, 712b Microphone 131 Distance information 132 Direct wave volume information 133 Speaker position volume information 141 Reflector 142 Direct wave 143 Reflected wave 153 Reflected wave signal 162, 163 Peak 207 Sound transfer characteristic calculation unit 237 Sound transfer characteristics 308 Sound volume calculation unit by distance 338 Volume information by distance 409, 509 Reverberation characteristic calculation unit 410 Noise level calculation unit 411 Sound volume adjustment unit by distance 439 Reverberation characteristic 440 Noise level 441 Volume information by adjustment distance 612 WARNING 642 warning information 713 non-directional unit 742a, 742b collected sound signal 814 loudspeaker area calculating unit 844 loudspeaker area information

Claims (14)

The sound transmitted from the second voice communication terminal is used in an acoustic system including a first voice communication terminal and a second voice communication terminal that transmit and receive voice to and from each other via a communication network. A volume monitoring device for monitoring the volume of sound output from one voice communication terminal,
The first voice communication terminal is
A first speaker that emits voice based on a speaker input signal transmitted by the second voice communication terminal via the communication network;
A first microphone that generates a collected sound signal by collecting sound and transmits the collected sound signal to the second voice communication terminal;
The volume monitoring device includes:
A direct wave volume calculation unit that calculates a direct wave volume that is a volume of a direct wave among sounds output from the first speaker at the position of the first microphone included in the collected sound signal;
A distance calculation unit for calculating a distance between the first speaker and the first microphone;
Using the distance calculated by the distance calculator and the direct wave volume calculated by the direct wave volume calculator, the first speaker at a predetermined distance from the first speaker. A first volume calculation unit that calculates a first volume that is the volume of the sound that is output;
A volume monitoring device comprising: a transmission unit that transmits the first volume to the second voice communication terminal via the communication network. The sound volume according to claim 1, wherein the first sound volume calculation unit calculates a speaker position sound volume that is a sound volume of sound output from the first speaker at the position of the first speaker as the first sound volume. Monitoring device. The volume monitoring device further includes:
An acoustic transfer characteristic calculator that calculates an acoustic transfer characteristic between the first speaker and the first microphone;
The volume monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the direct wave volume calculation unit and the distance calculation unit calculates the direct wave volume or the distance using the acoustic transfer characteristic. The distance calculation unit calculates a time delay until the sound output from the first speaker is picked up by the first microphone using the acoustic transfer characteristic, and calculates the distance from the time delay. To calculate
The volume monitoring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the direct wave volume calculation unit calculates the direct wave volume using the time delay, the speaker input signal, and the acoustic transfer characteristic. The first volume calculation unit
Using the distance calculated by the distance calculation unit and the direct wave volume calculated by the direct wave volume calculation unit, the sound output from the first speaker from the first speaker. The volume monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a distance-by-distance calculation unit that calculates a plurality of distance-by-distance volumes, which are sound volumes at a plurality of positions separated by different distances, as the first volume. The volume monitoring device further includes:
A reverberation characteristic calculating unit for calculating a reverberation characteristic of a space in which the first speaker is installed;
The first volume calculation unit further includes:
A reverberation adjusting unit that adjusts the plurality of distance-based volumes calculated by the distance-based volume calculation unit using the reverberation characteristics;
The said transmission part transmits the said several sound volume according to distance adjusted by the said reverberation adjustment part to the said 2nd audio | voice communication terminal via the said communication network as said 1st sound volume. Volume monitoring device. The volume monitoring device further includes:
An acoustic transfer characteristic calculator that calculates an acoustic transfer characteristic between the first speaker and the first microphone;
The volume monitoring device according to claim 6, wherein the reverberation characteristic calculation unit calculates the reverberation characteristic using the acoustic transfer characteristic. The volume monitoring device further includes:
A noise level calculation unit that calculates a noise level that is a volume of noise in the first voice communication terminal;
The first calculation unit further includes:
A noise adjusting unit that adjusts the first volume to a substantially silent state when the first volume is equal to or lower than the noise level;
The volume according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the transmission unit transmits the first volume adjusted by the noise adjustment unit to the second voice communication terminal via the communication network. Monitoring device. The volume monitoring device further includes:
When the first volume is larger than a predetermined volume, the second voice communication terminal is warned via the communication network that an excessive sound has been loudened in the first voice communication terminal. The sound volume monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a warning unit that transmits information. The volume monitoring device further includes:
Using a plurality of distance-specific sound volumes calculated by the distance-specific sound volume calculating unit, calculating a distance from the first speaker at which the sound output from the first speaker is equal to or higher than a predetermined sound volume, A loudspeaker area calculation unit for generating loudspeaker area information indicating the distance,
The sound volume monitoring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the transmission unit further transmits the loudspeak area information to the second voice communication terminal via the communication network. The first microphone generates a sound collection signal having directivity,
The volume monitoring device further includes:
An omnidirectional unit that omnidirectionally collects the directivity sound-collected signal generated by the first microphone;
The volume monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the direct wave volume calculation unit calculates the direct wave volume included in a sound collection signal made omnidirectional by the omnidirectional unit. The sound transmitted from the second voice communication terminal is used in an acoustic system including a first voice communication terminal and a second voice communication terminal that transmit and receive voice to and from each other via a communication network. A volume monitoring method for monitoring the volume of sound output from one voice communication terminal,
The first voice communication terminal is
A first speaker that emits voice based on a speaker input signal transmitted by the second voice communication terminal via the communication network;
A first microphone that generates a collected sound signal by collecting sound and transmits the collected sound signal to the second voice communication terminal;
The volume monitoring method includes:
A direct wave volume calculating step for calculating a direct wave volume, which is a volume of a direct wave among sounds output from the first speaker at the position of the first microphone included in the sound pickup signal;
A distance calculating step for calculating a distance between the first speaker and the first microphone;
The first speaker at a predetermined distance from the first speaker using the distance calculated in the distance calculating step and the direct wave volume calculated in the direct wave volume calculating step. A first sound volume calculating step for calculating a first sound volume that is a sound volume of the sound to be output;
A transmission step of transmitting the first volume to the second voice communication terminal via the communication network. The sound transmitted from the second voice communication terminal is used in an acoustic system including a first voice communication terminal and a second voice communication terminal that transmit and receive voice to and from each other via a communication network. A volume monitoring method program for monitoring the volume of sound output from one voice communication terminal,
The first voice communication terminal is
A first speaker that emits voice based on a speaker input signal transmitted by the second voice communication terminal via the communication network;
A first microphone that generates a collected sound signal by collecting sound and transmits the collected sound signal to the second voice communication terminal;
The program is
A direct wave volume calculating step for calculating a direct wave volume, which is a volume of a direct wave among sounds output from the first speaker at the position of the first microphone included in the sound pickup signal;
A distance calculating step for calculating a distance between the first speaker and the first microphone;
The first speaker at a predetermined distance from the first speaker using the distance calculated in the distance calculating step and the direct wave volume calculated in the direct wave volume calculating step. A first sound volume calculating step for calculating a first sound volume that is a sound volume of the sound to be output;
A program for causing a computer to execute a transmission step of transmitting the first volume to the second voice communication terminal via the communication network. The sound transmitted from the second voice communication terminal is used in an acoustic system including a first voice communication terminal and a second voice communication terminal that transmit and receive voice to and from each other via a communication network. 1. An integrated circuit for monitoring the volume of sound output from one voice communication terminal,
The first voice communication terminal is
A first speaker that emits voice based on a speaker input signal transmitted by the second voice communication terminal via the communication network;
A first microphone that generates a collected sound signal by collecting sound and transmits the collected sound signal to the second voice communication terminal;
The integrated circuit comprises:
A direct wave volume calculation unit that calculates a direct wave volume that is a volume of a direct wave among sounds output from the first speaker at the position of the first microphone included in the collected sound signal;
A distance calculation unit for calculating a distance between the first speaker and the first microphone;
Using the distance calculated by the distance calculator and the direct wave volume calculated by the direct wave volume calculator, the first speaker at a predetermined distance from the first speaker. A first volume calculation unit that calculates a first volume that is the volume of the sound that is output;
An integrated circuit comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit the first volume to the second voice communication terminal via the communication network.

Images