Information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program

Abstract

To provide an information processing device capable of estimating a posture and gravity center of a user using active acoustic sensing by attaching a smart device (or a pair of a speaker and a microphone) to an office chair and the like.SOLUTION: An information processing device comprises: an instruction unit which issues an instruction to output sound from a speaker attached to a prescribed object with which a user comes into contact in an arbitrary posture; and an estimation unit which estimates a posture of the user by using active acoustic sensing on the basis of sound acquired by a microphone attached to the prescribed object. The information processing device further comprises a learning unit which learns characteristics of sound per user's posture and constructs a model. The estimation unit also estimates the posture of the user by using the model.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and an information processing program. [Background technology]

[0002] An active acoustic sensing technology has been disclosed that recognizes hand gestures by attaching a speaker and microphone to the arm. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] Study on hand gesture recognition method using active acoustic sensing, Information Processing Society of Japan Research Report, August 6, 2016, [Retrieved November 22, 2021], Internet <URL:https: / / ipsj.ixsq.nii.ac.jp / ej / ?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=171767&item_no=1&attribute_id=1&file_no=1> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-mentioned conventional technology merely recognizes gestures, and there is room for providing more services to users. For example, the physical and mental stress on a user's body may differ depending on the user's posture and center of gravity (weight distribution, etc.) when sitting on the seat or back of a commercially available office chair or sofa.

[0005] The present application has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to detect the posture and center of gravity of a user using active acoustic sensing by attaching a smart device (or a pair of a speaker and a microphone) to an office chair or the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The information processing device according to the present application is a non-wearable device that a user touches with a part of their body in a predetermined position when touching. It is an artificial object Attached to a given object Smartphone a command unit that issues a command to output sound from a speaker; The smartphone an estimation unit that estimates the posture of the user using active acoustic sensing based on a sound acquired by a microphone; a providing unit that provides information about the estimation result of the user's posture; Equipped with When the smartphone is attached to the back or seat of a chair or seat on which the user is seated, the command unit issues a command to output sound from a speaker of the smartphone attached to the back or seat of the chair or seat, and the estimation unit uses active acoustic sensing based on the sound acquired by the microphone of the smartphone attached to the back or seat of the chair or seat to estimate the center of gravity of the user seated in the chair or seat, in addition to the forward / backward tilt, left / right tilt, leg crossing, and sitting depth of the user seated in the chair or seat, and the provision unit provides notification of an appropriate posture state for the purpose of posture correction, notification to prevent long periods of static sitting, and / or displays a posture log, based on the estimation results. It is characterized by: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the embodiment, a smart device (or a pair of a speaker and a microphone) can be attached to an office chair or the like, and the posture and center of gravity of the user can be detected by active acoustic sensing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of an information processing method according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a terminal device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a server device according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the user information database. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the history information database. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the posture information database. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an information processing device, an information processing method, and an information processing program according to the present application (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the information processing device, the information processing method, and the information processing program according to the present application are not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the same components in the following embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] [1. Overview of information processing method] First, an overview of an information processing method performed by an information processing device according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of an information processing method according to an embodiment. Note that Fig. 1 explains an example in which a smart device (or a pair of a speaker and a microphone) is attached to an office chair or the like and the posture and center of gravity of a user are detected by active acoustic sensing.

[0011] 1, the information processing system 1 includes a terminal device 10 and a server device 100. The terminal device 10 and the server device 100 are connected to each other via a network N (see FIG. 2) in a wired or wireless manner so as to be able to communicate with each other. In this embodiment, the terminal device 10 cooperates with the server device 100.

[0012] The terminal device 10 is a smart device such as a smartphone or tablet terminal used by a user U, and is a portable terminal device capable of communicating with any server device via a wireless communication network such as 4G (Generation (4G)) or LTE (Long Term Evolution) networks. The terminal device 10 has a screen such as a liquid crystal display with a touch panel function, and accepts various operations on displayed data such as content, such as tapping, sliding, and scrolling, performed by the user U with a finger or a stylus. An operation performed on an area of ​​the screen where content is displayed may be considered an operation on the content. The terminal device 10 may be not only a smart device, but also an information processing device such as a desktop PC (Personal Computer) or a notebook PC.

[0013] The server device 100 is an information processing device that works in conjunction with the terminal device 10 of each user U and provides API (Application Programming Interface) services for various applications (hereinafter referred to as apps) and various data to the terminal device 10 of each user U, and is realized by a computer, a cloud system, etc.

[0014] The server device 100 may also be an information processing device that provides some kind of online web service to the terminal device 10 of each user U. For example, the server device 100 may provide the following web services: internet connection, search service, social networking service (SNS), electronic commerce (EC), electronic payment, online games, online banking, online trading, hotel and ticket reservations, video and music distribution, news, maps, route search, route guidance, line information, operation information, and weather forecast. In practice, the server device 100 may cooperate with various servers that provide the above-mentioned web services and act as an intermediary for the web services or may be responsible for processing the web services.

[0015] The server device 100 can acquire user information about the user U. For example, the server device 100 acquires information about the attributes of the user U, such as the gender, age, and residential area of ​​the user U. The server device 100 then stores and manages the information about the attributes of the user U together with identification information (such as a user ID) that identifies the user U.

[0016] The server device 100 also acquires various types of history information (log data) indicating the behavior of the user U from the terminal device 10 of the user U or from various servers based on the user ID, etc. For example, the server device 100 acquires a location history, which is a history of the user U's location and date and time, from the terminal device 10. The server device 100 also acquires a search history, which is a history of search queries entered by the user U, from a search server (search engine). The server device 100 also acquires a browsing history, which is a history of content viewed by the user U, from a content server. The server device 100 also acquires a purchase history (payment history), which is a history of the user U's product purchases and payment processes, from an e-commerce server or a payment processing server. The server device 100 may also acquire a listing history and a sales history, which are a history of the user U's listings on the marketplace, from the e-commerce server or the payment processing server. The server device 100 also acquires a posting history, which is a history of the user U's posts, from a posting server or SNS server that provides a word-of-mouth posting service.

[0017] [1-1. Posture estimation using active acoustic sensing] Generally, active acoustic sensing technology generates an acoustic signal using a speaker and captures the reverberant sound and sound propagating through the enclosure as an acoustic signal using a microphone.The captured acoustic signal is then analyzed using FFT (Fast Fourier Transformation), and the signal strength for each frequency band is used as a feature for machine learning.

[0018] In this embodiment, a smart device such as a smartphone (or a pair of a speaker and a microphone) is attached to an office chair, sofa, cushion, pillow, etc., and the user's posture (for example, leaning forward / backward, leaning left / right, crossing legs, sitting depth, etc.) is estimated using active acoustic sensing technology. Here, an office chair will be used as an example.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 1, the server device 100 issues a command (instruction) via a network N (see Fig. 2) to output sound from a terminal device 10 or a speaker SK attached to the back or seat of an office chair CR in which each user U is seated (step S1). The command (instruction) may be data or a signal. If the speaker SK is independent of the terminal device 10, the server device 100 may directly command the speaker SK to output sound.

[0020] Next, the terminal device 10 of the user U receives a command from the server device 100 and outputs sound from the terminal device 10 or a speaker SK attached to the back or seat of the office chair CR (step S2). For example, the speaker SK is a vibration speaker that can be used for active acoustic sensing. The speaker SK may be externally attached to the surface of the housing of the terminal device 10, or may be built into or mounted in the housing of the terminal device 10.

[0021] Next, the terminal device 10 of the user U acquires the sound using the terminal device 10 or a microphone MK attached to the back or seat of the office chair CR (step S3). For example, the microphone MK is a piezo microphone that can be used for active acoustic sensing. The microphone MK may be externally attached to the surface of the housing of the terminal device 10, or may be built into or mounted in the housing of the terminal device 10.

[0022] Furthermore, the terminal device 10 that outputs sound (the terminal device 10 as a speaker SK) and the terminal device 10 that acquires sound (the terminal device 10 as a microphone MK) may be different terminal devices 10 (separate terminal devices 10). That is, two terminal devices 10, one as a speaker terminal device 10 and the other as a microphone terminal device 10, may be used.

[0023] Next, the terminal device 10 of the user U transmits information about the sound acquired by the microphone MK to the server device 100 via the network N (see FIG. 2) (step S4). If the microphone MK is independent from the terminal device 10, the microphone MK may directly transmit information about the acquired sound to the server device 100.

[0024] Next, the server device 100 receives information about the sound captured by the microphone MK from the terminal device 10 of each user U, and estimates the posture of each user U seated in the office chair CR using active acoustic sensing (step S5). At this time, the server device 100 may use active acoustic sensing to estimate the posture of each user U (e.g., leaning forward / backward, leaning left / right, crossing legs, sitting deeply, etc.), as well as the center of gravity of each user U seated in the office chair CR (such as how much weight is being distributed). Furthermore, the server device 100 may estimate the posture of each user U, thereby estimating the center of gravity of the user U in that posture.

[0025] The server device 100 may estimate the posture of the user U based on the sound characteristics (properties) for each posture of the user U while seated in the office chair CR. In this case, the server device 100 constructs (generates and updates) a model that has learned the sound characteristics for each posture of the user U, and estimates the posture of the user U using the model. When the posture of the user U changes, the acoustic characteristics of the office chair CR change.

[0026] For example, the server device 100 constructs a model by learning the characteristics of the sound (output sound) output from a speaker SK and the characteristics of the sound (acquired sound) acquired by a microphone MK when the terminal device 10 (or a pair of speaker and microphone) is attached to an office chair CR in which the user U is seated. In this case, the server device 100 constructs a model by learning the characteristics of the acquired sound (or both the characteristics of the output sound and the characteristics of the acquired sound). Alternatively, the server device 100 constructs a model by learning the difference between the output sound and the acquired sound.

[0027] That is, a smartphone or the like is attached to a chair, and the server device 100 has the user assume various postures while constructing a model that learns the characteristics of the acquired sound (or the characteristics of the difference between the output sound and the acquired sound).The server device 100 then estimates the posture of the user U using the model and outputs a message encouraging better posture. The message is associated with the posture, and a message corresponding to the posture may simply be output.

[0028] For example, a smartphone or the like is attached to the back of a chair, and the server device 100 constructs a model that learns the characteristics of the acquired sound (or the characteristics of the difference between the output sound and the acquired sound) while the user sits and assumes various postures. Then, the server device 100 may use the model to estimate the sitting posture of the user U (posture when sitting).

[0029] Furthermore, the server device 100 may construct a model that learns the above sound characteristics for each installation position (mounting location) of the terminal device 10 (or a speaker and microphone pair) on the office chair CR, and may use the model to estimate the posture of the user U. Specifically, the server device 100 may construct a model that learns pairs of the installation position on the office chair CR and the sound characteristics for each posture of the user U, and may use the model to estimate the posture of the user U. The acoustic characteristics also change depending on the location (place, part, portion) on the backrest or seat of the office chair CR where the terminal device 10 (or a speaker and microphone pair) is attached. The acoustic characteristics also change depending on whether the installation position is on the outside or inside of the office chair CR.

[0030] Furthermore, the server device 100 may construct a model that learns the above sound characteristics for each type (model, model number, etc.) of the terminal device 10 (or speaker and microphone pair) attached to the office chair CR, and use the model to estimate the posture of the user U. Acoustic characteristics also change depending on the device that outputs or acquires sound.

[0031] Furthermore, the server device 100 may build a model by learning the above sound characteristics for each office chair CR. Specifically, the server device 100 may build a model by learning the above sound characteristics for each type (shape, size, material, etc.) of office chair CR. For example, the server device 100 may ask the user U to select the chair he or she uses, and build a model that outputs the "posture" when the "model number," "installation position," and "sound" of the chair are input.

[0032] In addition to the sound characteristics, the server device 100 may also learn the indoor location of the office chair CR (by the window, near the doorway, in the center of the seat) to build a model. In addition to the sound characteristics, the server device 100 may also learn the relationships between the user U and other users seated around him (boss / colleague / senior / junior, etc., and the intimacy with these people) to build a model. The user's posture may also change depending on the seat position and the relationship with nearby people.

[0033] Furthermore, it is preferable that the server device 100 perform user calibration. Specifically, the server device 100 learns from data of an unspecified number of users up to a certain point (a predetermined stage) to build a model for all users, and when sufficient data for each user has been accumulated, it performs calibration for each user to build a model for each individual user. For example, the server device 100 may build a global model for all users and then build a local model for each user based on the global model.

[0034] At this time, the server device 100 may construct the model using a federated learning technique. For example, the server device 100 may provide a global model to each user, have each user learn based on the global model to construct a local model, and acquire parameter differences and the like.

[0035] Furthermore, the server device 100 may estimate the sleeping state (or sleeping posture) of the user U, not limited to the sitting posture of the user U. For example, the terminal device 10 (or a pair of a speaker and a microphone) may be attached to a cushion, pillow, or the like, not limited to the office chair CR, and the server device 100 may learn the sleeping state of the user U and sound characteristics to construct a model, and estimate the sleeping state from the sound using the model.

[0036] That is, a smartphone or the like is attached to a pillow, and the server device 100 has the user assume various postures while constructing a model that learns the characteristics of the acquired sound (or the characteristics of the difference between the output sound and the acquired sound).The server device 100 then estimates the posture of the user U using the model and outputs a message encouraging the user U to adopt a better posture. The message is associated with the posture, and a message corresponding to the posture may simply be output.

[0037] For example, the server device 100 may construct a model that learns the characteristics of the acquired sound (or the characteristics of the difference between the output sound and the acquired sound) while the user is lying down (sleeping) in various positions by placing a smartphone or the like inside a pillow. Then, the server device 100 may use the model to estimate the sleeping condition (or sleeping posture) of the user U.

[0038] The server device 100 may also estimate the degree of wear of a material that the user U comes into contact with. For example, the terminal device 10 (or a pair of a speaker and a microphone) may be attached to a cushion material, and the server device 100 may learn the degree of wear of the cushion material and sound characteristics to construct a model, and use the model to estimate the degree of wear of the cushion material from the sound.

[0039] In this embodiment, a smart device (or a pair of a speaker and a microphone) is attached to (or built into) the seat or back of a commercially available office chair or sofa to perform active acoustic sensing, thereby estimating the user's posture and center of gravity while seated. Based on the estimation results, the device provides notifications for appropriate posture states aimed at correcting posture, notifications to prevent prolonged static sitting, and posture logs. Note that office chairs and sofas are merely examples. In practice, the device may be an indoor or outdoor bench, a customer seat in a store or facility, a driver's seat in a vehicle, or a seat on a ship or airplane. It may also be a staircase or step where seating is possible, or a natural object such as a fallen tree or rock. It may also be a wall or pillar where the user can lean their back against while seated. In other words, it may be any object on which the user can sit.

[0040] Additionally, by attaching (or incorporating) a smart device (or a pair of speakers and microphones) to (or incorporating) soft objects such as commercially available cushions, pillows, futons, and mats, active acoustic sensing can be performed to estimate how the head is placed on the cushion or pillow, as well as the user's sleeping posture and whether they turn over in bed. The estimation results can then be used to sense the sleep state and determine the degree of wear of the cushion material (such as a decrease in resilience). Note that cushions, pillows, futons, and mats are only examples. In reality, tatami mats, carpets, sleeping bags, floor surfaces, etc., could also be used. In other words, any object that the user's body comes into contact with for a long period of time when lying down can be used.

[0041] In this embodiment, a speaker SK capable of outputting sound containing a predetermined wavelength and a microphone MK capable of acquiring the sound output by the speaker SK are attached to a predetermined object, such as an office chair or cushion, that a target user U comes into contact with. The server device 100 then estimates the user's posture based on the characteristics of the sound (acquired sound) acquired by the microphone MK attached to the predetermined object that the user U comes into contact with. This allows the server device 100 to estimate the posture of the user U who is in a remote location. Furthermore, the server device 100 can notify the user U of postures that the user U is not aware of or has problematic postures, for example.

[0042] In practice, in the above embodiment, the server device 100 may be replaced by another terminal device 10 located at a remote location or the terminal device 10 of the target user U itself. In other words, the subject of the process is not limited to the server device 100, but the other terminal device 10 or the terminal device 10 of the target user U itself may estimate the posture of the user U using active acoustic sensing.

[0043] For example, the other terminal device 10 estimates the posture of the user U using active acoustic sensing, in which sound is output from the terminal device 10 or a speaker SK attached to the back or seat of the office chair on which the user U is seated, and the sound is acquired by the terminal device 10 or a microphone MK attached to the back or seat of the office chair on which the user U is seated. This allows the other terminal device 10 to estimate the posture of the user U who is in a remote location. For example, the other terminal device 10 can estimate the posture of a person with whom the other terminal device 10 is communicating in real time via a smartphone, online, etc.

[0044] Furthermore, the terminal device 10 of the user U estimates the posture of the user U using active acoustic sensing, in which sound is output from the terminal device 10 or a speaker SK attached to the back or seat of the office chair, and the sound is acquired by the terminal device 10 or a microphone MK attached to the back or seat of the office chair. This allows the terminal device 10 of the user U to perform self-diagnosis of its own posture. Furthermore, the terminal device 10 of the user U can notify the user U of postures that the user U is not aware of, or problematic postures, for example.

[0045] [2. Example of information processing system configuration] Next, a configuration of an information processing system 1 including a server device 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing system 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the information processing system 1 according to an embodiment includes a terminal device 10 and a server device 100. These various devices are connected to each other via a network N so as to be able to communicate with each other via a wired or wireless connection. The network N is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network) such as the Internet.

[0046] Furthermore, the number of devices included in the information processing system 1 shown in Fig. 2 is not limited to that shown in the figure. For example, in Fig. 2, for the sake of simplicity, only one terminal device 10 is shown, but this is merely an example and is not limiting, and two or more devices may be included.

[0047] The terminal device 10 is an information processing device used by a user U. For example, the terminal device 10 is a smart device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, a feature phone, a PC (Personal Computer), a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a game console or AV device with a communication function, a car navigation system, a wearable device such as a smart watch or a head-mounted display, smart glasses, etc.

[0048] In addition, the terminal device 10 can connect to the network N via a wireless communication network such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), or 5G (5th Generation: 5th generation mobile communication system), or via short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or wireless LAN (Local Area Network), and communicate with the server device 100.

[0049] The server device 100 is, for example, a computer such as a PC or a blade server, or a mainframe or a workstation, etc. The server device 100 may be realized by cloud computing.

[0050] [3. Example of terminal device configuration] Next, the configuration of the terminal device 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the terminal device 10. As shown in Fig. 3, the terminal device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a display unit 12, an input unit 13, a positioning unit 14, a sensor unit 20, a control unit 30 (controller), and a storage unit 40.

[0051] (Communications Department 11) The communication unit 11 is connected to a network N (see FIG. 2) by wire or wirelessly, and transmits and receives information to and from the server device 100 via the network N. For example, the communication unit 11 is realized by a NIC (Network Interface Card), an antenna, etc.

[0052] (Display section 12) Display unit 12 is a display device that displays various information such as position information. For example, display unit 12 is a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electro-luminescent display (OLED). Display unit 12 is also a touch panel display, but is not limited to this.

[0053] (Input section 13) The input unit 13 is an input device that accepts various operations from the user U. For example, the input unit 13 has buttons for inputting characters, numbers, etc. The input unit 13 may be an input / output port (I / O port), a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, etc. If the display unit 12 is a touch panel display, a part of the display unit 12 functions as the input unit 13. The input unit 13 may be a microphone that accepts voice input from the user U. The microphone may be wireless.

[0054] (Positioning unit 14) The positioning unit 14 receives signals (radio waves) transmitted from satellites of a GPS (Global Positioning System), and acquires position information (e.g., latitude and longitude) indicating the current position of the terminal device 10, which is the device itself, based on the received signals. That is, the positioning unit 14 positions the position of the terminal device 10. Note that GPS is merely an example of a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System).

[0055] The positioning unit 14 can also measure the position using various methods other than GPS. For example, the positioning unit 14 may measure the position by using various communication functions of the terminal device 10 as an auxiliary positioning means for position correction, etc., as described below.

[0056] (Wi-Fi positioning) For example, the positioning unit 14 uses a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) communication function of the terminal device 10 or a communication network provided by each communication company to measure the position of the terminal device 10. Specifically, the positioning unit 14 performs Wi-Fi communication or the like and measures the distance to a nearby base station or access point, thereby measuring the position of the terminal device 10.

[0057] (Beacon positioning) The positioning unit 14 may also measure the position by using a Bluetooth (registered trademark) function of the terminal device 10. For example, the positioning unit 14 measures the position of the terminal device 10 by connecting to a beacon transmitter connected by the Bluetooth (registered trademark) function.

[0058] (geomagnetic positioning) The positioning unit 14 also measures the position of the terminal device 10 based on a geomagnetic pattern of a structure that has been measured in advance and a geomagnetic sensor that the terminal device 10 has.

[0059] (RFID positioning) Furthermore, for example, if the terminal device 10 has a function of an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag equivalent to a contactless IC card used at station ticket gates, in stores, etc., or has a function of reading an RFID tag, the location where the terminal device 10 was used is recorded together with information on the payment or the like made by the terminal device 10. The positioning unit 14 may obtain such information to determine the location of the terminal device 10. Alternatively, the location may be determined by an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, or the like provided in the terminal device 10.

[0060] The positioning unit 14 may measure the position of the terminal device 10 using one or a combination of the above-mentioned positioning means, as needed.

[0061] (Sensor unit 20) The sensor unit 20 includes various sensors mounted on or connected to the terminal device 10. The connection may be wired or wireless. For example, the sensors may be detection devices other than the terminal device 10, such as wearable devices or wireless devices. In the example shown in FIG. 3 , the sensor unit 20 includes an acceleration sensor 21, a gyro sensor 22, a barometric pressure sensor 23, a temperature sensor 24, a sound sensor 25, a light sensor 26, a magnetic sensor 27, and an image sensor (camera) 28.

[0062] The above-described sensors 21 to 28 are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. That is, the sensor unit 20 may be configured to include some of the sensors 21 to 28, or may include other sensors such as a humidity sensor in addition to or instead of the sensors 21 to 28.

[0063] The acceleration sensor 21 is, for example, a three-axis acceleration sensor, and detects physical movements of the terminal device 10, such as the direction of movement, speed, and acceleration of the terminal device 10. The gyro sensor 22 detects physical movements of the terminal device 10, such as tilt in three axial directions, based on the angular velocity of the terminal device 10. The air pressure sensor 23 detects, for example, the air pressure around the terminal device 10.

[0064] Since the terminal device 10 includes the acceleration sensor 21, the gyro sensor 22, the atmospheric pressure sensor 23, etc., it is possible to measure the position of the terminal device 10 using a technique such as Pedestrian Dead-Reckoning (PDR) that uses these sensors 21 to 23. This makes it possible to obtain indoor position information that is difficult to obtain using a positioning system such as GPS.

[0065] For example, the number of steps, walking speed, and distance walked can be calculated using a pedometer that uses the acceleration sensor 21. In addition, the direction of travel, line of sight, and body tilt of the user U can be determined using the gyro sensor 22. In addition, the altitude and floor on which the terminal device 10 of the user U is located can be determined from the air pressure detected by the air pressure sensor 23.

[0066] The temperature sensor 24 detects, for example, the temperature around the terminal device 10. The sound sensor 25 detects, for example, the sound around the terminal device 10. The light sensor 26 detects the illuminance around the terminal device 10. The magnetic sensor 27 detects, for example, the geomagnetism around the terminal device 10. The image sensor 28 captures an image around the terminal device 10.

[0067] The above-mentioned air pressure sensor 23, temperature sensor 24, sound sensor 25, light sensor 26, and image sensor 28 can detect the air pressure, temperature, sound, and illuminance, respectively, and capture images of the surroundings, thereby detecting the environment and situation around the terminal device 10. Furthermore, the accuracy of the location information of the terminal device 10 can be improved based on the environment and situation around the terminal device 10.

[0068] (control unit 30) The control unit 30 includes, for example, a microcomputer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM, input / output ports, etc., and various other circuits. The control unit 30 may also be configured with hardware such as an integrated circuit, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The control unit 30 includes a transmitting unit 31, a receiving unit 32, and a processing unit 33.

[0069] (Transmitter 31) The transmission unit 31 can transmit, for example, various information input by the user U using the input unit 13, various information detected by each sensor 21 to 28 mounted on or connected to the terminal device 10, and location information of the terminal device 10 measured by the positioning unit 14 to the server device 100 via the communication unit 11.

[0070] (Receiving unit 32) The receiving unit 32 can receive various types of information provided by the server device 100 and requests for various types of information from the server device 100 via the communication unit 11.

[0071] (Processing unit 33) The processing unit 33 controls the entire terminal device 10, including the display unit 12. For example, the processing unit 33 can output various information transmitted by the transmitting unit 31 and various information received from the server device 100 by the receiving unit 32 to the display unit 12 for display.

[0072] In this embodiment, the processing unit 33 outputs sound (output sound) from the terminal device 10 or speaker SK attached to the back or seat of the office chair, and acquires sound (acquired sound) from the terminal device 10 or microphone MK attached to the back or seat of the office chair. At this time, the processing unit 33 may output sound from the speaker SK in response to a command to output sound from the speaker SK received by the receiving unit 32 from the server device 100 or another terminal device 10. The processing unit 33 may also transmit information about the sound acquired by the microphone MK from the transmitting unit 31 to the server device 100 or another terminal device 10.

[0073] (Storage unit 40) The storage unit 40 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a flash memory, or a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), an optical disk, etc. The storage unit 40 stores various programs, various data, etc.

[0074] [4. Server device configuration example] Next, the configuration of the server device 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the server device 100 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the server device 100 includes a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a control unit 130.

[0075] (Communication unit 110) The communication unit 110 is realized by, for example, a network interface card (NIC), etc. The communication unit 110 is also connected to a network N (see FIG. 2) by wire or wirelessly.

[0076] (Storage unit 120) The storage unit 120 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a flash memory, or a storage device such as an HDD, an SSD, an optical disk, etc. As shown in FIG. 4 , the storage unit 120 has a user information database 121, a history information database 122, and a posture information database 123.

[0077] (User Information Database 121) The user information database 121 stores user information about the user U. For example, the user information database 121 stores various information such as the attributes of the user U. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the user information database 121. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the user information database 121 has items such as "User ID (Identifier)," "Age," "Gender," "Home," "Workplace," and "Interests."

[0078] The "user ID" indicates identification information for identifying the user U. The "user ID" may be the contact information of the user U (telephone number, email address, etc.), or may be identification information for identifying the terminal device 10 of the user U.

[0079] Furthermore, "age" indicates the age of user U identified by the user ID. Note that "age" may be information indicating the specific age of user U (e.g., 35 years old), or may be information indicating the generation of user U (e.g., 30s). Alternatively, "age" may be information indicating the date of birth of user U, or may be information indicating the generation of user U (e.g., born in the 1980s). Furthermore, "gender" indicates the gender of user U identified by the user ID.

[0080] Furthermore, "home" indicates the location information of the home of user U identified by the user ID. In the example shown in FIG. 5, "home" is illustrated as an abstract code such as "LC11," but it may also be latitude and longitude information, etc. Furthermore, for example, "home" may also be the name of an area or an address.

[0081] Furthermore, "workplace" indicates location information of the workplace (school in the case of a student) of user U identified by the user ID. In the example shown in FIG. 5, "workplace" is illustrated as an abstract code such as "LC12," but it may also be latitude and longitude information, etc. Furthermore, for example, "workplace" may also be the name of a region or an address.

[0082] Furthermore, "interests" indicate the interests of user U identified by the user ID. In other words, "interests" indicate subjects in which user U identified by the user ID is highly interested. For example, "interests" may be search queries (keywords) entered by user U into a search engine. In the example shown in FIG. 5, each user U is shown with one "interest," but there may be multiple "interests."

[0083] For example, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the age of user U identified by user ID "U1" is "20s" and the gender is "male." Furthermore, for example, the home address of user U identified by user ID "U1" is "LC11." Furthermore, for example, the workplace of user U identified by user ID "U1" is "LC12." Furthermore, for example, the user U identified by user ID "U1" is interested in "sports."

[0084] 5, abstract values ​​such as "U1", "LC11", and "LC12" are used for illustration, but "U1", "LC11", and "LC12" are assumed to store information such as specific character strings and numerical values. Below, abstract values ​​may also be illustrated in diagrams relating to other information.

[0085] The user information database 121 may store various types of information depending on the purpose, without being limited to the above. For example, the user information database 121 may store various types of information related to the terminal device 10 of the user U. The user information database 121 may also store information related to the user U's attributes, such as demographic attributes, psychographic attributes, geographic attributes, and behavioral attributes. For example, the user information database 121 may store information such as name, family structure, hometown (hometown), occupation, job title, income, qualifications, type of residence (detached house, apartment, etc.), whether or not the user has a car, commuting time, commuting route, commuter pass area (station, line, etc.), frequently used stations (other than the station nearest to home or workplace), extracurricular activities (location, time zone, etc.), hobbies, interests, lifestyle, etc.

[0086] (History Information Database 122) The history information database 122 stores various information related to history information (log data) that indicates the behavior of the user U. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the history information database 122. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the history information database 122 has items such as "user ID," "location history," "search history," "browsing history," "purchase history," and "posting history."

[0087] "User ID" indicates identification information for identifying user U. "Location history" indicates the location history, which is the history of user U's location and movements. "Search history" indicates the search history, which is the history of search queries entered by user U. "Browsing history" indicates the browsing history, which is the history of content viewed by user U. "Purchase history" indicates the purchase history, which is the history of purchases made by user U. "Posting history" indicates the posting history, which is the history of posts made by user U. "Posting history" may also include questions about user U's possessions.

[0088] For example, in the example shown in Figure 6, user U, identified by user ID "U1," moved as shown in "Location History #1," searched as shown in "Search History #1," viewed content as shown in "Viewing History #1," purchased specific products at specific stores as shown in "Purchase History #1," and posted as shown in "Posting History."

[0089] Here, in the example shown in Figure 6, abstract values ​​such as "U1", "Location History #1", "Search History #1", "Browsing History #1", "Purchase History #1", and "Post History #1" are used for the illustration, but "U1", "Location History #1", "Search History #1", "Browsing History #1", "Purchase History #1", and "Post History #1" are assumed to store specific information such as character strings and numbers.

[0090] The history information database 122 is not limited to the above and may store various types of information depending on the purpose. For example, the history information database 122 may store the user U's usage history of a predetermined service. The history information database 122 may also store the user U's store visit history or facility visit history. The history information database 122 may also store the user U's payment history (electronic payment) using the terminal device 10.

[0091] (Posture Information Database 123) Posture information database 123 stores various information related to the estimation results of the posture of user U. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of posture information database 123. In the example shown in Fig. 7, posture information database 123 has items such as "user ID," "object," "installation position," "output sound," "acquired sound," and "posture."

[0092] The "user ID" indicates identification information for identifying the user U. The "object" indicates a predetermined object that the user U is in contact with, and to which the terminal device 10 (or a speaker and microphone pair) is attached. For example, the object is an office chair, a sofa, a cushion, a pillow, etc.

[0093] Furthermore, the "installation position" indicates the location (place, part, portion) where the terminal device 10 (or a pair of speaker and microphone) is attached to a predetermined object. The installation position may be information indicating whether the installation position is outside or inside the predetermined object. The installation position may also be a coordinate position in a three-dimensional space related to the predetermined object. The installation position may also be information indicating separately the location where the speaker is attached (speaker position) and the location where the microphone is attached (microphone position).

[0094] Furthermore, "output sound" refers to the characteristics of sound (output sound) output from a terminal device 10 or speaker SK attached to a predetermined location (installation position) of a predetermined object. Furthermore, "acquired sound" refers to the characteristics of sound (acquired sound) acquired by a terminal device 10 or microphone NK attached to a predetermined position of a predetermined object.

[0095] Furthermore, "posture" indicates the posture of the user U in contact with a predetermined object. The posture of the user U is linked to the characteristics of the acquired sound (or the characteristics of the difference between the output sound and the acquired sound).

[0096] For example, in the example shown in Figure 7, when a user U identified by user ID "U1" sits on (touches) a specific object, a "chair," a sound indicated as "output sound #1" is output from the terminal device 10 or speaker SK attached to the "installation position #1" of the "chair," and a sound indicated as "acquired sound #1" is acquired by the terminal device 10 or microphone MK attached to the "installation position #1" of the "chair," and as a result of active acoustic sensing, the posture "posture #1" of user U while sitting on (touching) the "chair" is estimated.

[0097] Here, in the example shown in Figure 7, abstract values ​​such as "U1," "installation position #1," "output sound #1," "acquired sound #1," and "posture #1" are used for the illustration, but it is assumed that specific information such as character strings and numerical values ​​is stored in "U1," "installation position #1," "output sound #1," "acquired sound #1," and "posture #1."

[0098] The posture information database 123 is not limited to the above and may store various types of information depending on the purpose. For example, the posture information database 123 may store a model constructed by learning the characteristics of the acquired sound (or the characteristics of the difference between the output sound and the acquired sound). The posture information database 123 may also store items to be adjusted based on the posture estimation result. The posture information database 123 may also store information on the type of the terminal device 10 (or the speaker and microphone) attached to a predetermined object.

[0099] (control unit 130) Returning to Fig. 4, the explanation will be continued. The control unit 130 is a controller, and is realized by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like, executing various programs (corresponding to examples of information processing programs) stored in a storage device inside the server device 100 using a storage area such as a RAM as a working area. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the control unit 130 has an acquisition unit 131, an instruction unit 132, an estimation unit 133, a learning unit 134, an adjustment unit 135, and a provision unit 136.

[0100] (Acquisition part 131) The acquisition unit 131 acquires a search query input by the user U. For example, when the user U inputs a search query into a search engine or the like to perform a keyword search, the acquisition unit 131 acquires the search query via the communication unit 110. That is, the acquisition unit 131 acquires, via the communication unit 110, the keywords input by the user U into the search box of a search engine, website, or app.

[0101] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 131 acquires user information about the user U via the communication unit 110. For example, the acquisition unit 131 acquires identification information (such as a user ID) indicating the user U, location information of the user U, attribute information of the user U, etc. from the terminal device 10 of the user U. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 131 may acquire the identification information indicating the user U, attribute information of the user U, etc. when registering the user U. Then, the acquisition unit 131 registers the user information in the user information database 121 of the storage unit 120.

[0102] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 131 acquires various types of history information (log data) indicating the behavior of the user U via the communication unit 110. For example, the acquisition unit 131 acquires various types of history information indicating the behavior of the user U from the terminal device 10 of the user U or from various servers based on the user ID or the like. Then, the acquisition unit 131 registers the various types of history information in the history information database 122 of the storage unit 120.

[0103] (Instruction part 132) The command unit 132 issues a command to output sound from a speaker SK attached to a predetermined object that the user U comes into contact with in any posture, via the communication unit 110. For example, the command unit 132 issues a command to output sound from the terminal device 10 or speaker SK attached to the backrest or seat of an office chair on which the target user U is seated, via the communication unit 110.

[0104] (Estimation part 133) The estimation unit 133 estimates the posture of the user U using active acoustic sensing based on the sound acquired by the microphone MK attached to a predetermined object. For example, the estimation unit 133 estimates the posture of the user U based on the sound characteristics for each posture of the user U.

[0105] (Learning Section 134) The learning unit 134 builds a model by learning sound features for each posture of the user U. At this time, the estimation unit 133 estimates the posture of the user U using the model.

[0106] For example, the learning unit 134 constructs a model by learning the characteristics of the acquired sound acquired by the microphone MK when the user U is in contact with a specified object in an arbitrary posture, or by learning both the characteristics of the output sound output from the speaker SP and the characteristics of the acquired sound acquired by the microphone MK.

[0107] Alternatively, the learning unit 134 constructs a model by learning the difference between the characteristics of the output sound output from the speaker SP when the user U is in any posture and in contact with a specified object and the characteristics of the acquired sound acquired by the microphone MK.

[0108] Furthermore, the learning unit 134 learns sound characteristics for each posture of the user U for each location where a speaker SP and a microphone MK are attached to a predetermined object, and constructs a model.

[0109] At this time, the learning unit 134 learns sound characteristics for each posture of the user U for each type of predetermined object and constructs a model.

[0110] Furthermore, the learning unit 134 learns sound characteristics for each sitting posture of the user U while the user U is seated on a predetermined object, and constructs a model.

[0111] Furthermore, the learning unit 134 learns sound characteristics for each sleeping posture of the user U while the user U is lying down in contact with a predetermined object, and constructs a model.

[0112] Furthermore, the learning unit 134 learns the degree of wear of the material of the predetermined object and the characteristics of the sound acquired by the microphone MK to construct a model.

[0113] (Adjustment section 135) The adjustment unit 135 performs various controls based on the posture estimation result of each user U. For example, the adjustment unit 135 may shift the position of the seat (slide the seat) or adjust the angle of the seat back (adjust the seat reclining angle) based on the posture estimation result. Furthermore, if the repulsive force of the seat back or seat surface is adjustable, the adjustment unit 135 may adjust the repulsive force of the seat back or seat surface based on the posture estimation result. Note that the adjustment is not limited to the seat back or seat surface, but may also be a cushion, pillow, futon, bed, etc.

[0114] (Provider 136) The providing unit 136 provides information relating to the estimation result of the posture of each user U via the communication unit 110 to the terminal device 10 of that user U (or the terminal device 10 of the other party communicating with that terminal device).

[0115] For example, the providing unit 136 may output a message encouraging each user U to adopt a better posture to the terminal device 10 of the user U based on the posture estimation result of the user U via the communication unit 110. The message is associated with the posture, and a message corresponding to the posture may simply be output.

[0116] [5. Processing Procedure] Next, a processing procedure performed by the terminal device 10 and the server device 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure according to the embodiment. Note that the processing procedure shown below is repeatedly executed by the control unit 30 of the terminal device 10 and the control unit 130 of the server device 100.

[0117] 8, the command unit 132 of the server device 100 issues a command to the terminal device 10 or speaker SK attached to the back or seat of the office chair in which the target user U is seated, via the communication unit 110, to output sound from the terminal device 10 or speaker SK attached to the back or seat of the office chair (step S101). At this time, the terminal device 10 or speaker SK attached to the back or seat of the office chair outputs sound.

[0118] Next, the estimation unit 133 of the server device 100 receives the sound acquired by the terminal device 10 or the microphone MK attached to the backrest or seat of the office chair via the communication unit 110 (step S102). At this time, the terminal device 10 or the microphone MK attached to the backrest or seat of the office chair acquires the sound output from the speaker SK and transmits information about the acquired sound to the server device 100.

[0119] Next, the estimation unit 133 of the server device 100 estimates the posture of the user U using active acoustic sensing based on the sound acquired by the terminal device 10 or the microphone MK attached to the back or seat of the office chair (step S103).

[0120] Next, the learning unit 134 of the server device 100 constructs (generates and updates) a model that has learned the sound characteristics for each posture of the user U (step S104). Then, the estimation unit 133 of the server device 100 estimates the posture of the user U using the model.

[0121] Next, the learning unit 134 of the server device 100 constructs a model that learns sound characteristics for each posture of the user U for each installation position (mounting location) of the terminal device 10 (or a pair of speaker and microphone) on the office chair CR (step S105). Then, the estimation unit 133 of the server device 100 estimates the posture of the user U using the model.

[0122] Next, the learning unit 134 of the server device 100 constructs a model that learns sound characteristics for each posture of the user U for each office chair CR (step S106). Then, the estimation unit 133 of the server device 100 estimates the posture of the user U using the model.

[0123] Next, the learning unit 134 of the server device 100 performs user calibration (step S107). Specifically, the learning unit 134 learns from data of an unspecified number of users up to a certain point (a predetermined stage) to build a model of all users, and when sufficient data of each user has been accumulated, the learning unit 134 performs calibration for each user to build a model of each individual user. Then, the estimation unit 133 of the server device 100 estimates the posture of the user U using the model.

[0124] Next, the adjustment unit 135 of the server device 100 performs various controls based on the estimation result of the posture of each user U (step S108).

[0125] Next, the providing unit 136 of the server device 100 provides information regarding the posture estimation results of each user U to the terminal device 10 of that user U (or the terminal device 10 of the other party communicating with that terminal device) via the communication unit 110 (step S109).

[0126] [6. Modifications] The terminal device 10 and the server device 100 described above may be implemented in various different forms other than the above embodiment. Therefore, modifications of the embodiment will be described below.

[0127] In the above embodiment, some or all of the processing executed by the server device 100 may actually be executed by the terminal device 10. For example, the processing may be completed in a stand-alone manner (by the terminal device 10 alone). In this case, the terminal device 10 is assumed to have the functions of the server device 100 in the above embodiment. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the terminal device 10 is linked to the server device 100, and therefore, from the perspective of the user U, it appears that the processing of the server device 100 is also being executed by the terminal device 10. In other words, from another perspective, the terminal device 10 can also be said to be equipped with the server device 100.

[0128] In the above embodiment, a plurality of speakers SK and a plurality of microphones MK may be attached to a predetermined object, such as an office chair. The number of speakers SK and the number of microphones MK do not need to be the same. Each of the speakers SK and the microphones MK may be a terminal device 10. For example, sound output from a terminal device 10 or a single speaker SK attached to the back or seat of an office chair may be acquired by multiple microphones NK attached to the back or seat of the office chair. Conversely, sound output from terminal devices 10 or speakers SK attached to multiple locations, such as the back or seat of an office chair, may be acquired by a terminal device 10 or a single microphone NK attached to the back or seat of the office chair. Note that if the microphone MK cannot properly acquire sound when multiple speakers SK are output simultaneously, the timing at which the sounds are output from each speaker SK may be shifted. In this case, the server device 100 may estimate the posture of the user U based on which speaker SK output the sound and which microphone MK acquired the sound.

[0129] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a plurality of pairs (sets) of a speaker SK and a microphone MK may be installed on a predetermined object such as an office chair. In this case, the number of speakers SK and microphones MK is the same. The speakers SK and microphones MK may each be terminal devices 10. For example, a pair of a speaker SK and a microphone MK may be installed on each of the backrest and seat of an office chair. Note that if the microphone MK cannot properly pick up the sound when multiple speakers SK are output simultaneously, the timing at which the sound is output from each speaker SK may be staggered.

[0130] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the server device 100 may store, as history information, the posture history of the user U. For example, the server device 100 may track the posture history of each user U, detect a user U who has adopted a problematic posture for a certain period or a predetermined time period, and output a warning message to that user U.

[0131] [7. Effects] As described above, the information processing device (terminal device 10 and server device 100) according to the present application includes a command unit 132 that issues a command to output sound from a speaker attached to a specified object that the user U touches in any posture, and an estimation unit 133 that estimates the posture of the user U using active acoustic sensing based on the sound acquired by a microphone attached to the specified object.

[0132] The estimation unit 133 estimates the posture of the user U based on the sound characteristics for each posture of the user U.

[0133] The information processing device according to the present application further includes a learning unit 134 that builds a model by learning sound features for each posture of the user U. The estimation unit 133 estimates the posture of the user U using the model.

[0134] The learning unit 134 constructs a model by learning the characteristics of the acquired sound acquired by the microphone MK when the user U is in any posture and in contact with a specified object, or by learning both the characteristics of the output sound output from the speaker SP and the characteristics of the acquired sound acquired by the microphone MK.

[0135] The learning unit 134 learns the difference between the characteristics of the output sound output from the speaker when the user U is in any posture and in contact with a predetermined object and the characteristics of the acquired sound acquired by the microphone, and constructs a model.

[0136] The learning unit 134 learns sound characteristics for each posture of the user U for each position where a speaker and a microphone are attached to a predetermined object, and constructs a model.

[0137] The learning unit 134 learns sound characteristics for each posture of the user U for each type of predetermined object and constructs a model.

[0138] The learning unit 134 learns sound characteristics for each sitting posture of the user U while the user U is seated on a predetermined object, and constructs a model.

[0139] The learning unit 134 learns sound characteristics for each sleeping posture of the user U while the user U is lying down in contact with a predetermined object, and constructs a model.

[0140] The learning unit 134 learns the degree of wear of the material of a predetermined object and the characteristics of the sound acquired by the microphone MK to construct a model.

[0141] By using any one or a combination of the above-mentioned processes, the information processing device of the present application can estimate the user's posture and center of gravity using active acoustic sensing by attaching a smart device (or a pair of speaker and microphone) to an office chair, etc.

[0142] [8. Hardware Configuration] The terminal device 10 and the server device 100 according to the above-described embodiments are realized by a computer 1000 having a configuration as shown in Fig. 9, for example. The following description will be given taking the server device 100 as an example. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration. The computer 1000 is connected to an output device 1010 and an input device 1020, and has a configuration in which a calculation device 1030, a primary storage device 1040, a secondary storage device 1050, an output I / F (Interface) 1060, an input I / F 1070, and a network I / F 1080 are connected via a bus 1090.

[0143] The arithmetic device 1030 operates based on programs stored in the primary storage device 1040 and the secondary storage device 1050, programs read from the input device 1020, and the like, and executes various processes. The arithmetic device 1030 is realized by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like.

[0144] The primary storage device 1040 is a memory device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores data used by the arithmetic device 1030 for various calculations. The secondary storage device 1050 is a storage device in which data used by the arithmetic device 1030 for various calculations and various databases are registered, and is realized by a ROM (Read Only Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), a flash memory, or the like. The secondary storage device 1050 may be an internal storage device or an external storage device. The secondary storage device 1050 may also be a removable storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or an SD (Secure Digital) memory card. The secondary storage device 1050 may also be cloud storage (online storage), a NAS (Network Attached Storage), a file server, or the like.

[0145] The output I / F 1060 is an interface for transmitting information to be output to an output device 1010 that outputs various types of information, such as a display, a projector, a printer, etc., and is realized by a connector conforming to a standard such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), DVI (Digital Visual Interface), or HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface), etc. The input I / F 1070 is an interface for receiving information from various input devices 1020, such as a mouse, a keyboard, a keypad, a button, a scanner, etc., and is realized by a USB, etc.

[0146] Furthermore, the output I / F 1060 and the input I / F 1070 may be wirelessly connected to the output device 1010 and the input device 1020, respectively. That is, the output device 1010 and the input device 1020 may be wireless devices.

[0147] The output device 1010 and the input device 1020 may be integrated into one device, such as a touch panel. In this case, the output I / F 1060 and the input I / F 1070 may also be integrated into one device as an input / output I / F.

[0148] The input device 1020 may be a device that reads information from, for example, an optical recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or a PD (Phase Change Rewritable Disk), a magneto-optical recording medium such as an MO (Magneto-Optical disk), a tape medium, a magnetic recording medium, or a semiconductor memory.

[0149] The network I / F 1080 receives data from other devices via the network N and sends it to the arithmetic device 1030, and also transmits data generated by the arithmetic device 1030 to other devices via the network N.

[0150] The arithmetic unit 1030 controls the output device 1010 and the input device 1020 via the output I / F 1060 and the input I / F 1070. For example, the arithmetic unit 1030 loads a program from the input device 1020 or the secondary storage device 1050 onto the primary storage device 1040 and executes the loaded program.

[0151] For example, when the computer 1000 functions as the server device 100, the arithmetic unit 1030 of the computer 1000 executes a program loaded onto the primary storage device 1040 to realize the functions of the control unit 130. The arithmetic unit 1030 of the computer 1000 may also load a program acquired from another device via the network I / F 1080 onto the primary storage device 1040 and execute the loaded program. The arithmetic unit 1030 of the computer 1000 may also cooperate with the other device via the network I / F 1080 to call and use the functions and data of a program from another program of the other device.

[0152] [9. Other] Although the embodiments of the present application have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the contents of these embodiments. Furthermore, the above-described components include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are within the scope of so-called equivalents. Furthermore, the above-described components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the above-described embodiments.

[0153] Furthermore, among the processes described in the above embodiments, all or part of the processes described as being performed automatically can be performed manually, or all or part of the processes described as being performed manually can be performed automatically using a known method. In addition, the information including the processing procedures, specific names, various data, and parameters shown in the above documents and drawings can be changed as desired unless otherwise specified. For example, the various information shown in each drawing is not limited to the information shown in the drawings.

[0154] Furthermore, the components of each device shown in the figure are conceptual functional components and do not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown in the figure. In other words, the specific form of distribution and integration of each device is not limited to that shown in the figure, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit depending on various loads, usage conditions, etc.

[0155] For example, the above-mentioned server device 100 may be realized by multiple server computers, and depending on the function, the configuration can be flexibly changed, such as by calling an external platform using an API (Application Programming Interface) or network computing.

[0156] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments and modifications can be combined as appropriate within the scope of not causing any contradiction in the processing content.

[0157] Furthermore, the above-mentioned "section, module, unit" can be read as "means" or "circuit," etc. For example, an acquisition unit can be read as an acquisition means or an acquisition circuit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0158] 1. Information Processing Systems 10 Terminal Equipment SK Speaker MK Microphone 100 Server device 110 Communications Department 120 Storage section 121 User Information Database 122 Historical Information Database 123 Posture Information Database 130 control section 131 Acquisition Department 132 Command part 133 Estimation Department 134 Learning Department 135 Adjustment section 136 Provision Department

Claims

1. a command unit that issues a command to output a sound from a speaker of a smartphone attached to a predetermined object, which is a non-wearable artificial object that a user touches with a part of their body in a predetermined posture when touching; an estimation unit that estimates the posture of the user using active acoustic sensing based on a sound acquired by a microphone of the smartphone attached to the predetermined object; a providing unit that provides information about the estimation result of the user's posture; Equipped with When the smartphone is attached to the back or seat of a chair or seat on which the user is seated, the command unit issues a command to output sound from a speaker of the smartphone attached to the back or seat of the chair or seat, The estimation unit estimates the center of gravity of the user seated on the chair or seat, in addition to the forward / backward tilt, left / right tilt, leg crossing, and sitting depth of the user seated on the chair or seat, using active acoustic sensing based on the sound acquired by a microphone of the smartphone attached to the backrest or seat of the chair or seat; The providing unit notifies the user of an appropriate posture state for the purpose of posture correction, notifies the user to prevent the user from sitting in a static position for a long period of time, and / or displays a posture log based on the estimation result.

1. An information processing device comprising:

2. An adjustment unit that automatically adjusts the position of the chair or seat, the angle of the backrest of the chair or seat, or the repulsive force of the backrest or seat surface of the chair or seat based on the estimation result of the user's posture; The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

3. A learning unit that learns sound characteristics for each type of smartphone attached to the back or seat of the chair or seat on which the user is seated and constructs a model; Furthermore, The estimation unit estimates the posture of the user by using the model, taking into account differences in acoustic characteristics due to differences in performance and accuracy of speakers and microphones for each type of smartphone attached to the back or seat of the chair or seat on which the user is seated.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is a computer.

4. The learning unit further learns sound characteristics for each type of chair or seat on which the user is seated to construct a model, The estimation unit estimates the posture of the user using the model, taking into account differences in acoustic characteristics due to differences in shape, size, and / or material of each type of chair or seat on which the user is seated.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3,

5. The learning unit further learns the arrangement of the chair or seat on which the user is seated in the room and constructs a model; The estimation unit estimates the posture of the user by using the model, taking into account differences in acoustic characteristics due to differences in the arrangement of the chair or seat on which the user is seated in the room.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the information processing apparatus is a computer.

6. the learning unit further learns relationships between the user and other users seated around the user to construct a model; The estimation unit estimates the posture of the user by using the model, taking into account relationships with other users seated around the user.

6. The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein the information processing device is a computer.

7. the learning unit learns the degree of wear of the material that the user comes into contact with and characteristics of the sound to construct a model; The estimation unit estimates the degree of wear of the material that the user comes into contact with using the model.

7. The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein the information processing device is a computer.

8. The command unit issues a command to output sound from a speaker of the smartphone attached to a cushion, pillow, futon, or mat that the user comes into contact with when the smartphone is attached to the cushion, pillow, futon, or mat; The estimation unit uses the model to estimate how the head is placed on the cushion or pillow, or how the body is placed on the mattress or mattress, and the posture or turning state during sleep, based on sounds acquired by a microphone of the smartphone attached to the cushion, pillow, mattress, and / or mattress, using active acoustic sensing, and determines the sleeping state of the user, the degree of wear of the material, and / or the decrease in resilience, from the estimation results.

8. The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein the information processing device is a computer.

9. The command unit issues a command to output sound from a speaker of the smartphone attached to the tatami, carpet, sleeping bag, or floor surface when the smartphone is attached to the tatami, carpet, sleeping bag, or floor surface that the user comes into contact with, The estimation unit uses the model to estimate how the user's body is placed on the tatami mat, carpet, sleeping bag, or floor, and their sleeping posture or tossing state, based on sounds acquired by a microphone of the smartphone attached to the tatami mat, carpet, sleeping bag, or floor, using active acoustic sensing, and determines the user's sleeping state and / or the degree of wear of the material from the estimation results.

9. The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein the information processing device is a computer.

10. The learning unit further learns sound characteristics for each location where the smartphone is attached on the predetermined object and constructs a model; The estimation unit estimates the posture of the user by using the model, taking into account differences in acoustic characteristics due to differences in the positions where the smartphone is attached on the predetermined object.

10. The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein the information processing device is a computer.

11. An information processing method executed by an information processing device, a command step of issuing a command to output a sound from a speaker of a smartphone attached to a predetermined object, which is a non-wearable artificial object that a user touches with a part of their body in a predetermined posture when touching; an estimation step of estimating the posture of the user using active acoustic sensing based on a sound acquired by a microphone of the smartphone attached to the predetermined object; providing information about the estimation result of the user's posture; Including, In the command step, when the smartphone is attached to the back or seat of a chair or seat on which the user is seated, a command is issued to output sound from a speaker of the smartphone attached to the back or seat of the chair or seat, In the estimation step, based on the sound acquired by the microphone of the smartphone attached to the backrest or seat of the chair or seat, active acoustic sensing is used to estimate the forward / backward tilt, left / right tilt, leg crossing, and sitting depth of the user seated on the chair or seat, as well as the center of gravity of the user seated on the chair or seat; In the providing step, based on the estimation result, notification of an appropriate posture state for the purpose of posture correction, notification to prevent static sitting for a long period of time, and / or display of a posture log is performed.

1. An information processing method comprising:

12. A command procedure for issuing a command to output a sound from a speaker of a smartphone attached to a predetermined object, which is a non-wearable artificial object that a user touches with a part of their body in a predetermined posture when they make contact; an estimation step of estimating the posture of the user using active acoustic sensing based on a sound acquired by a microphone of the smartphone attached to the predetermined object; a providing step of providing information about the estimation result of the user's posture; An information processing program for causing a computer to execute the above, In the command step, when the smartphone is attached to the back or seat of a chair or seat on which the user is seated, a command is issued to output sound from a speaker of the smartphone attached to the back or seat of the chair or seat; In the estimation step, based on the sound acquired by the microphone of the smartphone attached to the backrest or seat of the chair or seat, active acoustic sensing is used to estimate the forward / backward tilt, left / right tilt, leg crossing, and sitting depth of the user seated on the chair or seat, as well as the center of gravity of the user seated on the chair or seat; In the provision procedure, based on the estimation result, notification of an appropriate posture state for the purpose of posture correction, notification to prevent static sitting for a long period of time, and / or display of a posture log is performed. An information processing program characterized by:

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