Communication system for accommodation facilities and communication method within accommodation facilities

Abstract

This allows operations to be carried out without the need for someone to be stationed at the front desk. [Solution] The communication system 100 for accommodation facilities comprises a plurality of wireless terminals 1 to be carried by a plurality of employees ST, a plurality of sensor units 10, each capable of emitting a different electronic sound from the sensor side speaker 12 in response to a specific different behavior of guests GU of the accommodation facility for each of the specific behaviors, a plurality of sound sensors 20 arranged in close proximity to each sensor side speaker 12, a plurality of voice generation units 30 connected to the plurality of sound sensors 20, which detect the different electronic sounds emitted by the plurality of sensor side speakers 12 with the plurality of sound sensors 20 and generate a specific different voice corresponding to each sensor unit 10, and a sensor transmission unit 40 for transmitting the voices converted by the plurality of voice generation units 30 to the plurality of wireless terminals 1.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication system for accommodation facilities and an in-accommodation communication method, and more particularly to a communication system for accommodation facilities and an in-accommodation communication method that can reduce the labor required for front desk operations at small-scale accommodation facilities, for example. [Background technology]

[0002] Hotels and other accommodations require front desk services regardless of their size. Even relatively small accommodations, such as inns and motels, require them for safety and regulatory reasons. Specifically, motels are limited to a maximum of two guests per room under the Fire Service Act and the Inns and Hotels Act. Some motels prohibit pets, such as dogs, or guests may bring in dangerous items. Before entering a room, guests must be checked for any violations of these rules. While motels generally do not have a front desk where guests can meet, they always have a front desk in the back area to monitor the status of each guest room.

[0003] This type of front desk work is generally done 24 hours a day, and considering the safety of hotel employees, breaks, toilets, etc., it is necessary to secure two staff members, and three staff members when considering rotations and backups. However, given the current labor shortage, securing such staff members is not easy. Securing staff is a matter of life and death, especially for small-scale accommodation facilities in rural areas, and the current situation is that it is difficult to secure the staff members as desired due to various factors such as the outflow of young people to cities and the aging population.

[0004] In order to build a communication system for accommodation facilities that would enable operations to be carried out even if no one was stationed at the front desk, the applicant attempted to have employees who are not stationed at the front desk, such as those who perform cleaning or room service, carry wireless terminals such as walkie-talkies, and have all employees share the ability to make calls from guest rooms to the front desk. This makes it possible for each employee to respond to requests from guests while working in a location other than the front desk, such as cleaning or room service, even if no employee is stationed at the front desk.

[0005] On the other hand, front desk work also requires managing the parking of guests' cars, and their entry and exit to their rooms. After a car enters the hotel, it is necessary to keep track of which parking space it is parked in and how many guests have entered which room. If the hotel is found to have more guests than capacity, or if guests are found to have brought in prohibited items such as pets, they must be denied entry before they even enter the room. For this reason, when a guest arrives, employees must quickly check on the guest before they enter. On the other hand, after a guest leaves, the room must be cleaned promptly and prepared for the next guest.

[0006] For this reason, sensors are installed throughout hotels to understand and confirm guest behavior. For example, there are infrared sensor detectors installed on the left and right sides of the entrance to the hotel to detect when a car enters the hotel grounds, infrared sensors installed on the left and right sides of parking spaces to detect when a car has been parked in a specific parking space, and opening / closing sensors that detect when a door is opened or closed when entering or leaving a hotel room. Monitoring of guest behavior using these multiple sensors has traditionally been done at the front desk.

[0007] On the other hand, many sensors output their detection results as electronic sounds such as buzzers or chimes. For example, a chime notifies the passing of a car, or a buzzer notifies the opening and closing of a guest room door. These different electronic sounds allow hotel staff to distinguish which of multiple sensors is responding by ear. Alarms and warnings that indicate some kind of abnormality are also often issued as electronic sounds. If hotel staff are on duty at the front desk, they will be able to hear and respond to each of these many different electronic sounds.

[0008] However, the inventors' prototype revealed that an employee not stationed at the front desk could not distinguish electronic sounds such as a buzzer output by a sensor using a wireless terminal carried by the employee while in a different location. Investigation into the cause revealed that the electronic sounds picked up by the wireless terminal were recognized as noise and eliminated by the noise canceling function, making them inaudible. In particular, wireless terminals equipped with a VOX (Voice Operation Transmission) function, which allows hands-free calling without the need to press a PTT (Push To Talk) button, often feature highly sensitive noise canceling functions to prevent malfunctions due to ambient noise. Therefore, simply using a wireless terminal such as a walkie-talkie would not be able to transmit the sensor's detection results or electronic sounds indicating abnormalities, making it difficult to perform front desk duties and making it impossible to eliminate the need for an employee to be stationed at the front desk.

[0009] Even if there is an employee at the front desk, if there is only one person, it is possible that the electronic sound will be overheard. In particular, the electronic sound may be high-pitched or have a short transmission time depending on the sensor model, and is not necessarily designed to be easy to hear. On the other hand, even if the risk of overhearing the sound can be reduced if there are multiple people at the front desk, this countermeasure method still places a heavy burden on personnel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-80392 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] The inventors of the present application further pursued extensive research and have now achieved the present invention. One object of the present disclosure is to provide a communication system for accommodation facilities and a communication method within accommodation facilities that allows operations to be carried out without the need for a person to be present at the front desk. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a communication system for accommodation facilities and a communication method within accommodation facilities that allows different electronic sounds from sensors to be distinguished by a wireless terminal. Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a communication system for accommodation facilities and a communication method within accommodation facilities that reduces the risk of missing an electronic sound emitted by a sensor unit. Note that the description of these objectives and objectives of the present disclosure does not preclude the existence of other objectives and objectives. Furthermore, it is not necessary for one embodiment of the present disclosure to solve all of these objectives. Furthermore, other objectives can be extracted from the description of the specification, drawings, and claims of the present disclosure. Means for solving the problems and effects of the invention

[0012] A first embodiment of the present disclosure provides a communication system for lodging facilities, which is installed in a lodging facility and allows multiple employees working there to communicate with each other. The system includes: multiple wireless terminals carried by each of the employees; multiple sensor units, each equipped with a sensor-side speaker, capable of emitting a different electronic sound from the sensor-side speaker in response to specific, different behaviors of guests of the lodging facility, for each of the specific behaviors; multiple sound sensors arranged adjacent to each of the sensor-side speakers; multiple sound generators connected to each of the sound sensors, which detect the different electronic sounds emitted by the sensor-side speakers with the sound sensors and generate specific, different sounds corresponding to each of the sensor units; and a sensor transmitter for transmitting the sounds converted by the multiple sound generators to the multiple wireless terminals. With this configuration, even electronic sounds that could not be transmitted by wireless terminals in the past can be transmitted to the wireless terminals by generating audio signals corresponding to the sensor units. This allows employees carrying wireless terminals to identify which sensor has responded, enabling information to be shared even when no one is at the front desk. Furthermore, by having multiple employees each carry a wireless terminal, the audio converted from electronic sounds can be shared among everyone, and even if someone misses it, someone else who is listening can respond, which has the added benefit of reducing human error such as missing something.

[0013] Furthermore, in the communication system for accommodation facilities according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, in the above embodiment, the plurality of voice generation units are configured to determine whether the sound detected by the sound sensor is an electronic sound or a voice, and if the sound is an electronic sound, generate the different voice corresponding to the electronic sound and transmit the generated voice from the sensor transmission unit, and if the sound is a voice, transmit the voice from the sensor transmission unit. With the above configuration, by generating and transmitting voice only for electronic sounds by the voice generation unit, the processing load on the voice generation unit can be reduced, and by transmitting the voice directly for sensors that can output voice, responsiveness can be improved.

[0014] Furthermore, in the communication system for accommodation facilities according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure, in any of the above embodiments, the guest behavior to which at least one of the plurality of sensor units reacts is the guest's vehicle entering the premises of the accommodation facility, and the voice generated by the voice generation unit converts the electronic sound emitted by the sensor-side speaker in response to the behavior into a voice announcement announcing the entry of a new guest. With the above configuration, by generating a voice announcement announcing the entry of a new guest from the electronic sound of the sensor announcing the entry of a car, hotel staff do not need to remember the meaning of a specific electronic sound, and can perceive it as an audio explanation, which provides the advantage of being directly understandable.

[0015] Furthermore, the communication system for accommodation facilities according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, in any of the above embodiments, further includes an alarm that notifies that the sound sensor has detected an electronic sound from the sensor-side speaker, and the sound generation unit is connected to the sound sensor via the alarm, and the sound generation unit is configured to generate a sound corresponding to the electronic sound from the sensor-side speaker detected by the sound sensor via the alarm. With the above configuration, it is possible to notify that the sound sensor has detected an electronic sound from the sensor-side speaker by the alarm, making it possible to confirm that the sound sensor is operating reliably and useful for identifying the cause of an abnormality.

[0016] Furthermore, in a communication system for accommodation facilities according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, in any of the above aspects, the sound sensor is a sound impulse sensor that detects vibrations. With the above configuration, the sound impulse sensor detects the electronic sound emitted by the sensor-side speaker of the sensor unit as vibrations, and the sound generator generates sound.

[0017] Furthermore, in a communication system for accommodation facilities according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure, in any of the above embodiments, the sound sensor is a microphone. With the above configuration, the electronic sound emitted by the sensor-side speaker of the sensor unit can be detected in more detail by the microphone, making it easier to distinguish between multiple detection results, for example.

[0018] Furthermore, in the communication system for accommodation facilities according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, in any of the above aspects, the plurality of sensor units are powered by a commercial power source. With this configuration, it is possible to eliminate the need for battery replacement in the sensor units, thereby saving labor and enabling stable operation over a long period of time.

[0019] Furthermore, in the communication system for accommodation facilities according to form 8 of the present disclosure, in any of the above forms, the plurality of wireless terminals are equipped with a hands-free calling function and a noise canceling function. With the above configuration, hands-free calling allows employees to talk without pressing the PTT button, freeing both hands and improving work efficiency. Meanwhile, the high-precision noise canceling function required for hands-free calling can prevent the electronic sound emitted by the sensor unit from being eliminated by generating sound using a sound sensor and a sound generating unit.

[0020] Furthermore, in the communication system for accommodation facilities according to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, in any of the above aspects, the sensor transmitter is configured as a wireless terminal. With this configuration, by using a wireless terminal for transmission by the sensor unit, it becomes possible to smoothly communicate with the wireless terminals carried by employees.

[0021] Furthermore, the accommodation communication system according to form 10 of the present disclosure, in any of the above forms, further includes a sensor enclosure that houses the sensor unit, the sound sensor, the sound generation unit, and the sensor transmission unit. By surrounding the surroundings with the sensor enclosure, the sound sensor is less likely to pick up unnecessary ambient noise, allowing it to reliably detect the electronic sound output from the sensor-side speaker of the sensor unit, appropriately generate sound, and transmit it to each wireless terminal. Furthermore, when sensor units are placed close to each other, it is possible to prevent the sound sensor from mistakenly picking up the electronic sound emitted by another sensor unit.

[0022] Furthermore, in the communication system for accommodation facilities according to form 11 of the present disclosure, in any of the above forms, the wireless terminal is a digital simplex radio. With the above configuration, communication between digital simplex radio wireless terminals can be performed without the intervention of a base station, so it can be used even in places where mobile phone signals cannot reach. Furthermore, since the communication distance is long, it has the advantage of being able to communicate comfortably even in places where radio waves from a specified low-power transceiver cannot reach.

[0023] Furthermore, in the communication system for accommodation facilities according to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, in any of the above aspects, the sound sensor is fixed to the sensor-side speaker by a suction cup or a magnet. With the above configuration, the sound sensor can be easily fixed to the sensor-side speaker, and by fixing the sound sensor so that it is in direct contact with the sensor-side speaker, it is possible to make it less susceptible to external disturbances such as ambient noise.

[0024] Furthermore, an in-lodging facility communication method according to form 13 of the present disclosure is an in-lodging facility communication method that uses an in-lodging facility communication system that is installed in an accommodation facility and that allows multiple employees working at the accommodation facility to communicate with each other, and includes the steps of: one of multiple sensor units that are respectively arranged at multiple locations in the accommodation facility, each equipped with a sensor-side speaker, and each capable of responding to specific, different actions of guests of the accommodation facility and emitting a different electronic sound or voice from the sensor-side speaker for each specific action, emitting an electronic sound or voice from the sensor-side speaker in response to the specific action of the guest; detecting the electronic sound or voice with a sound sensor arranged close to the sensor-side speaker; and a voice generation unit that determines whether the sound detected by the sound sensor is an electronic sound or voice, and if it is an electronic sound, generates the different voice corresponding to the electronic sound and transmits the generated voice from a sensor transmission unit, and if it is voice, transmitting the voice from the sensor transmission unit. This reduces the processing load on the sound generation unit by generating and transmitting sound only for electronic sounds, and improves responsiveness by transmitting sound directly from sensors that can output sound. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication system for accommodation facilities according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a schematic diagram showing a connection state between a sensor unit and a wireless terminal in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing an in-accommodation facility communication method according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, terms indicating specific directions or positions (e.g., "upper," "lower," and other terms including these terms) will be used as necessary. However, the use of these terms is intended to facilitate understanding of the invention with reference to the drawings, and the meaning of these terms does not limit the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, parts that appear with the same reference numerals in multiple drawings indicate the same or equivalent parts or components.

[0027] Furthermore, the embodiments shown below are specific examples of the technical ideas of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure to the following. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, etc. of the components described below are intended to be illustrative and not to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the content described in one embodiment or example can also be applied to other embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the sizes and positional relationships of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity. [Embodiment 1]

[0028] The communication system for accommodation facilities 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is suitably used in accommodation facilities such as hotels and motels for purposes such as conversations between a plurality of employees ST working at the accommodation facilities, requests from guests GU, and receiving information and warnings from the sensor unit 10. Here, an example of use in a motel such as a love hotel will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows an overview of a hotel HO. Here, a guest GU arrives at the hotel HO in a car CA from the left, parks in a designated parking space PA, enters through a door DO located adjacent to each parking space PA, stays in a guest room RO, and leaves from the right side in a car CA after using the room. This hotel HO has four guest rooms RO and a front desk FR on the top floor. In this example, there are two employees ST. Each employee ST carries a wireless terminal 1.

[0030] An intercom IT is installed in each guest room RO of the hotel HO, allowing guest GUs to communicate with the front desk FR. Calls from the intercom IT are received by an intercom master unit installed in the front desk FR. Each employee ST carries a wireless handset of the intercom, allowing them to communicate with guest GUs. In addition to the configuration in which each employee ST carries both a wireless terminal 1 and an intercom handset, a configuration in which the wireless terminal 1 is used for conversations between employee STs and with guest GUs may also be used. For example, the wireless terminal 1 may be configured to have separate channels, with channel 1 used for conversations between employee STs and channel 2 used for conversations with guest GUs via the intercom IT, allowing different parties to communicate with the same terminal by switching channels. In this case, calls from the intercom IT are transmitted from the front desk communication unit FC installed in the front desk FR to the wireless terminal 1 of each employee ST. Furthermore, the employee STs can communicate with the intercom IT from their wireless terminal 1 via the front desk communication unit FC. In this way, even if the employee ST is not at the front desk FR, each employee ST can respond to a call from the intercom IT using the wireless terminal 1.

[0031] Furthermore, sensor units 10 are installed in various locations inside and outside the hotel HO. Fig. 2 also shows the configuration of multiple sensor units 10 and how they communicate with the wireless terminal 1. Note that these figures are simplified for the purpose of explanation, and the number of guest rooms, layout, number of employees, number and type of sensor units 10, installation locations, etc. can be changed as appropriate according to the required specifications.

[0032] The communication system 100 for accommodation facilities shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes a plurality of wireless terminals 1 carried by a plurality of employees ST, a plurality of sensor units 10 placed at various locations inside and outside the hotel HO, a plurality of sound sensors 20, a plurality of voice generation units 30, and a sensor transmission unit 40. (Wireless terminal 1)

[0033] The wireless terminal 1 is a terminal carried by each employee ST of the hotel HO for communication. The employees ST can use the wireless terminal 1 to communicate with each other.

[0034] Each wireless terminal 1 is preferably equipped with a hands-free calling function. The hands-free calling function, also known as VOX, is a mode that allows calls to be made without pressing the PTT button. This allows the employee ST to have both hands free and make calls while performing tasks such as cleaning, improving work efficiency. The wireless terminal 1 also has a noise canceling function. In general, to achieve hands-free calling, a noise canceling function is required that filters out and cuts out noise, etc. As will be described later, the situation in which the electronic sound emitted by the sensor unit 10 is eliminated by the noise canceling function can be avoided by generating sound using the sound sensor 20 and the sound generating unit 30.

[0035] Digital simplex radio is suitable for communication between wireless terminals 1. This allows for broadcasting, so conversations between specific employees ST can be shared with other employees ST, facilitating information sharing. Digital simplex radio can also be used with a security code, providing high confidentiality. This enhances confidentiality and allows for secure information exchange, including the protection of guests' personal information. Furthermore, digital simplex radio can communicate between wireless terminals 1 as long as radio waves reach them without the need for a base station, making it suitable for use in accommodation facilities in mountainous areas or remote islands where mobile phone signals cannot reach. Furthermore, its long communication distance offers the advantage of enabling smooth communication even in areas where radio waves are difficult to reach with specified low-power transceivers. While digital simplex radio is available as a licensed station or a registered station, the accommodation communication system 100 according to the present disclosure can be used with either a licensed station or a registered station. In this embodiment, a licensed station is not required and operation is performed using a registered station. (Sensor unit 10)

[0036] Sensor units 10 are placed in various locations within the hotel HO. Each sensor unit 10 is equipped with a sensor-side speaker 12. Each sensor unit 10 is capable of emitting a different electronic sound from the sensor-side speaker 12 in response to a specific different behavior of a guest GU.

[0037] In FIG. 1, an example of the sensor unit 10 is an infrared sensor 10A that is disposed to detect when a vehicle CA enters the premises of a hotel HO and when it leaves the premises. The infrared sensors 10A are disposed on the left and right sides of the approach road to detect the passage of the vehicle CA. The sensor that detects the intrusion of a vehicle or person is not limited to the infrared sensor 10A, and known components such as photoelectric sensors that use light, electromagnetic waves, or radio waves, or physical microswitches, can be used as appropriate. For example, a rubber hose-type sensor 10A may be disposed on the approach road and the exit road for the vehicle CA. The rubber hose-type sensor 10A is laid across the road in the form of a rubber tube, and reacts to the pressure generated when the tires of the vehicle CA step on the rubber tube as they pass by.

[0038] Cameras 10B are installed at multiple locations as another sensor unit 10. For example, they are used to check the entry and exit of a vehicle CA, to check that the vehicle CA has been parked in a specific parking space PA, to check the license plate of the vehicle CA, and to check the number of passengers GU and what they have brought with them.

[0039] Further, an opening / closing sensor 10C is provided as another sensor unit 10, which detects the opening and closing of a door DO when entering or leaving a guest room RO of the hotel HO. In addition, known sensors that can grasp and monitor the movement and other behavior of a guest GU, such as a photoelectric sensor or a microswitch, can be used as appropriate.

[0040] In addition, a sensor unit for detecting some kind of abnormality, such as a fire alarm, may be added for purposes other than monitoring the behavior of the user GU.

[0041] Each sensor unit 10 is provided with a sensor-side speaker 12, and when the sensor unit 10 reacts, i.e., when the sensor unit 10 detects a detection target, an electronic sound is output from the sensor-side speaker 12. The sensor-side speaker 12 may be integrated with the sensor unit 10 or may be a separate component. When the sensor unit 10 is a separate component, the sensor unit 10 main body and the sensor-side speaker 12 may be connected wirelessly or by wire. The present disclosure is applicable to either of these cases.

[0042] Note that some sensor units 10 are capable of generating voice messages rather than electronic sounds from the sensor-side speaker 12. In this case, the sound sensor 20 and voice generation unit 30 described below are not required, and it is sufficient to connect the sensor transmission unit 40 to or place it close to the sensor-side speaker 12. For example, if a human sensor detects the passage of a person and outputs voice messages such as "Welcome" or "Thank you" from the sensor-side speaker 12, the voice is transmitted directly from the sensor transmission unit 40 without converting the voice message as described below. (Sound Sensor 20)

[0043] A sound sensor 20 is disposed adjacent to each of the sensor-side speakers 12 of the multiple sensor units 10. Each sound sensor 20 detects the electronic sound emitted by the sensor-side speaker 12. When an electronic sound is detected by the sound sensor 20, it is transmitted to the sound generation unit 30. A fixing mechanism such as a suction cup or magnet can be used to fix the sound sensor 20 to the sensor-side speaker 12. With this configuration, the sound sensor 20 can be easily fixed to the sensor-side speaker 12, and by fixing the sound sensor 20 so that it is in direct contact with the sensor-side speaker 12, it can be made less susceptible to external disturbances such as ambient noise.

[0044] A sound impact sensor that detects vibrations can be suitably used as the sound sensor 20. This allows the electronic sound emitted by the sensor-side speaker 12 of the sensor unit 10 to be detected as vibration by the sound impact sensor, and enables sound to be generated by the sound generation unit 30. Another advantage is that it can be configured inexpensively and simply.

[0045] Alternatively, a microphone may be used for the sound sensor 20. This makes it possible to distinguish sounds in more detail than with a sound impact sensor, and makes it easier to distinguish the detection results of the sensor unit 10 into multiple types, for example. (Alarm 26)

[0046] The sound sensor 20 may transmit the detected electronic sound directly to the voice generation unit 30, or may transmit the detected electronic sound via an alarm 26 or the like. The alarm 26 is a component for notifying that the sound sensor 20 has detected an electronic sound from the sensor-side speaker 12. This allows the alarm 26 to notify that the sound sensor 20 has detected an electronic sound from the sensor-side speaker 12, allowing confirmation that the sound sensor 20 is operating reliably and useful for identifying the cause of an abnormality in the accommodation communication system 100. Such an alarm 26 may be a sound / impact sensor chime. For example, the Livex sound / impact sensor & receiving chime XP760A / XPN760A or the like may be used. (Speech generation unit 30)

[0047] A voice generating unit 30 is connected to each sound sensor 20. Each voice generating unit 30 generates a specific voice corresponding to the sensor unit 10 from the electronic sound emitted by the sensor-side speaker 12 and detected by the sound sensor 20. In order to distinguish between the reactions of multiple sensor units 10, the voices generated by the voice generating units 30 are different from each other. Preferably, the voices should reflect the detection content of the sensor unit 10. For example, for a sensor unit 10 related to a user's visit, the voice generated by the voice generating unit 30 can be an announcement voice announcing the entry of a new customer GU, making it easier for the employee ST listening to the voice generated by the voice generating unit 30 via the wireless terminal 1 to understand. Specifically, the voice generating unit 30 connected to the sensor unit 10 that detects the entry of the vehicle CA generates a voice that represents the detection result of the sensor unit 10, such as "Welcome," the voice generating unit 30 connected to the sensor unit 10 that detects the exit of the vehicle CA generates a voice that represents the detection result of the sensor unit 10, such as "Thank you," the voice generating unit 30 connected to the sensor unit 10 provided on the door DO of the passenger compartment RO generates a voice that represents the detection result of the sensor unit 10, such as "A customer has entered the room," etc. A plurality of patterns of such voices may be created in advance and stored in a memory or the like inside the voice generating unit 30, and the desired voice may be selected. Alternatively, the user may record his or her own voice and play it back.

[0048] This makes it easier for the employee ST listening to the audio via the wireless terminal 1 to directly understand the current status of the guest GU, compared to electronic sounds such as buzzers or chimes. Conventionally, when listening to the detection results of the sensor units as electronic sounds at the front desk or elsewhere, it was necessary to memorize the meaning of the electronic sounds emitted by each sensor unit. In contrast, by generating an audio announcement notifying the entry of a new guest GU from the electronic sounds of the sensors that notify the entry of a car CA as described above, the employee ST of the hotel HO does not need to memorize the specific electronic sounds emitted by the sensor units 10 installed on the entry route or their meanings, and can simply perceive them as an audio explanation, eliminating the need for prior familiarization and enabling work operations with less burden.

[0049] In this way, even electronic sounds that could not be transmitted by wireless terminals in the past can be transmitted as sound to the wireless terminal 1 by generating an audio signal corresponding to the sensor unit 10. This allows employees ST carrying wireless terminals 1 to know which sensor has responded, making it possible to share information even if no one is at the front desk FR. Furthermore, by having multiple employees ST each carry a wireless terminal 1, the audio converted from the electronic sounds can be shared among them, and even if someone misses it, the others who are listening can respond, which has the advantage of reducing human error such as missing a call. (Sensor transmitter 40)

[0050] The sensor transmitter 40 is a component for transmitting the voice converted by the voice generator 30 to multiple wireless terminals 1. Such a sensor transmitter 40 is compatible with the communication standard of wireless communication and can appropriately use a communication interface that can communicate with each wireless terminal 1.

[0051] The sensor transmitter 40 may be substituted with the wireless terminal 1. This allows the wireless terminal 1 to be used for transmission by the sensor unit 10, thereby enabling smooth communication with the wireless terminal 1 carried by the employee ST. Similarly, the front communication unit FC can also be substituted with the wireless terminal 1.

[0052] It is preferable to power the sensor unit 10 including the sensor-side speaker 12, the sound sensor 20, the voice generating unit 30, the sensor transmitting unit 40, etc., which are arranged in the sensor unit 10, from a commercial power source rather than from a battery. This makes it possible to operate stably for a long time while eliminating the need for battery replacement and saving labor. (Sensor Enclosure 50)

[0053] In the example shown in FIG. 2 , the sensor unit 10, sound sensor 20, sound generator 30, and sensor transmitter 40 are housed in a sensor enclosure 50. By providing and surrounding the sensor enclosure 50 in this manner, the sound sensor 20 is less likely to pick up unnecessary ambient noise, enabling it to reliably detect the electronic sound output from the sensor-side speaker 12 of the sensor unit 10 and appropriately generate and transmit the sound to each wireless terminal 1. Furthermore, when sensor units 10 are placed close to each other, it is possible to prevent the sound sensor 20 from mistakenly picking up electronic sounds emitted by other sensor units 10. Resins such as polycarbonate, which have excellent insulating properties, are suitable for such sensor enclosures 50. Alternatively, metals such as aluminum and stainless steel may be used. A metal sensor enclosure 50 has the advantage of improved noise resistance.

[0054] Furthermore, in the example of FIG. 2, the sound sensor 20, the voice generation unit 30, and the sensor transmission unit 40 are shown as separate components, but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and some or all of the sound sensor 20, the voice generation unit 30, and the sensor transmission unit 40 may be integrated or united.

[0055] 1 shows an example in which the sensor units 10 are connected wirelessly, but the present disclosure is not limited to a configuration in which all of the sensor units 10 are connected wirelessly, and some or all of the sensor units 10 may be connected wired. Also, in the example of FIG. 1, an example in which the front desk communication unit FC is installed at the front desk FR of the hotel HO is shown, but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and the front desk communication unit may be installed in a location other than the front desk. Furthermore, in the example of FIG. 1, an example in which communication between wireless terminals is performed using radio waves of a specific frequency is described, but communication may also be performed using public lines such as the Internet or telephone lines.

[0056] 2 shows an example in which a sensor transmitter 40 is provided for each sensor unit 10, the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and one sensor transmitter may be provided for multiple sensor units. This simplifies the configuration and reduces costs by allowing the sensor transmitter to be shared by multiple sensor units. (In-accommodation communication method using accommodation communication system)

[0057] The operation in such a case will be described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 3 as an in-lodging facility communication method using an accommodation facility communication system. Here, an accommodation facility communication system is used that is installed in an accommodation facility and allows a plurality of employees ST working at the accommodation facility to communicate with each other. A plurality of sensor units 10 are respectively arranged at a plurality of positions in the accommodation facility, and each of the sensor units 10 is equipped with a sensor-side speaker 12. Each sensor unit 10 is capable of emitting a different electronic sound or voice from the sensor-side speaker 12 in response to a specific different behavior of a guest GU at the accommodation facility, for each specific behavior. Furthermore, a sound sensor 20 is arranged in proximity to the sensor-side speaker 12.

[0058] First, in step S1, one of the plurality of sensor units 10 responds to a specific action of a user GU and emits an electronic sound or voice from the sensor-side speaker 12.

[0059] Next, in step S2, the sound sensor 20 detects the electronic sound or voice emitted from the sensor-side speaker 12.

[0060] Furthermore, in step S3, the sound generation unit 30 determines whether the sound detected by the sound sensor 20 is an electronic sound or a voice. If it is an electronic sound, then in step S4 a voice corresponding to this electronic sound is generated. Then, in step S5, the generated voice is transmitted from the sensor transmission unit 40. On the other hand, if it is a voice, then the process proceeds to step S5 without going through step S4, and the voice output from the sensor-side speaker 12 is transmitted as is from the sensor transmission unit 40. In this way, by generating and transmitting voice only for electronic sounds by the voice generation unit 30, the processing load on the voice generation unit 30 can be reduced, and by transmitting as is for sensor units 10 that can output voice, responsiveness can be improved. [Industrial Applicability]

[0061] The communication system for accommodation facilities and the communication method within accommodation facilities according to the present disclosure can be suitably used to reduce the labor required for front desk operations at small accommodation facilities such as motels and love hotels. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 100...Communication systems for accommodation facilities 1...Wireless terminal 10...sensor unit; 10A...infrared sensor; 10B...camera; 10C...open / close sensor 12...Sensor side speaker 20...Sound sensor 26...Alarm 30...Speech generation unit 40...Sensor transmitter 50...Sensor enclosure HO…Hotel CA…Car PA: Parking space DO…door RO…Guest room FR...Front FC: Front Communication Department ST: Employee GU…Customer IT: Intercom

Claims

1. A communication system for accommodation facilities that is installed in an accommodation facility and allows a plurality of employees working at the accommodation facility to communicate with each other, a plurality of wireless terminals to be carried by the plurality of employees; a plurality of sensor units each having a sensor-side speaker and capable of emitting a different electronic sound from the sensor-side speaker in response to specific different actions of guests of the accommodation facility; A plurality of sound sensors each arranged adjacent to a corresponding one of the sensor-side speakers; a plurality of sound generating units connected to the plurality of sound sensors, each detecting different electronic sounds emitted by the plurality of sensor-side speakers with the plurality of sound sensors, and generating specific different sounds corresponding to each sensor unit; a sensor transmitter for transmitting the sounds converted by the plurality of sound generators to the plurality of wireless terminals; A communication system for accommodation facilities.

2. The accommodation facility communication system according to claim 1, The plurality of sound generation units determine whether the sound detected by the sound sensor is an electronic sound or a voice, In the case of the electronic sound, the different sound corresponding to the electronic sound is generated, and the generated sound is transmitted from the sensor transmitter; In the case of audio, the communication system for accommodation facilities is configured to transmit the audio from the sensor transmitter.

3. The accommodation facility communication system according to claim 1, The behavior of the guest that at least one of the plurality of sensor units reacts to is the guest's vehicle entering the premises of the accommodation facility, A communication system for accommodation facilities, wherein the voice generation unit converts the electronic sound emitted by the sensor-side speaker in response to the action into an announcement voice announcing the entry of a new guest.

4. The accommodation facility communication system according to claim 1, further comprising: The sound sensor is provided with an alarm that notifies the user that an electronic sound has been detected from the sensor-side speaker, the sound generation unit is connected to the sound sensor via the alarm; The voice generation unit is configured to generate a corresponding voice in response to an electronic sound from the sensor-side speaker detected by the sound sensor via the alarm.

5. The accommodation facility communication system according to claim 1, A communication system for accommodation facilities, wherein the sound sensor is a sound impact sensor that detects vibrations.

6. The accommodation facility communication system according to claim 1, A communication system for accommodation facilities, wherein the sound sensor is a microphone.

7. The accommodation facility communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A communication system for accommodation facilities, wherein the plurality of sensor units are powered by commercial power.

8. The accommodation facility communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The plurality of wireless terminals are provided with a hands-free calling function and a noise canceling function in the communication system for accommodation facilities.

9. The accommodation facility communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A communication system for accommodation facilities, wherein the sensor transmitter is composed of a wireless terminal.

10. The accommodation communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: A communication system for accommodation facilities comprising a sensor enclosure that houses the sensor unit, the sound sensor, the voice generation unit, and the sensor transmitter.

11. The communication system for accommodation facilities according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A communication system for accommodation facilities, wherein the wireless terminal is a digital simplex wireless terminal.

12. The accommodation facility communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A communication system for accommodation facilities in which the sound sensor is fixed to the sensor side speaker by a suction cup or a magnet.

13. An in-accommodation communication method using an accommodation facility communication system installed in an accommodation facility for communication between a plurality of employees working at the accommodation facility, a step in which any of a plurality of sensor units, each of which is arranged at a plurality of positions in the accommodation facility, and each of which is equipped with a sensor-side speaker, and which is capable of emitting a different electronic sound or voice from the sensor-side speaker in response to a specific different behavior of a guest of the accommodation facility, emits an electronic sound or voice from the sensor-side speaker in response to the specific behavior of the guest; a step of detecting the electronic sound or the voice by a sound sensor arranged in proximity to the sensor-side speaker; a sound generating unit that determines whether the sound detected by the sound sensor is an electronic sound or a voice; In the case of the electronic sound, the different sound corresponding to the electronic sound is generated, and the generated sound is transmitted from the sensor transmitter; In the case of audio, transmitting the audio from the sensor transmitter; In-property communication methods, including:

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