Animal control devices, animal control methods, and programs

Abstract

This device helps to suppress the weakening of the deterrent effect of sound (repellent sound) when animals are repelled by sound. [Solution] The animal control device comprises a detection unit, a frequency adjustment unit, and a sound source control unit. The detection unit detects the relative speed between the sound source and the animal. The frequency adjustment unit acquires sound data of a repellent sound to be emitted against the animal and adjusts the frequency of the sound data related to the repellent sound using the detected relative speed. The sound source control unit controls the sound source to emit the repellent sound with the adjusted frequency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an animal control device, an animal control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] When wild animals enter the living space of humans, various troubles can occur. As an example of a technique for driving away such animals, Patent Document 1 below discloses a control device for driving away animals to be controlled. The control device includes a detection device that detects an animal to be controlled, a directional sound wave module that emits a directional sound wave, and a controller that controls the directional sound wave module so that the detected animal to be controlled is irradiated with the directional sound wave.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a mechanism for driving away animals by sound (repellent sound), the frequency of the sound (repellent sound) perceived by the animals is an important factor. If the frequency of the sound perceived by the animals fluctuates due to some influence, the control effect by that sound (repellent sound) may be weakened.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] An animal control device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is detection means for detecting the relative speed between the sound source and the animal, frequency adjustment means for acquiring sound data of a repellent sound to be emitted to the animal and adjusting the frequency of the sound data using the relative speed, Sound source control means for controlling the sound source to emit the repellent sound with the adjusted frequency, It is equipped with.

[0006] Another aspect of the animal control method described herein is: Computers The relative speed between the sound source and the animal is detected. Acquire sound data of a repellent sound to be emitted against the aforementioned animal. The frequency of the sound data is adjusted using the aforementioned relative velocity. The sound source is controlled to emit the repellent sound whose frequency has been adjusted. This includes the following.

[0007] Another aspect of this disclosure, a program, when executed by a computer, The relative speed between the sound source and the animal is detected. Acquire sound data of a repellent sound to be emitted against the aforementioned animal. The frequency of the sound data is adjusted using the aforementioned relative velocity. The sound source is controlled to emit the repellent sound whose frequency has been adjusted. To perform an action that includes that action. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one example of this disclosure, when animals are repelled by sound (repellent sound), it is possible to suppress the weakening of the control effect of that sound (repellent sound). [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure shows a first example of the functional configuration of an animal control device and a system configuration including said animal control device in this disclosure. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the computer hardware configuration for realizing the animal control device described in this disclosure. [Figure 3] This flowchart shows a first example of the process performed by the animal control device described herein. [Figure 4] This figure shows a modified example of the functional configuration of the animal control device in this disclosure. [Figure 5] This figure shows a second example of the functional configuration of an animal control device and a system configuration including said animal control device in this disclosure. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates an example of an operation performed by the sound source control unit of the animal control device in this disclosure. [Figure 7] This figure illustrates an example of an operation performed by the sound source control unit of the animal control device in this disclosure. [Figure 8] This figure illustrates an example of an operation performed by the sound source control unit of the animal control device in this disclosure. [Figure 9] This figure shows a third example of the functional configuration of an animal control device in this disclosure. [Figure 10] This flowchart shows a second example of the process performed by the animal control device in this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments relating to this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this disclosure, the drawings are associated with one or more embodiments. In all drawings, similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate. Unless otherwise specified, in each block diagram, each block represents a functional unit configuration, not a hardware unit configuration. When elements such as blocks in the diagrams are linked by arrows, the direction of the arrows is merely to make the flow of information easier to understand. In this case, unless otherwise specified, the direction of the arrows does not limit the direction of communication (one-way communication / two-way communication).

[0011] In the following description, "acquisition" includes at least one of the following: the self-device going to retrieve data or information stored in another device or storage medium (active acquisition), and the self-device receiving data or information output from another device (passive acquisition). Examples of active acquisition include sending a request or inquiry to another device and receiving its reply, and accessing and reading from another device or storage medium. Examples of passive acquisition include receiving information distributed (or transmitted, push-notified, etc.). Furthermore, "acquisition" may also mean selecting and acquiring from the received data or information, or selecting and receiving the distributed data or information.

[0012] ·First Embodiment <Functional Configuration Example and System Configuration Example> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first example of the functional configuration of an animal control device and the system configuration including the animal control device in the present disclosure. The animal control system 1 illustrated in this figure includes an animal control device 10, a sensor 20, a sound data storage unit 30, and a sound source 40. In the example of this figure, the animal to be controlled is represented by an ellipse hatched with oblique lines. The animal control system 1 controls the animal that has entered the target space S using a repelling sound emitted from the sound source 40. Here, the target space S is preferably set to be larger than the reference space based on the space where the intrusion of animals should be surely prevented.

[0013] The animal control device 10 at least has a function of controlling the sound source 40 to control the animals that have entered the target space S. In the example of this figure, the animal control device 10 includes a detection unit 110, a frequency adjustment unit 120, and a sound source control unit 130.

[0014] The detection unit 110 detects the relative speed between the sound source 40 and the animal to be controlled. For example, the detection unit 110 recognizes (one or more) animals to be controlled that have entered the target space S based on the output signal of the sensor 20. Then, the detection unit 110 uses the output signal of the sensor 20 to detect the relative speed between the sound source 40 and the recognized animal to be controlled. In this disclosure, "relative speed" is treated as information indicating speed and direction.

[0015] Here, sensor 20 is any sensor that detects various physical quantities such as sound, light, and heat inside the target space S and converts them into electrical signals. Although not particularly limited, sensor 20 includes image sensors (cameras), sound wave sensors (microphones), temperature sensors (infrared sensors), etc.

[0016] The frequency adjustment unit 120 acquires sound data of the repellent sound to be emitted towards the target animal from the sound data storage unit 30. The frequency adjustment unit 120 then adjusts the frequency of the sound data using the relative velocity detected by the detection unit 110.

[0017] The sound source control unit 130 controls the sound source 40 to emit a repellent sound based on sound data whose frequency has been adjusted by the frequency adjustment unit 120. For example, the sound source control unit 130 outputs the sound data after frequency adjustment and the position information (direction information) of the animal to be controlled based on the output signal of the sensor 20 to the sound source 40. The sound source 40 uses the sound data received from the sound source control unit 130 to drive an oscillator (not shown) and emits a repellent sound including the adjusted frequency towards the position (direction) of the animal to be controlled.

[0018] <Example Hardware Configuration> Figure 2 shows an example of a computer hardware configuration for realizing the animal control device described in this disclosure.

[0019] The computer 1000 illustrated in this figure has a bus 1010, a processor 1020, memory 1030, a storage device 1040, an input / output interface 1050, and a network interface 1060.

[0020] Bus 1010 is a data transmission path for the processor 1020, memory 1030, storage device 1040, input / output interface 1050, and network interface 1060 to send and receive data to and from each other. However, the method of connecting the processor 1020 and the other components to each other is not limited to bus connection.

[0021] Processor 1020 includes the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), among others.

[0022] Memory 1030 is a type of main memory implemented using Random Access Memory (RAM), etc.

[0023] The storage device 1040 is an auxiliary storage device implemented as a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), Solid State Drive (SSD), memory card, or Read Only Memory (ROM). The storage device 1040 stores at least a program module that implements the functions of the animal control device 10 described above (detection unit 110, frequency adjustment unit 120, and sound source control unit 130).

[0024] The processor 1020 realizes the functions corresponding to program modules by loading the program modules read from the storage device 1040 onto the memory 1030 and executing them. For example, the processor 1020 realizes the functions of the detection unit 110 as described in this disclosure by reading the program module corresponding to the detection unit 110 onto the memory 1030 and executing it. Similarly, the processor 1020 realizes the functions of the frequency adjustment unit 120 as described in this disclosure by reading the program module corresponding to the frequency adjustment unit 120 onto the memory 1030 and executing it. Similarly, the processor 1020 realizes the functions of the sound source control unit 130 as described in this disclosure by reading the program module corresponding to the sound source control unit 130 onto the memory 1030 and executing it. This operation of the processor 1020 is common to all embodiments included in this disclosure.

[0025] The program module described above may be recorded on a recording medium other than the storage device 1040. The recording medium for recording the program module includes any medium usable by a non-temporary, tangible computer 1000. The recording medium for recording the program module may have program code embedded in it that can be read by the computer 1000 (processor 1020).

[0026] The input / output interface 1050 is an interface for connecting the computer 1000 (animal control device 10) to various devices. The term "various devices" here is not particularly limited, but includes, for example, input devices such as operation buttons, keyboards, touch panels, mice and microphones, and output devices such as displays and speakers (sound sources).

[0027] The network interface 1060 is an interface for connecting the computer 1000 (animal control device 10) to a network. This network includes, for example, a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN). The network interface 1060 supports various wireless and wired communication standards. The computer 1000 (animal control device 10) establishes communication with other devices (not shown) on the network via the network interface 1060.

[0028] Furthermore, the computer 1000 (animal control device 10) may be connected to the aforementioned "various devices" via the network interface 1060.

[0029] <Example of animal control device operation> The operation of the animal control device described in this disclosure will be explained below with reference to a diagram. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing a first example of the process performed by the animal control device described in this disclosure.

[0030] First, the detection unit 110 detects the relative speed between the animal detected within the processing range (the sensing range of various sensors for animal monitoring) and the sound source (step S102). For example, the detection unit 110 can recognize an animal in the video by analyzing the video output from a camera (sensor 20) installed for animal monitoring. In this case, the detection unit 110 can obtain the movement vector (information indicating the direction and speed of movement) of the recognized animal based on, for example, the difference information between the frame images that make up the video. Then, the detection unit 110 extracts the vector component in the reference direction (for example, the straight line direction connecting the recognized animal and the sound source 40) from the acquired movement vector. The extracted vector component can also be said to be information indicating the relative speed between the sound source 40 and the animal to be controlled. In this way, the detection unit 110 can detect the relative speed between the sound source 40 and the animal.

[0031] Next, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data that will be used to emit the repellent sound to the animal, using the relative velocity detected in step S102 (step S104). As an example, the frequency adjustment unit 120 operates as follows. First, the frequency adjustment unit 120 accesses the storage unit (sound data storage unit 30) that stores sound data of animal repellent sounds. The sound data storage unit 30 stores sound data containing frequencies that are effective in common with various animals (hereinafter also referred to as "general-purpose repellent sound data") and sound data containing frequencies that are particularly effective with specific types of animals (hereinafter also referred to as "specific repellent sound data"). The frequency adjustment unit 120 obtains the general-purpose repellent sound data, or, if the type of animal can be identified, the specific repellent sound data, from the sound data storage unit 30. Then, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the obtained sound data so as to cancel out the Doppler effect based on the relative velocity. For example, suppose the relative velocity detected in step S102 indicates that "the animal is approaching the sound source 40". In this case, the frequency of the sound perceived by the animal will be higher than the frequency of the sound emitted from the sound source 40 due to the Doppler effect. To counteract this Doppler effect, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts (corrects) the frequency of the sound data to a lower frequency. Alternatively, suppose the relative velocity detected in step S102 indicates that "the animal is moving away from the sound source 40". In this case, the frequency of the sound perceived by the animal will be lower than the frequency of the sound emitted from the sound source 40 due to the Doppler effect. To counteract this Doppler effect, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts (corrects) the frequency of the sound data to a higher frequency. The frequency adjustment unit 120 can calculate the frequency adjustment value to counteract the Doppler effect based on the magnitude of the relative velocity.

[0032] Then, the sound source control unit 130 controls the sound source 40 to emit a repellent sound based on the sound data whose frequency has been adjusted in step S104 (step S106). For example, the sound source control unit 130 outputs a control signal (frequency-adjusted sound data) to the sound source 40 for generating a sound with the adjusted frequency in step S104. The oscillator provided in the sound source 40 is driven based on this control signal, generating a repellent sound with a frequency adjusted according to the relative speed between the sound source 40 and the animal to be controlled. The sound source control unit 130 also identifies the position (direction) of the animal to be controlled based on the output signal of the sensor 20 and outputs information indicating that position (direction) to the sound source 40. As a result, the frequency-adjusted repellent sound is emitted towards the animal to be controlled.

[0033] As described above, according to the operation of the animal control device in this disclosure, the frequency of the repellent sound is adjusted based on the relative speed between the animal to be controlled and the sound source that emits the repellent sound, and then the repellent sound is emitted from the sound source. This operation suppresses the discrepancy between the frequency of the repellent sound that the animal actually perceives and the frequency of the repellent sound that is effective for that animal. In other words, this disclosure provides an animal control device that solves the problem of suppressing the weakening of the control effect of sound (repellent sound) when animals are driven away by sound (repellent sound). Furthermore, this disclosure provides an animal control method executed by the animal control device (computer), a program for realizing each function of the animal control device (computer), and a computer-readable recording medium for recording the program.

[0034] The following describes a detailed example of an animal control device in this disclosure.

[0035] <Acquisition of sound data related to sounds to avoid> As described above, the sound data storage unit 30 may store general-purpose repellent sound data and specific repellent sound data. Here, in order to determine whether or not to acquire specific repellent sound data, the frequency adjustment unit 120 may be configured to identify the type of animal to be controlled based on the output of various sensors that observe the surroundings (for example, a sensor 20 that observes the target space S). For example, suppose that sensor 20 is a camera. In this case, the frequency adjustment unit 120 is configured to identify the type of animal to be controlled using a pre-prepared machine learning model or pattern matching technology. The type of animal to be controlled is not particularly limited, but may be a broad category such as birds, mammals, or insects, or it may be a more detailed category such as order, genus, family, or species. The frequency adjustment unit 120 then acquires the specific repellent sound data corresponding to (linked to) the identified type of animal from the sound data storage unit 30. With such a configuration, the above operations can be performed based on repellent sounds that are more effective against the animals to be controlled.

[0036] <Behavior when multiple animals are present> When multiple animals enter a space to be controlled, they do not necessarily move in the same way. The animal control device in this disclosure may be configured to effectively emit repellent sounds to multiple animals.

[0037] For example, if there are multiple animals to be controlled within the target space S, the detection unit 110 detects the relative speed of each of these animals with respect to the sound source 40. Then, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data acquired from the sound data storage unit 30 using the relative speed detected for each of the multiple animals.

[0038] As an example, the frequency adjustment unit 120 performs statistical processing based on the relative velocity detected for each of the multiple animals. For example, the frequency adjustment unit 120 obtains the average value and mode of the relative velocity when the multiple animals are viewed as a whole (flock) as the result of statistical processing, based on the relative velocity detected for each of the multiple animals. Then, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data based on the obtained results of the statistical processing. As a specific example, suppose three birds enter the target space S, and the detection unit 110 detects the relative velocities of the three birds relative to the sound source 40 as "+50 [m / s]", "+50 [m / s]", and "+80 [m / s]" based on the output of the sensor 20. Here, the positive sign (+) indicates the direction in which the birds are approaching the sound source 40. If the average value of the relative velocity is used here, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data (avoidance sound) obtained from the sound data storage unit 30 using a relative velocity of "+60 [m / s]". For example, suppose the frequency of the reference sound data (avoidance sound) is "5000 [Hz]". In this case, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data (avoidance sound) to approximately "4118 [Hz]" using the formula "{(340 [m / s] - 60 [m / s]) / 340 [m / s]} × 5000 [Hz]", assuming a sound speed of 340 [m / s]. Alternatively, when using the mode of relative velocity, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data (avoidance sound) acquired from the sound data storage unit 30 using a relative velocity of "50 [m / s]". For example, suppose the frequency of the reference sound data (avoidance sound) is "5000 [Hz]". In this case, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data (repellent sound) to approximately "4265 Hz" using the formula "{(340 [m / s] - 50 [m / s]) / 340 [m / s]} × 5000 [Hz]", assuming a sound speed of 340 [m / s]. This configuration allows the frequency of the sound perceived by each of the multiple animals to be brought closer to a frequency effective for pest control. As a result, a good pest control effect can be expected for multiple animals.

[0039] As another example, the frequency adjustment unit 120 may be configured to adjust the frequency of the sound data (repellent sound) to a frequency suitable for each of the multiple animals. In this case, the frequency adjustment unit 120 is configured to adjust the frequency of the sound data (repellent sound) for each animal based on the relative velocity detected for each of the multiple animals. As a specific example, suppose two birds enter the target space S, and the detection unit 110 detects the relative velocities of the two birds relative to the sound source 40 as "+50 [m / s]" and "-50 [m / s]" based on the output of the sensor 20. Here, the positive sign (+) represents the direction of approaching the sound source 40, and the negative sign (-) represents the direction of moving away from the sound source 40. The frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data (repellent sound) radiated towards one of the birds based on the relative velocity "+50 [m / s]" detected for that bird. In this case, the frequency adjustment unit 120 uses the frequency of the sound data (repellent sound) acquired from the sound data storage unit 30 as a reference and lowers the reference frequency according to the parameter "+50 [m / s]". For example, suppose the frequency of the reference sound data (repellent sound) is "5000 [Hz]". In this case, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data (repellent sound) to approximately "4265 [Hz]" using the formula "{(340 [m / s] - 50 [m / s]) / 340 [m / s]} × 5000 [Hz]", assuming the speed of sound is 340 [m / s]. The frequency adjustment unit 120 also adjusts the frequency of the sound data (repellent sound) radiated towards the other bird based on the relative speed "-50 [m / s]" detected for the other bird. In this case, the frequency adjustment unit 120 uses the frequency of the sound data (repellent sound) acquired from the sound data storage unit 30 as a reference and raises the reference frequency according to a parameter of "-50 [m / s]". For example, suppose the frequency of the reference sound data (repellent sound) is "5000 [Hz]". In this case, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data (repellent sound) to approximately "5735 [Hz]" using the formula "{(340 [m / s] + 50 [m / s]) / 340 [m / s]} × 5000 [Hz]", assuming the speed of sound is 340 [m / s]. With this configuration, the frequency of the sound perceived by each of the multiple animals can be brought closer to a frequency that is effective for pest control.As a result, good control effects can be expected against multiple animals.

[0040] In the example described above, the sound source control unit 130 adjusts the frequency of the sound data related to the repellent sound to two different frequencies (specifically, "4265 [Hz]" and "5735 [Hz]") based on the relative speed detected for each of the multiple animals. In this case, the sound source control unit 130 can also emit a composite sound from the sound source 40 by mixing the repellent sounds adjusted to the two different frequencies. For example, if the sound source 40 includes multiple speaker arrays, the sound source control unit 130 controls the sound source 40 to emit one of the two different frequencies (e.g., "4265 [Hz]") from half of the speaker arrays and the other (e.g., "5735 [Hz]") from the other half. Similarly, if the frequency of the sound data is adjusted to three or more different frequencies, the sound source control unit 130 can emit repellent sounds of multiple frequencies from the sound source 40. In this way, effective repellent sounds can be emitted for each of the multiple animals, thereby enhancing the control effect.

[0041] As a modified example of emitting repellent sounds adjusted to two or more different frequencies from the sound source 40, for example, the animal control device 10 may have a configuration as shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 is a diagram showing a modified functional configuration of the animal control device 10 in this disclosure. In the example shown, the frequency adjustment unit 120 further comprises a species identification unit 122. The species identification unit 122 identifies the type of animal to be controlled based on the output of various sensors that observe the surroundings (for example, a sensor 20 that observes the target space S). For example, suppose the sensor 20 is a camera. In this case, the species identification unit 122 is configured to be able to identify the type of animal to be controlled using a pre-prepared machine learning model or pattern matching technology. The type of animal to be controlled may be a broad category such as birds, mammals, or insects, or a more detailed category such as order, genus, family, or species.

[0042] The frequency adjustment unit 120 uses the results of the species identification unit 122 to identify the species of the animal to be controlled and acquires sound data (specific repellent sound data) corresponding to the identified species from the sound data storage unit 30. Then, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the acquired sound data (specific repellent sound data) using the relative speed detected for the animal to be controlled. This operation is as described above.

[0043] With this configuration, sound data of repellent sounds specialized for the type of animal being controlled is acquired, and furthermore, the frequency of the sound data of the repellent sounds specialized for the type of animal is adjusted based on the relative speed of the animal. As a result, the appropriate repellent sound at the appropriate frequency can be perceived by the animal being controlled, according to the type of animal being controlled. Consequently, the effectiveness of pest control using repellent sounds is enhanced.

[0044] • Second embodiment For example, in order to adequately cover the space to be controlled, it is conceivable that sound sources may be installed at multiple different locations. In such cases, the magnitude of the repellent sound emitted from each sound source may vary depending on the relative position to the animal being controlled. Therefore, the animal control device in this disclosure may be equipped with a function that allows for the selection of the most effective sound source from among multiple sound sources.

[0045] <Examples of functional configurations and system configurations> Figure 5 shows a second example of the functional configuration of an animal control device and a system configuration including the animal control device in this disclosure. The animal control system 1 illustrated in this figure includes an animal control device 10, a sensor 20, a sound data storage unit 30, and a plurality of sound sources (first sound source 42 and second sound source 44). In the example shown in this figure, the sound source control unit 130 determines the sound source to be controlled from among the plurality of sound sources (first sound source 42 and second sound source 44) using the relative direction between each of the plurality of sound sources (first sound source 42 and second sound source 44) and the animal to be controlled.

[0046] As an example, the sound source control unit 130 calculates the dispersion of the positions of animals to be controlled in a predetermined direction (for example, the width direction relative to the direction of propagation of the repellent sound emitted from each sound source) for each of the multiple sound sources (first sound source 42 and second sound source 44). Then, the frequency adjustment unit 120 determines the sound source to be controlled based on the dispersion calculated for each of the multiple sound sources (first sound source 42 and second sound source 44).

[0047] This operation will be explained using Figure 6. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation performed by the sound source control unit of the animal control device in this disclosure.

[0048] First, the sound source control unit 130 acquires the detection result of the animal to be controlled (for example, its position coordinates within the target space S) detected by the detection unit 110 based on the output of the sensor 20.

[0049] The sound source control unit 130 then uses the detection results of the animals to be controlled to calculate the distribution of animal positions in a predetermined direction for both the first sound source 42 and the second sound source 44. For example, the sound source control unit 130 projects the detection results of the animals to be controlled (the position coordinates of each animal) onto a first plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the repellent sound emitted from the first sound source 42. From the result of projecting the detection results of the animals to be controlled (the position coordinates of each animal) onto the first plane, the sound source control unit 130 can calculate the distribution of animal positions in the width direction with respect to the direction of propagation of the repellent sound emitted from the first sound source 42. Similarly, the sound source control unit 130 can calculate the distribution of animal positions in the width direction with respect to the direction of propagation of the repellent sound emitted from the second sound source 44 in the same manner.

[0050] The sound source control unit 130 then compares the dispersion calculated for the first sound source 42 with the dispersion calculated for the second sound source 44, and determines the sound source to be controlled based on the result of this comparison. In Figure 6, the dispersion of the positions of the animals to be controlled is smaller when the direction of propagation of the repellent sound from the second sound source 44 is used as the reference, compared to when the direction of propagation of the repellent sound from the first sound source 42 is used as the reference. In this case, the second sound source 44, which has a smaller dispersion of the animals to be controlled with respect to the direction of propagation of the repellent sound, can emit repellent sound more efficiently. Therefore, the sound source control unit 130 determines the second sound source 44 as the sound source to be controlled and transmits a control signal. As a result, repellent sound with a frequency adjusted based on the relative velocity with respect to the second sound source 44 is emitted from the second sound source 44.

[0051] By configuring the system to allow selection of sound sources that emit repellent sounds more effectively to the animals being controlled, the effectiveness of pest control through repellent sounds can be enhanced.

[0052] As another example, the sound source control unit 130 may classify each of the multiple animals to be controlled using their movement speed based on their relative speed to each sound source detected for each animal, and then determine the sound source to be controlled using the classification results of the multiple animals relative to each sound source. For example, the sound source control unit 130 identifies the direction of movement of each of the multiple animals relative to each sound source (direction towards the sound source / direction away from the sound source / no change in direction) based on the relative speed of each of the multiple animals detected for each sound source. From these identification results of the direction of movement, the sound source control unit 130 can classify each of the multiple animals into one of the following groups: "group approaching the sound source," "group moving away from the sound source," and "group maintaining distance from the sound source." Then, the sound source control unit 130 determines the sound source to be controlled based on the classification results obtained for each sound source in this way.

[0053] This operation will be explained using Figures 7 and 8. Figures 7 and 8 are diagrams illustrating an example of the operation performed by the sound source control unit of the animal control device in this disclosure. Figures 7 and 8 show examples relating to the first sound source 42 and the second sound source 44, respectively.

[0054] First, the sound source control unit 130 acquires the relative speed of the animals to be controlled relative to each of the multiple sound sources (first sound source 42 and second sound source 44) detected by the detection unit 110 based on the output of the sensor 20.

[0055] The sound source control unit 130 then identifies the direction of movement for each of the multiple animals based on their relative speeds with respect to each sound source. For example, as shown in Figure 7, based on the relative speeds of each animal to be controlled obtained for the first sound source 42, the sound source control unit 130 identifies the direction of movement for animals T1 and T2 to be controlled as "away from the first sound source 42". Similarly, the sound source control unit 130 identifies the direction of movement for animal T3 to be controlled as "approaching the first sound source 42". Also, for example, as shown in Figure 8, based on the relative speeds of each animal to be controlled obtained for the second sound source 44, the sound source control unit 130 identifies the direction of movement for animals T1 to T3 to be controlled as "away from the first sound source 42".

[0056] The sound source control unit 130 then classifies each of the multiple animals, identified for each sound source, based on their respective movement directions. In the example for the first sound source 42 in Figure 7, the sound source control unit 130 classifies animals T1 and T2, which are to be controlled, as the "group moving away from the sound source," and animals T3, which are to be controlled, as the "group approaching the sound source." Similarly, in the example for the second sound source 44 in Figure 8, animals T1 to T3, which are to be controlled, are classified as the "group moving away from the sound source."

[0057] Here, if the variability in the classification of each animal based on its direction of movement is small, the variability in the frequency properties of the repellent sound perceived by each animal (whether it is perceived as a sound with a higher frequency or a lower frequency than the repellent sound emitted from the sound source) will also be small. In other words, a sound source that results in the majority of animals being classified into the same group is less likely to have a reduced control effect and is therefore considered more suitable as a sound source for emitting repellent sounds. In the examples in Figures 7 and 8, the variability in the classification of each animal based on its direction of movement is smaller with the second sound source 44 than with the first sound source 42. Therefore, in the examples in Figures 7 and 8, the sound source control unit 130 determines the second sound source 44 to be the sound source to be controlled.

[0058] It is also possible that similar results (that there is no difference in the variability of classification among the multiple sound sources) may be obtained for each of the multiple sound sources. In such cases, the sound source control unit 130 may, for example, select a predetermined sound source as the sound source to be controlled. Alternatively, the sound source control unit 130 may be configured to determine one or more (or all) sound sources randomly selected from among the multiple sound sources as the sound source to be controlled.

[0059] Furthermore, depending on the location of the sound source and the target animal, it may be possible to guide the target animal in an undesirable direction. For example, it is assumed that the target animal will react to the repellent sound emitted from the sound source by basically moving away from the sound source. If the target space S includes the vicinity of an airport runway, and there is a flight path (takeoff and landing course) of an aircraft in the direction of the repellent sound emitted from the sound source, the target animal may move towards that flight path.

[0060] To avoid the problems described above, the sound source control unit 130 may be configured to acquire information regarding the takeoff and landing of aircraft flying around the target space S (hereinafter also referred to as "takeoff and landing information") and to determine the sound source to be controlled using said takeoff and landing information.

[0061] For example, the sound source control unit 130 communicates with an airline database (not shown) and equipment installed in the control tower to acquire information indicating the flight status of aircraft around the target space S (such as current flight position, scheduled takeoff and landing times, and takeoff and landing paths) as takeoff and landing information. The sound source control unit 130 then determines a sound source to be controlled that emits a repellent sound in a direction that does not intersect with the flight path of the aircraft identified based on the takeoff and landing information. In this way, it is possible to prevent the target animals from being guided in an undesirable direction.

[0062] • Third Embodiment After the movement of the target animal (such as its relative speed to the sound source 40) is observed by the sensor 20, a considerable lag may occur between the observation and the emission of the repellent sound from the sound source 40. During this lag, the movement of the target animal may change. In that case, the effectiveness of the repellent sound, which is adjusted to the observed movement, may be reduced. Therefore, the animal control device 10 may be further equipped with functions to resolve such problems.

[0063] <Example of Functional Configuration> Figure 9 shows a third example of the functional configuration of the animal control device in this disclosure. In this example, the frequency adjustment unit 120 further comprises an operation estimation unit 124.

[0064] The motion estimation unit 124 estimates the relative velocity of the animal to be controlled (hereinafter also referred to as the "second relative velocity") at the time when it emits a repellent sound from the sound source 40 based on the movement trajectory of the animal to be controlled, using the movement trajectory of the animal immediately preceding that time. For example, the motion estimation unit 124 estimates the second relative velocity using a model that has been trained to calculate the velocity of the animal after a predetermined time, using the observation results of the animal's movement trajectory (direction of movement and speed of movement obtained based on the output from the sensor 20) as parameters.

[0065] In the example shown in this figure, 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data as described above, using the second relative velocity estimated by the motion estimation unit 124 (the estimated relative velocity of the animal to be controlled at the timing when the repellent sound is emitted from the sound source 40).

[0066] <Example of animal control device operation> Figure 10 is a flowchart showing a second example of the process performed by the animal control device in this disclosure.

[0067] First, the detection unit 110 identifies the movement trajectory of the animal to be controlled based on the output from the sensor 20 (step S202). For example, if the sensor 20 is a camera, the detection unit 110 can identify the movement trajectory of the animal to be controlled within the video by analyzing the video having a certain time width.

[0068] The frequency adjustment unit 120 estimates a second relative velocity using information on the movement trajectory of the animal to be controlled, which was identified in step S202 (step S204). For example, the frequency adjustment unit 120 uses a machine learning model that takes observation results from various sensors as input and outputs the velocity and relative position (direction) of the animal after a certain period of time has elapsed (for example, the lag from the sound source 40 until the repellent sound is emitted). This machine learning model is pre-stored in a memory area such as the storage device 1040.

[0069] Then, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data that forms the basis of the repellent sound emitted towards the animal, using the second relative velocity estimated in step S204 (step S206). The process in step S206 is the same as the process in step S104 of the flowchart in Figure 3, except that it uses the estimated second relative velocity.

[0070] Then, the sound source control unit 130 controls the sound source 40 to emit an repellent sound based on the sound data whose frequency was adjusted in step S206 (step S208). The process in step S208 is the same as the process in step S106 of the flowchart in Figure 3.

[0071] According to the operation of an example of an animal control device described in this disclosure, the frequency of the repellent sound is adjusted based on the relative speed between the animal to be controlled and the sound source emitting the repellent sound, and then the repellent sound is emitted from the sound source. This operation suppresses the discrepancy between the frequency of the repellent sound that the animal actually perceives and the frequency of the repellent sound that is effective for that animal. As a result, it is possible to prevent a weakening of the control effect of the repellent sound. Furthermore, in the configuration described in this embodiment, the frequency of the repellent sound is adjusted by considering the change in relative speed from the sound source until the repellent sound is emitted, using the animal's movement trajectory (actual observation results). This makes it possible to prevent a weakening of the control effect of the repellent sound with greater precision.

[0072] <Variation> The way an animal to be controlled moves may vary depending on the type of animal. For example, even within the same bird species, each species may exhibit unique characteristics. Therefore, the motion estimation unit 124 of the frequency adjustment unit 120 may be configured to use the results of the species identification unit 122, as illustrated in Figure 4, regarding the type of animal to be controlled. In this case, the motion estimation unit 124 of the frequency adjustment unit 120 uses the species of animal identified as the type of animal to be controlled and the detected relative speed to estimate the relative speed of the animal to be controlled (second relative speed) at the timing when the repellent sound is emitted from the sound source 40. Then, as described above, the frequency adjustment unit 120 adjusts the frequency of the sound data that forms the basis of the repellent sound using the second relative speed.

[0073] In this modified example, the species identification unit 122 acquires output information from the sensor 20 via the detection unit 110 and identifies the species of animal to be controlled based on the output information from the sensor 20. The motion estimation unit 124 then uses the results of the species identification unit 122 to identify the species of animal to be controlled and selects a machine learning model to output the speed and relative position (direction) of the animal after a certain period of time has elapsed (for example, the lag until the repellent sound is emitted from the sound source 40). For example, machine learning models built for each animal species are prepared in a storage area such as the storage device 1040, and the motion estimation unit 124 selects a machine learning model corresponding to the identified animal species and uses it to estimate the second relative speed.

[0074] According to the configuration of this modified example, the relative speed of the animal at the time the repellent sound is emitted from the sound source is estimated, taking into account the characteristics based on the type of animal to be controlled. Then, the frequency of the repellent sound is adjusted using the estimated relative speed. This makes it possible to more accurately prevent a weakening of the control effect of the repellent sound.

[0075] As a further modification, the motion estimation unit 124 may be configured to acquire environmental information indicating the surrounding environment (e.g., the target space S) and to estimate a second relative velocity using this environmental information. Here, "environmental information" is not particularly limited, but includes weather information such as rain, wind, and snow, and time of day information indicating time of day such as morning, evening, and night. Factors such as the intensity and time of day of rain, wind, and snow can affect the movement of the animals to be controlled. For example, in an environment with a strong headwind, the speed at which an animal moves may be slowed. Therefore, the motion estimation unit 124 may use such environmental information as an additional parameter to estimate the second relative velocity of the animals to be controlled. In this case, for example, when constructing a pre-prepared machine learning model, learning is performed using the environmental information as an input parameter.

[0076] According to this further modified configuration, the relative speed of the target animal can be estimated more accurately depending on the environment when the repellent sound is emitted from the sound source. As a result, the frequency of the repellent sound can be adjusted more appropriately from the sound source, thereby enhancing the pest control effect of the repellent sound.

[0077] The present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments described above, but the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, although the above embodiments show an example in which a fixed sound source 40 is used, a movable sound source 40 may be used. For example, the sound source 40 may be equipped with a self-propelled mechanism. Alternatively, the sound source 40 may be mounted on an aircraft such as a drone. In such cases, the detection unit 110 is configured to further acquire the movement control signal (a signal that controls the direction of movement, speed of movement, amount of movement, etc.) of the self-propelled mechanism or drone, and to use the movement control signal as one of the parameters for calculating the relative speed. With such a configuration, even if the sound source 40 is in a state in which it can move to any position, the detection unit 110 can calculate the relative speed between the sound source 40 and the animal to be controlled without any problems.

[0078] Furthermore, various modifications to the structure and details of this disclosure may be made that can be understood by those skilled in the art within the scope of this disclosure. Each embodiment may be combined with other embodiments as appropriate.

[0079] Furthermore, while the flowcharts used in the above description show multiple steps (processes) in sequence, the execution order of the steps performed in each embodiment is not limited to the order in which they are described. In each embodiment, the order of the illustrated steps can be changed to the extent that it does not impair the content.

[0080] Some or all of the above embodiments may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following: 1. A detection means for detecting the relative speed between the sound source and the animal, A frequency adjustment means that acquires sound data of a repellent sound to be emitted against the animal and adjusts the frequency of the sound data using the relative velocity, Sound source control means for controlling the sound source to emit the repellent sound with the adjusted frequency, An animal control device equipped with the following features. 2. The frequency adjustment means identifies the type of animal based on the output of a sensor that observes the surroundings, and acquires sound data corresponding to the identified type of animal. 1. The animal control device described in item 1. 3. If multiple animals exist, The detection means detects the relative velocity for each of the plurality of animals, The frequency adjustment means adjusts the frequency of the sound data using the relative speed of each of the plurality of animals. 1. or 2. Animal control device as described in 1. or 2. 4. The frequency adjustment means adjusts the frequency of the sound data based on the results of statistical processing based on the relative speed of each of the plurality of animals. 3. Animal control device as described in section 3. 5. The frequency adjustment means adjusts the frequency of the sound data for each of the multiple animals based on the relative speed of each of the animals. 3. Animal control device as described in section 3. 6. When multiple sound sources are provided, the sound source control means determines the sound source to be controlled from among the multiple sound sources using the relative direction between each of the multiple sound sources and the animal. An animal control device described in any one of items 1 through 5. 7. The sound source control means is For each of the aforementioned multiple sound sources, the dispersion of the animal's position in a predetermined direction is calculated. The sound source to be controlled is determined based on the variance calculated for each of the plurality of sound sources. The animal control device described in 6. 8. The sound source control means is If multiple animals exist, each animal is classified using the direction of movement based on the relative velocity to each sound source detected for each of the multiple animals. The sound source to be controlled is determined using the classification results of the multiple animals for each sound source. The animal control device described in 6. 9. The sound source control means acquires takeoff and landing information regarding the takeoff and landing of surrounding aircraft, and uses the takeoff and landing information to determine the sound source to be controlled. An animal control device described in any one of items 1 through 5. 10. The frequency adjustment means acquires sound data of multiple undesirable sounds with different frequencies, The sound source control means causes the sound source to emit a composite sound which is a mixture of the plurality of repellent sounds. An animal control device described in any one of items 1 through 9. 11. The frequency adjustment means is The second relative velocity of the animal at the timing when the repellent sound is emitted from the sound source is estimated using the trajectory of the animal's movement immediately prior to that time. The frequency of the sound data is adjusted using the second relative velocity. An animal control device described in any one of items 1 through 10. 12. The frequency adjustment means is The type of animal is identified based on the output of sensors that observe the surroundings. The second relative velocity of the animal at the timing when the repellent sound is emitted from the sound source is estimated using the identified animal species and the detected relative velocity. The frequency of the repellent sound is adjusted using the second relative velocity. An animal control device described in any one of items 1 through 10. 13. The frequency adjustment means is Further environmental information indicating the surrounding environment is acquired, The second relative velocity is estimated using the aforementioned environmental information. The animal control device described in 11. or 12. 14. Computers The relative speed between the sound source and the animal is detected. Acquire sound data of a repellent sound to be emitted against the aforementioned animal. The frequency of the sound data is adjusted using the aforementioned relative velocity. The sound source is controlled to emit the repellent sound whose frequency has been adjusted. Animal control methods that include the following. 15. By being executed by a computer, the computer, The relative speed between the sound source and the animal is detected. Acquire sound data of a repellent sound to be emitted against the aforementioned animal. The frequency of the sound data is adjusted using the aforementioned relative velocity. The sound source is controlled to emit the repellent sound whose frequency has been adjusted. A program that performs an action that includes the following.

[0081] Furthermore, some or all of the configurations described in Appendices 2 to 13, which are subordinate to Appendice 1 (Animal Control Device) mentioned above, may also be subordinate to Appendice 14 (Animal Control Method) and Appendice 15 (Program) in the same way as Appendices 2 to 13. Moreover, not limited to Appendices 1, 14, and 15, some or all of the configurations described as appendices may also be subordinate to various hardware, software, various recording means for recording software, or systems, without departing from the embodiments described above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1. Animal control system 10 Animal control devices 1000 computers 1010 Bus 1020 Processor 1030 memory 1040 Storage Devices 1050 Input / Output Interface 1060 Network Interfaces 110 Detection unit 120 Frequency adjustment section 122 Type identification section 124 Motion estimation section 130 Sound source control unit 20 sensors 30. Sound data storage unit 40 sound sources 42 First sound source 44 Second sound source

Claims

1. A detection means for detecting the relative speed between the sound source and the animal, A frequency adjustment means that acquires sound data of a repellent sound to be emitted against the animal and adjusts the frequency of the sound data using the relative velocity, Sound source control means for controlling the sound source to emit the repellent sound with the adjusted frequency, An animal control device equipped with the following features.

2. The frequency adjustment means identifies the type of animal based on the output of a sensor that observes the surroundings, and acquires sound data corresponding to the identified type of animal. The animal control device according to claim 1.

3. If multiple animals exist, The detection means detects the relative velocity for each of the plurality of animals, The frequency adjustment means adjusts the frequency of the sound data using the relative speed of each of the plurality of animals. The animal control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When multiple sound sources are provided, the sound source control means determines the sound source to be controlled from among the multiple sound sources using the relative direction between each of the multiple sound sources and the animal. The animal control device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The sound source control means acquires takeoff and landing information regarding the takeoff and landing of surrounding aircraft, and uses the takeoff and landing information to determine the sound source to be controlled. The animal control device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The frequency adjustment means acquires sound data of multiple undesirable sounds with different frequencies, The sound source control means causes the sound source to emit a composite sound which is a mixture of the plurality of repellent sounds. The animal control device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The frequency adjustment means is The second relative velocity of the animal at the timing when the repellent sound is emitted from the sound source is estimated using the trajectory of the animal's movement immediately prior to that time. The frequency of the sound data is adjusted using the second relative velocity. The animal control device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The frequency adjustment means is The type of animal is identified based on the output of sensors that observe the surroundings. The second relative velocity of the animal at the timing when the repellent sound is emitted from the sound source is estimated using the identified animal species and the detected relative velocity. The frequency of the deterrent sound is adjusted using the second relative velocity. The animal control device according to claim 1 or 2.

9. Computers The relative speed between the sound source and the animal is detected. Acquire sound data of a repellent sound to be emitted against the aforementioned animal. The frequency of the sound data is adjusted using the aforementioned relative velocity. The sound source is controlled to emit the repellent sound whose frequency has been adjusted. Animal control methods that include the following.

10. By being executed by a computer, the computer, The relative speed between the sound source and the animal is detected. Acquire sound data of a repellent sound to be emitted against the aforementioned animal. The frequency of the sound data is adjusted using the aforementioned relative velocity. The sound source is controlled to emit the repellent sound whose frequency has been adjusted. A program that performs an action that includes the following.

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