JP2020020943A - Voice control system, information processing apparatus, control method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To efficiently associate a voice terminal with an apparatus to be operated.SOLUTION: When receiving, with a device, a registration instruction for registering the device and a voice terminal in association with each other, a voice control system issues a registration code for starting registration, and controls a portable terminal to output the issued registration code by voice. The voice control system acquires identification information on the device receiving the registration instruction and identification information on the voice terminal to which the registration code output by voice from the portable terminal is input by voice, and registers the acquired identification information on the device and identification information on the voice terminal in association with each other by using the registration code input by voice to the voice terminal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

  The present invention relates to a voice control system capable of controlling a device by a voice command, an information processing apparatus, a control method, and a program.

  Conventionally, an independent voice terminal receives voice input on behalf of various devices, and sends (calls) an instruction to each device registered in advance in accordance with the content of the received information. It is described in Reference 1.

JP 2016-14967 A

  In order for the voice terminal to deliver a command corresponding to voice input to a registered electronic device as in Patent Literature 1, it is necessary to associate the voice terminal with the device to be operated. As voice terminals become more widespread, there is a demand for more efficient operation for this registration.

  An object of the present invention is to efficiently associate a voice terminal with a device to be operated.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a voice control system according to the present invention provides a voice control including a voice terminal, a device operable by a command input by voice at the voice terminal, a server, and a mobile terminal capable of voice output. A registration unit for issuing a registration code for starting the registration when the device receives a registration instruction for registering the device and the voice terminal in association with each other; Control means for controlling the mobile terminal to output the registration code by voice; identification information of the device for which the registration instruction has been received; and the voice to which the registration code output by voice from the mobile terminal is input by voice By using the registration code that is input to the audio terminal by voice, Identification information obtained by said device and the identification information of the audio terminal in association, characterized in that it comprises a registration unit for registering.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently associate a voice terminal with a device to be operated.

It is a schematic structure figure showing a voice control system. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating information registered in a server management DB. It is a figure showing information registered into cooperation management DB. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating information registered in a printing device management DB. It is a figure showing information registered into one time token DB. It is a figure for explaining a command by a general voice using a voice terminal. It is a figure showing processing when a voice terminal processes a command. FIG. 2 is an external view of a printing apparatus. FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing a process until a printing device is registered in association with an audio terminal. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating a procedure for registering a printing apparatus. FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing a process until a printing device is registered in association with an audio terminal. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating a procedure for registering a printing apparatus. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a block configuration of a voice terminal. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a block configuration of each server. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a block configuration of a printing apparatus. It is a figure showing the block composition of a personal digital assistant. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing in the server.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments do not limit the present invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the present embodiments are not necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention. . The same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a voice control system according to the present embodiment, and illustrates a basic configuration of a server and an information terminal. The voice control system 1 mainly includes a voice terminal 106 that receives a command (instruction command) by voice from a user, a printing device 104 that executes processing based on the command, and information processing that is connected to those devices via the network 100. Including equipment. In the case of the present embodiment, the information processing apparatus includes a printing apparatus management server 101, a voice terminal cooperation server 102, a voice terminal management server 103, and an HTML generation server with registered voice 115. The voice control system 1 also includes a portable terminal 105 used when registering the printing device 104 in association with the voice terminal 106. The network 100 is, for example, the Internet. The network 100 includes a wired medium and a wireless medium, and may include an access point.

  The printing device 104 holds a printing device identification ID 111 for identifying itself in a storage area, and can communicate with the printing device management server 101 via the network 100.

  The printing device management server 101 has a printing device management DB 107 and a one-time token DB 108. The printing device management DB 107 is a database that registers and manages the identification information of the printing device 104 and the IP address in association with each other. The one-time token DB 108 is a database for registering and managing the one-time token used as a registration code in the processing described later and the printing apparatus 104 in association with each other. When receiving the request to link and register the printing device 104 and the audio terminal 106, the printing device management server 101 issues a one-time token. The printing device management server 101 stores the printing device identification ID 111 and the issued one-time token in the one-time token DB 108. Further, the printing apparatus management server 101 performs device control for causing a device associated with the audio terminal 106 to execute processing corresponding to an instruction command issued by the user to the audio terminal 106, for example, the printing apparatus 104. .

  The voice terminal 106 receives a command by a user's voice. The voice terminal 106 holds a voice terminal identification ID 114 for identifying itself in a storage area, and communicates with the voice terminal management server 103 via the network 100. In addition, by performing the processing described below, a command is transmitted to a device operable by a command input by voice from the voice terminal 106. In the case of the present embodiment, the user can issue various commands to the printing device 104 by performing voice input to the voice terminal 106.

  The voice terminal management server 103 constructs a system for performing various services in cooperation with the voice terminal 106 and various other information devices and devices. Upon receiving the user's voice command, the voice terminal 106 transmits the uttered content to the voice terminal management server 103. The voice terminal management server 103 has a voice terminal cooperation server management DB 110 (hereinafter, also referred to as a server management DB 110). The server management DB 110 includes a call name (to be described later) of the printing apparatus 104 and other devices, and the like. The URL of the voice terminal cooperation server corresponding to the device of the call name is stored in association with the URL. The voice terminal management server 103 transmits a command included in the utterance content from the call name included in the utterance content transmitted from the voice terminal management server 103 and the information stored in the server management DB 110. To identify. The voice terminal management server 103 transfers the command based on the utterance content transmitted from the voice terminal 106 to the target voice terminal cooperation server 102, and causes the voice terminal cooperation server 102 to provide a service. Further, upon receiving a response to the user's command from the voice terminal cooperation server 102, the voice terminal management server 103 transfers the response to the voice terminal 106, and causes the voice terminal 106 to output the response by voice. Thus, the voice terminal management server 103 has an intermediary function between the voice terminal cooperation server 102 and the voice terminal 106.

  When a command is transferred from the voice terminal management server 103, the voice terminal cooperation server 102 has a function of providing a service according to the content of the command. Further, the voice terminal cooperation server 102 has a cooperation management DB 109 that registers which voice terminal ID and which printing device ID are linked with each other.

  The mobile terminal 105 is a general mobile terminal, and for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like is used as the mobile terminal 105. The mobile terminal 105 has a Web browser function 113 and a QR code reading function 112 capable of reading a QR code (registered trademark). The Web browser function 113 can access various Web servers when the URL is specified, and can connect to the HTML generation server with registered voice via the network 100, for example. Therefore, if the URL information of the registered voice-attached HTML generation server 115 is embedded in the QR code, the portable terminal 105 reads the QR code by the QR code reading function 112, Can be accessed. For example, the mobile terminal 105 can access the registered voice-attached HTML server 115 and acquire voice data. In the present embodiment, the target read by the mobile terminal 105 is described as a QR code, but may be another two-dimensional code.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of information registered in the server management DB 110 of the voice terminal management server 103. In the server management DB 110, the combination of the call name and the URL of the voice terminal cooperation server corresponding to the call name is registered. When the speech content is transmitted from the speech terminal 106, the speech terminal management server 103 specifies the URL of the speech terminal cooperation server 102 to which the command contained in the speech content is transferred based on the call name contained in the speech content. Is done.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of information registered in the cooperation management DB 109 of the voice terminal cooperation server 102. In the cooperation management DB 109, the printing apparatus identification ID and the voice terminal identification ID are registered in association with each other, and when one of them is specified, the ID of the cooperation destination is specified.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of information registered in the printing device management DB 107 of the printing device management server 101. The printing device identification ID and the IP address are registered in combination, and the IP address of the device is specified from the printing device identification ID to be accessed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of information registered in the one-time token DB 108 of the printing device management server 101. The one-time token ID and the printing device identification ID are registered in combination, and the printing device identification ID is specified from the one-time token ID.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a general voice command using a voice terminal. When the user 600 utters the utterance 602 as an instruction to the audio terminal 106, the audio terminal 106 receives the utterance 602 and performs a process, and then outputs a reply 603 indicating that the instruction has been received. The utterance 602 is divided into a start portion 604, a calling portion 605, and a command portion 606 according to the content.

  Here, the start part 604 is a part for causing the voice terminal 106 to recognize that the voice is being input, and the voice terminal 106 accepts the start part 604 to transmit the subsequent utterance to its own device. It can be recognized as an instruction. Further, the calling part 605 is a part indicating the voice terminal cooperation server 102 to be cooperated. In this embodiment, the utterance content of the calling part 605 is referred to as “call name”, and the voice terminal cooperation The server 102 and the audio terminal 106 can cooperate via the audio terminal management server 103. Further, the command part 606 is a part for instructing a device cooperating with the audio terminal 106 by the audio terminal cooperating server 102, for example, a printing device 104, with a process content to be specifically executed.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a hardware block configuration of the audio terminal 106. The audio terminal 106 includes a speaker 1301, a CPU 1302, a ROM 1303, a microphone 1304, a RAM 1305, an external storage device 1306, a communication unit 1307, and a short-range wireless communication unit 1308. The blocks shown in FIG. 13 are connected to each other using, for example, an internal bus 1310. Further, the CPU represents the Central Processing Unit, the ROM represents the Read Only Memory, and the RAM represents the Random Access Memory. The operation of the audio terminal 106 in the present embodiment is realized, for example, by the CPU 1302 loading a program stored in the ROM 1303 into the RAM 1305 and executing the program.

  The speaker 1301 outputs audio based on audio data. The CPU 1302 is configured, for example, on a system control board, and controls the voice terminal 106 comprehensively. The ROM 1303 stores fixed data such as a control program executed by the CPU 1302, a data table, and an embedded OS (Operating System) program. In the present embodiment, each control program stored in the ROM 1303 is a target of software execution control of the embedded OS stored in the ROM 1303. The software execution control is, for example, scheduling, task switching, and interrupt processing. The microphone 1304 receives audio around the audio terminal 106, for example, audio emitted by the user.

  The RAM 1305 includes, for example, an SRAM (Static RAM) that requires a backup power supply. Since data is held in the RAM 1305 by a data backup primary battery (not shown), data such as program control variables can be held without volatilization. Further, a memory area for storing setting information and management data of the audio terminal 106 is also provided in the RAM 1305. The RAM 1305 is also used as a main memory and a work memory of the CPU 1302. The external storage device 1306 stores application software.

  The communication unit 1307 includes a circuit and an antenna for performing communication according to a predetermined wireless communication scheme. For example, the communication unit 1307 can wirelessly connect to an external access point. The communication unit 1307 can also temporarily operate as an access point. That is, the communication unit 1307 may have an access point function. The wireless communication used in the present embodiment may have the ability to operate in accordance with the wireless LAN wireless communication system conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard series, or the ability to operate in accordance with another wireless communication system. Is also good. The short-range wireless communication unit 1308 performs short-range wireless communication with the audio terminal 106 and another device existing within a certain short-range. Note that the short-range wireless communication unit 1308 performs communication using a wireless communication method different from that of the communication unit 1307. In the present embodiment, the short-range wireless communication unit 1308 operates according to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard.

  A voice recognition / voice output unit 1309 recognizes voice input via the microphone 1304 to generate voice data, and converts voice data received from the outside or message data stored in advance into voice signals. Then, sound is output from the speaker 1301.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a block configuration of the voice terminal management server 103, the voice terminal cooperation server 102, and the HTML generation server with registration voice 115. FIG. 14 shows a configuration common to the three devices described above. In the present embodiment, the voice terminal management server 103, the voice terminal cooperation server 102, and the registered voice-attached HTML generation server 115 are each configured by one server (information processing device). By operating as such, a server system corresponding to the voice terminal management server 103, the voice terminal cooperation server 102, and the registered voice-attached HTML generation server 115 may be constructed.

  The CPU 1401 is a central processing unit for controlling the voice terminal management server 103 overall. The disk device 1402 stores various files and data in addition to the application program 1412, the database 1413, and the OS. The external storage medium reading device 1403 is a device for reading information such as a file stored in an external storage medium such as an SD card. The memory 1404 is configured by a RAM or the like, and the CPU 1401 performs temporary storage and buffering of data as necessary.

  The display unit 1405 includes, for example, an LCD, and displays various types of information. The operation unit 1406 includes a keyboard and a mouse for the user to perform various input operations, and can receive instructions and operations from the user. The network communication unit 1407 is connected to a network such as the Internet via the network connection unit 1408, and performs various types of communication. The network connection unit 1408 corresponds to a network medium such as a wired LAN or a wireless LAN. In the case of a wired LAN, for example, a connector for connecting a cable of a wired LAN. It is. Note that the network connection unit 1408 may support both a wired LAN and a wireless LAN. The USB communication unit 1410 is connected to various peripheral devices via a USB connection unit 1411 and performs various communication.

  Each block in FIG. 14 is mutually connected via a bus 1409. In the operation of the voice terminal management server 106 (or the voice terminal cooperation server 102 and the registered voice-attached HTML generation server 115) in the present embodiment, for example, the CPU 1401 loads a program required for processing from the disk device 1402 to the memory 1404. And execute it. Further, the voice recognition function of the voice recognition / voice output unit 1309 of FIG. 13 may be included in the configuration of FIG. In that case, the device including the configuration in FIG. 14 can recognize, for example, a speech signal transmitted from the speech terminal 106 and recognize and extract a predetermined word. In the present embodiment, the voice terminal management server 103, the voice terminal cooperation server 102, and the registered voice-attached HTML generation server 115 will be described as separate servers (information processing devices). However, each server function is configured as an integrated server. May be.

  In the case of the printing device management server 101, the printing device management DB 107 and the one-time token DB 108 are built in the disk device 1402. A server management DB 110 is built in the disk device 1402 of the voice terminal management server 103, and a cooperation management DB 109 is built in the disk device 1402 of the voice terminal cooperation server 102.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a block configuration of the printing apparatus 104. In the present embodiment, the printing apparatus 104 is described as a multifunction peripheral. However, other than the multifunction peripheral, any other apparatus having a printing function may be used. For example, an image processing device, a copying machine, a facsimile, a single-function printing device, or the like may be used. In the printing apparatus 104, the printing function is realized by the printer unit 1501, the scanner function is realized by the scanner unit 1502, and the storage function is realized by the memory card mounting unit 1503 and the memory card 1504. The components described above are interconnected by a bus 1514.

  The printer unit 1501 records image data received from the outside, image data stored in the memory card 1504, and the like on a recording medium such as printing paper by a recording method such as an inkjet recording method or an electrophotographic method. The printer unit 1501 manages information on consumable members, for example, ink information including the remaining amount of ink and sheet information such as the number of stacked sheets.

  The scanner unit 1502 optically reads a document set on a document table (not shown), converts the document into electronic data, and transmits image data converted into a specified file format to an external device via a network, or It is stored in a storage area such as the HDD 1516. In the copy service, the scanner unit 1502 reads an original placed on a platen and transfers the image data generated by the scanner unit 1502 to the printer unit 1501, and the printer unit 1501 stores the image data in a recording medium such as printing paper based on the image data. It is realized by performing printing.

  Various file data are stored in the memory card 1504 mounted on the memory card mounting unit 1503. This file data may be read from an external device via a network and edited. In some cases, file data is stored in the memory card 1504 from an external device.

  Further, the printing apparatus 104 includes a CPU 1505, a program memory 1506, a work memory 1507, a display unit 1508, an operation unit 1509, a network communication unit 1510, a network connection unit 1511, and a flash memory 1512. The CPU 1505 is a central processing unit for totally controlling each unit in the printing apparatus 104. The program memory 1506 is constituted by a ROM or the like, and stores various program codes and an application 1515 for communicating with an external server. The application 1515 can also access the printer unit 1501 to acquire information about consumables such as ink and paper. The work memory 1507 includes a RAM or the like, and temporarily stores and buffers image data and the like when each service is executed. The display unit 1508 includes, for example, an LCD, and displays various information such as a user interface screen. The operation unit 1509 includes a keyboard, a mouse, a switch, and the like, and can receive instructions and operations from a user. The network communication unit 1510 connects the printing apparatus 104 to a network via the network connection unit 1511 and performs various types of communication.

  When the network communication unit 1510 is compatible with a wired LAN, the network connection unit 1511 is a connector for connecting a wired LAN cable. When the network communication unit 1510 is compatible with a wireless LAN, the network connection unit 1511 is an antenna. Note that the network connection unit 1511 may support both a wired LAN and a wireless LAN. In the present embodiment, the network communication unit 1510 and the network connection unit 1511 are compatible with a wireless LAN, and can connect to an access point according to a wireless communication method of a wireless LAN conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard series. Note that the network connection unit 1511 itself can temporarily operate as an access point (master station that constructs a network). That is, the network connection unit 1511 may have a function corresponding to the access point. Further, the printing device 104 may include a short-range wireless communication unit (not shown), like the audio terminal 106.

  The flash memory 1512 is a non-volatile memory for storing image data and the like received by the network communication unit 1510. The components described above are interconnected by a bus 1513. Further, there may be a block for performing data conversion between the bus 1514 and the bus 1513. The operation of the printing apparatus 104 according to the present embodiment is realized, for example, by the CPU 1505 reading a program necessary for processing from the program memory 1506 to the work memory 1507 and executing the program.

  FIG. 16 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a hardware configuration diagram of the portable terminal 105. The mobile terminal 105 includes, for example, an imaging unit 1601, an input interface 1610, a CPU 1620, a ROM 1630, a display unit 1640, a RAM 1650, an external storage device 1660, a communication unit 1670, a short-range wireless communication unit 1680, and an audio output unit 1690. These blocks are connected to each other using, for example, an internal bus.

  The CPU 1620 is a system control unit and controls the entire device. The RAM 1650 includes, for example, a DRAM (Dynamic RAM) requiring a backup power supply, like the RAM 1305. The RAM 1650 is also used as a main memory and a work memory of the CPU 1620. The ROM 1630 stores fixed data such as a control program executed by the CPU 1620, a data table, and an OS program. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the portable terminal 105 installs an application program for the audio terminal 106 (hereinafter, an audio control application) and stores the application program in the ROM 1630.

  The display unit 1640 includes an LED (light emitting diode), an LCD (liquid crystal display), and the like, and displays a screen based on various data. Note that the display unit 1640 may have a function of receiving various inputs from a user by being configured with a touch display or the like. That is, display unit 1640 is an interface for receiving data input and operation instructions from the user, and may be an operation panel including a physical keyboard, buttons, touch panel, and the like. The communication unit 1670 has a function similar to that of the above-described communication unit 1307, and can be wirelessly connected to another device via an access point. The short-range wireless communication unit 1680 is a device that can perform short-range wireless communication with the short-range wireless communication unit 1308 using the same wireless communication scheme as the short-range wireless communication unit 1308.

  The audio output unit 1690 can transmit information, commands, and the like to the user by audio, and is, for example, a speaker. The imaging unit 1601 captures an image according to a user's imaging instruction. For example, the imaging unit 1601 is a camera device. Imaging data captured by the imaging unit 1601 is stored in a storage area such as the ROM 1630. In addition, the mobile terminal 105 is equipped with a QR code reading application, and is capable of reading information stored in the QR code by imaging the QR code with the imaging unit 1601. That is, the imaging unit 1601 and the QR code reading application constitute the QR code reading function 112.

  FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram illustrating a case where the voice terminal 106 performs printing in cooperation with the printing device 104 when receiving a print command by voice. It should be noted that leftward and rightward arrows in the figure indicate communication between components, and vertical lines indicate passage of time.

  When the user utters the instruction command (command) (701), the voice terminal 106 receives the voice and transmits the information of the utterance content together with its own voice terminal identification ID 114 to the voice terminal management server 103 (702). The voice terminal management server 103 extracts the call name 605 and the command part 606 from the received utterance content information (703). The voice terminal management server 103 determines the voice terminal cooperation server 102 of the cooperation destination from the call name 605 (704), and transmits the voice terminal identification ID 114 and the information of the command part 606 to the voice terminal cooperation server 102 (705). . When transmitting the information, the voice terminal management server 103 acquires the URL of the voice terminal cooperation server 102 corresponding to the call name 605 from the server management DB 110. In the case of this embodiment, the voice terminal management server 103 sends the voice terminal identification ID 114 and the information of the command “Please print today's news” to the voice terminal cooperation server 102 corresponding to the call name “XX company print”. Send

  The voice terminal cooperation server 102 receives the command from the voice terminal management server 103, and generates print content according to the content of the command (706). Next, the voice terminal cooperation server 102 determines the printing device identification ID 111 to perform printing based on the voice terminal identification ID 114 (707), and instructs the printing device management server 101 to perform printing. Is transmitted as a print command (708). At this time, the voice terminal cooperation server 102 searches the information registered in the cooperation management DB 109 for the voice terminal identification ID 114 received together with the instruction from the voice terminal management server 103, and associates the voice terminal identification ID 114 with the voice terminal identification ID 114. The printing device identification ID 111 is obtained.

  After that, the voice terminal cooperation server 102 returns to the voice terminal management server 103 the voice content information for reply to the user and the voice terminal identification ID 114 of the reply destination (709). Upon receiving the reply voice content information and the voice terminal identification ID 114, the voice terminal management server 103 transmits the reply voice content information to the voice terminal 106 specified by the voice terminal identification ID 114 (710), and The terminal 106 outputs voice based on the information of the voice content for reply (711).

  Further, the printing device management server 101 specifies the IP address of the target printing device 104 from the printing device identification ID 111 based on the print command received from the voice terminal cooperation server 102. Thereafter, the printing device management server 101 instructs the printing device 104 whose IP address is specified to print the print contents (712). At this time, the printing device management server 101 specifies an IP address corresponding to the printing device identification ID 111 from information registered in the printing device management DB 107. The printing device 104 performs printing according to the command received from the printing device management server 101 (713).

  In order to operate the printing device 104 using the audio terminal 106 as described above, it is necessary to associate the printing device 104 with the audio terminal 106 and register it in advance. As a registration method, a method of transmitting the one-time token of the printing apparatus to the voice terminal 106 via the mobile terminal to perform registration, or a method in which the user transmits the one-time token of the printing apparatus 104 to the voice terminal by voice and performs registration. There is a way to do this. However, in the present embodiment, the audio terminal 106 is registered in association with the printing device 104 using a two-dimensional code such as a QR code. Hereinafter, the processing will be described in detail.

  FIG. 8 is an external view of the printing apparatus 104 according to the first embodiment. The printing apparatus 104 includes a panel 801 (corresponding to the display unit 1508) for performing operations, and displays various user interface screens such as apparatus information, a setting screen, and job information. The panel 801 has a button 802 for starting registration with the voice terminal 106 described later. When the button 802 is pressed, a QR code for voice terminal registration is printed from the outlet 803. The button 802 is, for example, a registration start button displayed on the setting screen of the voice control function displayed by transiting from the main screen of the printing apparatus 104.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining from the printing of the QR code by the printing device 104 to the registration of the printing device 104 in association with the voice terminal 106 in the first embodiment. A sheet 900 indicates a sheet to be printed when the button 802 of the printing apparatus 104 is pressed, and has a QR code 901 and a description printed thereon. URL information 902 is stored in the QR code 901, and a one-time token is added as an argument. The mobile terminal 105 is equipped with a QR code reading application, and is capable of reading information stored in the QR code by imaging the QR code with the imaging unit 1601.

  A screen 903 is a screen displayed on the display unit 1640 of the mobile terminal 105 after reading the QR code, in which a Web browser is activated and a Web page with registered voice is displayed. The sound 904 is sound reproduced by the sound output unit 1690 in a state where the Web page with the registered sound is displayed. The mobile terminal 105 has a speaker capable of outputting voice. The voice terminal 106 receives the voice 904 and performs server communication. When the registration is completed, a voice Reply 905 is output, and the user is notified that the registration is completed. Notice.

  FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram illustrating a registration procedure of the printing apparatus 104 according to the first embodiment. Note that, similarly to FIG. 7, arrows in the left and right directions in the figure indicate communication between the components, and straight lines in the up and down directions indicate the passage of time.

  When the user presses a registration start button 802 of the printing device 104 to the voice terminal 106, the printing device 104 transmits its own printing device identification ID 111 and a registration start request to the printing device management server 101 (1001).

  Upon receiving the request (registration instruction) from the printing apparatus 104, the printing apparatus management server 101 returns a notice to the effect (1002), issues a one-time token, associates the one-time token with the received printing apparatus identification ID 111, and returns the one-time token. It is stored in the time token DB 108 (1003). Further, the printing apparatus management server 101 controls output of the information to the printing apparatus 104. In the case of the present embodiment, the printing apparatus management server 101 generates image data in which a URL with a one-time token is embedded as a QR code (1004), and outputs a print command of the image to the printing apparatus 104 (1005). ). The printing device 104 that has received the print command outputs a printed matter based on the image data (1006). When the user reads the QR code on the printed material with the imaging unit 1601 of the mobile terminal 105 according to the instruction described in the printed material (1007), the mobile terminal 105 acquires the URL in the QR code and accesses the URL ( 1008). In the present embodiment, the portable terminal 105 accesses the HTML generation server with registration voice 115.

  The registered voice-added HTML generation server 115 indicated by the URL embedded in the QR code generates registration voice data based on the one-time token attached to the accessed URL (1009). Further, the HTML server with registration voice generation server 115 returns the generated HTML for reproducing the registration voice data to the portable terminal 105 (1010). When the mobile terminal 105 displays the Web page 904 based on the returned HTML by the built-in Web browser, the sound embedded in the HTML is reproduced (1011). Here, the reproduced sound is the sound 904 in FIG.

  The voice terminal 106 catches the voice 904 (1012), and transmits the voice information to the voice terminal management server 103 together with its own voice terminal identification ID 114 (1013). When the voice terminal management server 103 extracts the command portion from the voice information (1014) and recognizes that the command is a registration command, the voice terminal management server 103 transmits the registration command information together with the voice terminal identification ID 114 to the voice terminal cooperation server 102 ( 1015).

  The voice terminal cooperation server 102 extracts the one-time token from the registration command, and requests the printing device management server 101 to perform processing for confirming the one-time token (1016).

  When the printing device management server 101 determines that the one-time token exists and is valid with reference to the DB of FIG. 5, the printing device identification ID 111 associated with the target one-time token is linked to the voice terminal. It is returned to the server 102 (1017). The voice terminal cooperation server 102 associates the returned printing device identification ID 111 with the voice terminal identification ID 114 and stores them in the cooperation management DB 109 (1018), and the user indicating that registration to the voice terminal management server 103 is completed. The voice information for reply and the voice terminal identification ID 114 are returned (1019). Upon receiving the reply voice information and the voice terminal identification ID 114, the voice terminal management server 103 transmits the reply voice information to the voice terminal 106 having the corresponding voice terminal identification ID 114 (1020), and receives the reply voice information. The voice terminal 106 outputs the voice for reply as voice (1021). Here, the content output as voice is the reply 905 in FIG.

  FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the printing device management server 101 when the printing device 104 is registered in association with the audio terminal 106. This flowchart starts when the user presses a button 802 for starting registration of the printing apparatus 104 with the voice terminal 106, and the printing apparatus management server 101 receives a registration request and the printing apparatus identification ID from the printing apparatus 104. I do.

  In step S1701, the CPU 1401 receives a registration request and a printing device management ID from the printing device 104 (1001 in FIG. 10). In step S1702, the CPU 1401 notifies the printing device 104 that the request has been accepted (1002 in FIG. 10).

  In S1703, the CPU 1401 issues a one-time token, and in S1704, stores the one-time token in the one-time token DB 108 in association with the printing device identification ID 111 received from the printing device 104 (1003 in FIG. 10).

  In S1705, the CPU 1401 generates an image in which the URL with the one-time token is embedded as a QR code (1004 in FIG. 10), and in S1706, transmits a print command of the generated image to the printing apparatus 104 (FIG. 10). 1005).

  In step S1707, upon receiving the one-time token confirmation process from the voice terminal cooperation server 102, the CPU 1401 determines whether or not the transmitted one-time token is valid (1016 in FIG. 10). If it is determined that the one-time token is valid, the process advances to step S1708, and the CPU 1401 transmits the printing device identification ID 111 of the printing device 104 to the voice terminal cooperation server 102 (1017 in FIG. 10), and executes the process in FIG. finish. On the other hand, if it is determined that the one-time token is not valid, the process advances to step S1709 to transmit an error message indicating that the one-time token is not valid to the voice terminal cooperation server 102, and the processing in FIG. 17 ends. Upon receiving the error message, the voice terminal cooperation server 102 transmits the voice information of the error message and the voice terminal identification ID 114 to the voice terminal management server 103. Then, the voice terminal management server 103 transmits the voice information of the error message to the voice terminal 106. As a result, for example, an error message such as “Registration of voice terminal and printing device failed. Please try again” is output from voice terminal 106 by voice.

  As described above, the user can register the printing device 104 only by pressing the registration start button 802 of the printing device 104 and reading the QR code with the portable terminal 10. Therefore, the registration of the printing device 104 can be easily performed without having to perform a conversation for registration of the printing device 104 with the audio terminal 106, which would otherwise be complicated.

  In the case of the present embodiment, the printing apparatus management server 101 generates an image in which a URL with a one-time token is embedded as a QR code. However, for example, an image may be generated in which audio data or text data of the content that the portable terminal 105 wants to output as audio is embedded as digital watermark data. In this case, the mobile terminal 105 may read the image printed by the printing device 104 to generate audio data by itself, reproduce the generated audio data, or read out the read text data. With such a configuration, the printing device 104 can be registered without the portable terminal 105 accessing the HTML generation server with registration voice 115. Further, the printing apparatus management server 101 may generate, for example, an image in which characters having contents to be output to the portable terminal 105 by voice are printed. In this case, the mobile terminal 105 may read the characters of the image printed by the printing device 104 by an optical character recognition (OCR) process, and may read out the contents. Even with such a configuration, the printing device 104 can be registered without the portable terminal 105 accessing the HTML generation server with registration voice 115.

  Further, for example, the printing device 104 may include a speaker. If the voice terminal 106 is located near the printing device 104, the printing device management server 101 transmits the utterance content itself including the one-time token or the like to the printing device 104 instead of the image print command 1011. You may do so. With such a configuration, the registration of the printing device 104 can be easily performed without using the portable terminal 105.

[Second embodiment]
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a process until the printing device 104 is registered in association with the voice terminal 106 in the second embodiment. In the first embodiment, the printing device management server 101 prints out information such as the one-time token and the printing device identification ID 111 to the printing device 104, but in the second embodiment, displays and outputs the information. In the second embodiment, a QR code for registration with the audio terminal 106 is displayed on the liquid crystal panel of the printing device 104, and the printing device 104 is registered with the audio terminal 106 by reading the QR code with the mobile terminal 105. You. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the user has a plurality of voice terminals 106 and that registration is performed based on the language setting of the voice terminals 106.

  A flow 1100 shows transition of a GUI displayed on the liquid crystal panel 1101 (display unit 1508) mounted on the printing apparatus 104. A button 1102 is a button for starting a registration operation for the audio terminal 106 displayed on the liquid crystal panel 1101, and when the user touches the button, the screen transits to the next screen 1120.

  The screen 1120 displays a combo box 1103 for selecting the audio terminal 106 to be registered. The user can select the audio terminal 106 (the audio terminal 1113 in FIG. 11) to be registered from the selectable audio terminals 106. When the user makes a selection, the screen transitions to the next screen 1121. A screen 1121 displays a combo box 1104 for selecting a language setting of the audio terminal 106. When the user selects a language, the screen transitions to the next screen 1122.

  On a screen 1122, a QR code 1105 is displayed. The data embedded in the QR code 1105 is shown as embedded data 1106, in which information selected by the user and a one-time token are embedded as embedded data.

  The mobile terminal 105 can read the QR code 1122 displayed on the screen 1122 by the imaging unit 1601. In addition, the portable terminal 105 has a printer registration application for registering the printing apparatus 104 based on the data embedded in the QR code read by the imaging unit 1601. The printer registration application extracts data from the QR code read by the mobile terminal 105, and outputs audio 1111 according to the information. The voice 1111 includes a call name corresponding to the voice terminal 1113 and a registration command of the printing device 104.

  The voice terminal 1113 is one of a plurality of voice terminals 1112 and 1113 owned by the user. The voice terminal 1113 understands that the voice 1111 is a call to the user, and performs a registration operation. When the registration is completed, a reply 1114 is output by voice to notify the user that the registration is completed. Here, the voice terminal 1113 understands that the voice 1111 is a call to itself, based on the fact that the call name of the voice 1111 corresponds to the voice terminal 1113. On the other hand, the audio terminal 1112 is one of the audio terminals 1112 and 1113 owned by the user, but understands that the audio 1111 is not a call to the user and does not respond.

  FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram illustrating a registration process of the printing apparatus 104 according to the second embodiment. As in FIGS. 7 and 10, arrows in the left and right directions in the drawings indicate exchanges between the components, and straight lines in the up and down directions indicate the passage of time.

  When the user presses the registration start button 802 of the printing device 104 to the audio terminal 106, the printing device 104 transmits its own printing device identification ID 111 and a registration start request to the printing device management server 101 (1201).

  The printing device management server 101 returns the target voice terminal selection screen to the printing device 104 (1202). The printing device 104 displays the target voice terminal selection screen received from the printing device management server 101 on the liquid crystal panel 1508, and when the voice terminal 106 to be registered is selected by the user, the selection result of the target voice terminal is displayed in the printing device management. It is returned to the server 101 (1203). Next, the printing device management server 101 returns a language selection screen to the printing device 104 (1204). The printing device 104 displays the language selection screen received from the printing device management server 101 on the liquid crystal panel 1508, and when the user selects a language, returns the selected language to the printing device management server 101 (1205).

  Thereafter, the printing apparatus management server 101 issues a one-time token and stores it in the one-time token DB 108 (1206). The printing device management server 101 generates a QR code in which the received information and the one-time token are embedded (1207), and returns a QR code screen to the printing device 104 (1208). The printing apparatus 104 displays the QR code screen received from the printing apparatus management server 101 on the liquid crystal panel 1508.

  The user activates the printer registration application of the mobile terminal 105 and captures the QR code displayed on the liquid crystal panel 1508 of the printing device 104 with the imaging unit 1601 (1209). The printer registration application of the portable terminal 105 extracts data from the read QR code to generate audio data (1210), and causes the audio output unit 1690 to output audio based on the audio data (1211).

  The voice terminal 106 catches the voice (1212), and transmits the voice information and its own voice terminal identification ID 114 to the voice terminal management server 103 (1213). The voice terminal management server 103 specifies the target voice terminal cooperation server 102 from the received voice information, extracts a command part (1214), and transmits the information of the command part and the voice terminal identification ID 114 to the voice terminal cooperation server 102. (1215). The voice terminal cooperation server 102 recognizes that it is a registration command from the information of the command part, extracts the one-time token from the command, and performs the one-time token confirmation processing on the printing device management server 101. (1216).

  If the printing device management server 101 determines that the one-time token received from the voice terminal cooperation server 102 is valid, it returns the printing device identification ID 111 associated therewith to the voice terminal cooperation server 10 (1217). .

  The voice terminal cooperation server 102 associates the returned printing device identification ID 111 with the voice terminal identification ID 114 and stores them in the cooperation management DB 109 (1218), and notifies the user that the registration to the voice terminal management server 103 is completed. The reply voice information and the voice terminal identification ID 114 are returned (1219). The voice terminal management server 103 transmits reply voice information to the voice terminal 106 (1220), and the voice terminal 106 outputs voice based on the reply voice information received from the voice terminal management server 103 (1221).

  As described above, according to the embodiment, registration to the audio terminal 106 can be performed without printing a QR code. Therefore, for example, even an information terminal that does not have a printing function, such as a television, a refrigerator, and a microwave oven, can be registered if it has a display unit that displays a QR code. In addition, even when there are a plurality of types of voice terminals or when the language setting is different between the voice terminal and the printer, by generating a QR code with such information, it is possible to flexibly switch the registration voice for voice output. It becomes possible.

  In the case of the present embodiment, the printing apparatus management server 101 generates an image in which a URL with a one-time token is embedded as a QR code. However, for example, an image may be generated in which audio data or text data of the content that the mobile terminal 105 wants to output as audio is embedded as digital watermark data. In this case, the image displayed on the liquid crystal panel 1101 of the printing apparatus 104 may be read by the mobile terminal 105 by the imaging unit 1601, and the mobile terminal 105 may reproduce the read voice data or read out the text data. With such a configuration, it is possible to register the printing device 104 without using the printer registration application. Further, the printing apparatus management server 101 may generate, for example, an image in which characters having contents to be output to the portable terminal 105 by voice are printed. In this case, the portable terminal 105 may read the characters of the image displayed on the liquid crystal panel 1101 by the printing device 104 by an optical character recognition (OCR) process and read out the contents. Even with such a configuration, it is possible to register the printing device 104 without using the printer registration application.

(Other Examples)
The present invention supplies a program for realizing one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or the apparatus read and execute the program. This processing can be realized. Further, it can also be realized by a circuit (for example, an ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, DVD, or the like can be used. it can.

  When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an Operating System (OS) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where some or all of the actual processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing is also included.

  Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into the memory provided on the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function is executed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU included in the expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

  101 printing device management server: 102 voice terminal cooperation server: 103 voice terminal management server: 104 printing device: 105 portable terminal: 106 voice terminal: 115 HTML generation server with registered voice: 1302, 1401, 1505, 1620 CPU

Claims (17)

A voice control system including a voice terminal, a device operable by a command input by voice at the voice terminal, a server, and a mobile terminal capable of voice output,
Issuing means for issuing a registration code for starting the registration when the device receives a registration instruction for registering the device and the audio terminal in association with each other,
Control means for controlling the portable terminal so as to output the registration code issued by the issuing means by voice,
Acquisition means for acquiring the identification information of the device for which the registration instruction has been received, and the identification information of the voice terminal to which the registration code voice-outputted from the mobile terminal is voice-input,
Using the registration code input by voice to the voice terminal, a registration unit that registers the device identification information and the voice terminal identification information acquired by the acquisition unit in association with each other,
A voice control system comprising: Generating means for generating audio data including the registration code,
The control unit controls the portable terminal to output the registration code by voice based on the voice data generated by the generation unit,
The voice control system according to claim 1, wherein:   The voice control system according to claim 2, further comprising: output control means for outputting information including the registration code to the device.   The voice control system according to claim 3, wherein the output control unit prints out the information to the device.   The voice control system according to claim 3, wherein the output control means displays and outputs the information to the device.   The voice control system according to claim 5, wherein the information includes information on a plurality of selectable voice terminals.   The voice control system according to claim 5, wherein the information includes information of a language for voice output. When the imaging unit of the mobile terminal images the output information, the generation unit generates the audio data based on a result of the imaging.
The voice control system according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein:   The voice control system according to claim 8, wherein the server includes the generation unit and the control unit.   The voice control system according to claim 8, wherein the mobile terminal includes the generation unit and the control unit.   The voice control system according to any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein the information is a two-dimensional code. A storage unit for storing the registration code issued by the issuing unit and the identification information of the device acquired by the acquiring unit in association with each other,
The registration unit searches for identification information of the device associated with a registration code input to the voice terminal by voice, and the identification information of the searched device and the voice terminal acquired by the acquisition unit. Register with the identification information of
The voice control system according to claim 1, wherein: When an instruction command to the device is voice-inputted by the voice terminal, a search unit that searches for the identification information of the device registered by the registration unit in association with the identification information of the voice terminal;
Device control means for causing the device corresponding to the identification information of the device searched by the search means to execute processing corresponding to the instruction command;
The voice control system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising: A voice terminal, a device operable by a command input by voice at the voice terminal, a server, a control method executed in a voice control system including a mobile terminal capable of voice output,
When a registration instruction for registering the device and the voice terminal in association with each other is received by the device, an issuance step of issuing a registration code for starting the registration,
A control step of controlling the mobile terminal to output the registration code issued in the issuing step by voice,
An acquisition step of acquiring the identification information of the device for which the registration instruction has been received, and the identification information of the voice terminal to which the registration code voice-outputted from the mobile terminal is voice-input;
A registration step of registering the identification information of the device and the identification information of the audio terminal obtained in the obtaining step in association with each other using the registration code input by voice to the audio terminal,
A control method comprising: An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a device operable by a command input by voice at a voice terminal,
Receiving means for receiving from the device a registration instruction for registering the device and the audio terminal in association with each other,
Issuing means for issuing a registration code for starting the registration upon receiving the registration instruction by the receiving means,
Control means for controlling the portable terminal to output the registration code by voice in order to cause the voice terminal to input the registration code issued by the issuing means by voice,
An information processing apparatus comprising: A control method executed in an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a device operable by a command input by voice at a voice terminal,
A receiving step of receiving from the device a registration instruction for registering the device and the voice terminal in association with each other,
Upon receiving the registration instruction in the receiving step, an issuing step of issuing a registration code for starting the registration,
A control step of controlling the mobile terminal to output the registration code by voice in order to make the voice terminal input the voice of the registration code issued in the issuing step;
A control method comprising:   A program for causing a computer to function as each unit of the information processing apparatus according to claim 15.

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