JP4138287B2 - Superdirective sound apparatus and program - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an acoustic device having an image recognition function, and more particularly to a superdirective acoustic device and a program with significantly improved directivity.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, speaker devices that are configured to vibrate a diaphragm and listen to sound emitted from the diaphragm into the air are widely used. This type of speaker device vibrates a diaphragm with an audio signal in an audible band of about 20 Hz to 20 KHz, and emits sound directly from the diaphragm into the air.
[0003]
These speaker devices emit sound with a spread in the air centering on the diaphragm, and cannot emit sound toward only a specific listener. For this reason, a speaker device is provided that can emit sound with a secret function using an ultrasonic vibration element.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, a speaker device that emits sound only to a specific listener can emit sound with superdirectivity. This type of speaker device is useful when the listener is at a specific position.
[0005]
However, in this type of speaker device, a plurality of listeners lined up in a straight line, which shows directivity, hears audible sound and has low secrecy. Further, when the vibrator is fixed, it is impossible to emit sound toward the position of the moving listener.
[0006]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to use a new listening position setting method and a new sound source position setting method, and emit a sound with super directivity so that only a listener at a specific position can listen. It is in providing the super-directive sound apparatus.
[0007]
[Means for solving the problems]
The superdirective acoustic device according to the present invention proposed to achieve the above-described object frequency-modulates an audio signal output from a sound source into a signal in a frequency region higher than at least an audible band by a modulation unit, The ultrasonic transducer is driven by the frequency-modulated signal from the modulation means. At the same time, the position of the audible sound is matched with the position of the listener by recognizing the position of the listener by the image recognition device equipped with the camera and determining the direction of the sound wave emitted by the ultrasonic transducer. Determine automatically. Further, the secret frequency function is enhanced by controlling the audible sound propagation region by automatically changing the modulation frequency.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0009]
In FIG. 1, 1 is an information processing apparatus composed of an AV personal computer, 2 is an agent character, 3 and 5 are image input devices, 6 and 7 are ultrasonic transducers, and 8 and 9 are angle control devices, For the listener 10 of the present system, channels L and R are respectively arranged as shown in the figure. Reference numeral 11 denotes a wireless microphone.
[0010]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 2, the image input device 3, the ultrasonic transducer 6, and the angle control device 8 that constitute the channel L, and the image input device 5, the ultrasonic transducer 7, and the angle control device 9 that constitute the channel R are processed. Each is connected to the information processing unit 13 of the apparatus 1. A storage unit 14 is connected to the information processing unit 13. In the storage unit 14, registered image data for listener recognition, a processing program of the present system, and the like are stored in advance.
[0011]
3 shows a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 shows a more detailed flowchart of step S3 in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 shows a more detailed flowchart of step S4 in FIG. .
[0012]
Processing programs corresponding to these flowcharts are stored in the storage unit 14.
The characteristic operation of the embodiment of the present invention in such a configuration will be described.
First, the system is initially set in step S2 in FIG. 3 (hereinafter simply referred to as “step S2”), and the angles of the ultrasonic transducers 6 and 7 and the image input devices 3 and 5 are set in advance.
[0013]
The listener 10 operates the information processing apparatus 1 by performing voice input to the agent character 2 of the information processing apparatus 1 via the wireless microphone 11.
When the listener 10 is not in front of the information processing device 1, the angle control device 8 and the angle control device 9 move the image input device 3, the ultrasonic transducer 6, the image input device 5, and the ultrasonic transducer 7. Fix to the default angle.
[0014]
When the listener 10 enters the fixed audible sound radiation area, the information processing apparatus 1 recognizes the listener and executes a target capturing step for confirming whether or not the listener is registered in advance (step S3). .
[0015]
Specifically, the information processing unit 13 calls the registered face image data of the listener 10 stored in advance in the storage unit 14 (step S7). Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the channel L image 16 and the channel R image 17 of the listener 10 are input to the information processing apparatus 1 from the image input device 3 and the image input device 5, respectively, and the head image 18 is input to the information unit 14. And the image 19 is stored. When it is determined that the face image data of the listener 10 stored in advance and the stored images 18 and 19 are similar, it is recognized that the listener is in front of the information processing apparatus 1 ( Step S8). After the listener is recognized, the details of the outline of the face are recognized from each of the images 18 and 19, and the details of the face image of the registered listener 10 are collated to confirm whether the listener 10 is registered. (Step S9).
[0016]
If it is determined that the listener is not registered in advance, the ultrasonic radiation from the ultrasonic transducers 6 and 7 is not performed, and steps S7 to S9 are repeated until a registered listener appears.
If it is a registered listener, follow-up of the listener is started (step S10, step S4).
[0017]
When the listener 10 is a listener who is registered in advance, the information processing unit 13 recognizes the listener's head from the input image data from the image input devices 3 and 5, and from the listener's ultrasonic radiation region. The offset is recognized as a deviation from the image center of the listener's head (step S13), and the angles of the image input devices 3 and 5 are adjusted by the angle control devices 8 and 9 having an angle control mechanism by a stepping motor, for example. Adjustment is made so that the listener's head is positioned at the center of the images of the image input devices 3 and 5 (step S14). This listener follow-up operation is continuously performed when the listener 10 uses the information processing apparatus 1, and the listener 10 can listen to ultrasonic waves at the center of the ultrasonic radiation crossing region.
[0018]
Here, in this example, the audio signal output from the sound source is frequency-modulated by the modulation means into a signal in a frequency region higher than at least the audible band, and the ultrasonic transducers 6 and 7 are used by the frequency-modulated signal from the modulation means. Drive.
[0019]
At this time, for example, when the registered listener is an elderly person, the sound can be delivered to the listener without leaking sound by increasing the sound pressure level.
Alternatively, at this time, for example, by radiating music registered by the registered listener, the registered music can be delivered to the listener without leakage to the surroundings.
[0020]
This state is shown in FIG. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 21 denotes an ultrasonic radiation crossing region, 22 denotes an R channel radiation region from the ultrasonic transducer 7, and 23 denotes an L channel radiation region from the ultrasonic vibration 6.
[0021]
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the secret story function according to the present invention. The intersecting region 25 of the sound wave 23 radiated from the ultrasonic transducer 7 and the sound wave 24 radiated from the ultrasonic transducer 6 is audible to the listener 10 but not to the listener 26. This indicates that the possibility of being listened to by other than a specific listener is hindered.
[0022]
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the secret talk function by the conventional apparatus. In the intersecting region 32 of the sound waves radiated from the ultrasonic transducer 30 and the ultrasonic transducer 31, for example, a plurality of listeners 33 such as a listener 33 and a listener 34 can exist and are listened to other than the specific listener.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
Since the speaker device according to the present invention follows the listener, the listener can obtain an audible sound with a high secret function without worrying about the listening position, without worrying about noise to the surroundings. it can.
[0024]
Furthermore, since the speaker device according to the present invention recognizes the listener, an audible sound with a high secret function can be obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a more detailed flowchart of step S3 of FIG.
FIG. 5 shows a more detailed flowchart of step S4 of FIG.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an input image.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a radiation state of an ultrasonic listener according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a secret story function according to the present invention.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of a secret story function by a conventional apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information processing apparatus 2 Agent character 3, 5 Image input device 6, 7, 30, 31 Ultrasonic vibrator 8, 9 Angle control apparatus 10, 26, 33, 34 Listener 11 Wireless microphone 13 Information processing part 14 Storage part 16 Channel L image 17 Channel R image 18, 19 Stored image 21, 22 Ultrasonic radiation crossing region 23, 24 Sound wave 25 Crossing region

Claims (4)

A directional acoustic device having an image recognition device for recognizing an image from an imaging unit, and having at least two sound information generation units for generating sound information
The image recognition apparatus includes a specifying unit that recognizes the position of the listener and further identifies the listener, and determines a direction of a sound wave emitted from the sound information generation unit to the listener specified by the specifying unit. ,
Based on the direction of the sound wave obtained from the image recognition device, a directivity position adjustment unit that causes the directivity direction of the sound information generation unit to follow the position of the listener;
A directional acoustic device comprising: A storage unit storing registered listener image data for recognizing a pre-registered listener;
At least two imaging units for inputting the image data of the listener;
At least two sound information generators for generating sound information;
An information processing unit for identifying the input image data from the imaging unit and the registered listener image data and confirming a listener;
When the information processing unit identifies the listener as a registered listener, each of the input image data from each imaging unit and a predetermined reference position based on the respective deviations, A directivity position adjusting unit for causing the directivity direction of the sound information of the sound information generating unit to follow the registered position of the listener;
A directional acoustic device comprising: The directional acoustic device according to claim 1, wherein sound information suitable for the registered listener is registered in advance in each of the sound information generation units . A first step of confirming a listener from input image data of a listener from at least two imaging units and registered listener image data for recognizing a listener registered in advance;
A second step of detecting a shift between each input image data from each imaging unit and a predetermined reference position when the first step specifies that the listener is a registered listener; When,
A third step of causing the direction of sound information to follow the registered position of the listener based on each shift detected in the second step;
A fourth step of generating sound information in each directivity direction determined by the third step from at least two sound information generation units;
A computer-readable program for a directional acoustic device comprising :

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