Bathroom system

Abstract

To provide a bathroom system capable of smoothly operating equipment in a bathroom.SOLUTION: A bathroom system capable of operating a plurality of devices provided in a bathroom by voice, the bathroom system comprising: a voice collection unit configured to collect voice uttered by a user; and a control unit configured to control operations of the plurality of devices based on the voice collected by the voice collection unit, wherein the plurality of devices include a plurality of water discharge devices, while one water discharge device of the plurality of water discharge devices is discharging water, the controller stops the water discharge of the one water discharge device when starting the water discharge of another water discharge device by the sound collected by the sound collector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION Aspects of the present invention relate generally to bathroom systems. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART A bathroom system that allows devices in the bathroom to be operated by voice is known (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-118857 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the bathroom, various noises are generated by the operation of various devices. In particular, noises related to the water discharge devices in the bathroom can have a high sound pressure level (decibels: dB). Operating devices by voice can become difficult if the sound pressure level of the noise becomes too high.

[0005] The present invention has been made based on the recognition of such problems, and aims to provide a bathroom system that allows smooth operation of equipment in the bathroom. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first invention is a bathroom system that allows multiple devices installed in a bathroom to be operated by voice, and is equipped with a voice collection unit that collects voices uttered by a user, and a control unit that controls the operation of the multiple devices based on the voice collected by the voice collection unit, wherein the multiple devices include multiple water-discharging devices, and the control unit stops water from being discharged by one of the multiple water-discharging devices when the voice collected by the voice collection unit causes another water-discharging device to start discharging water.

[0007] This bathroom system uses voice control to prevent multiple water dispensers from discharging water simultaneously. This allows the sound pressure level of noise in the bathroom to be kept below a certain level. As a result, the accuracy of voice recognition can be improved. Furthermore, this improvement in voice recognition accuracy can be achieved without increasing the performance or cost of the voice recognition IC.

[0008] The second invention is a bathroom system characterized in that, in the first invention, the multiple water-dispensing devices include a bathtub water-dispensing device that dispenses water toward the inside of a bathtub installed in the bathroom, and a washing area water-dispensing device installed in a washing area.

[0009] According to this bathroom system, water discharge control is performed for the bathtub water discharger and the washing area water discharger, allowing smooth voice operation of the devices.

[0010] The third invention is a bathroom system in which, in the first invention, the system further includes a manual operation unit that can operate the multiple devices based on manual operation, and the control unit disables the voice operation of the devices when water is discharged from two or more water-dispensing devices by operation of the manual operation unit while water is being discharged from one water-dispensing device.

[0011] This bathroom system can prevent malfunctions of devices caused by voice control without reducing the usability of the bathroom.

[0012] The fourth invention is a bathroom system characterized in that, in the third invention, the control unit enables operation of the device by voice when there is only one water-discharging device currently discharging water.

[0013] According to this bathroom system, when only one water discharge device is currently discharging water, voice control is automatically switched from disabled to enabled, making the bathroom system easy to use.

[0014] A fifth invention is a bathroom system according to any one of the first to fourth inventions, further comprising a display unit that can identify whether operation of the device by voice is valid or invalid.

[0015] According to this bathroom system, the user can recognize whether voice operation is enabled or disabled, thereby improving the usability of bathroom system 100. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to an aspect of the present invention, a bathroom system is provided that allows smooth operation of devices in the bathroom. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a bathroom equipped with a bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the bathroom system. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the voice operation unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the manual operation part of the bathtub water discharger. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the manual operation part of the washing area water discharger. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a voice word for operating a water discharge device in a washing area. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a voice word for operating the bathtub water discharger. [Figure 8]10 is a flowchart showing a water discharge control process executed by a control unit. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing a water discharge control process executed by a control unit. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of voice words for operating a bathtub water discharger according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, like components are designated by like reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a bathroom equipped with a bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control system of the bathroom system. 1, bathroom 50 has a ceiling 51, a floor 52, and first to fourth side walls 53a to 53d. First to fourth side walls 53a to 53d are elevational portions provided between ceiling 51 and floor 52.

[0019] A bathtub 60 is provided in the bathroom 50. The bathtub 60 is roughly rectangular when viewed from above. The floor 52 is the lower part of the bathroom 50 where the bathtub 60 is not provided. In other words, the area of ​​the floor 52 is a washing area where users can wash their bodies.

[0020] First side wall 53a is provided with, for example, a door for entering and exiting bathroom 50. Third side wall 53c is provided with a mirror 70 and two counters 72, 73. Bathroom 50 is also provided with multiple devices. The multiple devices include multiple water dischargers that discharge hot and cold water, and other devices 30. The multiple water dischargers include a washing area water discharger 10 provided in the washing area, and a bathtub water discharger 20 that discharges water toward the inside of bathtub 60. The operation of these devices 10, 20, 30 is, for example, electrically controlled.

[0021] The washing area water discharge device 10 is, for example, a hand shower 11. The washing area water discharge device 10 may also be an overhead shower 13, a pillar 14, and a faucet 15. The hand shower 11 is hung on the third side wall 53c. The hand shower 11 is designed to be handheld by the user. The overhead shower 13 has, for example, a larger head than the hand shower 11 and is mounted on the ceiling 51. The overhead shower 13 has a shower function with a wide water discharge. The pillar 14 is, for example, mounted in the center of the head of the overhead shower 13 and has a waterfall function. The overhead shower 13 and pillar 14 can shower the user's entire body or massage the body with their pillar function. The head of the hand shower 11 may also have a pillar function.

[0022] Faucet 15 is provided on counter 72. Faucet 15 is a water discharge device that discharges hot and cold water toward counter 73. For example, faucet 15 discharges hot and cold water toward a bathtub (not shown) placed on counter 73.

[0023] The bathtub water discharger 20 includes, for example, a shoulder bath (registered trademark) 21 and a waist bath (registered trademark) 23. The shoulder bath 21 is located above the backrest surface of the bathtub 60 and discharges hot water toward the neck and shoulders of the user in the bathtub 60. Two waist baths 23 are provided spaced apart on the backrest surface of the bathtub 60 and discharge hot water toward the waists of the user in the bathtub 60. In this example, the bathtub water discharger 20 includes both the shoulder bath 21 and the waist bath 23. The bathtub water discharger 20 can operate either the shoulder bath 21 or the waist bath 23, or both. The bathtub water discharger 20 allows the user to relax while bathing.

[0024] Other devices 30 are, for example, lights 31a and 31b. Other devices 30 may also be television 33, bathroom dryer heater / dryer 35, and audio equipment 37. Light 31a is provided on ceiling 51. Light 31b is provided on the underside of counters 72 and 73. Television 33 is provided on third side wall 53c. Bathroom dryer heater / dryer 35 is provided on ceiling 51. Bathroom dryer heater / dryer 35 may also have a cooling air function or a ventilation function. Audio equipment 37 is provided on ceiling 51. Other devices 30 are provided as needed. Note that the devices provided in bathroom 50 are not limited to devices 10, 20, and 30 and may also be, for example, an air sprayer or a mist sprayer.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 2, bathroom system 100 includes voice operation unit 40 and control unit 45. Voice operation unit 40 includes voice collection unit 41 and display unit 43. Bathroom system 100 allows multiple devices (devices 10, 20, 30) installed in bathroom 50 to be operated by voice.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a front view showing the voice operation unit. 1, the voice operation unit 40 is provided in the bathroom 50. In this example, the voice operation unit 40 is provided on the third side wall 53c. The voice operation unit 40 has a voice collection unit 41, a voice operation changeover switch 42a, a setting switch 42b, and a display unit 43.

[0027] The voice collecting unit 41 is provided behind the voice intake hole 40a of the voice operation unit 40. The voice collecting unit 41 collects voice uttered by the user. The voice collecting unit 41 is a voice input device that can input voice, such as a microphone.

[0028] In this example, two voice collection units 41 are provided in the voice operation unit 40. The number of voice collection units 41 may be one, or three or more. The voice collection units 41 are connected to the control unit 45, and transmit data on the collected (input) voice to the control unit 45. The voice collection units 41 and the control unit 45 may be connected by wire or wirelessly.

[0029] The voice operation selector switch 42a enables or disables voice operation of devices in the bathroom 50. By operating the voice operation selector switch 42a, the user can select whether or not to operate multiple devices by voice. The setting switch 42b is used to configure various voice operation settings. For example, the setting switch 42b can be used to switch between languages ​​such as Japanese and English, and to configure devices that can be voice operated.

[0030] The display unit 43 is, for example, an LED provided in the voice operation unit 40. In this example, two display units 43 (LEDs) are provided in the voice operation unit 40. The display unit 43 may be a screen that displays characters, etc. The display unit 43 may be provided separately from the voice operation unit 40. The display unit 43 makes it possible to identify whether the operation of multiple devices by the voice collection unit 41 is valid or invalid.

[0031] As an example, one of the two display units 43 displays whether voice operation is enabled or disabled. The other display unit 43 displays the acceptance status of voice operation. For example, one display unit 43 lights up in blue when voice operation is enabled, and turns off when voice operation is disabled. That is, one display unit 43 turns off or lights up in blue when the user operates the voice operation changeover switch 42a. Furthermore, one display unit 43 changes from green to off when multiple water-discharging devices are discharging water.

[0032] The other display unit 43 changes from off to lit blue when it receives a wake word, which will be described later. The other display unit 43 changes from lit blue to lit green when it receives an operation word, which will be described later. By checking the display unit 43, the user can confirm whether voice operation is enabled or disabled. Furthermore, by checking the display unit 43, the user can confirm whether the voice collection unit 41 properly received the voice when uttering a voice word (wake word, operation word) to operate the device.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the manual operation unit of the bathtub water discharger. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the manual operation unit of the washing area water discharger.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, the manual operation unit 44a is provided on the second side wall 53b. The manual operation unit 44a is provided in a position within reach of a user bathing in the bathtub 60. On the other hand, the manual operation unit 44b is provided on the fourth side wall 53d. The manual operation unit 44b is provided in a position within reach of a user in front of the counters 72 and 73. The manual operation units 44a and 44b each have a plurality of switches 44c. When the switch 44c is operated, the manual operation units 44a and 44b send a manual operation signal to the control unit 45.

[0035] The manual operation unit 44a is a remote control for manually operating the bathtub water discharger 20. As shown in Fig. 4, the manual operation unit 44a has multiple switches 44c, such as a switch for discharging water from the shoulder bath 21, a switch for discharging water from the waist bath 23, a switch for switching between discharging water from the shoulder bath 21 and the waist bath 23, a switch for stopping water discharge from the bathtub water discharger 20, a switch for changing the water discharge strength of the bathtub water discharger 20, and a switch for enabling or disabling voice operation.

[0036] While bathing in the bathtub 60, the user can activate the functions of the bathtub water discharger 20 by operating the switch 44c of the manual operation unit 44a. For example, when the "shoulder" switch 44c is operated, a water discharge signal (manual operation signal) for the shoulder bath 21 is sent to the control unit 45. When the control unit 45 receives this water discharge signal, it activates the pump (not shown) of the bathtub water discharger 20. This causes the shoulder bath 21 to start discharging water.

[0037] Manual operation unit 44b is a remote control for manually operating washing area water discharger 10. As shown in Fig. 5, manual operation unit 44b has a plurality of switches 44c, such as a switch for starting and stopping water discharge from hand shower 11, a switch for starting and stopping water discharge from overhead shower 13, a switch for starting and stopping water discharge from pillar 14, a switch for starting and stopping water discharge from faucet 15, a switch for changing the strength of the water discharge volume of washing area water discharger 10, a switch for changing the water temperature of washing area water discharger 10, and a switch for enabling and disabling voice operation.

[0038] By operating the switch 44c on the manual operation unit 44b, the user can start or stop the hand shower 11, the overhead shower 13, the pillar 14, and the faucet 15, adjust the water flow rate, and adjust the temperature of the water discharge. For example, when the "faucet" switch 44c is operated, a water discharge signal (manual operation signal) for the faucet 15 is sent to the control unit 45. When the control unit 45 receives this water discharge signal, it opens the solenoid valve (not shown) of the faucet 15. This causes the faucet 15 to start discharging water. Furthermore, by operating the "faucet" switch 44c again while the faucet 15 is discharging water, the user can stop the faucet 15 from discharging water. The manual operation units 44a and 44b may also have switches for operating other devices 30.

[0039] Bathroom system 100 prohibits water from being discharged from two or more water dischargers (sink water discharger 10 and bathtub water discharger 20) by voice operation. On the other hand, bathroom system 100 allows water to be discharged from two or more water dischargers by manual operation. The water discharge control process of bathroom system 100 will be described in detail later.

[0040] Control unit 45 controls the operation of multiple devices 10, 20, and 30 installed in bathroom 50 based on the voice collected by voice collection unit 41. Each device 10, 20, and 30 is connected to control unit 45 and operates based on a control signal from control unit 45. Note that some of the devices installed in bathroom 50 may not be operable by voice.

[0041] Based on the user's voice operation (i.e., the voice collected by the voice collecting unit 41), the control unit 45 controls, for example, the water discharge, water stop, water temperature, and flow rate of the hand shower 11, the overhead shower 13, the pillar 14, the faucet 15, and the bathtub water discharger 20. Based on the user's voice operation, the control unit 45 controls, for example, the start / stop, temperature, and air volume of the bathroom dryer / heater 35. Based on the user's voice operation, the control unit 45 controls, for example, the on / off, brightness, and color tone of the lights 31a and 31b. Based on the user's voice operation, the control unit 45 controls, for example, the start / stop, volume, and other settings of the television 33 and the audio equipment 37. The control unit 45 also controls the operation of multiple devices 10, 20, and 30 provided in the bathroom 50 based on manual operation signals transmitted from the manual operation units 44a and 44b.

[0042] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of voice words for operating the water discharge device in the washing area. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of voice words for operating the bathtub water discharger. Control unit 45 controls the operation of devices 10, 20, and 30 installed in bathroom 50 based on the voice words collected by voice collection unit 41. The voice words include a wake word and an operation word. The wake word is a specific word for starting a voice operation. The operation word is a word that provides a specific instruction for operating devices 10, 20, and 30.

[0043] The control unit 45 has a state in which it can accept an operation word and a state in which it cannot accept an operation word. The control unit 45 maintains the state in which it cannot accept an operation word until the sound collection unit 41 detects a wake word uttered by the user. When the sound collection unit 41 detects a wake word uttered by the user, the control unit 45 enters a state in which it can accept an operation word. In other words, the wake word is a voice command for switching the control unit 45 from a state in which it cannot accept an operation word to a state in which it can accept an operation word.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in this example, "Shinra Onegai" (Shinra: registered trademark) is the wake word. When control unit 45 receives "Shinra Onegai" uttered by the user in bathroom 50, it enters a state in which it is able to receive an operation word. Control unit 45 maintains this state in which it is able to receive an operation word for a predetermined time (for example, a dozen seconds). If control unit 45 receives an operation word within this predetermined time or if this predetermined time has elapsed, it returns to a state in which it does not accept an operation word.

[0045] When the control unit 45 is in a state where it can accept an operation word and detects an operation word uttered by the user using the voice collection unit 41, it controls the operation of the device based on the content of the operation word. In other words, the operation word is a voice command that instructs the device to be operated and the content of that operation.

[0046] As shown in Figure 6, the operation words for operating hand shower 11 are, for example, "Turn on the shower," "Stop the shower," "Turn up the shower," and "Turn down the shower." The operation words include the name of the device to be activated and the function of that device. This allows the user to easily control the operation of devices 10, 20, and 30 in bathroom 50 by voice.

[0047] The user can activate the appliances by saying the wake word followed by an operation word. In this example, by saying "Please, switch," the user can switch between the hand shower 11, pillar shower 14, overhead shower 13, and faucet 15 in sequence.

[0048] 7, the operation words for operating the bathtub water discharger 20 are, for example, "turn on the easy bath," "stop the easy bath," "increase the easy bath," "decrease the easy bath," "switch the easy bath," etc. The operation words may also be ones that specify the shoulder easy bath 21 and the waist easy bath 23, such as "turn on the shoulder easy bath" or "turn on the waist easy bath."

[0049] Note that the voice word recognition control and the operation control of each device 10, 20, 30 may be executed by separate control units. For example, the voice word recognition control may be executed by a control unit provided in the voice operation unit 40.

[0050] Control unit 45 is installed, for example, behind ceiling 51 of bathroom 50. Devices 10, 20, and 30 may be connected to control unit 45 via a wired or wireless connection. Bathroom system 100 controls the operation of multiple devices 10, 20, and 30 offline, for example, without being connected to the Internet.

[0051] This eliminates the need for an internet environment and its initial setup within bathroom 50. Furthermore, because there is no effect from internet communication conditions, the response speed of voice recognition is faster, resulting in a stable bathroom system 100. Furthermore, because the number of voice words is small and short, the capacity of the memory unit (not shown) of control unit 45 can be reduced. Furthermore, it becomes possible to incorporate into control unit 45 learning of noises (such as operating sounds and splashing water sounds) that accompany the operation of devices installed in each bathroom 50. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent others from accessing bathroom system 100 via the internet.

[0052] Bathroom system 100 may be connected to the Internet. That is, the wake word and operation word may be determined (by voice recognition) by a control unit on the cloud. Alternatively, some of the wake word and operation word may be determined by a control unit provided in bathroom 50, and the rest may be determined by a control unit on the cloud. This allows bathroom system 100 to be updated from a location away from bathroom 50.

[0053] Here, if the sound pressure level (decibels: dB) of noise in bathroom 50 exceeds a predetermined sound pressure level, voice collection unit 41 may not be able to properly recognize voice words. In particular, the sound pressure levels of the water discharge sounds from the water dischargers and the water splashing sounds from floor 52, bathtub 60, etc. may become high when multiple water dischargers are operating. Therefore, bathroom system 100 imposes a predetermined limit on the operation of the water dischargers to prevent the sound pressure level of noise from increasing.

[0054] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the water discharge control process executed by the control unit. In Figure 8, the water discharge devices are explained as hand shower 11 and bathtub water discharge device 20. The same applies to other water discharge devices, such as the combination of pillar 14 and faucet 15, or the combination of hand shower 11 and overhead shower 13. The program for the water discharge control process shown in Figure 8 is pre-stored in the memory (not shown) of control unit 45. This water discharge control process is repeatedly executed at a predetermined interval when voice operation is enabled by voice operation selector switch 42a. In the control process of Figure 8, each step is indicated by "S."

[0055] In S1, it is determined whether a voice commanding the start of hand shower spouting has been received. That is, the control unit 45 determines whether the voice collection unit 41 has collected the voice words "Please, Shinra, turn on the shower" uttered by the user. If the answer to S1 is "YES," i.e., the voice words have been received, the process proceeds to S2. On the other hand, if the answer to S1 is "NO," i.e., the voice words have not been received, the process ends and the reception of the voice words is monitored.

[0056] In S2, it is determined whether the bathtub water discharger 20 is discharging (operating). That is, the control unit 45 determines whether water is being discharged from the shoulder bath 21 or the waist bath 23. If S2 returns "YES," that is, if it is determined that the bathtub water discharger 20 is discharging, the process proceeds to S3. On the other hand, if S2 returns "NO," that is, if it is determined that the bathtub water discharger 20 is not discharging, the process proceeds to S4.

[0057] In S3, the control unit 45 stops the discharge of water from the bathtub water discharger, i.e., stops the operation of the shoulder bath 21 or the waist bath 23, and then proceeds to S4.

[0058] In S4, the hand shower starts to discharge water. That is, the control unit 45 causes the hand shower 11 to discharge hot and cold water based on the water discharge signal (voice operation signal) of the voice words "Shinra please, turn on the shower," and then ends the process.

[0059] In this way, when one water discharger (e.g., bathtub water discharger 20) is discharging water and another water discharger (e.g., hand shower 11) is caused to start discharging water based on voice collected by voice collection unit 41, bathroom system 100 stops the water discharge of the one water discharger (bathtub water discharger 20). Then, the other water discharger (hand shower 11) starts discharging water. In other words, bathroom system 100 restricts the simultaneous discharge of hot and cold water from multiple water dischargers through voice control. This prevents the sound pressure levels of noises caused by the operation of multiple water dischargers from being compounded. As a result, voice collection unit 41 can more easily recognize voice words, allowing for smooth voice control of multiple devices 10, 20, and 30 in bathroom 50.

[0060] However, a user may wish to operate multiple water dischargers simultaneously. For example, when multiple users are using bathroom 50, one user may be using bathtub water discharger 20 while another user wants to use washing area water discharger 10. Therefore, bathroom system 100 allows water to be discharged from multiple water dischargers when the water dischargers are operated by manual operation units 44a and 44b.

[0061] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the water discharge control process executed by the control unit. In Figure 9, the water discharge devices are explained as hand shower 11 and bathtub water discharge device 20. The same applies to other water discharge devices, such as the combination of pillar 14 and faucet 15, or the combination of hand shower 11 and overhead shower 13. The program for the water discharge control process shown in Figure 9 is pre-stored in the memory (not shown) of control unit 45. This water discharge control process is repeatedly executed at a predetermined interval when voice operation is enabled by voice operation selector switch 42a. In the control process in Figure 9, each step is indicated by "S."

[0062] In S11, it is determined whether a manual operation to start water discharge from the hand shower has been received. That is, the control unit 45 determines whether the "hand shower" switch 44c of the manual operation unit 44b has been operated. If the result in S11 is "YES," meaning that a manual operation to start water discharge from the hand shower has been received, the process proceeds to S12. On the other hand, if the result in S11 is "NO," meaning that a manual operation to start water discharge from the hand shower has not been received, the process ends.

[0063] In S12, it is determined whether the bathtub water discharger 20 is currently discharging (operating). That is, the control unit 45 determines whether water is being discharged from the shoulder bath 21 or the waist bath 23. If S12 returns "NO," that is, if it is determined that the bathtub water discharger 20 is not discharging water, the process proceeds to S13. On the other hand, if S12 returns "YES," that is, if it is determined that the bathtub water discharger 20 is currently discharging water, the process proceeds to S14.

[0064] In S13, the hand shower starts to discharge water. That is, control unit 45 starts the discharge of water from hand shower 11 based on the hand shower discharge signal (manual operation signal) sent from manual operation unit 44b, and then ends the process.

[0065] In S14, voice operation is disabled. That is, when one water discharger is discharging water and a manual operation signal to start discharging water from another water discharger is received, the control unit 45 disables voice operation. In this case, the display unit 43 changes from lit blue to turned off. This allows the user to recognize that voice operation of devices 10, 20, and 30 has been disabled. Note that the display unit 43 may also display that voice operation has been disabled because multiple water dischargers are discharging water. In this case, voice operation changeover switch 42a cannot be used to switch from disabled to enabled voice operation.

[0066] In the next step S15, the hand shower starts to discharge water. That is, control unit 45 starts the discharge of water from hand shower 11 based on the hand shower discharge signal (manual operation signal) sent from manual operation unit 44b.

[0067] In S16, it is determined whether the hand shower is currently discharging water. In this case, voice control of the hand shower 11 is disabled. Therefore, the control unit 45 determines whether the user has operated the "hand shower" switch 44c of the manual operation unit 44b to stop the hand shower 11 from discharging water. If the result of S16 is "YES," meaning that the hand shower 11 is currently discharging water, the process proceeds to S17. On the other hand, if the result of S16 is "NO," meaning that the hand shower 11 has stopped discharging water, the process proceeds to S18.

[0068] In S17, it is determined whether the bathtub water discharger 20 is currently discharging water. In this case, voice control of the bathtub water discharger 20 is disabled. Therefore, the control unit 45 determines whether the user has operated the "stop" switch 44c of the manual operation unit 44a to stop the bathtub water discharger 20 from discharging water. If S17 returns "YES," meaning that the bathtub water discharger 20 is currently discharging water, the process returns to S16 and monitors the discharging of water from the hand shower 11 and the bathtub water discharger 20. On the other hand, if S17 returns "NO," meaning that the bathtub water discharger 20 has stopped discharging water, the process proceeds to S18.

[0069] In S18, the voice operation is enabled. That is, when there is only one water discharge device currently discharging water, the control unit 45 automatically enables the voice operation of the devices 10, 20, and 30, and ends the process. In this case, the display unit 43 changes from off to lit blue. This allows the user to recognize that the voice operation of the devices 10, 20, and 30 has been enabled.

[0070] In this way, bathroom system 100 can simultaneously discharge water from multiple water-discharging devices by operating manual operation units 44a and 44b. This makes bathroom system 100 easy to use. Furthermore, when water is being discharged from multiple water-discharging devices, voice control of devices 10, 20, and 30 is disabled, thereby preventing malfunction of devices 10, 20, and 30.

[0071] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of voice words for operating a bathtub water discharger according to a modified example. In the above-described embodiment, the bathtub water discharger 20 has been described as being equipped with both the shoulder bath 21 and the waist bath 23. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the bathtub water discharger 20 may be equipped with only the shoulder bath 21 or only the waist bath 23. In other words, the bathtub 60 may be equipped with only either the shoulder bath 21 or the waist bath 23. The waist bath 23 may be a jet bath that discharges a water flow containing air bubbles, or may be one that discharges a water flow that does not contain air bubbles.

[0072] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been given in which two water-discharging devices, the hand shower 11 and the bathtub water-discharging device 20, are the target. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applicable to, for example, three or more water-discharging devices. That is, when no water is being discharged from a water-discharging device or when one water-discharging device is discharging water, the control unit 45 enables voice control of the devices 10, 20, and 30. On the other hand, when water is being discharged from two or more water-discharging devices, the control unit 45 disables voice control.

[0073] Thus, according to the embodiment, bathroom system 100 is controlled by voice command so that multiple water dischargers do not discharge water simultaneously. This allows the sound pressure level caused by noise in bathroom 50 to be kept below a certain level. As a result, the accuracy of voice recognition can be improved. Furthermore, this improvement in voice recognition accuracy can be achieved without increasing the performance or cost of the voice recognition IC.

[0074] The bathroom 50 is also equipped with a bathtub water discharger 20 and a washing area water discharger 10. The bathroom system 100 controls the water discharge of these water dischargers, allowing smooth voice operation of the devices 10, 20, and 30.

[0075] Additionally, the user can operate manual controls 44a and 44b to cause multiple water dischargers to dispense water. In this case, voice control of devices 10, 20, and 30 is disabled. This prevents devices 10, 20, and 30 from malfunctioning due to voice control without reducing the usability of bathroom 50.

[0076] Furthermore, when the situation changes from two or more water dischargers to one water discharger, control unit 45 automatically switches voice control from disabled to enabled, thereby making bathroom system 100 easy to use.

[0077] Furthermore, whether voice operation is enabled or disabled is displayed on display unit 43. This improves the usability of bathroom system 100.

[0078] Embodiments may include the following features. (Configuration 1) A bathroom system that allows multiple devices installed in a bathroom to be operated by voice, a voice collecting unit that collects voices uttered by a user; a control unit that controls operations of the plurality of devices based on the voice collected by the voice collecting unit; Equipped with the plurality of devices include a plurality of water discharge devices, A bathroom system characterized in that the control unit stops water discharge from one of the plurality of water-dispensing devices when the other water-dispensing devices start dispensing water based on audio collected by the audio collection unit while the other water-dispensing device is dispensing water. (Configuration 2) The plurality of water dischargers include: a bathtub water discharger that discharges water toward the inside of a bathtub installed in the bathroom; A bathroom system according to configuration 1, characterized in that it has a washing area water discharge device installed in the washing area. (Configuration 3) Further, a manual operation unit capable of operating the plurality of devices based on a manual operation is provided, The bathroom system described in configuration 1 is characterized in that the control unit disables the voice operation of the devices when water is discharged from two or more water-dispensing devices by operation of the manual operation unit while water is being discharged from one water-dispensing device. (Configuration 4) The bathroom system described in configuration 3 is characterized in that the control unit enables operation of the device by voice when there is only one water-discharging device currently discharging water. (Configuration 5) 5. The bathroom system according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, further comprising a display unit that can identify whether the operation of the device by voice is valid or invalid.

[0079] The above describes embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. Design modifications made by a person skilled in the art to the above-described embodiments are also within the scope of the present invention as long as they incorporate the features of the present invention. For example, the shape, dimensions, materials, and arrangement of each element of a bathroom system are not limited to those illustrated and can be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, the elements of the above-described embodiments can be combined to the extent technically possible, and such combinations are also within the scope of the present invention as long as they incorporate the features of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 10 Washing area water discharge equipment 11 Hand shower 13 Overhead shower 14 Pillar 15 Karan 20 Bathtub water outlet equipment 21 Shoulderakuyu 23 Koshirakuyu 30 Other equipment 31a, 31b lighting 33 Television 35 Bathroom dryer / heater 37 Audio 40 Voice control section 40a Audio input port 41 Audio Collection Unit 42a Voice-operated switch 42b Setting switch 43 Display section 44a, 44b Manual operation section 44c switch 45 Control Unit 50 bathroom 51 Ceiling 52 beds 53a~53d 1st~4th side wall 60 Bathtub 70 mirror 72, 73 Counter 100 Bathroom System

Claims

1. A bathroom system that allows multiple devices installed in a bathroom to be operated by voice, a voice collecting unit that collects voices uttered by a user; a control unit that controls operations of the plurality of devices based on the voice collected by the voice collecting unit; Equipped with the plurality of devices include a plurality of water discharge devices, A bathroom system characterized in that the control unit stops the water discharge of one of the plurality of water-dispensing devices when the other water-dispensing devices start dispensing water based on the audio collected by the audio collection unit while the one water-dispensing device is dispensing water.

2. The plurality of water dischargers include: a bathtub water discharger that discharges water toward the inside of a bathtub installed in the bathroom; The bathroom system according to claim 1, further comprising a washing area water discharge device provided in the washing area.

3. Further, a manual operation unit capable of operating the plurality of devices based on a manual operation is provided, The bathroom system described in claim 1, characterized in that the control unit disables the voice-activated operation of the device when water is discharged from two or more water-dispensing devices by operation of the manual operation unit while water is being discharged from one water-dispensing device.

4. The bathroom system according to claim 3, characterized in that the control unit enables the voice control of the device when there is only one water-discharging device currently discharging water.

5. The bathroom system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a display unit capable of identifying whether the operation of the device by voice is valid or invalid.

Images