Guide system, guide method, guide server, guide program, and guide recording medium

Abstract

To provide a guide system, guide method, guide server, guide program, and guide recording medium capable of displaying voice guide contents regardless of whether a state for receiving a physical waveform of voice to be aerially propagated is excellent or not.SOLUTION: A guide system includes: voice converters for converting voice into voice data so as to transmit the voice data; a guide server for converting the voice data into character so as to transmit the character data; and display devices for displaying the character data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a guidance system, a guidance method, a guidance server, a guidance program, and a guidance recording medium. [Background technology]

[0002] In situations where many people are staying in a building, such as a hotel, educational facility, or commercial facility, a fire, flood, or earthquake may occur. In such cases, an emergency evacuation announcement is made using a loudspeaker or public address system. In such situations, there may be people in locations where the announcement cannot be heard or is difficult to hear, or there may be people with poor hearing who are unable to hear the announcement.

[0003] For example, using the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, a mobile terminal that receives the physical waveform of the voice of the voice guidance converts the voice data into text data and displays the content of the voice guidance as text data on a display device. This makes it possible to convey the content of the voice guidance message using text images. As a result, the content of the voice guidance message can be conveyed to people with poor hearing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-15391 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the technology disclosed in the above Patent Document 1, the mobile terminal receives the physical waveform of the sound output from the speaker and converts the physical waveform of the sound into character data. Therefore, if the mobile terminal cannot receive the physical waveform of the sound that propagates through the air and is emitted by a loudspeaker or broadcasting equipment, the mobile terminal cannot display the content of the voice guidance message.

[0006] For example, there may be a large distance between the loudspeaker and the mobile terminal, an obstacle between the loudspeaker and the mobile terminal, or different sounds being emitted from the loudspeaker and the mobile terminal. In these cases, with the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, the mobile terminal may not be able to display the contents of the voice guidance because it does not receive the physical waveform of the sound well.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a guidance system, a guidance method, a guidance server, a guidance program, and a guidance recording medium that are capable of displaying the contents of audio guidance regardless of whether the conditions for receiving the physical waveform of audio propagating through the air are good or not. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The guidance system of the present disclosure includes a voice conversion device that converts voice into voice data and transmits the voice data, a guidance server that converts the voice data into character data and transmits the character data, and a display device that displays the character data.

[0009] The guidance method of the present disclosure includes the steps of converting voice into voice data and transmitting the voice data, converting the voice data into character data and transmitting the character data, and displaying the character data.

[0010] The guidance server of the present disclosure includes a receiving unit that receives voice data from a voice conversion device that converts voice into voice data and transmits the voice data, a control unit that converts the voice data into character data, and a transmitting unit that transmits the character data to a display device.

[0011] The guidance program of the present disclosure is a computer-readable guidance program for causing a computer to operate as a receiving unit that receives voice data from a voice conversion device that converts voice into voice data and transmits the voice data, a control unit that converts the voice data into character data, and a transmitting unit that transmits the character data to a display device.

[0012] The guidance recording medium of the present disclosure is a guidance recording medium on which the above-mentioned program is recorded. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 2 is a functional block diagram of a voice conversion device, a guide server, and a display device according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a voice conversion device and a guidance server of the guidance system of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the guidance server and the display device of the guidance system of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a guide server of the guidance system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a guidance system according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, a guidance system, a guidance method, a guidance server, a guidance program, and a guidance recording medium according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in the drawings, the same or equivalent elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will not be repeated.

[0015] (Embodiment 1) The guidance system 100, guidance method, guidance server 2, guidance program, and guidance recording medium of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0016] Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram of a voice conversion device 1, a guidance server 2, and a display device 3 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the voice conversion device 1 and the guidance server 2 of the guidance system 100 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the guidance server 2 and the display device 3 of the guidance system 100 according to the second embodiment.

[0017] 1, the guidance system 100 of this embodiment includes a voice conversion device 1, a guidance server 2, and a display device 3. In this embodiment, the guidance system 100 is assumed to be installed inside a building such as a hotel, an educational facility, or a commercial facility, but may also be installed outside a building.

[0018] The voice conversion device 1 emits a physical waveform of voice. Additionally, the voice conversion device 1 converts the voice emitted as a physical waveform into voice data corresponding to the voice and transmits voice information including the voice data to the guide server 2. The voice conversion device 1 is, for example, a loudspeaker 1a that can be held by a hotel employee or a stationary broadcast microphone 1b installed in a broadcasting room. However, the voice conversion device 1 may also be a pin microphone attached to clothing, in addition to the loudspeaker 1a or the broadcast microphone 1b. In other words, the voice conversion device 1 may be any device that emits a physical waveform of voice, converts the voice emitted as a physical waveform into voice data corresponding to the voice, and transmits voice information including the converted voice data to the guide server 2. The voice data may be a signal with an analog waveform or a signal with a digital waveform. Furthermore, the voice data may be radio waves using a wireless line or an electrical or optical signal using a wired line.

[0019] According to the guidance system 100 of this embodiment, the voice conversion device 1 converts voice into voice data and transmits the converted voice data to the guidance server 2. Therefore, unlike when a mobile terminal serving as a display device is used to display the voice of voice guidance as character data, the display device 3 does not need to receive the physical waveform of the voice propagating through the air. As a result, the contents of the voice guidance can be displayed on the display device 3 regardless of whether the reception status of the physical waveform of the voice of voice guidance propagating through the air is good or not.

[0020] The voice conversion device 1 transmits voice information that includes device information specific to the voice conversion device 1. The device information includes information that can identify the voice conversion device 1. Therefore, when multiple voice conversion devices 1 that can communicate with the guiding server 2 are provided, the guiding server 2 can use the device information to identify which of the multiple voice conversion devices 1 has produced the voice.

[0021] Furthermore, the voice conversion device 1 transmits voice information including location information that can identify the location where the voice was emitted. If the voice information does not include location information, the location of the voice conversion device 1 may be identified by device information that can identify the voice conversion device 1. Specifically, the location of the voice conversion device 1 may be predetermined, the guiding server 2 may store the predetermined location, and the location of the voice conversion device 1 may be identified based on the device information received from the voice conversion device 1.

[0022] Furthermore, the voice conversion device 1 transmits the voice information including time information that can identify the time when the voice was uttered. If the voice information does not include time information, the time when the guidance server 2 received the voice data from the voice conversion device 1 may be identified as the time when the voice conversion device 1 uttered the voice.

[0023] Furthermore, the voice conversion device 1 includes target information capable of identifying the target person of the voice guidance in the voice information and transmits the information to the guidance server 2. If the voice conversion device 1 is provided with an operation unit capable of identifying the target person, the person providing the voice guidance may identify the target person by operating the operation unit. However, if the voice conversion device 1 is equipped with AI (Artificial Intelligence), the contents of the voice guidance may be summarized or converted into text data with appropriate expressions depending on the target person of the voice guidance.

[0024] The guidance server 2 receives the voice data from the voice conversion device 1. The guidance server 2 converts the voice data contained in the voice information into character data and transmits it to the display device 3. The guidance server 2 also identifies the location and time at which the voice was uttered from the location information and time information contained in the voice information. The guidance server 2 then transmits the character data and location and time information indicating the location and time to the display device 3.

[0025] The guidance server 2 includes a receiving unit 2a, a control unit 2b, a memory 2c, and a transmitting unit 2d. The receiving unit 2a receives the above-mentioned voice information from the voice conversion device 1. As described above, the voice information includes not only voice data that can identify the physical waveform of the voice uttered by the user of the voice conversion device 1, but also location information that can identify the location of the voice conversion device 1 and time information that can identify the time when the voice conversion device 1 output the voice.

[0026] The control unit 2b is made up of a processor and is also called a controller. As described above, the control unit 2b converts voice data into text data and identifies the location and time when the voice was emitted from the voice information. Furthermore, the control unit 2b identifies a destination to which the position and time information is to be sent, in addition to the location and time, from the voice information. In other words, the voice information includes target information that can identify the destination.

[0027] In addition, if the audio information received from the audio conversion device 1 does not include time information, the control unit 2b may determine, for example, the time at which the control unit 2b received the audio information determined by a timer built into the control unit 2b as the time at which the audio occurred.

[0028] The memory 2c is a computer-readable guidance recording medium that stores guidance programs for causing the control unit 2b, which functions as a computer (processor), to perform various operations described below. The control unit 2b executes various processes described below based on the guidance programs stored in the memory 2c.

[0029] The transmitter 2d transmits the character data and the position and time information indicating the position and time to the display device 3. At this time, the transmitter 2d transmits the character data and the position and time information to the display device 3 specified as the destination by the target information.

[0030] The display device 3 is a device known as a display. The display device 3 includes a display device 3a in the guest room and a display device 3b in the lobby or facility. The display device 3 periodically transmits information transmission requests to the guidance server 2. Upon receiving the transmission requests, the guidance server 2 transmits character data, location and time information, and target information to the display device 3. The display device 3 then receives the character data, location and time information, and target information from the guidance server 2. As a result, the display device 3 displays a character image identified by the received character data, a character image and a numeric image of the position identified by the location and time information, and a character image of the target person identified by the target information. However, the guidance server 2 may automatically transmit the character data, location and time information, and target information to the display device 3 without receiving a transmission request from the display device 3.

[0031] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, a hotel employee uses a loudspeaker 1a in a restaurant in the hotel to announce, "A fire has broken out, please evacuate outside the front entrance." In addition, another hotel employee uses a public address system in the hotel to announce, "A fire has broken out. Guests in guest rooms should evacuate outside via the emergency stairs."

[0032] As a result, audio information that can identify the time, location, and target person of the audio guidance, including audio data corresponding to the audio guidance message, is transmitted from the loudspeaker 1a and broadcast microphone 1b serving as the audio conversion device 1 to the guidance server 2. The time of the audio guidance is the date and time when the audio guidance was provided by the audio conversion device 1. The location of the audio guidance is the location where the audio guidance was provided by the audio conversion device 1. The target person of the audio guidance is the person to whom the voice generator wants to communicate the audio guidance.

[0033] The guidance server 2 converts the voice guidance message into text data and sends it to the display device 3, which then displays the content, time, location, and target person of the voice guidance message as a text image on its screen, as shown in Fig. 3. For example, it is possible to communicate not only the content of the voice guidance message but also the time, location, and target person of the voice guidance to people in a hotel room, lobby, or facility using text images.

[0034] According to the above configuration, even a person who is unable to hear the voice guidance message can understand the content of the voice guidance message, when and where the voice guidance was given, and the intended recipient of the voice guidance. Therefore, not only the content of the voice guidance message but also the time, location, and intended recipient of the voice guidance can be conveyed to a person who cannot hear the voice guidance or is in a position where it is difficult to hear the voice guidance, or a person with poor hearing who can hear the voice guidance.

[0035] (Embodiment 2) The guidance system, guidance method, guidance server, guidance program, and guidance recording medium of the second embodiment will be described using Figure 4. Note that the following description will not repeat the same points as those of the guidance system, guidance method, guidance server, guidance program, and guidance recording medium of the first embodiment. The guidance system, guidance method, guidance server, guidance program, and guidance recording medium of the present embodiment differ from the guidance system, guidance method, guidance server, guidance program, and guidance recording medium of the first embodiment in the following points.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the guiding server 2 of the guiding system 100 of this embodiment.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 4, the control unit 2b in this embodiment converts the character data into translation data in which one language of the character data is translated into another language, and causes the transmission unit 2d to transmit the translation data to the display device 3 instead of the character data. For example, the control unit 2b causes the transmission unit 2d to transmit English character data to the display device 3 instead of Japanese character data. As a result, the display device 3 displays the English character data corresponding to the content of the voice guidance. With this configuration, the content of the voice guidance message can be conveyed by the translation data even to foreigners who cannot understand the language of the guidance voice message.

[0038] Furthermore, the control unit 2b converts the content of the character data into image data corresponding to the content of the character data and causes the transmission unit 2d to transmit the image data together with the character data to the display device 3. As a result, the display device 3 displays the image data corresponding to the content of the voice guidance. This makes it possible to convey the content of the voice guidance message through the image data even to children who cannot read. As shown in Fig. 4, for example, image data indicating evacuation directions is displayed superimposed on the character data.

[0039] (Embodiment 3) The guidance system, guidance method, guidance server, guidance program, and guidance recording medium of embodiment 3 will be described using Figure 5. Note that the following description will not repeat the same points as those of the guidance system, guidance method, guidance server, guidance program, and guidance recording medium of embodiment 1. The guidance system, guidance method, guidance server, guidance program, and guidance recording medium of this embodiment differ from the guidance system, guidance method, guidance server, guidance program, and guidance recording medium of embodiment 1 in the following points.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a guidance system according to the third embodiment.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 5, the display devices 3 of this embodiment include a display device 3c installed in the kids' space and a display device 3d installed in each of the hotel guest rooms.

[0042] The guidance system 100 of this embodiment includes an input terminal 4. The input terminal 4 transmits input character data to the guidance server 2. Therefore, when a hotel employee uses the input terminal 4 to transmit character data to the guidance server 2 in the event of a fire or the like, the receiving unit 2a of the control unit 2b receives the input character data from the input terminal 4. In this case, the control unit 2b of the guidance server 2 transmits the input character data to the display device 3. In this embodiment, the input terminal 4 is a keyboard, but it may be any device such as a touch panel or a mouse. Even with this configuration, the content of the voice guidance message can be transmitted using the input character data.

[0043] Additionally, there are cases where an audio guidance message is sent to the display device 3c installed in the kids' space. In this case, a hotel employee uses the input terminal 4 to send image data representing the content of the audio guidance message to the guidance server 2 along with text data in which the audio guidance message is written in hiragana. This allows the guidance server 2 to display the text data and image data representing the content of the audio guidance message on the display device 3c. As a result, the content of the audio guidance message can be communicated to children in the kids' space by using hiragana or image data.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the contents of the audio guide for the events to be announced on the observation terrace of the hotel can be displayed as text images on the display device 3d of each hotel guest room. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1. Audio conversion equipment 2. Guidance Server 2a Receiver 2b Control section 2c memory 2d Transmitter 3,3a,3b,3c,3d Display equipment 4 Input terminals

Claims

1. a voice conversion device that converts voice into voice data and transmits the voice data; a guide server that converts the voice data into character data and transmits the character data; a display device that displays the character data, Guidance system.

2. the audio conversion device transmits audio information including the audio data; the guidance server identifies the location and time at which the voice was uttered from the voice information, and transmits location and time information indicating the location and time; the display device displays the location and time information together with the character data. The guidance system of claim 1 .

3. the voice conversion device transmits the voice information together with location information that can identify a location from which the voice was emitted; The guiding server identifies the location from which the voice was emitted based on the location information. The guidance system according to claim 2 .

4. the location of the audio conversion device can be identified by device information that can identify the audio conversion device to the audio conversion device; the voice conversion device transmits the voice information together with the device information; The guiding server identifies the location of the voice conversion device from the device information as the location where the voice was generated. The guidance system according to claim 2 .

5. the voice conversion device transmits the voice information together with time information that can identify the time when the voice was uttered; The guiding server identifies the time indicated by the time information as the time when the voice was uttered. The guidance system according to claim 2 .

6. The guidance server identifies the time when the voice information was received as the time when the voice was generated. The guidance system according to claim 2 .

7. converting the voice into voice data and transmitting the voice data; converting the voice data into character data and transmitting the character data; and displaying the character data. Guidance method.

8. a receiving unit that receives the voice data from a voice conversion device that converts voice into voice data and transmits the voice data; a control unit that converts the voice data into character data; a transmitting unit that transmits the character data to a display device, Guidance server.

9. the receiving unit receives audio information including the audio data from the audio conversion device, the control unit identifies the location and time at which the voice was uttered from the voice information, and transmits location and time information indicating the location and time together with the character data to the display device; The guide server according to claim 8.

10. the control unit identifies, from the voice information, the location and time, as well as a destination to which the location and time information is to be transmitted; the transmitting unit transmits the character data and the location and time information to the display device identified as the destination. The guide server according to claim 9.

11. the control unit converts the character data into translation data obtained by translating a language of the character data into another language, and causes the transmission unit to transmit the translation data to the display device instead of the character data. The guide server according to claim 8.

12. the control unit converts the content of the character data into image data corresponding to the content of the character data, and causes the transmission unit to transmit the image data together with the character data to the display device. The guide server according to claim 8.

13. When the receiving unit receives input character data from the input terminal, the control unit transmits the input character data to the display device. The guide server according to claim 8.

14. Computer, a receiving unit that receives the voice data from a voice conversion device that converts voice into voice data and transmits the voice data; a control unit for converting the voice data into character data; and a transmission unit that transmits the character data to a display device; A computer-readable guide program for operating as a

15. A guidance recording medium on which the program according to claim 14 is recorded.

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