JP5050950B2 - Volume control system and portable terminal device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a volume control system and a mobile terminal device.

  Some portable terminal devices typified by cellular phones have a music playback function, and a user carrying a portable terminal device can enjoy music even outdoors by wearing headphones or earphones in his / her ears. . However, when a user walks outdoors while listening to music with headphones or the like, the pedestrian crossing may also cross while listening to music. In this case, the volume of playback is suppressed and the sound of an approaching car or horn is heard. It is desirable to make it easier.

As a system for controlling the volume, for example, in a system in which a user views a television broadcast using a mobile terminal device, the mobile terminal device determines the position by radio waves from a global positioning system (GPS) satellite, and A system is known in which the volume is suppressed when the user is in the field (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-254012 A

  However, in this system, since a rough position is determined based on GPS information, the sound volume is suppressed not only in a pedestrian crossing but also in a wide area including a peripheral area.

  In view of the above circumstances, the embodiment described in the present specification provides a volume control system and a mobile terminal device capable of reducing the volume in accordance with the area of a pedestrian crossing.

The basic form of the volume suppression system described in this specification is:
A plurality of pedestrian crossing RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tags, each of which is installed at least one at each of the both ends of the crosswalk at the start and end of the crosswalk, each of which wirelessly transmits end discrimination information capable of at least mutual discrimination; And a sound generator attached to the ear that emits sound when an audio signal is input; and
An audio signal input unit for inputting an audio signal to the audio generation unit;
A communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the RFID tag;
An end discrimination information acquisition unit for acquiring the end discrimination information from the pedestrian crossing RFID tag via the communication unit;
When the edge determination information is acquired by the edge determination information acquisition unit, the volume of the sound is suppressed, and the edge where the pedestrian crossing RFID tag from which the edge determination information is acquired is installed at both ends of the pedestrian crossing. A mobile terminal device comprising: a volume suppression unit that maintains volume suppression until end determination information is acquired by the end determination information acquisition unit from a pedestrian crossing RFID tag that is installed at the opposite end;
It has.

Further, the basic form of the portable terminal device described in the present specification is a sound generation unit attached to the ear that emits sound when a sound signal is input; and
An audio signal input unit for inputting an audio signal to the audio generation unit;
A communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the RFID tag;
From a plurality of pedestrian crossing RFID tags, each of which transmits at least one end discrimination information that can be discriminated from each other at least at both ends of a crosswalk at the beginning and end of a crosswalk, via the communication unit. An edge determination information acquisition unit for acquiring the edge determination information;
When the edge determination information is acquired by the edge determination information acquisition unit, the volume of the sound is suppressed, and the edge where the pedestrian crossing RFID tag from which the edge determination information is acquired is installed at both ends of the pedestrian crossing. A volume suppression unit that maintains volume suppression until end determination information is acquired by the end determination information acquisition unit from a pedestrian crossing RFID tag installed at the opposite end.

  According to the basic form of the volume control system and the mobile terminal device, the volume is suppressed when the edge discrimination information is acquired from the pedestrian crossing RFID tag installed at one end of the both ends of the pedestrian crossing, and the volume is installed at the other end. Since the volume suppression is maintained until the edge discrimination information is acquired from the pedestrian crossing RFID tag, the volume of the music is reduced in accordance with the area of the pedestrian crossing.

  As described above, according to the disclosed volume suppression system and portable terminal device, the volume can be reduced in accordance with the area of the pedestrian crossing.

  Specific embodiments of the volume suppression system and the mobile terminal device described above will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a specific embodiment of a volume control system.

  The volume control system 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes RFID tags 21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 arranged at intersections, and mobile phones carried by users. Phone 10. Here, the mobile phone 10 corresponds to an example of the mobile terminal device in the basic form described above.

  Each of the RFID tags 21 to 39 is configured to wirelessly communicate with the mobile phone 10 when the mobile phone 10 approaches, and transmit information stored therein to the mobile phone 10. In FIG. 1, a range in which each of the RFID tags 21 to 39 can communicate with the mobile phone 10 is indicated by a one-dot chain line. The detailed configuration of the RFID tags 21 to 39 will be described later.

  At the intersection shown in FIG. 1, a first pedestrian crossing C1, a second pedestrian crossing C2, and a third pedestrian crossing C3 are provided. Among the RFID tags 21 to 39, the first RFID tag 21 and the second RFID tag 22 are respectively installed at both ends of the first crosswalk C1 at the beginning and at the end of the crosswalk. In more detail, the 1st RFID tag 21 and the 2nd RFID tag 22 are attached to the support | pillar of the traffic lights 51 and 52 arrange | positioned at the both ends of the 1st pedestrian crossing C1. The second RFID tag 22 is also installed at one end of both ends of the second pedestrian crossing C2, and a third RFID tag 23 is installed at the other end of the second pedestrian crossing C2. ing. More specifically, the third RFID tag 23 is installed on the ground. The third RFID tag 23 and the first RFID tag 21 are installed at both ends of the third pedestrian crossing C3.

Of the RFID tags 21 to 39, the other RFID tags 31 to 39 except for the three RFID tags 21, 22, and 23 are installed at locations different from the crosswalks C1, C2, and C3. The RFID tags 31 to 39 installed at different locations from the pedestrian crossings C1, C2, and C3 are referred to as separate RFID tags 31 to 39. The other RFID tags 31 to 39 are arranged outside the intersection shown in FIG.
Here, each of the first RFID tag 21, the second RFID tag 22, and the third RFID tag 23 corresponds to an example of a pedestrian crossing RFID tag in the basic form described above.

  Each RFID tag is assigned one of the values A to Z. Among the values A to Z, A to E represent a pedestrian crossing, more specifically, an end of the pedestrian crossing, and F to Z represent other than the pedestrian crossing. Each of A to E represents a group, and RFID tags belonging to the group of the same value are installed at the same end of the pedestrian crossing. The codes A, B, C, and Z of each RFID tag in FIG. 1 represent values stored in the RFID tag. The two sides of the pedestrian crossing can be distinguished from each other by the values A, B, and C as the end discrimination information stored in the first RFID tag 21, the second RFID tag 22, and the third RFID tag 23. . For example, the end of the first pedestrian crossing C1 can be distinguished from each other by the value A stored in the first RFID tag 21 and the value B stored in the second RFID tag 22. Further, the end of the second pedestrian crossing C2 can be distinguished from each other by the value B stored in the second RFID tag 22 and the value C stored in the third RFID tag 23. Further, the end of the third pedestrian crossing C3 can be distinguished from each other by the value C stored in the third RFID tag 23 and the value A stored in the first RFID tag 21.

  The separate RFID tags 31 to 39 are disposed outside the intersection, and more specifically, are disposed in a region surrounding both ends of the pedestrian crossings C1, C2, and C3 and the pedestrian crossings C1, C2, and C3. The other RFID tags 31 to 39 store the value Z as the discrimination information, and the first RFID tag 21, the second RFID tag 22, and the third RFID tag 23 arranged at both ends of the pedestrian crossing, Can be distinguished.

  The mobile phone 10 has a music playback function in addition to the telephone function, and a user (not shown) who carries the mobile phone 10 can listen to music by wearing the headphones 101 on his / her ear. The mobile phone 10 moves along the pedestrian crossing as the user crosses the pedestrian crossing.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the intersection volume suppression system shown in FIG.

  FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the first RFID tag 21 as a representative of the RFID tags 21 to 39, but the electrical configurations of the RFID tags 21 to 39 shown in FIG. 1 are all the same and stored. Only the information is different. Also shown in FIG. 2 is a communication network 60.

  The mobile phone 10 includes a mobile communication unit 111, an audio processing unit 112, a display unit 113, an operation unit 114, a storage unit 115, a control unit 116, a short-range communication unit 118, a music playback unit 119, a pedometer 121, and headphones 101. I have. The portable communication unit 111, the audio processing unit 112, the display unit 113, the operation unit 114, the storage unit 115, the control unit 116, the short-range communication unit 118, the music playback unit 119, and the pedometer 121 are connected to each other via a bus 122. Yes. Here, the short-range communication unit 118 corresponds to an example of the communication unit in the basic form described above, and the headphone 101 corresponds to an example of the sound generation unit in the basic form described above. The audio processing unit 112 corresponds to an example of the audio signal input unit in the basic form described above.

  The audio processing unit 112 processes an audio signal picked up by the microphone 103 and generates an audio signal for driving the speaker 102 that outputs audio toward the user. The audio processing unit 112 also generates an audio signal corresponding to the reproduction music information generated by the music reproduction unit 119. When the headphone 101 is connected to the mobile phone 10, the sound processing unit 112 inputs the generated sound signal to the headphone 101 at a volume set by the control unit 116.

  The headphone 101 is used by being worn on the user's ear, and a sound signal is input from the sound processing unit 112 to emit sound.

  The mobile communication unit 111 communicates with the communication network 60 via an antenna, thereby transmitting and receiving a voice signal of a call processed by the voice processing unit 112 and downloading music information. The downloaded music information is stored in the storage unit 115.

  The music playback unit 119 performs playback processing such as expansion of music information stored in the storage unit 115 to generate playback music information, and supplies the playback music information to the audio processing unit 112. Music of music information downloaded by the portable communication unit 111 and stored in the storage unit 115 is played back by the music playback unit 119 and supplied to the voice processing unit 112 as playback music information, and input to the headphones 101 from the voice processing unit 112. Is delivered to the user.

  The display unit 113 displays various information on the screen. The operation unit 114 receives an operation by the user and outputs information corresponding to the operation.

  The control unit 116 has a function of executing various programs and controls the entire mobile phone 10. The storage unit 115 includes, for example, a ROM, a RAM, and a non-volatile memory, and is executed by the control unit 116 to control various programs for controlling the operation of the mobile phone 10, various constants necessary for executing these various programs, and music. Information is stored. The control unit 116 executes the program stored in the storage unit 115 while using the storage unit 115 as a work area. The control unit 116 stores a volume control program as a program. Details of the volume control program will be described later.

  The near field communication unit 118 is a block that performs wireless communication at a shorter distance than the mobile communication unit 111 and communicates with the RFID tags 21 to 39 wirelessly. As a wireless communication method by the short-range communication unit 118, for example, a method having communication capability in a distance range of several meters to several tens of meters is employed.

  The pedometer 121 measures the number of steps of the user by measuring the vibration of the mobile phone 10.

  The communication network 60 includes a base station 61 that communicates wirelessly with the mobile communication unit 11 of the mobile phone 10, a server 63 that stores various music information, and a base station communication network 62 that connects the base station 61 and the server 63. It has. The control unit 116 of the mobile phone 10 causes the mobile communication unit 111 to communicate with the base station 61 to download music information from the server 63 and store it in the storage unit 115. In addition, a sound volume suppression function is realized by executing a sound volume suppression program stored in the storage unit 115.

  The RFID tag 21 has a tag-like form, for example, and includes a communication unit 211, a control unit 212, and a storage unit 213. The communication unit 211 performs short-range wireless communication with the short-range communication unit 118 of the mobile phone 10 via the antenna 211a. The communicable distance is several meters, and the communicable range can be adjusted by the orientation of the antenna 211a. The control unit 212 has a function of executing various programs and controls the RFID tag 21. The storage unit 213 includes, for example, a ROM, a RAM, and a nonvolatile memory, and stores various programs executed by the control unit 212 and various constants and variables necessary for executing these various programs. Further, the storage unit 213 stores any one of the end discrimination information A, B, C and the discrimination information Z. The end determination information A is stored in the storage unit 213 of the first RFID tag 21, the end determination information B is stored in the storage unit of the second RFID tag 22, and the storage unit of the third RFID tag 22 is stored in the storage unit of the third RFID tag 22. The edge discrimination information C is stored, and the discrimination information Z is stored in the storage units of the separate RFID tags 31 to 39.

  The communication unit 211 of the RFID tag 21 becomes communicable when the mobile phone 10 enters a possible range indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. When the communication unit 221 becomes communicable, the control unit 212 transmits information stored in the storage unit 213 to the mobile phone 10. In this way, the mobile phone 10 receives the edge determination information from the RFID tags 21 to 39 according to the position.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining voice suppression processing in the mobile phone shown in FIG.

  The voice suppression process shown in FIG. 2 is repeatedly executed. In the sound suppression process, the control unit 116 determines whether or not the short-range communication unit 118 has received information from the RFID tag (step S11). The processing in step S11 is repeated until information is received from the RFID tag (No in step S11).

  For example, when the mobile phone 10 that is carried by the user and outputs sound from the headphones 101 comes to one end of the first pedestrian crossing C1 shown in FIG. 1, the mobile phone 10 is installed at one end of the first pedestrian crossing C1. The communication range of the first RFID tag 21 thus entered is entered. Thereby, the short-range communication unit 118 receives the edge determination information A from the first RFID tag 21. When the information is received from the RFID tag in step S11 (Yes in step S11), the control unit 116 performs intersection identification determination (step S12). More specifically, when the information received by the short-range communication unit 118 is the discrimination information Z from another RFID tag (outside the intersection in S12), the control unit 116 is outside the intersection, that is, the user is at the end of the pedestrian crossing. In step S24, which will be described later, is performed. On the other hand, when the information received by the short-range communication unit 118 is end determination information of any of A to E (in the intersection in S12), the received end determination is made assuming that the user is at the end of the pedestrian crossing. Information is memorize | stored in the memory | storage part 115 as crossing start information (step S13). For example, at the position shown in FIG. 1, the edge determination information A received from the first RFID tag 21 is stored in the storage unit 115. Thereafter, the control unit 116 reads the value of the pedometer 121 twice (step S15) with two seconds (step S15, S16), and calculates the difference between the read pedometer values (step S17). If the calculated difference is less than 2 steps (“less than 2 steps” in S18), the processing from step S14 to step S18 is repeated assuming that the user has not yet started crossing the pedestrian crossing. On the other hand, when the difference is two steps or more (“two steps or more” in S18), the control unit 116 reproduces the music reproduction unit 119 on the assumption that walking is detected, that is, the user starts to cross the pedestrian crossing. The volume control of the voice to be started is started (step S19). In the example shown in FIG. 3, the volume reproduced by the music reproducing unit 119 is suppressed, that is, becomes level 0. Further, the control unit 116 causes the display unit 113 to display the characters “inhibiting crossing” and notifies the user that the volume is being suppressed by crossing the pedestrian crossing (step S20). In this way, the sound volume is suppressed when the edge discrimination information is acquired. Moreover, since suppression of sound volume is started by detection of walking, the user can listen to music at an uncontrolled sound volume while waiting for a signal.

  Thereafter, the control unit 116 determines whether or not the short-range communication unit 118 has received information from the RFID tag (step S22). When information is received from the RFID tag in step S22 (Yes in step S22), the control unit 116 performs intersection identification determination (step S23). In this step, when the information received by the short-range communication unit 118 is identification information from another RFID tag (outside the intersection in S22), it is assumed that there is no user outside the intersection, that is, at the end of the pedestrian crossing, The process proceeds to step S24 described later. On the other hand, when the information received by the short-range communication unit 118 is end determination information from any of the first RFID tag 21, the second RFID tag 22, and the third RFID tag 23 (intersection in S22). Inner), the control unit 116 performs end discrimination (step S23). Specifically, the end discrimination information obtained in step S21 is compared with the end discrimination information recorded in step S13. For example, when the user carrying the mobile phone 10 has crossed the first pedestrian crossing C1, the mobile phone 10 can communicate with the second RFID tag 22 installed at the other end of the first pedestrian crossing C1. Then, the short-range communication unit 118 receives the edge determination information B from the first RFID tag 22. As a result, in step S23, the end determination information B of the second RFID tag 22 obtained in step S21 is different from the end determination information A of the first RFID tag 21 recorded in step S13. In this case, the control unit 116 causes the music playback unit 119 to cancel the volume reduction of the audio to be played back (step S14). As a result, when the user has crossed the pedestrian crossing, the sound level output from the headphones 101 returns to the state before the start of the crossing.

  Here, the control unit 116 that executes the RFID tag information reception processing in step S12 and step S21 corresponds to an example of the sound generation unit in the basic form described above, and the music playback unit 119 includes the edge determination information in the basic form described above. The control unit 116 that corresponds to an example of the acquisition unit, and that executes the RFID tag information reception process in steps S19 and S23 corresponds to an example of the sound generation unit in the basic form described above, and the music playback unit 119 includes the basic unit described above. This corresponds to an example of a volume control unit in the embodiment. Moreover, the combination of the control part 116 and the pedometer 121 which performs the process from the said step S14 to step S18 corresponds to an example of the walk detection part in the basic form mentioned above. Moreover, the control part 116 which performs the process of the said step S12 and step S22 is equivalent to an example of the distinction information acquisition part in the basic form mentioned above.

  In this way, when the edge discrimination information A is obtained from the first RFID tag 21 installed at one end of the both ends of the first pedestrian crossing C1, the volume is suppressed, and the second installed at the other end. Volume suppression is maintained until the edge discrimination information B is obtained from the RFID tag 22. Therefore, the decrease in volume is matched to the area of the first pedestrian crossing.

  Further, as a result of the intersection identification determination in step S12 and step S22 described above, when the information received by the short-range communication unit 118 is the discrimination information Z from another RFID tag, the user is outside the intersection, that is, the user It is considered that the sound volume is not at the end, and the sound volume suppression is released (step S24). For example, even when the end identification information A is received from the first RFID tag 21 by passing the end of the pedestrian crossing while the user is walking on the sidewalk beside the pedestrian crossing, the discrimination information from another RFID tag By receiving Z, the sound volume is released without being maintained.

  In the above description of each specific embodiment, a mobile phone is shown as an example of the mobile terminal device in the basic mode described in “Means for Solving the Problems”. In addition to the telephone, it may be a portable music playback device or a portable information processing device.

  In the above description of each specific embodiment, a music playback unit is shown as an example of the audio signal input unit in the basic mode described in “Means for Solving Problems”. In addition to the music playback unit, the function block may be a function block for reproducing radio or television sound, or a function block for inputting a call sound.

  Further, in the above description for each specific embodiment, the processing for suppressing the volume is shown as an example of suppressing the volume in the basic mode described in “Means for Solving the Problem”. May be a process of reducing the volume other than the process of suppressing the volume.

  In the above description of specific embodiments, headphones are shown as an example of the sound generation unit in the basic form described in “Means for Solving the Problems”. Also earphones may be used.

  Further, in the above description for each specific embodiment, it is built in the main body of the mobile terminal as an example of the volume suppression unit for “suppressing the volume of audio” in the basic mode described in “Means for Solving the Problems”. Although the control unit 116 is shown, the volume control unit may be incorporated in, for example, headphones.

It is a general-view figure which shows one specific embodiment of a volume suppression system. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the intersection sound volume suppression system shown in FIG. It is a flowchart explaining the audio | voice suppression process in the mobile telephone shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Volume control system 10 Mobile phone (mobile terminal device)
11 Mobile Communication Unit 101 Headphone (Sound Generation Unit)
111 Mobile communication unit 112 Audio processing unit (audio signal input unit)
115 storage unit 116 control unit (edge discrimination information acquisition unit, volume suppression unit, walking detection unit, distinction information acquisition unit)
118 Short-range communication unit (communication unit)
119 Music playback unit 121 Pedometer (walking detection unit together with control unit)
A, B, C End discrimination information C1, C2, C3 Crosswalk 21-22 RFID tag (crosswalk RFID tag)
31-39 Different RFID tags Z Differentiated information

Claims (4)

A plurality of pedestrian crossing RFID tags, each of which is installed at least one at each of the both ends of the crosswalk in the pedestrian crossing and each wirelessly transmits end discrimination information capable of being discriminated from each other at both ends; and an audio signal is input A sound generating unit that is attached to the ear,
An audio signal input unit for inputting an audio signal to the audio generation unit;
A communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the RFID tag;
An end discrimination information acquisition unit for acquiring the end discrimination information from the pedestrian crossing RFID tag via the communication unit;
When the edge determination information is acquired by the edge determination information acquisition unit, the volume of the sound is suppressed, and the edge where the pedestrian crossing RFID tag from which the edge determination information is acquired out of both ends of the pedestrian crossing is installed A mobile terminal device comprising: a volume suppression unit that maintains volume suppression until end determination information is acquired by the end determination information acquisition unit from a pedestrian crossing RFID tag installed at an end opposite to
Equipped with a,
The mobile terminal device includes a walking detection unit that detects the walking of the mobile user of the mobile terminal device,
The volume suppression unit starts volume suppression of the sound when the walking detection unit detects a walk when the end determination information is acquired by the end determination information acquisition unit. Volume control system characterized by.   The volume suppression system includes a separate RFID tag that is installed at a location different from the pedestrian crossing and wirelessly transmits identification information that can be distinguished from the plurality of pedestrian crossing RFID tags.
  The mobile terminal device includes a discrimination information acquisition unit that acquires the discrimination information from the another RFID tag via the communication unit,
  When the discrimination information is acquired by the discrimination information acquisition unit during a period in which the volume suppression unit maintains volume suppression, end discrimination information is obtained from the pedestrian crossing RFID tag installed at the opposite end. The volume suppression system according to claim 1, wherein the volume suppression is canceled without waiting for acquisition by the edge discrimination information acquisition unit.   A sound generation unit that is attached to the ear and that emits sound when an audio signal is input; and
  An audio signal input unit for inputting an audio signal to the audio generation unit;
  A communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the RFID tag;
  From a plurality of pedestrian crossing RFID tags, each of which is installed at least one at each of the both ends of the pedestrian crossing and at the end of the pedestrian crossing, each of which wirelessly transmits end discrimination information that can be discriminated at which of the ends. An end discrimination information acquisition unit for acquiring the end discrimination information via the communication unit;
  When the edge determination information is acquired by the edge determination information acquisition unit, the volume of the sound is suppressed, and the edge where the pedestrian crossing RFID tag from which the edge determination information is acquired out of both ends of the pedestrian crossing is installed And a volume suppression unit that maintains volume suppression until end determination information is acquired by the end determination information acquisition unit from a pedestrian crossing RFID tag installed at the opposite end of the mobile terminal device,
  It further includes a walking detection unit that detects the walking of the portable user of the mobile terminal device,
  The volume suppression unit starts volume suppression of the sound when the walking detection unit detects a walk when the end determination information is acquired by the end determination information acquisition unit. The portable terminal device characterized by this.   Discrimination by which the discrimination information is acquired via the communication unit from another RFID tag that is installed at a location different from the pedestrian crossing and wirelessly transmits discrimination information that can be at least distinguished from the plurality of pedestrian crossing RFID tags. With an information acquisition unit,
  When the discrimination information is acquired by the discrimination information acquisition unit during a period in which the volume suppression unit maintains volume suppression, end discrimination information is obtained from the pedestrian crossing RFID tag installed at the opposite end. 4. The portable terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the volume suppression is canceled without waiting for acquisition by the edge discrimination information acquisition unit.

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