JP5332565B2 - Voice guide device and voice guide system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention mainly relates to a voice guide device and a voice guide system for reproducing a guide voice for instructing a direction of a pedestrian's destination.

  In streets, shopping streets, etc., information boards for guiding nearby facilities are installed. In general, a map including the current location and facilities is posted on the information board. However, it is often difficult for ordinary passers-by to understand the relationship between the display direction on the map and the actual orientation. Another problem is that maps are not useful for blind people.

  Therefore, a voice guidance device as in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. This voice guidance device is a device in which, when a selection switch corresponding to a facility displayed on a map on a display board (tactile board) is turned on, route guidance to the facility is performed by voice.

Registered Utility Model Publication No. 3028958

  However, even in the apparatus of Patent Document 1, the relationship between the display direction on the map and the actual orientation is difficult to understand, as is the case with conventional maps, and the facility selected by the user goes to the user. Even if the facility is not in the desired direction, there is a problem that the route of the facility is guided. In addition, “right hand”, “left hand”, etc. of the guidance voice are guided as the right hand and left hand directions of the person facing the guidance device, and the user does not necessarily operate the device facing the guidance device. Since it is not limited, there is a possibility that the direction indication of the voice guidance becomes inaccurate. Furthermore, in the apparatus of the above-mentioned patent document 1, other people cannot use it while one person is using it, and cannot be used simultaneously by many people.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a voice guide device and a voice guide system that solve the above-mentioned problems by guiding in a voice which direction the destination is in the direction the user is facing at that time. The purpose is to do.

The voice guide device according to the present invention is information broadcast using sound that propagates a sound wave parallel to the sound emission direction, and includes guide information including information indicating the sound emission direction, direction information of the guide object, and category information. Receiving means for receiving the sound, direction detection means for detecting the absolute direction in which the device is directed based on the information indicating the sound emission direction and the relative angle to the sound emission direction, and the category of the guide object by the user. a category selection unit that receives, from among the guide information is received means the received information extracting means for extracting those category selected by the category selection unit, the guide object in the guide information extracted by the information extraction means be of a reproducing means for reproducing by synthesizing wording orientation information and a square position detecting means represents the difference between the absolute azimuth of the own apparatus is detected, comprising the .

In the above invention, the receiving means may receive guide information of a plurality of guide objects. Then, when a plurality of guide information items of the selected category are received, the information extraction unit may select a predetermined one from the plurality of guide information items, or select a plurality of guide information items in a predetermined order. Also good.

The voice guide system according to the present invention uses the voice guide device and voice that propagates sound waves parallel to the sound output direction, and includes guide information including information indicating the sound output direction, direction information of the guide object, and category information. And a transmitter for broadcasting.

  According to the present invention, since the language (for example, diagonally right) representing the difference between the direction of the voice guide device, that is, the direction of the user having the voice guide device and the direction of the target guide object is reproduced, Regardless of which direction the user is facing, it is possible to give instructions according to the direction, and it is possible to accurately guide the user to reach the target object in the direction set by himself / herself. .

  A voice guide system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view of a street where a guide plate 4 of the voice guidance system is installed. This street is north on the drawing as indicated by the bearing symbol 5. This street is a T-shaped road formed by a road 1 extending east and west and a road 2 intersecting the road 1 from the south. A guide plate 4 is installed on the north wall of the intersection 3 of the T-junction. The guide plate 4 is provided with a speaker 37 (see FIG. 3), and modulated sound for voice guidance is emitted from the speaker 37 in the south direction.

  Further, in this figure, three passersby 10, 11, 12 are passing by at this intersection 3. These passers-by 10, 11, and 12 are wearing a guide terminal 20 (see FIG. 2) that reproduces a guide voice. The guide terminal 20 is a headset terminal device as shown in FIG.

  The guide terminal 20 worn by each passerby 10, 11, 12 receives the modulated sound emitted by the speaker 37, detects its direction based on this modulated sound, and the user (passerby) A guide voice that indicates the direction of the target facility (object) is reproduced.

  FIG. 2 is an external view of the guide terminal 20 worn by a passerby. The guide terminal 20 has a stereo headphone shape, small speakers 21 (21L, 21R) are provided on both ears, and three microphones 23, 24, 25 on a head strap 22 that connects the speakers 21L, 21R of both ears. Is provided. The microphone 23 is provided on the left side, the microphone 24 is provided on the right side, and the microphone 25 is provided in the center front. That is, when the microphones 23, 24 and 25 are connected by a straight line, an isosceles triangle having the microphone 25 as a vertex is formed. Based on the time lag of the modulated signals received by these three microphones 23, 24, 25, it is detected which direction the guide terminal 20, that is, the user is facing. Further, the guide terminal 20 includes a category selection unit 55 (see FIG. 5) that accepts a user category selection operation. The category selection unit 55 may be provided above the headphones, or may be provided separately from the headphones, for example, as a remote controller. The functional configuration (FIG. 5) and detection method (FIG. 6) of the guide terminal will be described later.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the guide plate 4. The appearance of the information board is a panel shape on which a map and guidance of surrounding facilities are described, and the facilities and roads in the vicinity can be known by looking at the map and the like. Inside the panel, a plurality (12 in this figure) of speakers 37 are installed in a horizontal row in the front direction (southward). The height of installation of the speaker 37 is preferably substantially the same as or slightly higher than the height of the guide terminal 20 worn by the passers-by 10, 11, 12. When the height of the speaker 37 is the same as that of the guide terminal 20, the direction detection accuracy by the guide terminal 20 is the best. On the other hand, by installing the speaker 37 slightly higher than the height of the guide terminal 20, that is, the height of the passerby, the emitted modulated sound is propagated far without being blocked by the passerby. Therefore, the speakers 37 are installed in a horizontal row at a height of about 150 to 200 cm from the ground.

  By arranging a plurality of speaker units in a straight line and emitting the same sound at the same time (with the same phase), the propagation in the oblique direction is canceled out by interference, and the front direction (southward) as shown by the arrow in FIG. Direction) can be realized.

  The guide plate 4 has a function of a transmission device that transmits a plurality of channels (four channels in this embodiment) of modulated sound in parallel. Each of channel 1 (ch1) to channel 4 (ch4) includes a memory 31, a reading unit 32, a PN signal generator 34, and a modulator 33. Control information and object guide information are stored in the guide voice memory 31 of each channel. The PN signal generator 34 for each channel generates a PN signal having a different code sequence. The chip rate of the PN signal is in the ultrasonic region (for example, 88.2 kHz).

  In each channel, the PN signal (modulated audio signal) modulated by the guide information is added and synthesized by the adder 35. The added and synthesized modulated audio signal is amplified by the audio amplifier 36 and emitted by the speaker 37.

4A is a diagram illustrating an example of the contents stored in the memory 31 of the channel 1, and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating an example of the contents stored in the memory 31 of the channel 2.
As shown in FIG. 5A, the memory 31 of the channel 1 stores control information 100 and guide information 101 for guiding a category 7 object. The control information 100 includes direction control information in which the direction setting of the guide broadcast of the guide plate 4 is written, and category information of each channel. The sound emitting direction information is information indicating the sound emitting direction of the speaker 37. The azimuth (direction) is represented by an absolute azimuth (degree) measured and measured clockwise with north as a reference (0 degree). In the case of this embodiment, since the speaker 37 is installed in the south direction and emits the modulated sound in the south direction, the sound emission direction is 180 (degrees).

  The category information is information indicating the category of guide information broadcast on each channel. That is, the guide plate 4 transmits guide information by assigning transmission channels according to the category of the object. In this embodiment, category 1 and 2 guide information is transmitted on channel 2, category 3 and 4 guide information is transmitted on channel 3, and category 5 and 6 guide information is transmitted on channel 4. Then, guide information of category 7 is transmitted on channel 1 for transmitting control information 100.

  Here, the category is information indicating the type of the object, and the items that are highly likely to be selected as a common destination when the user (passerby) of the guide terminal 20 searches for a certain purpose are summarized. Classification. The purpose of the user is “I want to travel by transportation”, “I want to go sightseeing”, “Find a building”, or the like. For example, a category number is assigned to each category (purpose) such as 1: transportation, 2: sightseeing spot,..., 7: building.

  The number of categories that each channel is responsible for is not limited to 1 or 2. When assigning multiple categories to one channel, the allocation may be in order of category numbers, so that the number of guide information transmitted by each channel is the same based on the number of objects belonging to each category. You may adjust.

  Since the guide terminal 20 first receives the channel 1 and calculates its direction, the calculation of the absolute direction of the guide terminal 20 and the switching of the guide channel can be smoothly performed by including control information in the broadcast content of the channel 1. To be done.

  In accordance with the above allocation, guide information 101 for guiding an object of category 7 is stored in the memory 31 of the channel 1, and guide information 102 to guide an object of category 1 and 2 is stored in the memory 31 of the channel 2. 104 is stored.

  Each guide information includes contents including an object ID, an object direction, a category, a distance, a priority, and an object name. The object ID is a numerical value for identifying the guide object (facility). The object direction is the direction from the guide position, that is, the installation position of the guide plate 4 to the object. Similarly to the sound emission direction information, the absolute direction (degrees) measured and measured clockwise with reference to north (0 degree). It is represented by The distance is a distance from the installation point of the guide plate 4 to the guide object. The priority is information indicating the importance of the guide object. Thus, when a plurality of guide objects are stored in the memory 31, the objects are read in order from the highest priority. The object name is text information of the name of the guide object. When synthesizing the guide, this text information is synthesized with speech. The object name may be stored as an audio signal.

  In addition, although the azimuth | direction of each guide target object is memorize | stored by the absolute azimuth | direction in this embodiment, you may represent with the relative azimuth | direction from a sound emission azimuth | direction.

  The readout unit 32 of each channel sequentially reads out the above information stored in the guide information memory 31 and inputs it to the modulator 33.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the guide terminal 20. Signals collected by the non-directional microphones 23, 24, and 25 attached to the head strap are demodulated by the demodulators 41, 42, and 43, respectively. Each demodulator 41, 42, 43 receives the PN signal of channel 1 generated by the PN signal generator 40. Each demodulator 41, 42, 43 shifts the PN signal on the time axis to detect a synchronization point with the audio signal (modulated signal) picked up by the microphones 23, 24, 25, and timing information of the synchronization point Is input to the bearing calculation unit 44. Further, the demodulator 43 demodulates channel 1 data (control information) included in the audio signal collected by the microphone 25, and inputs the demodulated control information to the direction calculation unit 44 and the channel selection unit 45. The reason why the azimuth control information is demodulated from the sound signal collected by the microphone 25 is considered that the microphone 25 has a better sound collection characteristic than the other microphones 23 and 24 because the microphone 25 is provided at the center of the strap 22. Because.

  Based on the time difference of the synchronization point of the PN signal of channel 1 picked up by the three microphones 23, 24, 25, the azimuth calculation unit 44 is relative to the direction of the guide terminal 20 relative to the sound output direction of the speaker 37 of the guide plate 4. The angle Δθ is calculated, and the direction of the guide terminal 20 is calculated by adding the sound emitting direction of the speaker 37 to the relative angle Δθ. Note that the sound emitting direction of the speaker 37 is included in the control information of the channel 1.

  A method of detecting the relative angle Δθ of the guide terminal 20 will be described with reference to FIG. In this description, Δθ is handled in the angle range of “−90 ° ≦ Δθ ≦ 270 °”, but “0 ° ≦ Δθ ≦ 360 °” can be obtained by appropriately adjusting 360 ° of one cycle angle. It can be converted into an angular range.

The time difference between the origins of the sound signals collected by the microphones 23, 24, and 25 corresponds to the distance on the sound emission direction axis of the speaker 37. FIG. 6A illustrates the distance based on this time difference. A distance based on the time difference between the synchronization timing T ₂₄ of the microphone ₂₄ and the synchronization timing T ₂₃ of the microphone 23 is denoted by ΔL. A distance based on the time difference between the synchronization timing T ₂₄ of the microphone ₂₄ and the synchronization timing T ₂₅ of the microphone 25 is represented by ΔR. That is,
ΔL = (T ₂₃ −T ₂₄ ) × V
ΔR = (T ₂₅ −T ₂₄ ) × V
(V is the speed of sound). Note that ΔL is a negative value when T ₂₃ <T ₂₄ , and ΔR is a negative value when T ₂₅ <T ₂₄ . The distance between the microphone 23 and the microphone 24 is L. Then, the relative angle Δθ between the sound emitting direction and the direction of the guide terminal 20 is
sin Δθ = ΔL / L
Where Δθ is
Δθ = sin ⁻¹ (ΔL / L) (Formula 1)
Is calculated by

However, Formula 1 is
−90 ° ≦ Δθ ≦ 90 ° (Formula 2)
It is established in the range. That is, it is established when the guide terminal 20 faces a 180 ° range centering on the sound emission direction (south) of the speaker 37. The relative angle Δθ is
90 ° ≦ Δθ ≦ 270 ° (Formula 3)
in the case of,
Δθ = sin ⁻¹ (ΔL / L) + 180 ° (Expression 4)
It becomes. Whether Δθ is in the range of Formula 1 or in the range of Formula 2 can be determined by the magnitude relationship between ΔR and ΔL / 2. ΔL / 2 corresponds to the distance on the sound emission direction axis at the midpoint M of the distance between the microphone 23 and the microphone 24.

As shown in FIG. 5B, when “−90 ° <Δθ <90 °”, ΔR> ΔL / 2.
When “90 ° <Δθ <270 °”, ΔR <ΔL / 2. By this determination, it is possible to distinguish two postures having the same ΔL and different orientations as shown in FIG.

  By adding the sound emitting angle (sound emitting direction) of the speaker 37 to the relative angle Δθ, the absolute direction of the guide terminal 20 can be calculated. The direction of the guide terminal 20 calculated by the direction calculation unit 44 is input to the word editing unit 50.

  On the other hand, control information from the demodulator 43, in particular guide category information of each channel, is input to the channel selection unit 45, and a category selected by the user is input from the category selection unit 55. The channel selection unit 45 selects a channel that guides the category selected by the user, and outputs this channel selection information to the PN signal generator 46. For example, when the passerby 10 in FIG. 1 is searching for a transportation facility such as a train station, the category selection unit 55 is operated to select a transportation facility (category 1). Then, the channel selection unit 45 selects channel 2.

  The channel selection information is input to the PN signal generator 46. The PN signal generator 46 generates a PN signal for the input channel. This PN signal is input to the demodulator 47. The demodulator 47 receives the audio signal picked up by the microphone 25 and synchronizes with the PN signal generated by the PN signal generator 46 from the audio signal, and demodulates the data of the channel. The demodulated data includes guide information of the category selected by the user. The demodulated guide information is stored in the buffer 48.

  The guide information stored in the buffer 48 is selected by the data selection unit 49 according to the user's request. If one guide information matching the category selected by the user is stored in the buffer 48, it is selected. When a plurality of pieces of guide information matching the category selected by the user are stored in the buffer 48, one having a short distance and / or one having a high priority is selected and reproduced. In this case, one with the shortest distance and / or one with the highest priority may be selected and guided, and a plurality of pieces of guide information may be selected in the order of the shortest distance and / or in the order of high priority. You may make it reproduce | regenerate sequentially.

  The guide information selected by the data selection unit 49 is read by the word editing unit 50. The word editing unit 50 edits the guide word based on the guide information and the template. The guide wording is, for example, a wording such as “There is [A station] 300 meters ahead of your [back]”. The guide information includes information such as the object direction “95”, the distance “300”, the name of the object “A station”, and the like. Edit the guide wording by applying it to the template “There is XX ahead of the meter.” This template is stored in the template memory 51.

The relative direction φ (degrees) is obtained by subtracting the direction calculated by the direction calculation unit 44 from the direction of the object. The expression of the direction of “your OO (direction)” is determined as follows, for example.
If the relative orientation φ is −10 ≦ φ ≦ 10, “front direction”

If the relative orientation φ is 10 <φ ≦ 30, “front side slightly right hand direction”
If the relative orientation φ is 30 <φ ≦ 60, “right diagonal direction”
“Right hand slightly forward” if relative orientation φ is 60 <φ ≦ 80
If the relative orientation φ is 80 <φ ≦ 100, “right hand direction”
If the relative orientation φ is 100 <φ ≦ 150, “right rear”

If the relative orientation φ is −10> φ ≧ −30, “front side slightly left hand direction”
If the relative orientation φ is −30> φ ≧ −60, “left diagonal direction”
If the relative orientation φ is −60> φ ≧ −80, “left hand slightly forward”
If the relative orientation φ is −80> φ ≧ −100, “left hand direction”
If the relative direction φ is −100> φ ≧ −150, “left rear”

  “Rear” if the relative orientation φ is −150> φ ≧ −180 or 150 <φ ≦ 180.

  Since humans have a coarser angular resolution at the rear than at the front in the field of view, the division of the rear direction indication is rough. Note that the composition of the words by the word editing unit 50 is repeated at regular intervals, so even if the wording that the target object is behind is played back, The wording will then be replayed.

  In addition, the wording which instruct | indicates the direction of a target object is not limited to this. It may be expressed by a relative angle such as “30 degrees to the right”, or may be expressed by an absolute direction such as “You are facing northwest. The object is north-northeast”.

  When there is no guide object that matches the category selected by the user, the wording that there is no desired guide object is reproduced, and the above-mentioned guide wording is not reproduced.

  The guide word edited by the word word editing unit 49 is input to the voice synthesis unit 52. The voice synthesizer 52 synthesizes this guide wording into a digital voice signal. A well-known method may be used as the combining method. The synthesized digital audio signal is converted into an analog audio signal by the D / A converter 53, amplified by the audio amplifier 54, and then emitted from the speaker 21 of the headset toward the ear of the user (passerby). The

  As described above, the azimuth detecting unit 44 and the word editing unit 50 are always operating, and when the user changes the direction, the direction indication wording of the guide voice also changes according to the change in the direction. Therefore, a passerby wearing the guide terminal 20 can find out the correct direction of the guide object by changing the direction while listening to the direction instruction wording of the guide voice.

  The number of transmission channels of the guide plate 4 is not limited to 4 channels. It may be more or less. Further, guide information of all categories may be transmitted through one channel.

  In this embodiment, a plurality of channels are superimposed on the same frequency band by changing the code sequence of the PN signal. However, the plurality of channels may be distributed to different frequency bands using frequency modulation or the like. .

  The voice guide system of this embodiment is configured as a system that guides a passerby by installing a guide plate 4 on a street, but the voice guide system of the present invention is also applicable to other uses. Is possible. For example, the present invention can be applied to an observation guide for each direction in an observation deck or the like, route guidance to attractions in an amusement park, sales floor guidance in a commercial facility, or the like.

  In this embodiment, the device that transmits the modulated sound (guide information) is the guide plate 4 that displays a map or the like and visually guides a passerby. However, the device may not be a guide plate. .

The figure which shows the street where the audio | voice guidance system which is embodiment of this invention is installed External view of the guide terminal of the voice guidance system Block diagram of the guidance board of the voice guidance system The figure which shows the structure of the guide information of the voice guidance system Block diagram of the guide terminal The figure explaining the method of relative angle calculation in the guide terminal

Explanation of symbols

1, 2 ... road 3 ... intersection 4 ... guide board 10, 11, 12 ... passerby 20 ... guide terminal

Claims (3)

Receiving means for receiving guide information including information indicating the sound emitting direction and direction information of the guide object and category information , which is broadcast using sound that propagates sound waves parallel to the sound emitting direction ;
Based on information indicating the sound emission direction and a relative angle with respect to the sound emission direction, azimuth detection means for detecting an absolute azimuth that the device is facing;
Category selection means for accepting selection of the category of the guide object by the user ;
From among the guide information received by the receiving unit, an information extracting unit that extracts the category selected by the category selection unit,
Reproducing means for reproducing by combining the words representing the difference between the absolute azimuth of the own apparatus orientation information and the azimuth detecting unit detects the guide object in the guide information extracted by the information extraction means,
A voice guide device comprising: The receiving means receives guide information of a plurality of guide objects,
The information extraction means, when a plurality of guide information of the guide object of the category selected by the category selection means is received by the reception means, to select a predetermined one from the plurality of guide information, Or select multiple items in a given order
The voice guide device according to claim 1. The voice guide device according to claim 1 or 2,
A transmitter that broadcasts guide information including information indicating the sound emission direction and azimuth information of the guide object and category information using sound that propagates sound waves parallel to the sound emission direction ;
A voice guide system comprising:

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