JP7440166B2 - Detection mechanism - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a detection mechanism and an installation target.

Chairs that detect seating are known.

An example of a document describing a chair that detects seating is Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes a chair that includes a seating detection section, an environment improvement section, a communication section, and a control section. According to Patent Document 1, when the seating detection unit detects that the user is sitting on the seating portion, the communication unit transmits a notification that the user is sitting on the seating portion to an external device, and also sends improvement instruction information from the external device. receive. The control unit also controls the environment improvement unit based on the received improvement content instruction information. Thereby, the environment improvement unit changes the surrounding environment of the chair device.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-87026

Sounds such as surrounding voices may be detected using sensors. When using such technology, when detecting seating on a chair as described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to separately provide a sensor for detecting pressure in addition to a sensor for detecting sound. becomes. As a result, a problem has arisen in that it is difficult to detect the user's status, such as sitting, standing, and movement, with a simple structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a detection mechanism and an installation target that solve the problem of difficulty in detecting a user's condition with a simple configuration while using a sensor that detects sound. .

In order to achieve this purpose, a detection mechanism that is one form of the present invention includes:
a sensor that detects sound generated by a sound-generating member that generates sound according to the motion of a detection target;
a main body having a hollow part;
has
The sensor is installed inside the hollow part.

In addition, the installation object which is another form of the present invention is
The sensor includes a sensor that detects sound generated by a sound generating member that generates sound in response to an operation of a detection target, and a main body having a hollow part, and the sensor is installed inside the hollow part. The configuration is such that a detection mechanism is installed.

By having the above configuration, the present invention can provide a detection mechanism and an installation target that can detect a user's condition with a simple configuration while using a sensor that detects sound. It becomes possible.

It is a perspective view showing an example of composition of a mechanism for detection in a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the detection mechanism shown in FIG. 1. FIG. It is a sectional view showing an example of other composition of a mechanism for detection. It is a figure which shows an example of how a detection mechanism deform|transforms according to force. It is a perspective view showing an example of installation of a detection mechanism in a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another installation example of the detection mechanism in the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view showing an example of other shapes of a main part. It is a perspective view showing an example of the whole composition in a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure for explaining an example of a sound generation member. It is a perspective view showing an example of a friction body which is an example of a sound generating member. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a friction body. It is a figure which shows another example of a sound generation member. It is a figure which shows another example of a sound generation member. It is a figure which shows another example of a sound generation member. It is a figure which shows another example of a sound generation member. It is a figure which shows another example of a sound generation member. It is a figure which shows another example of a sound generation member. It is a figure which shows another example of a sound generation member. It is a figure which shows another example of a sound generation member. It is a figure showing an example of the whole composition of a detection system in a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. 21 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the analysis device shown in FIG. 20. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of sound information. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of analysis by an analysis unit. It is a flow chart which shows an example of operation of an analysis device in a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing an example of other composition of a detection system. It is a block diagram showing an example of composition of an analysis device in a 4th embodiment of the present invention.

[First embodiment]
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a detection mechanism 100. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the detection mechanism 100. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an example of another configuration of the detection mechanism 100. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of how the detection mechanism 100 deforms in response to force. 5 and 6 are perspective views showing an example of installation of the detection mechanism 100 in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of another shape of the main body section 200.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, a detection mechanism 100 used to detect the presence of a detection target such as a person will be described. As will be described later, the detection mechanism 100 includes a microphone 300 that is a sensor that detects sounds such as voices, and a main body 200 in which the microphone 300 is installed. Further, the main body portion 200 is formed of a variable member that deforms in response to external force. According to such a configuration, the main body portion 200 deforms in response to an external force. As a result, the acoustic characteristics of the main body portion 200 (detection mechanism 100) vary. As a result, the sound detected by microphone 300 also changes.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a detection mechanism 100. Moreover, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the detection mechanism 100. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the detection mechanism 100 has, for example, a cylindrical main body 200. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a microphone 300 is installed inside the main body section 200.

The main body portion 200 is a member on which a microphone 300 is installed. For example, the main body portion 200 has a cylindrical outer shape. Furthermore, a through hole 210 is formed in the central portion of the main body 200 to extend through the main body 200 in the length direction.

The main body 200 is formed of a variable member that deforms, such as being crushed, while an external force is applied to the main body 200. By crushing the main body 200 in response to the applied force, the through hole 210 formed in the main body 200 is closed. Further, by eliminating the force applied to the main body portion 200, the crushing is eliminated, and the state in which the through hole 210 is blocked is also eliminated.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the main body portion 200 be formed of a member that reflects the sound that has entered the through hole 210, or be covered with a member that reflects the sound that has entered the inside of the through hole 210, for example. For example, in the case shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the main body portion 200 is formed of a foamed resin member such as expanded polystyrene. Further, the main body portion 200 can be formed by covering an inner layer portion 220 such as urethane with a resonant outer layer portion 230 such as polyethylene, as shown in FIG. 3, for example. Note that when the main body portion 200 is formed from the inner layer portion 220 and the outer layer portion 230, the above structure may be realized by, for example, wrapping the outer layer portion 230 around the inner layer portion 220, or the inner layer portion 220 may be coated with a predetermined coating. The above structure may be realized by performing the following. Further, when the main body portion 200 is formed from the inner layer portion 220 and the outer layer portion 230, it is desirable to realize the above structure so that at least one end of the through hole 210 is open. For example, in the case shown in FIG. 3, the end portion of the through hole 210 on the left side in FIG. 3 is closed by the outer layer portion 230, but the end portion on the right side of the through hole 210 in FIG. 3 is not closed.

Note that the size of the main body portion 200 depends, for example, on the location where the detection mechanism 100 is installed. As will be described later, the main body section 200 is installed inside an installation target for which the presence of a detection target is desired to be detected, such as the seat and back of a chair, the mattress of a bed, and a carpet. Therefore, the size of the main body part 200 is determined according to the seating part, backrest part, mattress, carpet, etc. of the chair to be installed. For example, when the main body part 200 is installed on the seating part of a chair, the size of the main body part 200 is such that the diameter of the circle that is the end face is about 2 cm, and the length is about 14 to 15 cm. The size of the main body portion 200 may be other than those exemplified above.

As described above, the through hole 210 is a hollow portion formed in the central portion of the main body portion 200. For example, in the case shown in FIG. 2, both ends of the through hole 210 are open. Further, for example, in the case shown in FIG. 3, one end of the through hole 210 is closed by the outer layer portion 230, and only the other end that is not blocked is open. For example, as described above, it is desirable that at least one end of the through hole 210 is open.

Note that the size of the through hole 210 corresponds to the size of the microphone 300, for example. For example, the size of the through hole 210 is about 2 mm. Similarly to the case of the main body portion 200, the size of the through hole 210 may be other than those exemplified above.

Microphone 300 is a sensor that detects sound. The microphone 300 detects, for example, various sounds such as environmental sounds in addition to voices such as conversations that occur around the installation location of the detection mechanism 100. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the microphone 300 is installed near one end of the through hole 210 formed in the main body 200, for example. For example, if one end of the through hole 210 is blocked, it is desirable that the microphone 300 be installed near the blocked end. Note that the microphone 300 may be installed at locations other than those exemplified above.

Further, the microphone 300 is connected to an external device via wire or wirelessly so as to be able to communicate with it. For example, the microphone 300 can transmit sound information, which is information indicating the sound detected by the microphone 300, to an external device.

The above is an example of the configuration of the detection mechanism 100. As described above, the detection mechanism 100 includes the microphone 300, which is a sensor that detects sound, and the main body 200, which is formed by a variable member. According to such a configuration, for example, when a force is applied to the main body 200, the portions corresponding to the force are collapsed, as shown in FIG. 4, from being open at both ends as shown in FIG. The state of the main body portion 200 changes to the closed state. Alternatively, for example, the state of the main body portion 200 changes from a state where one end is open as shown in FIG. 3 to a state where a portion corresponding to the force is crushed and closed. As the state of the main body 200 changes in response to external forces in this way, the acoustic characteristics of the main body 200 change, and for example, the frequency amplified by resonance changes. By using this, for example, an external device that receives the detection result by the detection mechanism 100 can grasp the state of the main body section 200, and whether force is being applied to the main body section 200 from the outside. It becomes possible to grasp whether or not.

Note that the detection mechanism 100 described in this embodiment can be installed within the seating portion of a chair, for example, as shown in FIG. For example, the detection mechanism 100 can be installed in a space made by partially recessing urethane or the like in the seating part of a chair. Specifically, for example, the detection mechanism 100 can be installed in a space made by hollowing out a predetermined lower part of the urethane in the seat of the chair according to the size of the detection mechanism 100. I can do it.

Further, the detection mechanism 100 can be installed, for example, in the backrest of the chair in addition to the seat of the chair, as shown in FIG. Further, the detection mechanism 100 can also be installed, for example, on a bed mattress or carpet.

For example, as described above, the detection mechanism 100 is installed on an installation target where the continuous state of the detection target is (desired) to be detected, such as the seat or back of a chair, the mattress or carpet of a bed, etc. It can be installed inside. When the detection mechanism 100 is installed in the above location, if a detection target exists on the installation target, a force corresponding to the presence of the detection target will be applied, and a force will be applied depending on the applied force. The state of the main body section 200 will change. That is, for example, when a person is sitting on a chair or standing on a carpet, a force corresponding to the weight of the person to be detected will be applied to the detection mechanism 100, and as a result, The main body portion 200 will be crushed. For the above reasons, for example, an external device that has received the detection result by the detection mechanism 100 determines whether or not force is being applied to the detection mechanism 100 based on the received result, that is, whether or not the detection target is detected. It is possible to grasp the condition of the person who is the detection target, such as whether or not the person is present on the installation target.

Note that when the detection mechanism 100 is used, in addition to being able to continuously detect the state of the detection target, such as whether or not the detection target exists, it is also possible to perform environmental analysis around the installation target based on the detection results. Environmental improvements can also be made. Therefore, the detection mechanism 100 is preferably installed in a location where analysis and improvement of the environment such as an office is desired, especially among locations where the state of the detection target is continuously detected. In other words, the detection mechanism 100 is preferably installed on an office chair, for example, among the objects to be installed.

Furthermore, one detection mechanism 100 may be installed at each location, such as the seat and back of a chair, the mattress of a bed, and a carpet, or a plurality of detection mechanisms 100 may be installed at each location. . In this embodiment, the number of detection mechanisms 100 installed is not particularly limited.

In addition, in this embodiment, the case where a detection target is a person was illustrated. However, the detection target may be something other than a person, such as luggage. In other words, the detection target whose presence is detected by the detection mechanism 100 is not necessarily limited to a person.

Further, the main body section 200 can have a structure other than that exemplified in this embodiment, such as, for example, the length direction of the main body section 200 is formed of a plurality of materials. For example, the main body portion 200 can be formed of a plurality of materials having different properties such as hardness so that the side on which the microphone 300 is not installed is more likely to collapse than the side on which the microphone 300 is installed.

Further, in the present embodiment, the main body portion 200 has a cylindrical outer shape, and the through hole 210 is formed in the center portion (that is, the body portion 200 has a cylindrical shape). However, the shape of the main body portion 200 is not limited to the case illustrated in this embodiment. For example, the main body portion 200 can have a quadrangular prism-like outer shape, as shown in FIG. 7 . By making the outer shape of the main body part 200 into a quadrangular prism shape, processing such as when installing the detection mechanism 100 can be facilitated, for example. On the other hand, when the outer shape of the main body portion 200 is made into a cylindrical shape, the uncomfortable feeling when sitting can be reduced. Note that the main body portion 200 may have a shape other than that illustrated, such as having a triangular prism outer shape. Further, the shape of the main body portion 200 is not limited to a straight column, and may be curved, such as a bent cylinder. In this way, the shape of the main body portion 200 may be other than that illustrated in this embodiment.

Further, in this embodiment, the through hole 210 is described in which both ends are open or one end is open. In this way, the through hole 210 is preferably a hollow portion with at least one end open. However, the through hole 210 may be closed at both ends, for example. Even when both ends of the through hole 210 are closed, the acoustic characteristics of the main body 200 are considered to change due to the main body 200 being crushed in response to force.

Further, from the viewpoint of reducing the discomfort felt when sitting, it is desirable that the hardness of the main body portion 200 is, for example, comparable to the hardness of the object on which the detection mechanism 100 is installed. For example, when the object to be installed is a chair, it is desirable that the hardness of the main body part 200 is comparable to the hardness of urethane or the like forming the seating part. In order to realize the above configuration, when the main body part 200 is composed of an inner layer part 220 and an outer layer part 230 made of urethane, etc., the hardness of the urethane of the inner layer part 220 is set in consideration of the hardness of the outer layer part 230 ( For example, it is desirable to make the material slightly softer than the urethane that forms the seating part.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a case has been described in which, for example, the detection mechanism 100 is provided independently in addition to the urethane forming the seating portion of the chair. However, urethane or the like forming the seating part of the chair may function as the detection mechanism 100. That is, for example, the through hole 210 may be formed directly in the urethane or the like forming the seating portion of the chair, and the microphone 300 may be installed inside the through hole 210. In this way, the main body portion 200 (detection mechanism 100) may exist separately from the installation target, or may be formed integrally with the installation target.

[Second embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 19. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of the overall configuration in the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of the sound generating member 40. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a friction body 400 that is an example of the sound generating member 40. FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the friction body 400. 12 to 19 are diagrams showing other examples of the sound generating member 40.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, a case will be described in which the microphone 300 detects sound generated by a sound generating member 40 that generates sound in response to the motion of a person who is a detection target. For example, assume that the detection mechanism 100 described in the first embodiment is installed on a chair, which is an installation target. In this case, when the person to be detected sits on a chair or moves while sitting, the chair creaks depending on the person's movements, and the detection mechanism 100 and the urethane of the seating part rub against each other. Various sounds are generated due to various factors such as. In other words, the sound generating member 40 such as urethane of the chair or the seating portion generates sound according to the motion of the person to be detected. By detecting this sound, for example, in an external device that has received the detection result by the detection mechanism 100, in addition to continuous state detection such as whether or not a detection target such as a person exists, It is possible to detect the occurrence of events such as whether a person has sat down or whether a detection target has moved.

FIG. 8 shows an example of the overall configuration in the second embodiment. Referring to FIG. 8, the detection mechanism 100 described in the first embodiment is installed, for example, on a chair, which is an installation target.

In the case shown in FIG. 8, sounds are generated by the chair creaking in response to actions such as when a person sits on the chair or when the person sitting on the chair moves. In other words, the chair shown in FIG. 8 functions as a sound generating member 40 that generates sound according to the motion of the object to be detected.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, the detection mechanism 100 is installed in the seating part of a chair. Here, even in the case shown in FIG. 9, the detection mechanism 100 and the urethane constituting the seating section may rub against each other, for example, in response to actions such as when a person sits on a chair or when the person sitting on the chair moves. . As a result, sound is generated. In other words, the seating portion of the chair shown in FIG. 9 also functions as the sound generating member 40 that generates sound in response to the motion of the object to be detected.

According to the above configuration, the detection mechanism 100 detects the sound generated by the sound generating member 40, such as a chair or a seating portion, according to the motion of the person to be detected. As a result, in addition to detecting the presence of a detection target such as a person, an external device or the like that receives the detection result can also detect the motion of the detection target based on the sound information.

In addition, in the case mentioned above, the case where the sound generation member 40 is integrated with the installation target object, such as a chair or a seating part, was demonstrated. However, the function as the sound generating member 40 may be realized by something other than the installation target.

For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the function of the sound generating member 40 may be realized by a friction body 400 that wraps around the main body 200. The friction body 400 is a package formed of a member that rubs against the main body portion 200 and generates sound in response to an external force. The friction body 400 has a shape that can wrap around the main body 200, such as a bag shape or a cylindrical shape.

FIG. 11 shows an example of the configuration of the friction body 400. Referring to FIG. 11, the friction body 400 is formed of, for example, a double raschel mesh fabric having a three-dimensional structure in which a surface layer portion 410 and a back layer portion 420 are connected via a connection layer 430. Note that the surface layer portion 410 and the back layer portion 420 are formed of, for example, chemical fiber. The surface layer portion 410 and the back layer portion 420 may be formed of natural fibers.

For example, the function of the sound generating member 40 may be realized by the friction body 400 having the above configuration. When the function of the sound generating member 40 is realized by the friction body 400, the detection mechanism 100 may be composed of the main body portion 200 and the friction body 400. In other words, the detection mechanism 100 may function as the sound generating member 40. Note that the friction body 400 may have a single layer structure instead of a three-dimensional structure in which the surface layer portion 410 and the back layer portion 420 are connected. Further, the friction body 400 may be made of metal such as a metal scrubber. The friction body 400 may be a combination of a plurality of friction bodies, such as covering the periphery of the three-dimensional structure described in this embodiment with a metal scrubber. In this way, the friction body 400 may be other than those exemplified above.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, the function as the sound generating member 40 may be realized by using a member that has an iron ball, bell, etc. inside a cylindrical body such as an acrylic pipe. . Moreover, as shown in FIG. 13, the function of the sound generating member 40 may be realized using only a bell. When using bells as the sound generating member 40, it is desirable to install the bells at each of the four corners of the seating part of the chair, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Furthermore, when bells are installed at the four corners, the microphone 300 may be installed at the center of the seat of the chair, as shown in FIG. 14. When the microphone 300 is installed in the center of the seat of the chair, more detailed information can be obtained by using an array microphone that can detect the direction of sound as the microphone 300.

Further, for example, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the function of the sound generating member 40 may be realized by a music box function formed on the shaft portion that supports the chair. FIG. 15 shows a mechanism that generates sound by rotating the chair, and FIG. 16 shows a mechanism that generates sound when the chair is moved in the height direction, such as when a person is seated on the chair. Specifically, FIG. 16(A) shows the overall structure of the chair, and FIG. 16(B) shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the mechanism that generates sound when the chair is moved in the height direction. ing. In this way, the sound generating member 40 may be realized by a music box function that generates sound when the chair is moved in a predetermined direction.

Further, as shown in FIG. 17, the function as the sound generating member 40 may be realized by covering the periphery of a cylindrical body such as an acrylic pipe with a metal scrubber or the like. Further, as shown in FIG. 18, the function as the sound generating member 40 may be realized by a small stuffing stuffed with buckwheat hulls or the like. Further, as shown in FIG. 19, the function of the sound generating member 40 may be realized by a mechanism that generates a sound when pushing out air in response to pressure, such as a so-called boo-boo cushion.

As illustrated above, the sound generating member 40 can be realized by various mechanisms. The sound generating member 40 may be realized by a part or a combination of the above-mentioned examples. The sound generating member 40 may be realized by a mechanism that generates a sound in accordance with the motion of the detection target other than those exemplified above.

In addition, in this embodiment, the case where the detection mechanism 100 was installed in a chair was explained. However, as described in the first embodiment, the detection mechanism 100 can be used for any installation target whose motion or movement is desired to be detected, such as the seat or back of a chair, the mattress or carpet of a bed, etc. It can be installed inside.

[Third embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 20 to 25. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the detection system. FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of analysis device 500 shown in FIG. 20. FIG. 22 is a diagram showing an example of sound information. FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of analysis by the analysis unit 553. FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the analysis device 500. FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an example of another configuration of the detection system.

In the third embodiment of the present invention, the detection mechanism 100 described in the first embodiment and the second embodiment is used to detect the continuous state of a detection target such as a person and events such as movement. A detection system for detecting the occurrence of is described. As described later, the detection system detects a continuous state such as whether a detection target such as a person is present or an event such as movement based on sound information received from the microphone 300 included in the detection mechanism 100. Detect occurrence. Furthermore, the detection system can analyze the environment to which the detection target belongs (the environment around the location where the detection mechanism 100 and the like are installed).

FIG. 20 shows an example of the overall configuration of the detection system. Referring to FIG. 20, the detection system includes the detection mechanism 100 described in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and the analysis device 500. The detection mechanism 100 and the analysis device 500 are connected wirelessly or by wire so that they can communicate with each other.

Note that FIG. 20 illustrates a case where the detection mechanism 100 is installed inside the seating part of a chair. However, as described in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the detection mechanism 100 may be installed on an installation target other than the seating part of the chair. Furthermore, two or more detection mechanisms 100 may be installed on the installation target.

FIG. 21 shows an example of the configuration of the analysis device 500. Referring to FIG. 21, the analysis device 500 includes, as main components, an operation input section 510, a screen display section 520, a communication I/F section 530, a storage section 540, an arithmetic processing section 550, have.

The operation input unit 510 includes an operation input device such as a keyboard and a mouse. The operation input unit 510 detects an operation by an operator operating the analysis device 500 and outputs the detected operation to the arithmetic processing unit 550.

The screen display unit 520 includes a screen display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The screen display section 520 can display on the screen the sound information included in the sound information 541, information according to the results of analysis by the analysis section 553, which will be described later, in response to instructions from the arithmetic processing section 550.

The communication I/F section 530 consists of a data communication circuit. The communication I/F unit 530 performs data communication such as receiving sound information detected by the detection mechanism 100 from the detection mechanism 100 connected via a communication line.

The storage unit 540 is a storage device such as a hard disk or a memory. The storage unit 540 stores processing information and programs 545 necessary for various processes in the arithmetic processing unit 550. The program 545 implements various processing units by being read and executed by the arithmetic processing unit 550. The program 545 is read in advance from an external device or a recording medium via a data input/output function such as the communication I/F unit 530, and is stored in the storage unit 540. The main information stored in the storage unit 540 includes, for example, sound information 541, threshold information 542, audio information 543, and state-based sound information 544.

The arithmetic processing unit 550 has a microprocessor such as an MPU and its peripheral circuits, and by reading and executing a program 545 from the storage unit 540, the hardware and the program 545 cooperate to realize various processing units. do. The main processing units implemented by the arithmetic processing unit 550 include, for example, a sound information acquisition unit 551, a separation unit 552, and an analysis unit 553.

The various processing units and each information will be explained below.

The sound information acquisition unit 551 acquires, from the detection mechanism 100, the sound information transmitted by the detection mechanism 100. Further, the sound information acquisition unit 551 stores the acquired sound information in the storage unit 540 as sound information 541.

The separation unit 552 separates sounds indicated by the sound information included in the sound information 541. As described in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the detection mechanism 100 acquires voices corresponding to conversations and sounds of the surrounding environment, and detects the presence and movement of the detection target. A sound amplified according to the state or a sound generated according to the action (hereinafter referred to as state-based sound) is acquired. Therefore, the sound information is a mixture of audio and state-related sounds. Therefore, the separation unit 552 separates the sound indicated by the sound information into, for example, voice and state-related sound.

FIG. 22 shows an example of sound information included in the sound information 541. As shown in FIG. 22, the sound information includes, for example, high frequency sounds of about 22,000 to 24,000 Hz, in addition to sounds of about 125 to 1,500 Hz used in conversation in Japanese. Therefore, the separation unit 552 uses a preset frequency threshold to separate the sounds included in the sound information into sounds that are equal to or higher than the frequency threshold and sounds that are lower than the frequency threshold. Then, the separation unit 552 determines that the sound below the frequency threshold is voice, and stores it in the storage unit 540 as voice information 543. On the other hand, the separation unit 552 determines that a sound equal to or higher than the frequency threshold is a state-based sound, and stores the sound as state-based sound information 544 in the storage unit 540 .

Further, as described in the first embodiment, when the main body section 200 is crushed by an external force, the frequency to be amplified changes compared to when no force is applied. Therefore, the separation unit 552 uses a loudness threshold indicating the loudness of the sound to separate sounds having a loudness equal to or higher than the loudness threshold in a predetermined frequency region from the sounds included in the sound information. Then, the separation unit 552 stores the separated sounds in the storage unit 540 as state-based sound information 544.

For example, as described above, the separation unit 552 uses a frequency threshold, a magnitude threshold, and the like to separate the sound indicated by the sound information included in the sound information 541 into a sound or the like and a state-related sound. Note that the frequency threshold value and the magnitude threshold value are stored in advance in the storage unit 540 as, for example, threshold information 542. The values of the frequency threshold and the magnitude threshold may be set arbitrarily. For example, the frequency threshold value may be determined depending on the type of the sound generating member 40 or the like. Further, the frequency threshold value and the magnitude threshold value may be configured to be dynamically changed depending on, for example, the surrounding environment.

Note that the separation unit 552 may be configured to separate the voice or state-based sound from the sound indicated by the sound information using a method other than those exemplified above. For example, the separation unit 552 determines in advance the characteristics of the sound amplified when the main body 200 is crushed, the characteristics of the sound generated by rubbing, the characteristics according to the type of the sound generating member 40, the characteristics of the voice of each person, etc. You can learn. Then, the separation unit 552 can separate the sound indicated by the sound information into speech and state-based sounds based on the results of prior learning. In this way, the separation unit 552 may be configured to perform machine learning to separate the sound indicated by the sound information into voice or state-based sound.

Further, there are cases where the detection system has a plurality of chairs, and the detection mechanism 100 and the detection mechanism 110 are installed in the plurality of chairs. In this case, the separation unit 552 is configured to compare the sound information acquired from the plurality of detection mechanisms 100 and the detection mechanisms 110 to separate the sound indicated by the sound information into the sound and the state-corresponding sound. I don't mind. For example, with respect to state-based sounds generated inside a chair, it is assumed that the sound is detected in the same way by the detection mechanisms 100 and detection mechanisms 110 of a plurality of chairs. Therefore, the separation unit 552 can be configured to separate sounds that are common to a plurality of pieces of sound information as sounds, while separating sounds that are not common to a plurality of pieces of sound information as state-based sounds. Note that the sound information acquired in each chair can be synchronized by, for example, mixing environmental sounds with sounds outside the audible frequency range. Synchronization of sound information may be realized by methods other than those exemplified above.

For example, as described above, the processing of the separation unit 552 can be realized by various methods. Note that the separation unit 552 may be configured to use any one of the methods exemplified above, or may be configured to use a combination of a plurality of methods exemplified above. Further, the separation unit 552 may separate the sound indicated by the sound information into a voice or the like and a state-related sound using a known method other than the one exemplified above.

Based on the audio information 543 and state-based sound information 544 stored in the storage unit 540, the analysis unit 553 determines the presence or absence of the person to be detected, the state of the person such as movement, the state of the environment to which the detection target belongs, etc. Analyze. For example, the analysis unit 553 can perform an analysis based on the audio information 543, an analysis based on the state-based sound information 544, an analysis that combines the audio information 543 and the state-based sound information 544, and the like.

For example, the analysis unit 553 can analyze, based on the audio information 543, the number of people involved and whether the environment in which the audio is generated is lively.

For example, the analysis unit 553 can be configured to determine, based on the audio information 543, how many people's voices are included in the audio information 543. The determination by the analysis unit 553 may be made, for example, based on the characteristics of each speaker learned in advance, or may be made based on the results of classifying speech components into clusters through clustering processing. The determination by the analysis unit 553 may be realized by a method other than the one exemplified above.

Furthermore, the analysis unit 553 can determine the excitement level of the environment in which the voice is generated, such as a meeting, based on the number of people who uttered the voice included in the voice information 543. For example, the analysis unit 553 can determine that the more people who utter the voice, the more exciting the environment in which the voice is uttered becomes. The analysis unit 553 may be configured to also use information indicating the loudness of the voice when determining the degree of excitement of the voice.

Furthermore, the analysis unit 553 can calculate the utilization rate of the chair, which indicates whether the chair is installed in a predetermined environment, based on the audio information 543. For example, the ideal situation for the chair installation location is defined in advance, such as a chair installed in a quiet area or a chair installed in an environment where active discussion takes place. Then, the analysis unit 553 determines how far the environment of the chair is from the ideal environment based on the predefined ideal situation and the analysis results such as the loudness and excitement of the voice included in the voice information 543. Calculate the utilization rate that indicates whether the For example, the analysis unit 553 calculates the utilization rate by calculating the distance between the ideal situation and the situation indicated by the analysis result. In this way, the analysis unit 553 can calculate the utilization rate, which indicates whether or not the environment in which the chairs are installed meets the predetermined definition for each area.

For example, as described above, the analysis unit 553 can be configured to perform analysis based on the audio information 543.

The analysis unit 553 also determines whether a person is sitting on the chair based on the state-based sound information 544, whether the person sitting on the chair has moved or not, and whether or not the person sitting on the chair has moved based on the frequency of sitting/standing up or movement. It is possible to analyze the state of the detection target, such as the degree of concentration.

For example, the analysis unit 553 can determine that a person is sitting on a chair during a period in which the state-based sound information 544 includes information indicating a sound of a predetermined frequency having a magnitude equal to or greater than the magnitude threshold. In other words, the analysis unit 553 can determine the continuous state/duration of a person sitting on the chair based on the state-based sound information 544. Furthermore, the analysis unit 553 can determine that the person sitting in the chair has moved at a timing when information indicating a sound equal to or higher than the frequency threshold is included. In other words, the analysis unit 553 can determine the occurrence of an event.

In this way, the analysis unit 553 determines the continuous state, such as whether a person is sitting on a chair, based on the state-based sound information 544, and also determines the occurrence of an event, such as the timing of a person moving. You can. Note that the analysis unit 553 may be configured to combine the two cases exemplified above and determine whether the person is moving only during the period in which it is determined that the person is sitting on a chair.

Furthermore, the analysis unit 553 can calculate the duration of a continuous state indicating how long the person has been sitting, based on the above-mentioned analysis results. Furthermore, the analysis unit 553 can calculate the chair usage rate, which indicates the percentage of chairs being used during business hours, for example, based on the duration of the continuous state. Furthermore, the analysis unit 553 can detect a state of excessive sitting by checking whether the duration of the continuous state exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Furthermore, the analysis unit 553 can calculate the number of occurrences of an event per unit time (for example, the number of times a person sits down and stands up, the number of times a sitting person moves, etc.) based on the above analyzed results. For example, the analysis unit 553 can calculate the number of times an event occurs per unit time by dividing the number of times the occurrence of an event such as movement is detected by time.

Furthermore, for example, the analysis unit 553 may be configured to perform a sound based on the learned results in advance, such as learning a sound corresponding to the state when the legs are crossed, a sound corresponding to the state when the person is extorting money, etc. It is possible to detect predefined bad postures such as crossing one's legs or shaking one's legs. The analysis unit 553 can also be configured to determine whether or not the person is sitting in a predefined preferred posture based on the results of previously learning the correspondence between the person's condition and the condition-corresponding sound.

Furthermore, the analysis unit 553 can determine whether or not the number of seated people is concentrated based on the calculated number of event occurrences per unit time. For example, the analysis unit 553 can determine that the more events occur, the less people are concentrated. For example, the analysis unit 553 may be configured to determine that the further away from a preset theoretical value, the less concentrated the number of people is.

For example, as described above, the analysis unit 553 can be configured to perform analysis based on the state-based sound information 544.

Furthermore, by combining the audio information 543 and the state-based sound information 544, the analysis unit 553 can perform a deeper analysis of the state of the person, an analysis of the environment to which the person to be detected belongs, etc. .

For example, by combining the audio information 543 and the state-based sound information 544, the analysis unit 553 generates sounds such as a state of smiling heartily, a state of laughing but relatively calm, etc. The state of the person can be detected based on the result of combining the current state. Thereby, the state of the person can be detected more accurately than simply detecting the state of the person based on the audio information 543.

Furthermore, for example, the analysis unit 553 can analyze the relationship between the surrounding environment and the usage status of the chair by combining the audio information 543 and the state-based sound information 544. For example, the analysis unit 553 can instruct the screen display unit 520 to combine and display the utilization rate and utilization rate described above on a map showing the installation locations of chairs in a workplace or the like. Further, the analysis unit 553 determines that the environment in which the chair is installed is suitable for performing work, for example, when the utilization rate is less than or equal to a predetermined utilization threshold and the utilization rate is less than or equal to a predetermined utilization threshold. It can be configured to make a judgment based on a combination of usage rate and utilization rate, such as determining that the usage rate is not being used.

Furthermore, for example, the analysis unit 553 determines whether or not the environment in which the sound information was acquired was in a desirable state according to a preselected environment, based on the analysis results of the audio information 543 and the state-based sound information 544. I can do it. For example, as shown in FIG. 23, the analysis unit 553 maps a value according to the result of the analysis based on the audio information 543 and a value according to the result of the analysis based on the state-based sound information 544. Then, the analysis unit 553 can determine whether or not the situation in which the sound information was acquired was a desirable state based on a comparison between the mapping result and a desirable state according to the selected environment. For example, the analysis unit 553 calculates the distance between the mapping result and the desired state according to the selected environment, thereby evaluating the degree to which the environment in which the sound information has been acquired deviates from the desired state. By doing so, the above determination can be made. In this way, the analysis unit 553 may be configured to combine the audio information 543 and the state-based sound information 544 to determine whether the environment of the chair is in a predefined desirable state.

In addition, in FIG. 23, for example, the value according to the analysis result of the state-based sound information 544 is the value on the x-axis, and the value according to the analysis result of the audio information 543 is the value on the y-axis. Here, the value according to the analysis result of the state-based sound information 544 is, for example, a value calculated according to the number of event occurrences per unit time, the duration of a continuous state, the number of event occurrences, etc. Refers to utilization rate, etc. Further, the value according to the analysis result of the audio information 543 refers to, for example, a value calculated based on the number of people included in the audio information, the loudness of the sound, etc., the utilization rate, etc.

Furthermore, as described above, the analysis unit 553 performs a comparison with the state of the environment selected in advance. Here, it is assumed that the selection of the environment has been made in advance by, for example, an operator operating the analysis device 500. The environments to be selected include, for example, not only general environments depending on the content of work such as meetings and office work, but also types of meetings such as regular liaison meetings, idea generation meetings, review meetings, etc. Can contain detailed environments. Further, it is assumed that information indicating a desirable state for each environment to be selected is created in advance and stored in the storage unit 540, for example.

For example, as described above, the analysis unit 553 can perform an analysis based on the audio information 543, an analysis based on the state-based sound information 544, an analysis that combines the audio information 543 and the state-based sound information 544, and the like. The results of the analysis by the analysis unit 553 can be displayed on the screen display unit 520 or transmitted to an external device via the communication I/F unit 530, for example. Furthermore, the analysis unit 553 may be configured to activate a predetermined actuator based on the result of the analysis. For example, the analysis unit 553 can be configured to issue a predetermined warning, such as by vibrating or emitting light or sound, when a state of excessive sitting is detected. The analysis unit 553 also outputs the sound information 543 and the state-based sound information 544, for example, outputs forest sounds when the surroundings are quiet, or outputs noise that neutralizes the surrounding noise when the surroundings are noisy. It can be configured to output according to the analysis results.

Note that the analysis unit 553 may be configured to perform any of the analyzes exemplified above. Furthermore, the analysis unit 553 may be configured to perform analyzes other than those exemplified above.

For example, the analysis unit 553 generates analysis result information, which is information such as the utilization rate and usage rate of chairs, the duration of a sitting state, the number of occurrences of events per unit time, and the degree of concentration, which are the results of the above-mentioned processing. can be stored in the storage unit 540. Furthermore, by referring to the analysis result information stored in the storage unit 540, the analysis unit 553 can determine how the condition of the person sitting on the chair is compared to previous days, such as yesterday or last week. In other words, the analysis unit 553 can determine the change in state over time. For example, the analysis unit 553 compares past analysis result information such as yesterday, one week ago, one month ago, etc. and finds that the utilization rate has decreased even though the utilization rate has not changed, or that the duration has shortened and the concentration level has decreased. In the case of a situation such as a decrease in the number of people sitting on the chair, it can be determined that the situation with the person sitting on the chair is worse than in the past. In this way, the analysis unit 553 may be configured to make judgments based on long-term analysis results. In addition, by storing the analysis result information in the storage unit 540, the analysis unit 553 determines whether the person sitting on the chair is the person who should sit in the chair (whether the person is the person to whom the chair is assigned). It is also possible to perform personal authentication, etc.

Furthermore, the analysis result information stored by the analysis section 553 can be configured to be searchable from an external device. For example, by making it possible to search for usage rates and usage rates, it is possible to easily find desired chairs, such as chairs with high usage rates and low usage rates.

The above is an example of the configuration of the analysis device 500. Next, with reference to FIG. 24, an example of the operation when the analysis device 500 analyzes the sound information 541 will be described. Note that it is assumed that the sound information 541 is stored in the storage section 540 in advance.

FIG. 24 shows an example of an operation when the analysis device 500 analyzes the sound information 541. Referring to FIG. 24, the separation unit 552 acquires sound information 541 from the storage unit 540 (step S101).

The separation unit 552 separates the sounds indicated by the sound information included in the sound information 541 (step S102). For example, the separation unit 552 separates the sound indicated by the sound information into voice and state-based sound. Then, the separation unit 552 stores the separated audio in the storage unit 540 as audio information 543, and stores the separated state-based sound in the storage unit 540 as state-based sound information 544.

The analysis unit 553 analyzes the movement and state of the person, the state of the environment in which the detection system is placed, etc., based on the audio information 543 and the state-based sound information 544 stored in the storage unit 540 (step S103). For example, the analysis unit 553 can perform an analysis based on the audio information 543, an analysis based on the state-based sound information 544, an analysis that combines the audio information 543 and the state-based sound information 544, and the like.

The analysis unit 553 outputs the analysis result (step S104). For example, the analysis section 553 displays the analysis result on the screen display section 520 or transmits it to an external device via the communication I/F section 530.

In this way, the analyzer 500 includes a separation section 552 and an analysis section 553. With such a configuration, the analysis section 553 can analyze the movement and state of the person, the state of the environment in which the detection system is placed, etc., based on the voice and state-related sound separated by the separation section 552. As a result, it becomes possible to grasp problems occurring in the environment based on the sound information acquired by the microphone 300, and it becomes possible to solve problems occurring in the environment at an early stage. This makes it possible, for example, to improve creativity in work by solving problems that impede work based on sound information.

Furthermore, according to the analysis system described in this embodiment, a microphone 300 is installed for each chair. As a result, compared to, for example, a case where a microphone is installed on a table or the like in a meeting, it becomes possible to acquire more information such as state-based sound information. This makes it possible, for example, to perform more detailed analysis.

In addition, in this embodiment, the case where the function of the analysis apparatus 500 is realized by one information processing apparatus was illustrated. However, the function of the analysis device 500 may be realized by a plurality of information processing devices. For example, the function of the analysis device 500 may be realized by a plurality of information processing devices connected to each other via a network so as to be able to communicate with each other.

Further, as shown in FIG. 25, the analysis system can include a microphone 60 that is not installed inside the main body 200, in addition to the detection mechanism 100 and the detection mechanism 110. For example, as shown in FIG. 25, the microphone 60 can be installed at the front of the seat of the chair. By installing the detection mechanism 100 and the detection mechanism 110 on the chair, and also installing the microphone 60, it becomes possible to acquire conversation sounds more clearly. Furthermore, the audio acquired by the microphone 60 can be used for separation processing by the separation unit 552.

[Fourth embodiment]
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 26. In the fourth embodiment, an overview of the configuration of an analysis device 70 will be described.

FIG. 26 shows an example of the configuration of the analyzer 70. Referring to FIG. 26, the analysis device 70 includes, for example, a sound information acquisition section 71 and an analysis section 72. Note that the analysis device 70 includes, for example, a calculation device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage device. For example, the analysis device 70 realizes each of the processing units described above by having a calculation device execute a program stored in a storage device.

The sound information acquisition unit 71 acquires a sound, which is information indicating a sound detected by a sensor included in the detection mechanism, from a detection mechanism having a main body having a hollow part and a sensor installed inside the hollow part. Get information.

The analysis unit 72 analyzes the state of the detection target based on the sound information acquired by the sound information acquisition unit 71.

In this way, the analysis device 70 includes a sound information acquisition section 71 and an analysis section 72. With such a configuration, the analysis section 72 can analyze the state of the detection target based on the sound information acquired by the sound information acquisition section 71. This makes it possible to analyze the state of the detection target without adding a new sensor such as a pressure sensor to the installation target.

Note that the sensor is installed inside a main body portion formed by a variable member that deforms in response to an external force, for example. Specifically, for example, the sensor is installed inside a hollow portion formed in the main body.

Furthermore, as described above, the sensor is installed on the installation target. Here, the installation target refers to an object whose presence is desired to be detected, such as the seat and back of a chair, the mattress or carpet of a bed, and the like.

Note that the above-described analysis device 70 can be realized by incorporating a predetermined program into the analysis device 70. Specifically, the program according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a detection mechanism that includes a main body portion having a hollow portion and a sensor installed inside the hollow portion, and a detection mechanism that includes a main body portion having a hollow portion and a sensor installed inside the hollow portion. a sound information acquisition unit 71 that acquires sound information that is information indicating the sound detected by a sensor included in the sound information acquisition unit 71; and an analysis unit 72 that analyzes the state of the detection target based on the sound information acquired by the sound information acquisition unit 71; This is a program to achieve this.

In addition, in the analysis method executed by the above-mentioned analyzer 70, the analyzer 70 starts from a detection mechanism having a main body having a hollow part and a sensor installed inside the hollow part. This method involves acquiring sound information, which is information indicating the sound detected by a sensor possessed by the device, and analyzing the state of the detection target based on the acquired sound information.

Even if the invention is a program or an analysis method having the above-mentioned configuration, it can achieve the above-mentioned object of the present invention because it has the same operation and effect as the analysis device 70 described above.

<Additional notes>
Part or all of the above embodiments may also be described as in the following additional notes. Hereinafter, the detection mechanism and the like in the present invention will be outlined. However, the present invention is not limited to the following configuration.

(Additional note 1)
a sensor that detects sound generated by a sound-generating member that generates sound according to the motion of a detection target;
a main body having a hollow part;
has
The sensor is installed inside the hollow part. Detection mechanism.
(Additional note 2)
The detection mechanism according to Supplementary Note 1,
The hollow part has at least one end open. The detection mechanism.
(Additional note 3)
The detection mechanism according to supplementary note 1 or supplementary note 2,
The main body part is formed of a member that reverberates the sound that has entered the inside of the hollow part, or is covered with a member that reverberates. The detection mechanism.
(Additional note 4)
The detection mechanism according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3,
The main body portion is formed of a foamed resin member. The detection mechanism.
(Appendix 5)
The detection mechanism according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3,
The main body portion is formed by covering an inner layer portion with an outer layer portion that resonates. The detection mechanism.
(Appendix 6)
The detection mechanism according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 5,
The sound generating member includes an installation object on which a detection mechanism is installed. Detection mechanism.
(Appendix 7)
The detection mechanism according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 6,
The sound generating member includes a packaging body that encloses the main body portion. Detection mechanism.
(Appendix 8)
The detection mechanism according to any one of Supplementary notes 1 to 7,
The sensor is installed at one end of the inside of the through hole. Detection mechanism.
(Appendix 9)
The detection mechanism according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 8,
The detection mechanism is a mechanism installed inside the installation target,
The sound generating member is a detection mechanism that generates sound according to the movement of the detection target on the installation target.
(Appendix 10)
The detection mechanism according to appendix 9,
The installation target is a chair,
The sound generating member is a detection mechanism that generates a sound when a person to be detected moves the chair.
(Appendix 11)
The sensor includes a sensor that detects sound generated by a sound generating member that generates sound in response to an operation of a detection target, and a main body having a hollow part, and the sensor is installed inside the hollow part. An installation target on which a detection mechanism is installed.
(Appendix 12)
The installation target described in Appendix 11,
The installation target is a chair,
The detection mechanism is installed in the seating part of the chair.

Note that the programs described in each of the above embodiments and supplementary notes are stored in a storage device or recorded in a computer-readable recording medium. For example, the recording medium is a portable medium such as a flexible disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, and a semiconductor memory.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to each of the embodiments described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The configuration and details of the present invention can be modified in various ways within the scope of the present invention by those skilled in the art.

100 Detection mechanism 200 Main body 210 Through hole 220 Inner layer 230 Outer layer 300 Microphone 40 Sound generating member 400 Friction body 410 Surface layer 420 Back layer 430 Connection layer 500 Analyzer 510 Operation input section 520 Screen display section 530 Communication I/ F unit 540 Storage unit 541 Sound information 542 Threshold information 543 Audio information 544 State-based sound information 545 Program 550 Arithmetic processing unit 551 Sound information acquisition unit 552 Separation unit 553 Analysis unit 60 Microphone 70 Analysis device 71 Sound information acquisition unit 72 Analysis unit

Claims (12)

a sensor that detects sound generated by a sound-generating member that generates sound according to the motion of a detection target;
a main body having a hollow part;
has
The sensor is installed inside the hollow part ,
The sound generating member includes a packaging body that encloses the main body portion.
Mechanism for detection. The detection mechanism according to claim 1,
The hollow part has at least one end open. The detection mechanism. The detection mechanism according to claim 1 or 2,
The main body part is formed of a member that reverberates the sound that has entered the inside of the hollow part, or is covered with a member that reverberates. The detection mechanism. The detection mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The main body portion is formed of a foamed resin member. The detection mechanism. The detection mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The main body portion is formed by covering an inner layer portion with an outer layer portion that resonates. The detection mechanism. The detection mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The sound generating member includes an installation object on which a detection mechanism is installed. Detection mechanism. The detection mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
The sensor is installed at one end of the inside of the through hole. Detection mechanism. The detection mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
The detection mechanism is a mechanism installed inside the installation target,
The sound generating member is a detection mechanism that generates sound according to the movement of the detection target on the installation target. 9. The detection mechanism according to claim 8 ,
The installation target is a chair,
The sound generating member is a detection mechanism that generates a sound when a person to be detected moves the chair. It has a sensor that detects the sound generated by a sound generating member that generates sound according to the motion of a detection target, and a main body having a hollow part, and the sensor is installed inside the hollow part. , is an installation target in which a detection mechanism is installed,
The installation target is a chair,
The detection mechanism is installed in the seating part of the chair.
Installation target. a sensor that detects sound generated by a sound-generating member that generates sound according to the motion of a detection target;
a main body having a hollow part;
has
The sensor is installed inside the hollow part.
a detection mechanism,
The detection mechanism is a mechanism installed inside the installation target,
The sound generating member generates sound according to the movement of the detection target on the installation target.
Mechanism for detection. 12. The detection mechanism according to claim 11,
The installation target is a chair,
The sound generating member generates a sound when the person to be detected moves the chair.
Mechanism for detection.

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