JPH05265472A - Speech information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To securely input and output speech information without holding a handset nor allowing a person at the periphery to hear a voice by providing a transmitter receiver at one focus of a reflector in elliptic structure and a sound collection part at the other. CONSTITUTION:The reflector 9 in elliptic structure is utilized and so constituted as to have one focus 1 on a ceiling and the other focus 2 at the head part (ear and mouth) of a customer 4 who operates an automatic teller machine(ATM). A speaker 4 and a microphone 6 are provided at the focus 1. The front operation panel of the ATM 3 is also formed in elliptic structure and uses as a reflector for a voice. When the operation guidance of the ATM 3 is generated from the speaker 5 with small output, it is collected at the focus 2 and reaches the ears of the customer 4. The customer 4 voices his or her password number, etc., on the focus 2, and the voice is collected by the microphone 6 and inputted to the speech recognition device 7 in the ATM 3. When those voices are inputted and outputted, they are propagated and collected efficiently in the elliptic reflector 9 to eliminate the need to lift the handset and also prevent the voice from being heard by other customers.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a voice information processing apparatus, and more particularly to a voice information processing apparatus capable of inputting / outputting voice without being heard by anyone other than the operator of the apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A method in which an operator of an apparatus exchanges information with the apparatus by inputting and outputting voices without being heard by others and without being affected by ambient noise is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-8268 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 1-177192, there has been a method of inputting and outputting voice by putting a handset such as a handset of a telephone into the ears and the mouth. However, in this method, the handset must be held by one hand, and one hand is blocked. In addition, some people with disabilities cannot hold this handset. Furthermore, there is the discomfort of applying something used by another person to the ears and mouth.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a voice information without a handset of a handset, which allows a surrounding person to hear the voice information, and does not cause blurring of input and output voices due to noise. It is to provide a voice information processing device capable of inputting and outputting.

[0004]

The structure of the present invention uses a voice reflector having an ellipsoidal structure and a handset (speaker and microphone) for voice input / output at one focus of the ellipsoid.
It is characterized in that the head of the operator of the apparatus, particularly the ear and the mouth, come to the other focus.

[0005]

By utilizing the fact that the sound emitted from one focus of the ellipsoidal reflector is collected at the other focus, the sound can be efficiently transmitted between these two focuses. Therefore, by providing a speaker and a microphone for voice input / output at the first focus and allowing the ear and mouth of the device operator to be located at the other second focus, the first focus on the first focus is improved. The operation guidance of the device, which is emitted from the speaker with a small output, surely reaches the ear of the device operator at the second focus and is not heard by another person out of focus. In addition, the voice input information uttered by the device operator in a small voice on the second focus surely reaches the microphone on the first focus without being heard by others outside the focus.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below by taking a bank automatic teller machine (hereinafter abbreviated as ATM) as an example. Conventional AT
M is installed at an automated corner in the corner of the bank lobby,
The customers who deposit and withdraw are often lined up in a queue.
The operation of the ATM is performed by a voice guidance from a speaker provided in the ATM, key operation, cash transfer, a card, and a card according to the image and character information displayed on the CRT display.
Operate the passbook. The image on the CRT display is hidden by the operator's body so that it cannot be seen by a person who is lined up behind, but the audio information from the speaker can be heard by a person who is lined up later.

From the point of view of ease of operation, it is expected that information input will be changed from key operation input to voice input and voice recognition. Voice input / output is essential for people with disabilities, especially for visually impaired people. In addition, regarding ATMs and other items related to the handling of cash, it is necessary to prevent others from listening to the information content.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the head 4 of the customer 4 who operates the ATM 3 in front of the ATM 3 with the first focus 1 on the ceiling and the second focus 2 using the reflector 9 having an ellipsoidal structure. The structure is such that it becomes a part (ear and mouth). A speaker 5 and a microphone 6 (which may be a speaker and a microphone such as an intercom) may be provided at the first focus 1 on the ceiling. The front operation panel of the ATM 3 also has an ellipsoidal structure as shown in FIG. 2 and is used as a voice reflector.

From the speaker 5 on the first focus 1, the ATM
The operation guidance of 3 is generated with a small output. For example, when the speaker 5 says "Please enter your PIN", it is propagated to the second focal point 2 and the sound is collected and reaches the ears of the customer 4. Customer 4 is the PIN for his transaction, eg "1",
"2", "3", "4" whispered to the ATM 3 on the second focus 2. That voice is the first focus 1
Sound is picked up by the microphone 6 above, converted into an electric signal by the microphone 6 and input to the voice recognition device 7 in the ATM 3, and the personal identification numbers "1, 2, 3, 4" are recognized.
In addition, for example, at the time of the withdrawal operation, the speaker 5 gives a voice guidance "Please insert the withdrawal amount", and the customer 4 voice-inputs "100,000 yen". The input amount of money recognized for recognition from the speaker 5 is output as "100,000 yen", and a voice guidance is issued saying "If it is good, enter it high, and if it is different, enter it." Customer 4 is "high"
When you input "," it is recognized and "1
Withdraw ¥ 0000. Please wait for a while. " When the withdrawal is completed, the cover of the withdrawal port of the ATM 3 is opened, and voice guidance is given from the speaker 5 "Please receive cash". As described above, the operation can be performed in a voice conversation form, which facilitates the operation. In addition, even visually impaired persons can operate it.

These voice inputs and outputs are efficiently propagated and collected between the speaker 5 at the first focus 1 of the ellipsoidal reflector 0, the microphone 6 and the customer 4 at the second focus 2, and the handset is set. There is no need to have it, and it is not heard by other customers who are lined up behind the customer 4. In particular, by providing the first focus 1 on which the speaker 5 and the microphone 6 are provided on the ceiling, it is possible to make the other customers who are lined up rearward inaudible. In addition, noise generated outside the focus does not collect on the focus, and therefore the microphone 6 on the focus and the ears of the customer 4 are less affected.

Further, the automatic machine corner is partitioned by a door,
By placing a partition after the customer 4 who is operating, the leakage of voice to other people is further reduced. Further, although the ceiling wall is an ellipsoidal reflector in FIG. 1, an ellipsoidal reflector may be separately provided, and a speaker and a microphone may be provided at the focal point of the ellipsoidal reflector, and the speaker may be hung and fixed under the ceiling.

There may be a cover for passing sound in front of the speaker and the microphone.

When making an ellipsoidal reflector, it is possible to match the ellipse shapes by making the reflector in the same mold as the ATM front panel.

Further, when the reflector is installed, a speaker can be provided at one focus to emit an audio signal and the other focus can be used for listening while listening to the audio signal.

Even if the input is performed from the key switch or the touch panel and only the output is performed from the speaker of the first focus so as to reach the ear of the operator located at the second focus,
The operator can operate without holding something like a handset, and the surroundings do not hear the input / output contents.

Although the present embodiment has been described with reference to an example of use in an ATM, the present invention can be widely applied not only to ATM but also to various automatic transaction devices and vending machines used by an unspecified number of people.

[0017]

According to the present invention, by utilizing the two focal points of the ellipsoidal reflector, the operator of the apparatus can input / output information to other persons in the rear without holding the handset. It is possible to reliably input and output voice information without being heard.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram when used in an ATM in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an ATM front operation panel of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... 1st focus of an ellipsoidal reflector, 2 ... 2nd focus of an ellipsoidal reflector, 4 ... Operator, 5 ... Speaker, 6 ... Microphone, 9 ... Ellipsoidal structure reflector.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location G10L 3/00 511 8842-5H

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A voice information processing apparatus for performing a predetermined process by inputting / outputting voice, wherein the reflector has two focal points, and a sound emitted from one focal point is collected to another focal point.
Alternatively, an audio information processing device having the set of the reflectors.