WO2020004363A1

WO2020004363A1 - Acoustic device and information management system

Info

Publication number: WO2020004363A1
Application number: PCT/JP2019/025071
Authority: WO
Inventors: 智典中田
Original assignee: ヤマハ株式会社
Priority date: 2018-06-27
Filing date: 2019-06-25
Publication date: 2020-01-02
Also published as: JPWO2020004363A1; JP7127683B2

Abstract

This acoustic device is provided with: a sound collecting unit which collects audio of a speaker and generates a first signal; an adjustment unit which generates a second signal by adjusting the first signal; a sound emitting unit which emits the sound of audio corresponding to the second signal in a direction away from the speaker; and a wearing member in which the sound collecting unit, the adjustment unit, and the sound emitting unit are integrally provided and which is worn by the speaker.

Description

Sound equipment and information management system

The present disclosure relates to a technology for assisting a hearing of a listener.

各種 Various techniques for assisting the hearing of listeners have been proposed. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a hearing aid that emits ultrasonic waves toward the pinna of a listener. Patent Literature 2 discloses a portable small loudspeaker.

JP 2013-191996 JP-A-7-336786

Hearing aids may be cumbersome for the listener or difficult to purchase for economic reasons, and it may be preferable to use a loudspeaker on the part of the speaker. However, in a loudspeaker as disclosed in Patent Document 2, for example, the microphone and the speaker are configured separately, so that the user (speaker) may be inconvenient. Specifically, when a microphone and a speaker are connected by a wire such as a wire, the wire may interfere with the operation of the user, and even when these components are wirelessly connected, any of the components may be lost. It can be considered that it is easily combed. On the other hand, although the microphone and the speaker are integrally formed in the megaphone, it is necessary to support the megaphone by hand, so that there is a disadvantage that the operation of the user is hindered. In view of the above circumstances, one of the objects of the present disclosure is to provide an audio device that assists the hearing of the listener while improving the usability for the speaker.

In order to solve the above problems, an audio device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a sound collection unit that collects a speaker's voice to generate a first signal, and a second signal by adjusting the first signal. A signal generating unit, a sound emitting unit for emitting a sound corresponding to the second signal in a direction away from the speaker, a sound collecting unit, an adjusting unit, and a sound emitting unit are integrally provided; And a mounting member to be mounted on the device.
An information management system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes the above-described acoustic device and a storage unit that stores a character string specified by voice recognition of a first signal generated by a sound collection unit.

1 is a schematic diagram of an acoustic device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the acoustic device 10 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the audio device 10. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a relationship between a sound collection unit and a sound emission unit. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a frequency spectrum of an audio signal Sx and an audio signal Sy. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a frequency spectrum of an audio signal Sx and an audio signal Sy. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a frequency spectrum of an audio signal Sx and an audio signal Sy. It is a block diagram of acoustic device 10 concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is a block diagram of acoustic device 10 concerning a 3rd embodiment. It is a block diagram of acoustic device 10 concerning a 4th embodiment. It is a flow chart of processing by control part 130 in a 4th embodiment. It is a block diagram of an information management system concerning a 5th embodiment.

1. First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an appearance of an acoustic device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The acoustic device 10 of the first embodiment is a portable device that operates by being supplied with power from a built-in battery (not shown). The audio device 10 collects the voice of the speaker U and emits the adjusted voice to the listener. For example, in a nursing facility, a speaker U as a caregiver uses the audio device 10 for dialogue with a listener as a care receiver such as an elderly person.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the acoustic device 10 according to the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the acoustic device 10 includes a mounting member 100, a sound collecting unit 110, a sound emitting unit 120, and a control unit 130.

The sound collection unit 110 is a sound collection device (microphone) that collects surrounding sounds and generates an audio signal Sx (an example of a “first signal”). Specifically, the sound collection unit 110 collects the voice of the speaker U and generates a voice signal Sx representing the voice. The sound collection unit 110 in the first embodiment has directivity in the direction of the speaker U (more specifically, in the direction of the mouth of the speaker U). The sound collection unit 110 is configured by, for example, a unidirectional microphone, a microphone array, or a planar microphone. In the present embodiment, the case where the sound pickup unit 110 has directivity is illustrated, but the sound pickup unit 110 may not have directivity. For example, the sound collection unit 110 may be configured by an omnidirectional (omnidirectional) microphone or a bone conduction microphone.

The control unit 130 controls the overall operation of the audio device 10. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the control unit 130 is realized by the processing device 61 and the storage device 62. The processing device 61 includes one or more processors that control each element of the audio device 10. The processing device 61 includes one or more types of processors such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). It consists of.

The storage device 62 is a single or a plurality of memories for storing programs executed by the processing device 61 and various data used by the processing device 61. The storage device 62 is configured by a known recording medium such as a magnetic recording medium or a semiconductor recording medium. Note that the storage device 62 may be configured by a combination of a plurality of types of recording media. Further, a portable recording medium that can be attached to and detached from the audio device 10 or an external recording medium (for example, online storage) with which the audio device 10 can communicate via a communication network may be used as the storage device 62.

(2) The control unit 130 of FIG. 2 is realized by the processing device 61 executing the program stored in the storage device 62. The control unit 130 according to the first embodiment includes an adjustment unit 132 that generates an audio signal Sy (an example of a “second signal”) by adjusting the audio signal Sx.

The sound emitting unit 120 is a sound emitting device (speaker) that emits a sound corresponding to the sound signal Sy output from the control unit 130. The sound emitting unit 120 is constituted by, for example, a directional speaker, an array speaker, or a flat speaker. The sound emitting unit 120 according to the first embodiment emits sound in a direction away from the speaker U and in a preset direction. The direction in which the sound emitting unit 120 emits sound may be set when the acoustic device 10 is manufactured, or may be manually set by the speaker U.

The mounting member 100 is a member for mounting the audio device 10 to the speaker U. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the mounting member 100 includes a first portion 102 and a second portion 104 having a substantially elliptical column shape, and a curved portion 106 connecting the first portion 102 and the second portion 104, and is substantially U-shaped. It is formed into a letter shape. The sound device 10 is mounted by hooking the curved portion 106 of the mounting member 100 on the neck of the speaker U. In a state where the acoustic device 10 is mounted on the speaker U, the first portion 102 of the mounting member 100 is located in front of the right chest of the speaker U, and the second portion 104 is located in front of the left chest of the speaker U. I do. The mounting member 100 is integrally provided with a sound collecting unit 110, a sound emitting unit 120, and a control unit 130. Here, “integrally” includes a state where these elements are formed on the mounting member 100 and are not separated from each other. As described above, in the acoustic device 10 of the first embodiment, the sound collection unit 110, the sound emission unit 120, and the control unit 130 are provided integrally with the mounting member 100. Therefore, for example, the usability of the sound device 10 for the speaker U is improved as compared with a case where the sound collection unit 110 and the sound emission unit 120 are separate or a case where these elements are not provided on the mounting member 100. It is possible to assist the hearing of the listener while causing the hearing.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a sound emitting unit 120 is provided near an end of the first portion 102 of the mounting member 100 opposite to the curved portion 106, and the second portion 104 is opposite to the curved portion 106. A sound pickup unit 110 is provided in the vicinity of the end of. According to the above configuration, the sound emitting unit 120 is arranged at a position near the mouth of the speaker U. Therefore, as compared with the case where the sound is emitted from the sound emitting unit 120 at a position away from the mouth of the speaker U in parallel with the real voice of the speaker U, the sound is emitted from a portion other than the mouth of the speaker U. This reduces the sense of discomfort given to the listener. As a result, a natural dialog between the speaker U and the listener is realized.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the sound collection unit 110 and the sound emission unit 120. The first portion 102 of the mounting member 100 includes a first surface F1, and the second portion 104 includes a second surface F2. The first surface F1 and the second surface F2 face in the same direction. That is, the normal to the first surface F1 and the normal to the second surface F2 are substantially parallel. The sound emitting unit 120 is installed on the first surface F1, and the sound collecting unit 110 is installed on the second surface F2. Therefore, the sound emitting direction (hereinafter, referred to as a sound emitting direction) Z1 of the sound emitting unit 120 and the sound collecting direction (hereinafter, referred to as a sound collecting direction) Z2 of the sound collecting unit 110 are different. The sound emitting direction Z1 is a main direction in which the sound emitted by the sound emitting unit 120 is emitted. In a configuration in which sound is emitted to the surroundings by vibrating the diaphragm, the direction perpendicular to the surface of the diaphragm and away from the diaphragm is the sound emitting direction Z1. On the other hand, the sound collection direction Z2 is a main direction in which the sound collected by the sound collection unit 110 arrives. In the configuration in which the sound collection unit 110 generates the audio signal Sx by detecting vibration of the diaphragm due to the incoming sound, the direction perpendicular to the surface of the diaphragm and toward the diaphragm is the sound collection direction Z2.

Note that the mode of the acoustic device 10 in FIG. 1 (specifically, the shape of the mounting member 100 and the positions of the sound collecting unit 110 and the sound emitting unit 120) is merely an example, and may be another mode. For example, the mounting member 100 may be formed into a necklace shape, or may be formed into a card holder shape that can be fixed to the front of the speaker U's body.

Next, the operation of the adjustment unit 132 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 schematically show frequency spectra of the audio signal Sx and the audio signal Sy. As described above, the adjusting unit 132 generates the audio signal Sy by adjusting the audio signal Sx. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the adjustment unit 132 increases the audio component corresponding to the frequency band B1 (an example of the “first frequency band”) in the audio signal Sx, thereby increasing the audio signal Sy. Generate FIG. 5 illustrates a case where the frequency band B1 is a frequency band exceeding a predetermined frequency f1. As shown in FIG. 5, in the frequency band higher than the frequency f1, the signal strength of the audio signal Sy is higher than the signal strength of the audio signal Sx. Therefore, the sound emitted from the sound emitting unit 120 according to the audio signal Sy is a sound in which the sound component corresponding to the frequency band higher than the predetermined frequency f1 among the sound components of the sound of the speaker U is reinforced. .

Generally, elderly people tend to have difficulty hearing high frequency (eg, 2 kHz or more) sounds. According to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 5, by setting the frequency f1 to, for example, 2 kHz, the audio signal Sy in which the acoustic components in the frequency band that is difficult for the elderly to hear is increased is generated. For this reason, it is possible to emit a sound that is easy for the elderly to hear.

Note that the frequency band B1 is not limited to the above example. FIG. 6 illustrates a case where the frequency band B1 is a frequency band lower than the predetermined frequency f2. As illustrated in FIG. 6, in a frequency band lower than the frequency f2, the signal strength of the audio signal Sy is higher than the signal strength of the audio signal Sx. As described above, the adjustment unit 132 may generate the audio signal Sy by increasing the audio component corresponding to the frequency band lower than the predetermined frequency f2 in the audio signal Sx.

In the above, the configuration in which the adjustment unit 132 increases the acoustic component corresponding to the frequency band B1 in the audio signal Sx has been described. However, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the adjustment unit 132 reduces the audio component corresponding to the frequency band B2 (an example of the “second frequency band”) in the audio signal Sx instead of the above configuration. May be used to generate the audio signal Sy. FIG. 7 illustrates a case where the frequency band B2 is a frequency band lower than the predetermined frequency f3. As illustrated in FIG. 7, in a frequency band lower than the frequency f3, the signal strength of the audio signal Sy is lower than the signal strength of the audio signal Sx. Therefore, the sound emitted from the sound emitting unit 120 according to the audio signal Sy is a sound in which the sound component corresponding to the frequency band B2 among the sound components of the sound of the speaker U is reduced.

(4) When the distance between the speaker U and the listener is short, it is considered that the real voice of the speaker U reaches the listener in addition to the sound emitted from the sound emitting unit 120. In this case, among the acoustic components of the voice of the speaker U, there is a relatively low need to reinforce the acoustic components corresponding to the frequency band that is not difficult for the listener to hear. According to the above configuration, by setting a frequency band that is not difficult for the listener to listen to as the frequency band B2, the sound whose sound component corresponding to the frequency band B2 is reduced is emitted from the sound emitting unit 120. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the volume of the voice corresponding to the frequency band B2 among the voices reaching the listener becomes excessively high. Further, among the voices of speaker U, voices corresponding to frequency bands other than frequency band B2 are emitted from sound emitting unit 120. Therefore, it is possible to reinforce the real voice of speaker U for the frequency band. That is, according to the above configuration, by setting the frequency f3 to, for example, 2 kHz, the real voice of the speaker U is reinforced in the frequency band that is difficult for the elderly to hear, and the listener ( It is possible to emit a sound that does not hinder the elderly).

FIG. 7 illustrates the case where the acoustic components corresponding to the frequency bands other than the frequency band B2 are maintained. However, the adjustment unit 132 may generate the audio signal Sy by reducing the sound component corresponding to the frequency band B2 and increasing the sound component corresponding to the frequency band other than the frequency band B2. That is, the configuration described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 and the configuration described with reference to FIG. 7 may be combined.

2. Second embodiment
A second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below. In each of the aspects exemplified below, elements having the same functions or functions as those of the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals used in the description of the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the acoustic device 10 according to the second embodiment. The acoustic device 10 according to the second embodiment includes an adjustment unit 132A including a direction control unit 134 (an example of a “first direction control unit”) instead of the adjustment unit 132. The configuration other than the adjustment unit 132A is the same as that of the acoustic device 10 of the first embodiment. The adjustment unit 132A executes the control of directivity and the adjustment of the sound component described in the first embodiment (hereinafter, may be referred to as a component adjustment process) on the audio signal Sx, so that the audio signal Sx is processed. Generate Sy.

において In the second embodiment, the sound collection unit 110 is configured by a plurality of sound collection devices (microphone arrays). The plurality of sound collecting devices generate sound signals Sx of a plurality of channels by collecting the sound of the speaker U. The direction control unit 134 controls the directivity of the sound pickup unit 110 so that the sound pickup unit 110 has directivity in the target direction. Here, the target direction is, for example, the direction of the mouth of the speaker U. Specifically, the direction control unit 134 estimates the direction of the sound source (the mouth of the speaker U) from the audio signals Sx of a plurality of channels generated by the sound collection unit 110 after the power of the acoustic device 10 is turned on. The processing (referred to as direction estimation processing) is repeated at predetermined time intervals. Then, the direction control unit 134 forms a sound pickup beam (a region with high sound pickup sensitivity) in the direction estimated by the direction estimation processing executed last from the audio signals Sx of the plurality of channels. In other words, the direction control unit 134 generates a signal in which the sensitivity of sound pickup in the target direction is increased, that is, a signal in which the sound component coming from the target direction is emphasized. The adjustment unit 132A generates the audio signal Sy by performing the same component adjustment processing as in the first embodiment on the signal generated by the direction control unit 134.

方向 As described above, in the present embodiment, the direction estimation processing is repeated. Therefore, even if the direction of the sound source with respect to the sound pickup unit 110 (that is, the target direction) changes over time, the directivity of the sound pickup unit 110 is automatically controlled so as to face the target direction. As a result, it is possible to maintain high sensitivity of the sound collection unit 110 with respect to the voice of the speaker U.

Although the case where the direction estimation processing is repeatedly executed has been described above as an example, the direction estimation processing may be executed once when the audio device 10 is turned on. In this configuration, since the direction estimation processing is performed only once, there is an advantage that the processing load on the control unit 130 (direction control unit 134) is reduced.

According to the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. Further, in the present embodiment, the directivity of the sound pickup unit 110 is controlled such that the sound pickup unit 110 has directivity in the direction of the speaker U. For this reason, even if the voice uttered by the speaker U is low, the voice can be collected.

3. Third Embodiment FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an acoustic device 10 according to a third embodiment. The acoustic device 10 according to the third embodiment includes a sensor 150 in addition to the elements described in the first embodiment. The control unit 130 according to the third embodiment includes a detection unit 136 that detects the direction of a listener (an example of a “sound emission target”), and includes an adjustment unit 132B instead of the adjustment unit 132 according to the first embodiment. . The adjustment unit 132B includes a direction control unit 138 (an example of a “second direction control unit”) that controls the directivity of the sound emission unit 120. In the third embodiment, the sound emitting unit 120 is configured by a plurality of sound emitting devices (speaker arrays).

The sensor 150 is a detection device (for example, a motion sensor or a camera) that detects the position of the listener. The sensor 150 outputs the detection signal K continuously or at predetermined time intervals after the power of the acoustic device 10 is turned on. The detection unit 136 detects the direction of the listener with respect to the sound emitting unit 120 based on the detection signal K output by the sensor 150, and outputs a detection signal D indicating the direction. The detection of the direction by the detection unit 136 and the output of the detection signal D are repeatedly performed at predetermined time intervals. The direction control unit 138 controls the directivity of the sound emitting unit 120 so as to have directivity in the direction indicated by the detection signal D. Specifically, the direction control unit 138 uses the signal whose sound component has been adjusted by the same component adjustment processing as in the first embodiment and the detection signal D output last to direct the sound in the direction of the listener. The sound signal Sy is generated such that a sound beam having a characteristic is formed by the sound emitting unit 120.

According to the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. Further, in the present embodiment, the direction of the listener is repeatedly detected, and the sound emitting unit 120 is automatically controlled based on the latest detection result so that the sound emitting unit 120 has directivity in the direction of the listener. For this reason, even if the position of the speaker U with respect to the listener changes over time, sound can be appropriately emitted to the listener.

4. Fourth Embodiment FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an acoustic device 10 according to a fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the acoustic device 10 according to the fourth embodiment includes a communication unit 140 and a sound emitting unit 170 in addition to the elements described in the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the communication section 140 and the sound emitting section 170 are provided on the mounting member 100 integrally with other elements such as the sound emitting section 120. The communication unit 140 includes a transmission unit 142 and a reception unit 144. Further, the control unit 130 of the fourth embodiment includes a switching unit 160 in addition to the adjustment unit 132. The sound device 10 of the fourth embodiment operates in one of a sound emission mode in which sound is emitted from the sound emitting unit 120 and a communication mode in which the sound device communicates with another acoustic device 10b through the communication unit 140. Operate. The operation mode of the audio device 10 is switched by an operation of a user (speaker U) of the audio device 10.

動作 The operation of the acoustic device 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the process of the control unit 130 in the fourth embodiment. In step St1, the control unit 130 acquires the audio signal Sx generated by the sound collection unit 110. The switching unit 160 switches the supply destination of the acquired audio signal Sx according to the current operation mode of the audio device 10. Specifically, the switching unit 160 determines whether the sound device 10 is operating in the sound emission mode or the communication mode (St2). When the audio device 10 is operating in the sound emission mode, the switching unit 160 supplies the audio signal Sx to the adjustment unit 132 (St3). The adjusting unit 132 generates the audio signal Sy by adjusting the audio signal Sx (St4), and supplies the audio signal Sy to the sound emitting unit 120 (St5). The sound emitting unit 120 emits a sound corresponding to the supplied sound signal Sy. As can be understood from the above description, the operation of the acoustic device 10 in the sound emission mode is the same as the operation described in the first embodiment except for the operation of the switching unit 160 in the control unit 130.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step St2 that the audio device 10 is operating in the communication mode, the switching unit 160 supplies the audio signal Sx to the transmission unit 142 (St6). The transmitting unit 142 transmits the supplied audio signal Sx to another acoustic device 10b by wireless communication.

In the communication mode, the receiving unit 144 of the communication unit 140 receives the audio signal Sz transmitted by wireless communication from another acoustic device 10b. The sound signal Sz is a signal representing the sound of the user of the other sound device 10b (the speaker wearing the other sound device 10b). The audio signal Sz received by the receiving unit 144 is supplied to the sound emitting unit 170 provided separately from the sound emitting unit 120 in the communication mode, and the sound emitting unit 170 emits a sound corresponding to the audio signal Sz. The sound emitting section 170 is provided, for example, near one end or both ends of the curved portion 106 of the mounting member 100. In other words, the sound emitting section 170 is arranged below one or both ears of the speaker U.

理解 As understood from the above description, in the present embodiment, the sound collection unit 110 is used in both the sound emission mode and the communication mode. In this way, the sound pickup unit 110 is shared between different operation modes. Therefore, the structure of the acoustic device 10 is simpler than in the case where the sound pickup unit 100 is separately provided for each of the different operation modes. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the acoustic device 10 can be reduced.

According to the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. Further, the acoustic device 10 of the present embodiment can communicate with another acoustic device 10b via the communication unit 140. Therefore, for example, when a staff member who is a caregiver wears the sound device 10 in a nursing care facility, the caregiver can use the sound device 10 in the sound emitting mode to use the sound device 10 for the listener (for example, an elderly person who is a care receiver). Hearing can be assisted. Further, by using the acoustic device 10 in the communication mode, the staff can communicate with another staff (caregiver) wearing the other acoustic device 10b. For this reason, for example, the convenience of the audio device for the caregiver is improved as compared with a case where another communication device must be carried separately in addition to a device for assisting the hearing of the listener.

5. Fifth embodiment
FIG. 12 is a block diagram of the information providing system 1 according to the fifth embodiment. The information providing system 1 is a system for providing information on the utterance content of the voice of the speaker U. The information providing system 10 includes an audio device 10, an information management device 20, a terminal device 30, and an information analysis device 40. The acoustic device 10 according to the fifth embodiment includes a communication unit 180 that wirelessly communicates with another device via a communication network 50 including, for example, a mobile communication network or the Internet, in addition to the elements described in the first embodiment. The information management device 20, the terminal device 30, and the information analysis device 40 are each connected to a communication network 50 by wire or wirelessly. FIG. 12 illustrates a case where these devices are connected to the communication network 50 by wire. The information management device 20 is, for example, a server (typically, a web server), and includes a storage unit 22 that stores information received by the information management device 20 via the communication network 50. The terminal device 30 is an information processing terminal such as a personal computer or a smartphone used by the speaker U, for example, and includes a display unit 32 that displays information received by the terminal device 30 via the communication network 50. The information analysis device 40 is, for example, a server (typically, a web server), and includes a voice analysis unit 42 that executes a known voice recognition process on a voice signal received by the information analysis device 40 via the communication network 50. Prepare.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, in the acoustic device 10 according to the fifth embodiment, the audio signal Sx generated by the sound collection unit 110 is supplied to the control unit 130 and the communication unit 180. Adjustment and sound emission of the audio signal Sx supplied to the control unit 130 (adjustment unit 132) are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof is omitted. When the audio signal Sx is supplied to the communication unit 180, the communication unit 180 wirelessly transmits the audio signal Sx to the information analysis device 40 via the communication network 50. Note that the transmission of the acoustic signal Sx by the communication unit 180 and the adjustment by the adjustment unit 132 are performed in parallel. That is, in the present embodiment, the audio signal Sx is transmitted to the information analysis device 40 in real time.

When the information analysis device 40 receives the voice signal Sx, the voice analysis unit 42 recognizes the voice signal Sx and generates a character string (hereinafter referred to as a voice character string) indicating the utterance content of the voice represented by the voice signal Sx. Identify. The information analysis device 40 transmits the utterance character string specified by the voice analysis unit 42 to the information management device 20 via the communication network 50. The storage unit 22 stores the uttered character string received by the information management device 20.

The identification of the utterance character string by the voice analysis unit 42 and the transmission of the utterance character string by the information analysis device 40 may be executed in real time or at a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing may be, for example, a predetermined time or a predetermined time interval.

The information management device 20 transmits the utterance character string stored in the storage unit 22 via the communication network 50 to the terminal device, triggered by a predetermined event (for example, arrival of a predetermined time or reception of a request from the terminal device 30). 30. As described above, the information management device 20 of the present embodiment functions as the information management system 5 that manages information on the utterance content of the speaker U together with the audio device 10. When the terminal device 30 receives the utterance character string, the display unit 32 displays the utterance character string.

According to the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. Further, according to the present embodiment, the utterance character string representing the utterance content of the speaker U is displayed on the display unit 32 of the terminal device 30. For example, in a nursing facility, it is assumed that a staff member (caregiver) prepares a daily report at the end of a day based on the content of the dialogue with the care receiver. Here, when the speaker U who is a caregiver talks with a plurality of care receivers in one day, the content of the dialogue with each of the plurality of care receivers is later remembered (at the end of the day). It is considered difficult. According to the above configuration, since the speaker U can check his or her utterance content at the terminal device 30 at the end of the day, the burden on the speaker U's work can be reduced. Note that the information providing system 1 may further include a document creation unit that creates a document using the uttered character string stored in the storage unit 22. The document generation unit automatically creates, for example, a daily report.

Note that a person other than the speaker U may use the uttered character string stored in the storage unit 22. For example, it is assumed that the care facility manager checks the utterance content of each staff member (speaker U who is a caregiver) in order to manage the quality of provided services. In this case, the administrator can confirm the utterance content of each speaker U by displaying the utterance character string corresponding to the utterance content of each of the plurality of staff members (speaker U) on the terminal device 30. For this reason, for example, as compared with a case where the manager accompanies each staff member and confirms the utterance content of the staff member, the burden of the manager's work is reduced.

6. Modified example
Each embodiment described above can be variously modified. Specific modifications will be described below. Two or more aspects arbitrarily selected from the aspects exemplified above and the aspects exemplified below can be appropriately combined within a mutually consistent range.

(1) In each of the above-described embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the mounting member 100 mounted on the neck of the speaker U is illustrated. However, the mode of the mounting member 100 is not limited to the above example. For example, the mounting member 100 may be mounted on any of the limbs of the speaker U. For example, the mounting member 100 may be formed in a bracelet type or an arm band type. According to this aspect, the speaker U can easily attach and detach the acoustic device 10.

The mounting member 100 may be mounted on the face or head of the speaker U. For example, the mounting member 100 may be formed in a headset type, an eyeglass type, or a shape that can be fixed to a mask. Specifically, the mounting member 100 is shaped so as to be fixed to the mask, for example, by being hooked on the mask or sandwiching the mask, the sound collecting unit 110 is arranged to be located inside the mask, and the sound emitting unit 120 is It is arranged to be located outside the mask. According to this aspect, similarly to the first embodiment, since the adjusted voice is emitted from a position near the mouth of the speaker U, a natural conversation between the speaker U and the listener is realized. .

(2) In each of the above-described embodiments, the audio device 10 may operate in any of the male voice mode and the female voice mode. The voice quality mode of the audio device 10 is switched by an operation of a user (speaker U) of the audio device 10.

Generally, the frequency band of a person's voice where the sound component is abundant depends on the gender of the person. For example, it is generally considered that a female voice has more abundant acoustic components in a higher frequency band than a male voice. Therefore, for example, in order to reinforce the voice of the female speaker U, it is assumed that it is preferable to increase the acoustic component in a relatively low frequency band. Therefore, in this embodiment, the frequency band B1 in which the sound component of the audio signal Sx is increased is made different depending on the gender of the speaker U. Specifically, when the audio device 10 is operating in the male voice mode, the adjustment unit (132, 132A, or 132B; hereinafter, simply referred to as the adjustment unit 132) operates in a frequency band whose lower limit is the first frequency. The sound component of B1 is increased. On the other hand, when the audio device 10 is operating in the female voice mode, the adjustment unit 132 increases the audio component of the frequency band B1 whose lower limit is the second frequency lower than the first frequency. Although the case where the lower limit of the frequency band B1 is made different according to the sex of the speaker U has been described above, the upper limit may be made different.

According to this aspect, since the frequency band in which the sound component is increased is made different depending on the gender of the speaker U, the adjustment unit 132 can perform adjustment suitable for the voice quality of the speaker U. More specifically, in the present embodiment, a sound corresponding to the sound signal Sy in which the sound component of the frequency band having a relatively small sound component among the sounds of the speaker U is increased. For this reason, the effect of each of the above aspects of assisting the hearing of the listener is particularly remarkable. When the present modified example is applied to the fourth embodiment, the acoustic device 10 operates in either the male voice mode or the female voice mode in the sound emission mode.

(3) In each of the above-described embodiments, the adjustment unit 132 may adjust the audio signal Sx when the volume of the sound collected by the sound collection unit 110 is lower than a predetermined value. Specifically, the adjusting unit 132 determines whether the intensity of the acoustic component corresponding to the specific frequency band (hereinafter, referred to as the specific component intensity) among the acoustic components included in the voice of the speaker U is lower than a predetermined threshold. Determine whether or not. The adjustment unit 132 generates an audio signal Sy by adjusting the audio signal Sx so as to increase the specific component intensity when the specific component intensity is lower than the threshold, and generates an audio signal when the specific component intensity is higher than the threshold. The audio signal Sy is generated without increasing the acoustic component of the signal Sx. Instead of the above configuration, a configuration may be used in which the degree to which the adjustment unit 132 increases the acoustic component of the audio signal Sx differs depending on whether the specific component intensity is lower than the threshold value or higher. Further, the configuration may be such that the adjustment unit 132 does not generate the audio signal Sy when the specific component intensity exceeds the threshold. When the adjusting unit 132 does not generate the audio signal Sy, no sound is emitted from the sound emitting unit 120.

For example, if speaker U's real voice is sufficiently loud, it may be assumed that the need to reinforce speaker U's real voice is relatively low. According to the above configuration, the sound signal Sx is adjusted according to the volume of the sound collected by the sound collection unit 110. Therefore, when it is highly necessary to reinforce the real voice of the speaker U, it is necessary to reinforce the real voice of the speaker U while the sound for reinforcing the real voice of the speaker U is emitted from the sound output unit 120. When the sound quality is low, the volume of the sound emitted from the sound emitting unit 120 can be suppressed relatively low. As a result, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the volume of the sound reaching the listener (a mixed sound of the real voice of the speaker U and the sound emitted from the sound emitting unit 120) becomes excessively large.

(4) In each of the above-described embodiments, the power supply of the audio device 10 may be triggered by a manual operation of the user (speaker U) of the audio device 10 or may be automatically triggered by another event. May be included. Here, the “manual operation” may be, for example, operation of a power switch provided on the acoustic device 10, or a movable sound collection unit 110 or a movable sound emission unit 120 provided on the mounting member 100. (For example, the sound collecting unit 110 is turned to the mouth of the speaker U). The “other event” means, for example, that a sensor provided in the audio device 10 detects a sound having a predetermined volume or more in a state where the audio device 10 is mounted on the speaker U.

(5) In each of the above-described embodiments, the configuration in which the adjustment unit 132 increases or decreases the acoustic component in a specific frequency band of the audio signal Sx has been illustrated. However, the acoustic component adjusted by the adjusting unit 132 is not limited to an acoustic component corresponding to a specific frequency band. The adjustment unit 132 may adjust the overall volume of the audio signal Sx instead of the above-described configuration. Specifically, the adjustment unit 132 according to the present modification adjusts the volume of the audio signal Sx according to the volume of the audio signal Sx, and generates the audio signal Sy.

調整 In an example of the present modification, the adjustment unit 132 adjusts the volume of the audio signal Sx such that the lower the volume of the audio signal Sx, the greater the degree of increase in the volume of the audio signal Sx. For example, when the volume of the audio signal Sx is lower than a predetermined volume (referred to as a first volume), the adjusting unit 132 determines whether the volume of the audio signal Sx exceeds the predetermined volume (referred to as a second volume). In comparison, the volume of the audio signal Sx may be adjusted so that the degree of increase is greater. The second volume is a volume higher than the first volume. According to this configuration, when the volume of the audio signal Sx is low, the audio signal Sx is adjusted such that the degree of increase in the volume of the audio signal Sx is greater than when the volume is high. As a result, a sound having an appropriate volume is emitted from the sound emitting unit 120 regardless of the volume of the voice of the speaker U.

On the other hand, a case where the speaker U intentionally speaks in a low voice, such as a case where the speaker U who is the caregiver speaks to the listener who is the care receiver in a low voice, may be assumed. For this reason, in another example of the present modified example, the adjusting unit 132 adjusts the volume of the audio signal Sx so that the volume of the audio signal Sx decreases as the volume of the audio signal Sx decreases. Good. For example, the adjusting unit 132 may adjust the sound so that the degree of increase is smaller when the volume of the audio signal Sx is lower than the first volume than when the volume of the audio signal Sx is higher than the second volume. The volume of the signal Sx may be adjusted. According to this configuration, a sound having a volume according to the intention of speaker U is emitted from sound emitting unit 120.

Note that the above-described two configuration examples of this modification may be combined. For example, when the voice of the speaker U is a whisper, the adjusting unit 132 determines the volume of the audio signal Sx such that the lower the volume of the audio signal Sx, the smaller the degree of increase in the volume of the audio signal Sx. To adjust. On the other hand, if the voice of the speaker U is not a whisper, the volume of the audio signal Sx is adjusted so that the volume of the audio signal Sx increases as the volume of the audio signal Sx decreases. In the above configuration, the adjustment unit 132 adjusts the audio signal Sx according to the volume and voice quality of the audio signal Sx. The adjusting unit 132 determines whether or not the voice of the speaker U is a whisper using, for example, the clarity of the harmonic structure of the voice signal Sx as an index.

Although the configuration in which the adjustment unit 132 adjusts the volume of the audio signal Sx in accordance with the volume of the audio signal Sx has been described above, the adjustment unit 132 may adjust the predetermined amplification factor (gain) regardless of the volume of the audio signal Sx. ), The volume of the audio signal Sx may be increased.

(6) In the third embodiment, the configuration in which the detection unit 136 detects the direction of the listener has been illustrated. However, the detection unit 136 may detect the distance from the acoustic device 10 to the listener in addition to the direction of the listener. The detection unit 136 detects a distance by analyzing an output signal of a distance measurement sensor such as a distance image sensor. The adjustment unit 132 may adjust the audio signal Sx according to the distance detected by the detection unit 136 (hereinafter, referred to as a sound emission distance). For example, in the present modified example, the adjustment unit 132 reduces the degree to which the sound component corresponding to the frequency band B1 of the audio signal Sx increases as the sound emission distance becomes shorter. According to this configuration, the sound emission distance is detected, and a sound corresponding to the audio signal Sy generated according to the sound emission distance is emitted. For this reason, the volume of the voice reaching the listener becomes excessively low or excessively high as compared with the case where the voice corresponding to the uniformly generated audio signal Sy is emitted regardless of the sound emission distance. Possibilities can be reduced.

When this modification is combined with Modification 5 described above, the adjustment unit 132 adjusts the volume of the audio signal Sx such that the shorter the sound emission distance, the smaller the degree of increase in the volume of the audio signal Sx.

In the present modification, the detection unit 136 may first detect the position of the listener from the detection signal K output from the sensor 150, and may detect the direction of the listener and the sound emission distance based on the detected position. .

(7) In the third embodiment, the mode in which the acoustic device 10 includes the sensor 150 and the detection unit 136 has been described, but these components may be omitted. In the configuration in which the sensor 150 and the detecting unit 136 are omitted, the direction control unit 138 controls the directivity of the sound emitting unit 120 so that the directivity is in a direction specified by a user (speaker U) of the acoustic device 10, for example. Control. According to this configuration, since the directivity of the sound emitting unit 120 can be controlled, the speaker U can emit sound in an arbitrary direction.

(8) In the fourth embodiment, the configuration in which the sound emitting section 170 is provided on the mounting member 100 integrally with other elements (for example, the sound collecting section 110 and the sound emitting section 120) of the acoustic device 10 has been described. However, the sound emitting section 170 may be provided separately from the mounting member 100. For example, the sound emitting section 170 may be configured by a wired or wireless earphone. According to this configuration, the sound emitted from the sound emitting unit 170 (that is, the speaker of the other audio device 10b) is hard to be heard by a person other than the speaker U.

(9) In the fourth embodiment, the switching unit 160 supplies the audio signal Sx output from the sound collection unit 110 to one of the adjustment unit 132 and the transmission unit 142 according to the operation mode of the audio device 10. The configuration has been exemplified. However, the switching unit 160 may supply the audio signal Sx to each of the adjustment unit 132 and the transmission unit 142 in the communication mode. In this modification, in the communication mode, the generation of the audio signal Sy, the emission of the audio from the sound emitting unit 120, and the transmission of the audio signal Sx from the transmission unit 142 are performed in parallel.

(10) In the fifth embodiment, the configuration in which the audio signal Sx generated by the sound collection unit 110 is transmitted to the information analysis device 40 in real time has been illustrated. However, the audio signal Sx may be temporarily stored in, for example, a storage unit provided in the audio device 10 and transmitted to the information analysis device 40 at a predetermined time interval or at a predetermined event. The predetermined event may be, for example, an operation of the speaker U instructing the transmission of the audio signal Sx, or may be a predetermined time.

(11) In the fifth embodiment, the configuration in which the storage unit 22 for storing the uttered character string is provided outside the audio device 10 is illustrated, but the storage unit 22 may be provided inside the audio device 10.
Further, in the fifth embodiment, the configuration in which the voice analysis unit 42 is provided in the information analysis device 40 has been described as an example. However, the voice analysis unit 42 It may be provided, or may be provided in the terminal device 30.

(12) When the fourth embodiment and the fifth embodiment are combined, the communication unit 180 may be omitted because the communication unit 140 also serves as the communication unit 180. In this case, in the sound emission mode, the switching unit 160 supplies the audio signal Sx to each of the adjustment unit 132 and the transmission unit 142, and the transmission unit 142 transmits the audio signal Sx to the information analysis device 40.

(13) In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the audio device 10 is used by the speaker U who is a caregiver in a care facility is illustrated. However, the scene in which the acoustic device 10 is used is not limited to the above example. The acoustic device 10 may be used in any situation where it is desirable to assist the hearing of the listener. For example, at a counter in various facilities (for example, a government office, a bank, a post office, a hospital, a pharmacy, and a retail store), a staff member or a clerk may wear the audio device 10 and use it for interaction with a visitor. In a medical institution, a doctor or a nurse may wear the audio device 10 and use it for dialogue with a patient. Further, the practitioner may wear the acoustic device 10 at an osteopath or an acupuncture and moxibustion clinic and use it for dialogue with the patient.

(14) For example, the following configuration is understood from the above-described embodiments.

<Aspect 1>
An acoustic device according to one aspect (aspect 1) of the present disclosure includes a sound collection unit that collects a speaker's voice and generates a first signal, and generates a second signal by adjusting the first signal. An adjusting unit, a sound emitting unit that emits a sound corresponding to the second signal in a direction away from the speaker, the sound collecting unit, the adjusting unit, and the sound emitting unit are provided integrally, And a mounting member mounted on the speaker. In the above aspect, since the sound collection unit, the adjustment unit, and the sound emission unit are provided integrally with the mounting member, it is possible to improve the usability for the speaker wearing the audio device and to assist the hearing of the listener. It is possible.

<Aspect 2>
In the specific example of the first aspect (Aspect 2), the mounting member is mounted on one of a limb and a neck of the speaker. In the above embodiment, when the wearing member is worn on the neck, the adjusted sound is emitted from a position near the mouth of the speaker, so that a natural conversation between the speaker and the listener is realized. Further, when the mounting member is mounted on one of the limbs of the speaker, there is an advantage that the attachment and detachment of the acoustic device is easy.

<Aspect 3>
In the specific example of the first aspect (Aspect 2), the mounting member is mounted on the face of the speaker. In the above embodiment, the adjusted voice is emitted from a position close to the mouth of the speaker, so that a natural dialogue between the speaker and the listener is realized.

<Aspect 4>
An audio device according to another aspect (aspect 4) of the present disclosure includes a sound pickup unit that collects a sound to generate a first signal, and an adjustment unit that generates the second signal by adjusting the first signal. A sound emitting unit that emits a sound corresponding to the second signal; and a mounting member integrally provided with the sound collecting unit, the adjusting unit, and the sound emitting unit. The direction of sound collection by the unit and the direction of sound emission by the sound emitting unit are different. In the above aspect, since the sound collection unit, the adjustment unit, and the sound emission unit are provided integrally with the mounting member, it is possible to assist the hearing of the listener while improving the usability for the speaker wearing the audio device. It is possible.

In the specific example (Aspect 5) of Aspect 4, the mounting member includes a first surface and a second surface facing in the same direction, the sound collection unit is provided on the first surface, and the sound emission unit is provided on the first surface. The second surface is provided.

<Aspect 6>
In the specific example (aspect 6) of any of aspects 1 to 5, the acoustic device further includes a first direction control unit that controls directivity of the sound collection unit. In the above aspect, since the directivity of the sound pickup unit can be controlled, by controlling the sound pickup unit so as to have directivity in the direction of the speaker, the sound can be collected even when the sound emitted by the speaker is low. can do.

<Aspect 7>
In the specific example (aspect 7) of any one of aspects 1 to 6, the acoustic device further includes a second direction control unit that controls directivity of the sound emitting unit. In the above aspect, since the directivity of the sound emitting unit can be controlled, sound can be emitted in an arbitrary direction (for example, the direction of the listener).

<Aspect 8>
In a specific example (Aspect 8) of Aspect 7, the acoustic device further includes a detection unit that detects a direction in which a listener is located, and the second direction control unit has directivity in a direction detected by the detection unit. Thus, the directivity of the sound emitting unit is controlled. In the above embodiment, since the direction in which sound is to be emitted is automatically detected and controlled, the speaker does not need to manually adjust the direction of sound emission. As a result, the usability of the acoustic device for the speaker is further improved.

<Aspect 9>
In the specific example (Aspect 9) of any one of Aspects 1 to 8, the adjusting unit generates the second signal by increasing an acoustic component corresponding to a first frequency band in the first signal. . In the above aspect, since the sound in which the sound component corresponding to the first frequency band (for example, the high frequency band) of the speaker's sound is increased is emitted, it is difficult to hear the sound in the first frequency band. It is possible to emit a sound that is easy to hear for a proper listener.

<Aspect 10>
In the specific example (aspect 10) of any of aspects 1 to 9, the adjustment unit generates the second signal by reducing an acoustic component corresponding to a second frequency band in the first signal. . In the above aspect, since the sound in which the sound component corresponding to the second frequency band (for example, low frequency band) of the speaker's sound is reduced is emitted, the volume of the sound in the second frequency band is excessively high. Can be reduced. Further, of the speaker's real voice, acoustic components corresponding to frequency bands other than the second frequency band can be reinforced.

<Aspect 11>
In the specific example (Aspect 11) of any one of Aspects 1 to 8, the adjustment unit adjusts the volume of the first signal in accordance with the volume of the first signal, and generates the second signal. In the above aspect, since the first signal is adjusted according to the volume of the first signal, it is possible to emit a sound corresponding to the volume of the speaker's voice.

<Aspect 12>
In the specific example (aspect 12) of any one of aspects 1 to 10, the audio device further includes a transmission unit that transmits the supplied first signal to another audio device, and the transmission unit generates the first signal. The first signal operates in one of a sound emission mode in which the first signal is supplied to the adjustment unit and a communication mode in which the first signal is supplied to the transmission unit. In the above aspect, since the sound collection unit is shared between the sound emission mode and the communication mode, the structure of the acoustic device is simpler than when the sound collection units are separately provided for each of the different modes. . As a result, the manufacturing cost of the acoustic device can be reduced.

<Aspect 13>
An information management system according to a specific aspect (aspect 13) of the present disclosure is specified by the acoustic device according to any of aspects 1 to 12, and voice recognition of the first signal generated by the sound collection unit. And a storage unit for storing the character string. In the above embodiment, since the character string representing the utterance content of the speaker is stored, the speaker can later confirm his / her own utterance content.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Information provision system, 5 ... Information management system, 10 ... Sound device, 20 ... Information management device, 22 ... Storage part, 100 ... Mounting member, 110 ... Sound collection part, 120 ... Sound emission part, 132 ... Adjustment part, 134: direction control unit (first direction control unit), 136: detection unit, 138: direction control unit (second direction control unit), 142: transmission unit, 144: reception unit, 170: sound emission unit, Sx: voice Signal (first signal), Sy: voice signal (second signal), U: speaker.

Claims

A sound pickup unit that picks up a speaker's voice and generates a first signal;
An adjusting unit that adjusts the first signal to generate a second signal;
A sound emitting unit that emits a sound corresponding to the second signal in a direction away from the speaker,
The sound collecting unit, the adjusting unit, and the sound emitting unit are provided integrally, and a mounting member mounted on the speaker,
An acoustic device comprising:
The mounting member is mounted on one of the speaker's limbs and neck,
The acoustic device according to claim 1.
The mounting member is mounted on a face of the speaker.
The acoustic device according to claim 1.
A sound pickup unit for picking up sound and generating a first signal;
An adjusting unit that adjusts the first signal to generate a second signal;
A sound emitting unit that emits a sound corresponding to the second signal;
The sound pickup unit, the adjustment unit, and a mounting member provided integrally with the sound emission unit,
A sound device in which the direction of sound collection by the sound collection unit and the direction of sound emission by the sound emission unit are different.
The mounting member includes a first surface and a second surface that face in the same direction,
The sound emitting section is provided on the first surface,
The sound pickup unit is provided on the second surface,
The acoustic device according to claim 4.
A first direction control unit that controls the directivity of the sound collection unit;
The acoustic device according to claim 1.
Further comprising a second direction control unit for controlling the directivity of the sound emitting unit,
The acoustic device according to claim 1.
Further comprising a detection unit for detecting the direction in which the listener is located,
The second direction control unit controls the directivity of the sound emitting unit so as to have directivity in a direction detected by the detection unit,
The acoustic device according to claim 7.
The adjusting unit generates the second signal by increasing an acoustic component corresponding to a first frequency band in the first signal.
The acoustic device according to claim 1.
The adjusting unit generates the second signal by reducing an acoustic component corresponding to a second frequency band in the first signal.
The acoustic device according to claim 1.
The adjustment unit generates the second signal by adjusting the volume of the first signal according to the volume of the first signal.
An acoustic device according to claim 1.
A transmission unit configured to transmit the supplied first signal to another audio device,
The sound device operates in one of a sound emission mode in which the first signal generated by the sound collection unit is supplied to the adjustment unit and a communication mode in which the first signal is supplied to the transmission unit.
The acoustic device according to claim 1.
An acoustic device according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
A storage unit that stores a character string specified by voice recognition for the first signal generated by the sound collection unit;
Information management system equipped with.