JP2020190637A - Electronic apparatus, its control method, and its program - Google Patents

Abstract

To suppress user's action which may cause a noise, according to the present invention.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus includes a microphone, a connection unit, and a control unit. The control unit has a voice recognition function which executes processing according to a voice collected by the microphone. When the control unit detects that an external speaker is connected to the connection unit, the control unit stops the voice recognition function.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to an electronic device capable of voice input.

Some electronic devices such as digital cameras and smartphones have a microphone. For example, a smartphone having a voice recognition function can accept an operation by a user's voice picked up by a microphone. Patent Document 1 discloses a communication robot that processes voice input via a microphone on a network and responds to the voice by voice.

In addition, the user can connect an earphone or the like to an electronic device such as a digital camera or a smartphone and listen to an electronic sound such as a music or an operation sound through the earphone. For example, when a user uses a smartphone in a museum, a concert, or the like, he / she can listen to music without making noise in the surroundings by listening to electronic sounds through earphones.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-013351

For example, when the user is in a place such as a museum or a concert where noise should not be generated as described above, the user can hear the electronic sound from the electronic device through the earphone without making noise to the surroundings. However, in this situation, when the user tries to operate the electronic device by voice, the voice may become noise to the surroundings.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to suppress user actions that may cause noise.

In order to achieve the above object, the electronic device of the present invention includes a sound collecting means for collecting sound, a detecting means for detecting that an external speaker is connected, and a control means, and the control means. Has a voice recognition function that executes processing according to the sound picked up by the sound collecting means, and when the control means detects that an external speaker is connected by the detecting means, the voice recognition function It is characterized by stopping.

According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress user actions that may cause noise.

(A) It is a block diagram which shows an example of the structure of the digital camera in 1st Embodiment. (B) This is an example of an external view of the front of the digital camera according to the first embodiment. (C) This is an example of an external view of the back surface of the digital camera according to the first embodiment. (A) This is an example of a screen display for setting a shutter mode, an electronic sound output, and a silent mode of a digital camera according to the first embodiment. (B) This is an example of a screen display for setting the shutter mode of the digital camera in the first embodiment. (C) This is an example of a screen display for setting the output of the electronic sound in the first embodiment. (D) This is an example of a screen display for setting the silent mode of the digital camera in the first embodiment. (A) This is an example of a setting screen of a digital camera to which an external speaker is not connected in the first embodiment. (B) This is an example of a setting screen of a digital camera to which an external speaker is connected. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the processing procedure which the digital camera of 1st Embodiment executes and stops a voice recognition function. (A) This is an example of a screen of a digital camera when the voice recognition function is executed. (B) This is an example of a digital camera screen when the voice recognition function is stopped. (C) This is an example of a warning screen of a digital camera when the voice recognition function is stopped. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the processing procedure which executes the function which uses the microphone by the digital camera of 1st Embodiment when the voice recognition function is stopped.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiment described below is an example as a means for realizing the present invention, and may be appropriately modified or changed depending on the configuration of the device to which the present invention is applied and various conditions. It is also possible to combine each embodiment as appropriate.

[First Embodiment]
<Configuration of digital camera 100>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a digital camera 100, which is an example of the electronic device of the present embodiment. Although a digital camera is described here as an example of an electronic device, the electronic device is not limited to this. For example, the electronic device may be a device that has an internal speaker such as a smartphone, a personal computer, a smart watch, or a tablet terminal and can be connected to an external speaker.

The control unit 101 controls each unit of the digital camera 100 according to the input signal and a program described later. The control unit 101 can convert the audio data recorded in the non-volatile memory 103 and the recording medium 110, which will be described later, into an audio signal, and output the audio signal via the speaker 108, the communication unit 111, and the connection unit 112. Instead of the control unit 101 controlling the entire device, a plurality of hardware may share the processing to control the entire device.

The image pickup unit 102 includes, for example, an optical lens unit, an optical system for controlling aperture, zoom, focus, etc., and an image pickup element for converting light (image) introduced through the optical lens unit into an electrical image signal. It is composed. As the image sensor, CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) or CCD (Charge Coupled Device) is generally used. When the image pickup unit 102 is controlled by the control unit 101, the subject light imaged by the lens included in the image pickup unit 102 is converted into an electric signal by the image pickup element, noise reduction processing and the like are performed, and the digital data is imaged. Output as data or video data. Further, the image pickup unit 102 has a shutter capable of freely controlling the exposure time of the image pickup element under the control of the control unit 101. This shutter is, for example, a focal plane shutter, a lens shutter, or the like. In the present embodiment, a series of processes for capturing and outputting the image data is referred to as "shooting". In the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment, the image data and the moving image data are recorded on the recording medium 110 described later in accordance with the DCF (Design Rule for Camera File system) standard.

The non-volatile memory 103 is a non-volatile memory that can be electrically erased and recorded, and stores a program or the like described later executed by the control unit 101. In addition, voice data is recorded in the non-volatile memory 103. This audio data is, for example, electronic sound data such as a focusing sound output when the subject is in focus, an electronic shutter sound output when an image is taken, and an operation sound output when the digital camera 100 is operated. .. In the present embodiment, the electronic shutter sound is an onomatopoeia that resembles the sound of the shutter of the imaging unit 102 opening and closing. However, since it is sufficient that the electronic shutter sound can be recognized as being captured by the user, the tone color, length, and the like may be significantly different from the actual opening and closing sound of the shutter. In this embodiment, the audio data is recorded in PCM format, MP3 format, or the like.

The working memory 104 is used as a buffer memory that temporarily holds image data and moving image data captured by the imaging unit 102, an image display memory of the display unit 106, a work area of the control unit 101, and the like.

The operation unit 105 is a user interface for receiving an instruction to the digital camera 100 from the user. The operation unit 105 includes, for example, a power switch for instructing the user to turn on / off the power of the digital camera 100, a release switch for instructing shooting, a playback button for instructing reproduction of image data, and the like. Can be done. Further, the touch panel formed on the display unit 106 can also be included in the operation unit 105. The release switch has SW1 and SW2. When the release switch is in the so-called half-pressed state, SW1 is turned on. As a result, a preparatory instruction for performing an imaging preparatory operation such as AF (autofocus) processing, AE (autoexposure) processing, AWB (auto white balance) processing, and EF (flash pre-flash) processing is received. Further, when the release switch is in the so-called fully pressed state, SW2 is turned on. By such a user operation, an imaging instruction for performing an imaging operation is received.

Further, the operation unit 105 has a mode changeover switch, and switches the operation mode of the control unit 101 to any one of a still image shooting mode, a moving image shooting mode, a playback mode, and the like. The modes included in the still image shooting mode include an auto shooting mode, an auto scene discrimination mode, a manual mode, an aperture priority mode (Av mode), a shutter speed priority mode (Tv mode), and a program AE mode. In addition, there are various scene modes, custom modes, silent modes, etc. that are shooting settings for each shooting scene. The mode selector switch allows the user to switch directly to any of these modes. Alternatively, after switching to the shooting mode list screen once with the mode changeover switch, one of the displayed plurality of modes may be selected and switched using another operation member.

Further, the operation unit 105 includes a speaker 108, a communication unit 111, and a button for adjusting the volume of sound output from the connection unit 112, which will be described later. By accepting the user operation via this button, the control unit 101 executes a process of adjusting the amplitude of the audio signal and the like and a process of determining whether or not to output the audio signal.

The display unit 106 displays a viewfinder image at the time of shooting, displays captured image data, displays characters for interactive operation, and the like. The display unit 106 does not necessarily have to be built in the digital camera 100, and may be configured to be externally connected to the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 may be connected to the internal or external display unit 106, and may have at least a display control function for controlling the display of the display unit 106.

The microphone 107 is used to input sound waves such as sound and voice to the digital camera 100. The microphone 107 converts sound and voice into electrical signals and inputs them to the digital camera 100. The control unit 101 generates voice data from the input electric signal. For example, the control unit 101 can synchronize (associate) and record the audio data and the moving image data captured by the imaging unit 102. The microphone 107 may be configured to be detachable from the digital camera 100, or may be built into the digital camera 100. That is, the digital camera 100 may have at least a means for receiving an electric signal from the microphone 107. The frequency of the sound wave that the microphone 107 can convert into an electric signal is not limited to the human audible frequency, and may include so-called ultrasonic waves and infrasound frequencies.

The speaker 108 is an electroacoustic converter capable of outputting electronic sounds. The electronic sounds are, for example, music, warning sounds, focusing sounds, electronic shutter sounds, operation sounds, and the like. In the present embodiment, the control unit 101 can convert the voice data recorded in the non-volatile memory 103 into a voice signal, and output the voice signal such as a warning sound by the speaker 108. The speaker 108 is an example of an internal speaker. For example, the user can notice the warning of the digital camera 100 by listening to the sound output from the speaker 108.

The power supply unit 109 can supply electric power to each element of the digital camera 100 by being controlled by the control unit 101. The power supply unit 109 is, for example, a power source for a lithium ion battery, an alkaline manganese dry battery, or the like.

The recording medium 110 can record image data output from, for example, the imaging unit 102. The recording medium 110 is, for example, an SD card or a CF card. The recording medium 110 may be configured to be detachable from the digital camera 100, or may be built in the digital camera 100. That is, the digital camera 100 may have at least a means for accessing the recording medium 110.

The communication unit 111 is an interface for wirelessly connecting to an external device. The digital camera 100 of the present embodiment can exchange data with an external device via the communication unit 111. For example, the image data generated by the imaging unit 102 and the audio data recorded in the non-volatile memory 103 can be transmitted to an external device via the communication unit 111. The external device is, for example, an information device such as a smartphone or a PC. In the present embodiment, the communication unit 111 includes an interface for communicating with an external device according to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard. The control unit 101 realizes wireless communication with an external device by controlling the communication unit 111. The communication method is not limited to Bluetooth, and includes, for example, wireless communication methods such as so-called wireless LAN and infrared communication according to the standard of IEEE802.11. Further, the control unit 101 can be wirelessly connected to an external speaker such as headphones or headphones via the communication unit 111.

The connection unit 112 is an interface for making a wired connection with an external device. The digital camera 100 of the present embodiment can exchange data with an external device via the connection unit 112. For example, the control unit 101 can transmit the image data generated by the imaging unit 102 and the audio data recorded in the non-volatile memory 103 to an external device via the connection unit 112. Further, for example, the control unit 101 can receive a voice signal or voice data from an external microphone via the connection unit 112. The connection portion 112 is, for example, a phone connector (so-called microphone terminal, headphone terminal, etc.), a USB terminal, or the like. The digital camera 100 can be wiredly connected to an external speaker such as earphones or headphones, a microphone, and an information device such as a smartphone or PC via the connection unit 112. Further, the connection unit 112 has a detection unit (not shown) for detecting whether or not an external device is connected. Through this detection unit, the control unit 101 can detect that the external device is connected and disconnected, that it is connected to the external device, that it is not connected to the external device, and the like.

When the digital camera 100 is connected to an external device such as a microphone or headphones, the control unit 101 can detect the type of the device after establishing the connection with the external device. In Bluetooth communication via the communication unit 111, the control unit 101 can detect whether or not the external device can operate as, for example, headphones or a microphone by using the Service Discovery Protocol (SDP). Further, for example, in wireless LAN communication via the communication unit 111, the control unit 101 can detect the type of the device of the external device by receiving it from the external device.

Further, for example, when the connection unit 112 is a USB terminal, the control unit 101 receives a device descriptor from an external device that has established a wired connection. By referring to this device descriptor, the control unit 101 can detect whether or not the external device is headphones. However, when the external device that can be wirelessly connected to the digital camera 100 is limited to an external speaker such as headphones, the control unit 101 can determine whether or not the headphones have been detected by establishing a wireless connection with the external device. Further, the terminal for an external speaker such as a phone connector is a terminal on the premise that the connection partner is a speaker. Further, the terminal for an external microphone such as a phone connector is a terminal on the premise that the connection partner is a microphone. Therefore, when an external device is connected to the phone connector by wire, the control unit 101 determines whether or not headphones, a microphone, or the like is detected by establishing a wired connection with the external device without receiving information from the connection partner. it can.

Next, the appearance of the digital camera 100 will be described. FIG. 1B is an external view of the front surface of the digital camera 100, and FIG. 1C is a diagram showing an example of an external view of the rear surface of the digital camera 100. The release switch 105a, the play button 105b, the direction key 105c, and the touch panel 105d are operation members included in the above-mentioned operation unit 105. Further, the display unit 106 displays an image obtained as a result of imaging by the imaging unit 102.

Further, the digital camera 100 has a power state of a power-on state and a power state of a sleep state. In the present embodiment, the sleep state is, for example, a state in which power is not supplied to the image pickup unit 102, the display unit 106, or the like of the digital camera 100. This sleep state is at least more power-saving than the power-on state. The digital camera 100 transitions to the sleep state when the power switch of the operation unit 105 is turned off by the user. When the power switch is turned off to enter the sleep state, the digital camera 100 returns from the sleep state to the power-on state by turning on the power switch. Further, if a certain period of time elapses without being operated by the user in the power-on state, the digital camera 100 automatically transitions to the sleep state for power saving. In the present embodiment, the power saving function that executes this operation is called an auto power off function. Further, in the present embodiment, the sleep state transitioned by this auto power off function is referred to as an auto power off state. In the auto power off state, the digital camera 100 returns from the sleep state to the power on state in response to the user operating a member of the operation unit 105 such as the release switch and the play button. In the present embodiment, when the power switch is turned off and the sleep state is entered, the digital camera 100 transitions to the power on state even if the user operates a member of the operation unit 105 such as the release switch or the play button. do not do.

Further, the digital camera 100 has a voice recognition function. The voice recognition function is a function that executes processing according to the user's voice. For example, when the digital camera 100 recognizes that the voice data acquired through the microphone 107 has the word "shooting", the digital camera 100 takes a picture using the image pickup unit 102. Generally, an electronic device having a voice recognition function recognizes a predetermined word (so-called wake word) included in voice data, and then interprets the voice following the wake word. In the present embodiment, the digital camera 100 transmits voice data to an external server connected via a wireless LAN network, and interprets the content of the voice using the external server. The digital camera 100 of the present embodiment recognizes the wake word by the control unit 101, and interprets the content of the voice following the wake word by using an external server. Further, the digital camera 100 may store the audio data in the working memory 104 and analyze the audio data stand-alone by using a program recorded in the non-volatile memory 103. The digital camera 100 of the present embodiment executes this voice recognition function in the power-on state.

The example of the configuration of the digital camera 100 has been described above.

The digital camera 100 may execute the voice recognition function even in the sleep state. In this case, for example, when the digital camera 100 recognizes the word "startup", it transitions to the power-on state. Further, the digital camera 100 may not execute the voice recognition function when the state transitions to the sleep state in response to the power switch being turned off, and the digital camera 100 may execute the voice recognition function in the auto power off state. Since the operation of turning off the power switch is an operation indicating that the user does not operate the digital camera 100, the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment does not execute the voice recognition function. On the other hand, in the auto power-off state, since the user is temporarily not operating the digital camera 100 in the sleep state, the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment executes the voice recognition function in order to accept the user's operation.

The digital camera 100 may execute the voice recognition function in response to the reception of the user operation. For example, when the operation unit 105 has a physical button for executing the voice recognition function, the digital camera 100 may execute the voice recognition function while the user presses the button. Further, for example, the digital camera 100 displays a button for executing the voice recognition function on the display unit 106, and the digital camera 100 executes the voice recognition function in response to the user operating the button via the touch panel. You may. The digital camera 100 does not require a wake word when the voice recognition function is executed in response to the reception of the user operation.

<Explanation of shutter mode>
Here, the shutter mode of the digital camera 100 will be described. The digital camera 100 has two shutter modes, an electronic shutter mode and a mechanical shutter mode.

In the mechanical shutter mode, the control unit 101 exposes the image sensor and takes an image by controlling the shutter included in the image pickup unit 102 to open and close. Imaging in the mechanical shutter mode has advantages such as less so-called rolling distortion and less noise in the captured image.

In the electronic shutter mode, the control unit 101 takes an image without opening and closing the shutter. In the imaging in the electronic shutter mode, the shutter is in the open state. The control unit 101 controls the exposure time of the image sensor included in the image pickup unit 102 by referring to the timekeeping unit (not shown). Imaging in the electronic shutter mode has advantages such as a faster shutter speed than the mechanical shutter mode and less vibration during imaging.

In imaging in the electronic shutter mode, the shutter does not open and close, so so-called shutter sound does not occur. Therefore, the control unit 101 outputs the electronic shutter sound recorded in the non-volatile memory 103 via the speaker 108, the communication unit 111, and the connection unit 112.

In addition, the user can operate the digital camera 100 in the silent mode. In the silent mode, the digital camera 100 does not output an electronic sound from the speaker 108. The silent mode is a mode suitable for shooting in a place where quietness is required, such as a sports game venue or a museum. The user can turn on and off the silent mode by operating the digital camera 100 via the operation unit 105. Further, in the present embodiment, in the silent mode, the digital camera 100 operates in the electronic shutter mode. This is because in the mechanical shutter mode, a shutter opening / closing sound is generated when shooting, so that it is not possible to shoot without sound. On the other hand, in the electronic shutter mode, since the shutter does not open and close, it is possible to take a picture without generating sound. In addition, in the silent mode, the digital camera 100 does not perform light emission processing such as flash pre-flash or AF auxiliary light. This is because, for example, athletes in competition and paintings in museums may be required to prohibit flash photography (strobe photography).

However, even in the silent mode, the digital camera 100 can output an electronic sound to headphones or the like via the communication unit 111 and the connection unit 112. This is because even if the digital camera 100 outputs an electronic sound to the headphones or the like, the electronic sound is considered to be transmitted only to the user who uses the digital camera 100, so that the electronic sound output from the headphones can be heard by people around. This is because the possibility is low.

<How to set the shutter mode>
Next, an example of how to set the shutter mode will be described. 2 (A) to 2 (D) are examples of menu screens for setting the shutter mode and the silent mode. 3 (A) and 3 (B) are examples of menu screens in the case of transition to the silent mode. The control unit 101 displays the menu screen on, for example, the display unit 106 in response to the reception of the operation for transitioning to the menu screen from the user via the operation unit 105. The user can change each setting by operating the operation unit 105. In this embodiment, the control unit 101 displays a menu screen as shown in FIG. 2 (A). Item 200 is an item for setting the shutter mode. Item 210 is an item for setting whether or not the digital camera 100 outputs an electronic sound to the headphones. Item 220 is an item for setting whether or not the digital camera 100 operates in the silent mode. In the present embodiment, when a certain item is selected, the control unit 101 controls the display unit 106 so that the other items are not displayed. This makes it easier for the user to select an option for the selected item.

In FIG. 2A, when the user selects item 200 via the operation unit 105, the control unit 101 selects either the mechanical shutter mode or the electronic shutter mode as shown in FIG. 2B. Display the menu for. When the user selects option 201, the digital camera 100 is changed to the setting for shooting by the mechanical shutter mode. In this case, the control unit 101 controls so that the electronic shutter sound is not output to the speaker 108 regardless of the setting of the electronic sound. This is because, for example, when the user takes a picture, if both the shutter opening / closing sound and the electronic shutter sound of the imaging unit 102 are heard, the user may not know which sound timing was taken. When the user selects option 202, the digital camera 100 is changed to the setting for imaging by the electronic shutter mode. In this case, if it is not in the silent mode, the control unit 101 controls to output the electronic sound to the speaker 108.

In FIG. 2A, when the user selects the item 210 via the operation unit 105, the control unit 101 displays a menu for selecting whether or not to output an electronic sound as shown in FIG. 2C. indicate. When the user selects option 211 (“on”), the control unit 101 controls the speaker 108 to output an electronic sound unless it is in the silent mode. When the user selects option 212 (“shutter only”), the control unit 101 controls the speaker 108 to output an electronic shutter sound unless it is in the silent mode, and controls not to output other electronic sounds. When the user selects option 213 (“off”), the control unit 101 controls the speaker 108 and the external speaker so as not to output an electronic sound.

In FIG. 2 (A), when the user selects the item 220 via the operation unit 105, whether or not the control unit 101 operates in the silent mode (on or off) as shown in FIG. 2 (D). Display a menu for selection. If the user selects option 221 (“on”), the digital camera 100 operates in silent mode. If the user selects option 222 (“off”), the digital camera 100 exits silent mode. When the user selects option 221 (“on”), the control unit 101 operates in the electronic shutter mode and controls not to output the electronic sound from the speaker 108. For example, when the silent mode is on, as shown in FIG. 3A, the control unit 101 displays the items 200 and 210 in a shaded manner so that the settings related to the shutter mode and the electronic sound cannot be changed. ..

Here, when an external speaker such as headphones is connected, the control unit 101 can output an electronic sound to the external speaker even if the digital camera 100 is operating in the silent mode. In the present embodiment, for example, when the headphones are connected to the digital camera 100 in the silent mode, the control unit 101 changes the setting so as to automatically output the electronic sound to the headphones. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 3 (B), unlike the screen shown in FIG. 3 (A), the control unit 101 displays the item 210 so as not to be shaded. If the setting of item 210 is changed by a user operation, the control unit 101 controls whether or not to output an electronic sound to the headphones according to the setting. However, in the silent mode, the control unit 101 does not output an electronic sound from the speaker 108 regardless of the setting of the item 210. Therefore, even if the same item is set, the processing of the control unit 101 is automatically switched depending on whether or not the headphones are connected.

In this way, when the user operation is accepted to operate in the silent mode, the control unit 101 automatically controls the digital camera 100 to operate in the electronic shutter mode, and controls not to output an electronic sound. However, when the headphones are connected to the digital camera 100, the control unit 101 can output an electronic sound to the headphones. As a result, the user can listen to the electronic sound while operating the digital camera 100 in the silent mode. In particular, in a digital camera, since the electronic shutter sound can be reproduced from the headphones even in the silent mode in which no sound is output to the surroundings, the user can know the timing of shooting by the digital camera 100.

In addition, in order to show that the user operation is not accepted in this embodiment, the control unit 101 shades the item in FIGS. 3A and 3B, but displays other than the shaded display. You may use the method. For example, the control unit 101 does not display items that do not accept user operations. Further, for example, when an item that does not accept the user operation is selected by the user operation, the control unit 101 displays a warning such as "cannot be changed in the silent mode." Further, for example, even if an item that does not accept the user operation is selected by the user operation, the control unit 101 notifies that the selected item cannot be changed by not returning a response to the user.

<Stop voice recognition function>
The case where the digital camera 100 stops the voice recognition function will be described below.

First, in the silent mode, the digital camera 100 stops the voice recognition function. In the silent mode, the digital camera 100 does not output an electronic sound from the speaker 108 as described above. This is because the electronic sound may become noise. In this case, when the user gives an instruction to the digital camera 100 by voice, the voice may also become noise. Therefore, the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment stops the voice recognition function in response to the transition to the silent mode.

Next, when an external speaker such as headphones is connected to the digital camera 100, the digital camera 100 also stops the voice recognition function. For example, when headphones are connected to the digital camera 100, it is assumed that the user does not want to leak electronic sounds to the surroundings. In this case, when the user gives an instruction to the digital camera 100 by voice, the voice may become noise. In addition, in this case, it is assumed that the ambient sound is noisy and the user cannot hear the electronic sound from the speaker 108 of the digital camera 100. In this case, even if the user gives an instruction to the digital camera 100 by voice, not only the voice is not recognized by the digital camera 100, but also the digital camera 100 may erroneously recognize the instruction by the ambient sound. In either case, it is not desirable for the user to instruct the digital camera 100 by voice. Therefore, the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment stops the voice recognition function when an external speaker such as headphones is connected.

As described above, when the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment determines that the voice recognition should not be performed, the voice recognition function is stopped. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure in which the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment executes and stops the voice recognition function. FIG. 5A is an example of the screen of the digital camera 100 when the voice recognition function is executed. The processing of the digital camera 100 is realized by expanding the software recorded in the non-volatile memory 103 to the working memory 104 and executing the processing by the control unit 101. Further, this process is started when the power of the digital camera 100 is turned on.

In step S401, the control unit 101 determines whether or not the situation may be voice recognition. For example, by determining whether or not the mode has changed to the silent mode and whether or not an external speaker has been connected, the control unit 101 determines whether or not the situation may be voice recognition. If the control unit 101 determines that it is not a situation in which voice recognition is acceptable (a situation in which voice recognition should not be performed), the process proceeds to step S402. When the control unit 101 determines that the voice recognition is acceptable, the process proceeds to step S404. First, a case where the control unit 101 determines that the voice should not be recognized will be described. In this case, for example, the control unit 101 detects that an external speaker is connected, or transitions to the silent mode.

In step S402, the control unit 101 stops the voice recognition function. Here, the control unit 101 notifies the user that the voice recognition function has been stopped. For example, as shown in FIG. 5B, the control unit 101 displays the icon 500 on the display unit 106 to notify the user that the voice recognition function has been stopped.

In step S403, the control unit 101 stops energizing the microphone 107. As a result, the digital camera 100 can reduce power consumption. After that, the control unit 101 executes a shooting process, a playback process of the shot image data, and the like according to the operation of the user. Next, a case where the control unit 101 determines that the voice recognition is acceptable will be described. In this case, for example, the control unit 101 detects that the external speaker has been disconnected, or the silent mode is canceled.

In step S404, the control unit 101 energizes the microphone 107.

In step S405, the control unit 101 executes the voice recognition function.

The example of the process of stopping the voice recognition function of the digital camera 100 has been described above. Note that the digital camera 100 does not pick up sound from the external microphone even when an external microphone is connected. In such a situation where voice recognition should not be performed, the digital camera 100 can suppress the user from instructing the digital camera 100 by voice by stopping the voice recognition function.

Even when the voice recognition function is stopped, you can use a function that allows the user to input voice, such as a voice recognition function or a function that leaves a memo by adding voice data to image data (voice memo function). A case is assumed. Therefore, even when the voice recognition function is stopped, when the user manually inputs voice, the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment accepts voice input. For example, when the user touches the icon 500 on the screen of FIG. 5B in a state where the voice recognition function is stopped in response to the transition to the silent mode, the digital camera 100 is shown in FIG. 5C. Display a message like this. When the user selects "Yes" here, the digital camera 100 executes the voice recognition function and receives the user's voice by the microphone 107. If the user selects "No" here, the digital camera 100 does not accept the user's voice input. In this case, the digital camera 100 may be controlled to temporarily accept the voice input (for a predetermined time). The digital camera 100 may accept voice input in response to, for example, pressing a physical button for executing a voice recognition function, in addition to touching the icon 500 in FIG. 5 (B). As a result, the digital camera 100 can accept the user's voice input while suppressing the user's action that causes noise.

Up to this point, it has been explained that by stopping the voice recognition function of the digital camera 100 and stopping the energization of the microphone 107, it is possible to suppress the user's action that may cause noise. However, there are use cases in which the user uses the microphone 107 even if the user's actions that may cause noise are suppressed. For example, when a user shoots a moving image with the digital camera 100, the digital camera 100 uses the microphone 107 for a function other than the voice recognition function because the moving image data and the voice data are recorded in synchronization. In this moving image shooting function, since the digital camera 100 collects sound for shooting a subject, executing this function is not an act that can cause noise. Therefore, in this case, the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment executes the function of using the microphone 107 even in the silent mode described above or in a state where an external speaker is connected.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure in which the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment executes the moving image shooting function when the voice recognition function is stopped. The processing of the digital camera 100 is realized by expanding the software recorded in the non-volatile memory 103 to the working memory 104 and executing the processing by the control unit 101. This process is started, for example, when a button is pressed to execute moving image shooting.

In step S601, the control unit 101 energizes the microphone 107.

In step S602, the control unit 101 controls the image pickup unit 102, the microphone 107, and the like to shoot a moving image.

In step S603, the control unit 101 determines whether or not to end the moving image shooting. For example, it is determined whether or not an operation for ending video recording has been accepted from the user. If the control unit 101 determines that the moving image shooting is not completed, the process returns to step S602, and the control unit 101 continues the moving image shooting. If the control unit 101 determines that the moving image shooting is finished, the process proceeds to step S604.

In step S604, the control unit 101 stops energizing the microphone 107. As a result, the digital camera 100 can reduce power consumption when the microphone 107 is not used.

The processing procedure for executing the moving image shooting function by the digital camera 100 when the voice recognition function is stopped has been described above. In the present embodiment, the moving image shooting function has been described as an example, but this process may be applied to other functions. The function is not intended to collect the voice of the user who is the photographer by using a microphone.

When an external microphone is connected to the digital camera 100, the moving image shooting function may be executed using the external microphone. For example, when the digital camera 100 has an accessory shoe and an external microphone is connected via the accessory shoe, the digital camera 100 uses the external microphone to shoot a moving image. In addition, for example, when an external microphone is connected to the microphone terminal of the digital camera 100, the digital camera 100 uses the external microphone to shoot a moving image. However, if the digital camera 100 determines that the external microphone is a microphone attached to the headset, it may determine that the external microphone is not used. For example, when it is determined that the headset is connected to the phone connector for the headset, the digital camera 100 does not use the external microphone in the moving image shooting function. In addition, for example, when an external microphone is connected by Bluetooth communication, the digital camera 100 can determine what kind of microphone is connected by the profile. For example, when it is determined that the profile is a profile for a headset such as HSP (Headset Profile) or HFP (Hands-Free Profile) or a call, the digital camera 100 does not use the external microphone in the moving image shooting function. However, for example, when it is determined that the profile is an audio profile such as A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), the digital camera 100 uses the external microphone to shoot a moving image.

When the external microphone is connected by wire, the digital camera 100 executes the video recording function using the external microphone, and when the external microphone is wirelessly connected, the digital camera 100 shoots the video without using the external microphone. You may perform the function. This is because the wirelessly connected external microphone is more likely to have a delay in communication with the digital camera 100 than the wiredly connected external microphone, and it is difficult to synchronize the audio data and the moving image data.

In this way, the digital camera 100 may determine whether or not to use the external microphone for the moving image shooting function or the like according to the connection form of the external microphone.

[Other Embodiments]
The present invention supplies a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiment to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and one or more processors in the computer of the system or device reads and executes the program. It can also be realized by the processing to be performed. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment as it is, and at the implementation stage, the components can be modified and embodied within a range that does not deviate from the gist thereof. In addition, various inventions can be formed by an appropriate combination of the plurality of components disclosed in the above-described embodiment. For example, some components may be removed from all the components shown in the embodiments. In addition, components across different embodiments may be combined as appropriate.

Claims (20)

Sound collecting means for collecting sound and
A detection means that detects that an external speaker is connected,
With control means,
The control means has a voice recognition function that executes processing according to the sound picked up by the sound picking means.
The control means is an electronic device that stops the voice recognition function when it detects that an external speaker is connected by the detection means. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the sound collecting means so as not to pick up sound when it detects that an external speaker is connected by the detecting means. In addition, it has a connection means for connecting an external microphone.
The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the control means detects that the external speaker is connected by the detection means, the control means controls the connection means so as not to pick up sound from the external microphone. machine. Furthermore, it has an operation means for accepting user operations.
Even when the voice recognition function is stopped due to the connection of the external speaker by the detection means, the control means responds to the reception of the user operation via the operation means. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the recognition function is executed. Sound collecting means for collecting sound and
Connection means for connecting external speakers and
Operation means that accepts user operations and
With control means,
The control means has a voice recognition function that executes processing according to the sound picked up by the sound picking means.
When the external speaker is connected by the connecting means, the control means executes the voice recognition function in response to receiving a user operation via the operating means.
When the external speaker is not connected by the connecting means, the control means executes the voice recognition function in response to recognizing that the sound picked up by the sound collecting means includes a predetermined word. An electronic device that is characterized by Sound collecting means for collecting sound and
A speaker that outputs audio and
With control means,
The control means has a voice recognition function that executes processing according to the sound picked up by the sound picking means.
An electronic device characterized in that when the control means controls the speaker so as not to output voice, the voice recognition function is stopped. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein when the control means controls the speaker so as not to output sound, the control means controls the sound collecting means so as not to collect sound. In addition, it has a connection means for connecting an external microphone.
The electronic device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein when the control means controls the speaker so as not to output sound, the control means controls the connection means so as not to pick up sound from an external microphone. Furthermore, it has an operation means for accepting user operations.
Even when the voice recognition function is stopped by controlling the speaker so as not to output the voice, the control means responds to the reception of the user operation via the operation means. The electronic device according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the electronic device performs a recognition function. Sound collecting means for collecting sound and
A speaker that outputs audio and
Operation means that accepts user operations and
With control means,
The control means has a voice recognition function that executes processing according to the sound picked up by the sound picking means.
When the control means controls the speaker so as not to output voice, the control means executes the voice recognition function in response to receiving a user operation via the operation means.
The control means is an electronic device that, when controlling the speaker so as to output voice, executes the voice recognition function in response to recognition of a predetermined word by the sound collecting means. It also has an imaging means
Claim 1 is characterized in that when the data captured by the imaging means is associated with the sound data collected by the sound collecting means and recorded, the control means controls the sound collecting means so as to collect the sound. The electronic device according to any one of 1 to 10. It also has an imaging means
When the data captured by the imaging means is associated with the sound data collected by the sound collecting means and recorded, the control means controls the sound collecting means so as to collect the sound.
The method according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein when the control means controls the speaker so as not to output sound, the control means controls the image pickup means so as to take an image without using a mechanical shutter. Electronics. The control means has a power saving function of transitioning from a first power state to a second power state that consumes less power.
The control means executes the voice recognition function when the user operation is not performed for a predetermined time and the transition from the first power state to the second power state is performed.
Any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the control means does not execute the voice recognition function when the control means transitions from the first power state to the second power state in response to a user operation. Electronic devices described in. It also has a display means
Any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the control means controls the display means so as to notify that the voice recognition function is stopped when the voice recognition function is stopped. The electronic device described in the section. The control means controls the display means so as to notify by displaying an icon that the voice recognition function is stopped.
The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the control means controls the display means so as to display a message for executing the voice recognition function when the icon is selected by the user. Sound collecting means for collecting sound and
A method for controlling an electronic device having a detection means for detecting that an external speaker is connected.
It has a voice recognition function that executes processing according to the sound picked up by the sound picking means.
A control method comprising a step of stopping the voice recognition function when it is detected that an external speaker is connected by the detection means. Sound collecting means for collecting sound and
Connection means for connecting external speakers and
A control method for an electronic device having an operation means for accepting a user's operation.
It has a voice recognition function that executes processing according to the sound picked up by the sound picking means.
When the external speaker is connected by the connecting means, the step of executing the voice recognition function in response to receiving the user operation via the operating means, and
When the external speaker is not connected by the connecting means, the step of executing the voice recognition function in response to the recognition that the sound picked up by the sound collecting means contains a predetermined word, and
A control method characterized by having. Sound collecting means for collecting sound and
A control method for an electronic device having a speaker that outputs audio.
It has a voice recognition function that executes processing according to the sound picked up by the sound picking means.
A control method comprising a step of stopping the voice recognition function when the speaker is controlled so as not to output voice. Sound collecting means for collecting sound and
A speaker that outputs audio and
A control method for an electronic device having an operation means for accepting a user's operation.
It has a voice recognition function that executes processing according to the sound picked up by the sound picking means.
When controlling the speaker so as not to output voice, a step of executing the voice recognition function in response to receiving a user operation via the operation means, and
When the speaker is controlled to output voice, the step of executing the voice recognition function in response to the recognition of a predetermined word by the sound collecting means, and
A control method characterized by having. A computer-readable program for operating a computer as each means of the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

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