Walkie-talkie system, information processing methods and programs

Abstract

The walkie-talkie system (80) of the present invention includes: an image acquisition unit (22a) that acquires facial images of visitors to a multi-family dwelling (100); an extraction unit (22b) that extracts first facial information from the acquired facial images; and an output unit (22c) that, by referring to reliability information that establishes a correspondence between reliability and a plurality of second facial information for query purposes, specifies the reliability of the second facial information corresponding to the first facial information that has established a correspondence, and outputs the specified reliability and visitor information of the acquired facial images to a walkie-talkie host (30) installed in the multi-family dwelling (100).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an intercom system, an information processing method and a program. Prior Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an intercom system for use in a residential complex.

[0003] [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Document] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-38817 Summary of the Invention

[0004] [Problems to be solved by the invention] Visitors attempting to access residential complexes come in all shapes and sizes. Residents typically verify a visitor's identity by viewing their facial image displayed on the intercom and then communicating with them. However, there have been cases of robberies involving individuals disguised as delivery agents.

[0005] Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an intercom system, information processing method and program that can prompt residents with information that serves as judgment material when confirming the identity of visitors.

[0006] [Technical means to solve the problem] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, one form of the intercom system of the present invention includes: an image acquisition unit, which acquires a facial image of a visitor to a collective residence; a capture unit, which captures the first facial information from the aforementioned facial image; and an output unit, which, by referring to the reliability information that establishes a correspondence between the reliability and each of the plurality of second facial information used for inquiries, specifies the reliability of the second facial information corresponding to the aforementioned first facial information, and uses it to display the visitor information that specifies the aforementioned reliability and the aforementioned facial image obtained, and outputs it to the intercom host installed in the aforementioned collective residence.

[0007] In addition, in order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, one form of the information processing method of the present invention is an information processing method, which is executed by an intercom system installed in a collective residence and includes: an image acquisition step, which acquires a facial image of a visitor to the aforementioned collective residence; a capture step, which captures the first facial information from the aforementioned facial image; and an output step, which, by referring to the reliability information that establishes a correspondence between the reliability and each of the plurality of second facial information used for inquiries, specifically the reliability of the second facial information corresponding to the aforementioned first facial information, which will be used to display the visitor information that specifically shows the aforementioned reliability and the aforementioned facial image, and output it to the intercom host installed in the aforementioned collective residence.

[0008] Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented not only as the above-mentioned information processing method, but also as a program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method, and further, as a computer-readable recording medium storing the program.

[0009] [Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide residents with information that serves as a basis for judgment when confirming the identity of a visitor. Simple diagram description

[0010] FIG1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment. FIG2 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of Operation Example 1 of the communication system according to the embodiment. FIG3 is a diagram showing an example of reliability information. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen showing visitor information. FIG5 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of Operation Example 2 of the communication system according to the embodiment. FIG6 is a flow chart showing the operation of Operation Example 3 of the communication system of the embodiment. FIG7 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of Operation Example 4 of the communication system according to the embodiment. Implementation Method

[0011] The following describes in detail an embodiment of the intercom system of the present invention using drawings. The embodiments described below are intended to illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention. The numerical values, components, component placement and connection configurations, steps, and step sequences shown in the following embodiments are examples and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, any components of the following embodiments that are not described in the independent claims are described as optional components that constitute preferred embodiments.

[0012] Furthermore, each figure is a schematic diagram and does not necessarily represent a precise representation. In addition, in each figure, substantially the same components are given the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions may be omitted or simplified.

[0013] (Implementation form) [constitute] First, the structure of the communication system including the intercom system of the embodiment will be described. FIG1 is a block diagram showing the functional structure of the communication system of the embodiment.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, communication system 10 includes a reliability information server 70 and an intercom system 80. Communication system 10 uses intercom system 80 to inform residents of the reliability of visitors. Reliability is a numerical value that indicates how reliable a resident is toward a visitor. Specifically, a visitor with a high reliability rating is someone with whom the resident feels comfortable and whose identity is known. A visitor with a low reliability rating is someone whom the resident considers to be potentially harmful.

[0015] The collective housing 100 is a structure in which the intercom system 80 is applied. Specifically, the collective housing 100 is an apartment, a dormitory, or a company employee residence.

[0016] The following describes the configuration of the systems or devices included in the communication system 10.

[0017] Intercom system 80 includes a lobby intercom 20, an intercom host 30, a control device 40, a gateway device 50, and an automatic locking door 60. Intercom host 30 is installed in one or more dedicated areas of residential complex 100. The lobby intercom 20, control device 40, gateway device 50, and automatic locking door 60 are installed in a shared area of ​​residential complex 100.

[0018] The lobby intercom 20 is installed outside (on the exterior side) of the automatic locking door 60 at the entrance of the residential complex 100. For example, the lobby intercom 20 controls the automatic locking door 60. The lobby intercom 20 has a user interface consisting of a numeric keypad and a call button. Visitors to the residential complex 100 can enter their desired address via the numeric keypad to communicate with a resident and request the unlocking of the automatic locking door 60. The lobby intercom 20 communicates with the intercom host 30 via the control device 40. Specifically, the lobby intercom 20 includes a communication unit 21, an information processing unit 22, an operation reception unit 23, a camera unit 24, and a memory unit 25.

[0019] The communication unit 21 is a communication circuit (communication module) used by the hall intercom 20 to communicate with the intercom host 30 via the control device 40. Furthermore, the communication unit 21 can communicate with the reliability information server 70 via the control device 40, the gateway device 50, and the public network 90. ​​Communication via the communication unit 21 can be wired or wireless. The communication standards used by the communication unit 21 are not particularly limited.

[0020] The information processing unit 22 performs various information processing tasks, including processing reliability information sent to the intercom host 30 and processing information related to communication with the hall intercom 20. The information processing unit 22 can be implemented, for example, by a microcomputer, a processor, or a dedicated circuit. The information processing unit 22 includes an image acquisition unit 22a, a capture unit 22b, and an output unit 22c as functional components. The functions of the image acquisition unit 22a, the capture unit 22b, and the output unit 22c are implemented by the microcomputer or processor that constitutes the information processing unit 22 executing a computer program stored in the memory unit 25.

[0021] The image acquisition unit 22 a acquires the facial image of the visitor captured by the camera unit 24 .

[0022] The capture unit 22b captures facial information from the visitor's facial image acquired by the image acquisition unit 22a. Facial information includes features such as the locations of features such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, the location of the facial area, and the size of the facial area. Facial information includes information necessary for individual identification.

[0023] The output unit 22c determines the visitor's reliability based on the facial information captured by the capture unit 22b and outputs the result.

[0024] The operation receiving unit 23 receives various operations from the visitor. The operation receiving unit 23 is implemented by a touch panel, for example, but can also be implemented by hardware buttons.

[0025] The camera unit 24 captures the visitor's facial image. The camera unit 24 is implemented by, for example, a camera.

[0026] The memory unit 25 is a memory device that stores facial information of visitors who have visited the residential complex 100 in the past, the reliability of the correspondence between each facial information, and a computer program executed by the information processing unit 22. The memory unit 25 is implemented by, for example, a semiconductor memory.

[0027] The intercom host 30 is a fixed intercom terminal installed in the private area of ​​the residential complex 100. The intercom host 30 processes information for private residents to communicate with visitors via the lobby intercom 20 or the intercom handset 35. The intercom host 30 includes a communication unit 31, an information processing unit 32, an operation reception unit 33, and a display unit 34.

[0028] The communication unit 31 is a communication circuit (communication module) used by the intercom host 30 to communicate with the hall intercom 20 via the control device 40. Furthermore, the communication unit 31 can communicate with the reliability information server 70 via the control device 40, the gateway device 50, and the public network 90. ​​Communication via the communication unit 31c can be wired or wireless. The communication standards used by the communication unit 31 are not particularly limited.

[0029] The information processing unit 32 performs various information processing such as processing related to communication with the intercom host 30. The information processing unit 32 is implemented by a microcomputer, for example, or may be implemented by a processor or a dedicated circuit.

[0030] The operation receiving unit 33 receives various operations from the resident. The operation receiving unit 33 is implemented by a touch panel, for example, but can also be implemented by hardware buttons.

[0031] The display unit 34 displays various images and is implemented by a display panel such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel.

[0032] The intercom handset 35 is installed outside the entrance of the private part. The intercom handset 35 has a camera unit 35a, which captures the visitor's face image, for example, by a camera.

[0033] The control device 40 is installed within the residential complex 100 and controls communication between two devices: the plurality of intercom main units 30 and the lobby intercom 20. The control device 40 includes a communication unit 41. The communication unit 41 is a communication circuit (communication module) used for communication between the control device 40 and the lobby intercom 20, the plurality of intercom main units 30, and the gateway device 50. Furthermore, the communication unit 41 can communicate with the reliability information server 70 via the gateway device 50 and the public network 90. ​​Communication performed by the communication unit 41 can be wired or wireless. The communication standards used by the communication unit 41 are not particularly limited. Furthermore, the control device 40 may include an information processing unit 42 and a memory unit 43 having the same functional configuration as the information processing unit 22 and memory unit 25 of the lobby intercom 20.

[0034] The gateway device 50 is a communication device used by devices installed in the residential complex 100, such as the intercom host 30, to communicate with the reliability information server 70 and other devices via the public network 90. ​​The gateway device 50 includes a communication unit 51. The communication unit 51 is a communication circuit (communication module) used by the gateway device 50 to communicate with the reliability information server 70 via the public network 90. ​​Furthermore, the communication unit 51 can communicate with the lobby intercom 20 and multiple intercom hosts 30 via the control device 40. Communication performed by the communication unit 51 can be wired or wireless. The communication standard used by the communication unit 51 is not particularly limited.

[0035] The gateway device 50 may include an information processing unit 52 and a memory unit 53 having the same functional configuration as the information processing unit 22 and the memory unit 25 of the hall intercom 20 or the information processing unit 42 and the memory unit 43 of the control device 40. Furthermore, the gateway device 50 may be built into the control device 40.

[0036] The automatic locking door 60 is an automatic door installed at the entrance of the residential complex 100. The automatic locking door 60 automatically closes and locks after a certain period of time has passed since it was unlocked and opened.

[0037] Reliability information server 70 is, for example, one or more server devices located outside residential complex 100. Reliability information server 70 stores reliability information. Reliability information server 70 can communicate via public network 90 (in other words, public lines), such as intercom system 80 and the internet. When a visitor arrives at residential complex 100, reliability information server 70 can transmit reliability information to lobby intercom 20. Reliability information server 70 includes a communication unit 71 that communicates with gateway device 50 via public network 90, an information processing unit 72 that identifies and outputs reliability information, and a memory unit 73 that stores the reliability information.

[0038] Furthermore, the reliability information server 70 is mainly used when reliability information is shared among a plurality of separately located collective housing units 100. In the case of sharing reliability information among a single collective housing unit 100, the communication system 10 may not include the reliability information server 70.

[0039] [Action Example 1] Visitors attempting to access the residents of the residential complex 100 are conceivable to come from a variety of sources. Residents typically verify the visitor's identity by observing the visitor's facial image displayed on the display 34 of the intercom main unit 30 while making a voice call. However, there have been cases of robberies involving individuals disguised as delivery agents.

[0040] In contrast, the communication system 10 can present the residents of a private section with the facial image and reliability information of a visitor attempting to access that section. This allows the residents to obtain information that serves as a basis for verifying the visitor's identity. The following describes Operation Example 1 of such a communication system 10. Figure 2 is a sequence diagram of Operation Example 1 of the communication system 10 according to the embodiment. Furthermore, Operation Example 1 below describes the operation when a visitor attempting to access a private section within the residential complex 100 is located at the lobby intercom 20 installed in the shared entrance hall of the residential complex 100.

[0041] First, the camera unit 24 of the hall intercom 20 captures the visitor's facial image (S11 in FIG. 2 ). This action can be automatically executed when the visitor performs a call operation (such as specifying the account number of the exclusive department) on the hall intercom 20.

[0042] Next, the image acquisition unit 22a of the information processing unit 22 acquires the visitor's facial image captured by the camera unit 24 (S12 in Figure 2). The capture unit 22b captures the first facial information from the facial image acquired by the image acquisition unit 22a (S13 in Figure 2). If the first facial information contains the information necessary for individual identification, but the required amount of first facial information cannot be captured, the operations of S11 to S13 can be repeated until the required amount of first facial information is acquired. At this point, the hall intercom 20 can provide the visitor with instructions using images and voice to capture an image suitable for capturing the first facial information.

[0043] When the first facial information is retrieved, the output unit 22c identifies the visitor's reliability (S14 in Figure 2). Specifically, the output unit 22c identifies the visitor's reliability based on the retrieved first facial information and the reliability information stored in the memory unit 25. Reliability information is information that establishes a correspondence between the reliability and each of the plurality of second facial information used for query. Figure 3 shows an example of reliability information. The output unit 22c identifies the second facial information corresponding to the first facial information from the plurality of second facial information used for query. Here, the second facial information corresponding to the first facial information can be the second facial information that is consistent with the first facial information or the second facial information that has the highest similarity to the first facial information, as long as the first facial information and the identified second facial information are facial information of the same person. The output unit 22c identifies the reliability associated with the identified second facial information as the visitor's reliability.

[0044] In Figure 3, the reliability is stored as the number of unlocking attempts and the number of unlocking attempts. The output unit 22c calculates the reliability based on, for example, the ratio of the number of unlocking attempts to the number of unlocking attempts, and specifies the reliability. The reliability can also be calculated based on the difference between the number of unlocking attempts and the number of unlocking attempts. Furthermore, the reliability can be calculated based on the unlocking results for the entire period to date (the number of unlocking attempts and the number of unlocking attempts), or based on the unlocking results for the most recent specified period (i.e., only a portion of the entire period). Furthermore, the reliability can be calculated using the unlocking results for the entire period to date, with emphasis placed on the unlocking results for the most recent specified period. The method for calculating the reliability by the output unit 22c is not particularly limited.

[0045] When the reliability of a visitor is determined, the output unit 22c uses the communication unit 21 to transmit visitor information, including the visitor's facial image and reliability, to the intercom host 30 at the visitor's destination (S15 in Figure 2). The visitor information transmitted by the communication unit 21 is received by the intercom host 30 via the control device 40 (not shown in Figure 2). When the communication unit 31 of the intercom host 30 receives the visitor information, the information processing unit 32 displays the visitor information on the display unit 34 (S16 in Figure 2). Figure 4 illustrates an example of a display screen displaying visitor information. As shown in Figure 4, in addition to the visitor's facial image, the display screen also displays a scale indicating the visitor's reliability. In the example of Figure 4, the scale indicating the reliability is displayed on the left side of the display screen. The visitor's reliability can also be displayed numerically, and the display format of the reliability is not particularly limited.

[0046] When the visitor information is displayed, the information processing unit 32 uses the operation receiving unit 33 to receive the resident's operation. First, the information processing unit 32 receives the resident's response operation (S17 in Figure 2). The response operation is received, for example, by the resident pressing the "Talk" button on the operation receiving unit 33. By performing the response operation, the resident can talk to the visitor, inquire about the matter, and decide whether to unlock the door. Next, the information processing unit 32 receives the resident's unlock operation (S18 in Figure 2). The unlock operation is received, for example, by the resident pressing the "Unlock" button on the operation receiving unit 33.

[0047] Upon receiving an unlock operation, the information processing unit 32 uses the communication unit 31 to transmit an unlock command to the hall intercom 20 (S19 in FIG. 2 ). The unlock command transmitted by the communication unit 31 is received by the hall intercom 20 via the control device 40 (not shown in FIG. 2 ). When the communication unit 21 of the hall intercom 20 receives the unlock command, the information processing unit 22 uses the communication unit 21 to unlock the automatic locking door 60.

[0048] Finally, the information processing unit 22 updates the reliability information stored in the memory unit 25 (S20 in FIG. 2 ). If the resident performs an acknowledgement operation and an unlocking operation, unlocking the automatic locking door 60, the reliability information in FIG. 3 is corrected by adding 1 to the number of unlockings associated with the visitor's second facial information, thereby increasing the visitor's reliability.

[0049] Here, in S17 and S18, if an answering operation is performed but an unlocking operation is not performed, and an ending operation is performed instead, the visitor's reliability is corrected by increasing the number of unlocking attempts associated with the visitor's second facial information in the reliability information of FIG. 3 by 1, thereby lowering the visitor's reliability. The ending operation is an operation for ending a call, for example, accepted by the resident by pressing the "End" button of the operation reception unit 33. This situation occurs, for example, when a visitor attempts to visit who is not desirable for the resident. Furthermore, if neither an answering operation nor an unlocking operation is performed, the information processing unit 22 does not correct the reliability of the specified location. This situation occurs, for example, when the resident is not at home.

[0050] In this way, according to Action Example 1, the resident can obtain information that serves as a basis for judgment when confirming the visitor's identity.

[0051] Furthermore, Operation Example 1 describes the operation performed when a visitor attempting to access a private section within residential complex 100 is located at lobby intercom 20 installed in the common entrance hall of residential complex 100. However, the same operation is performed when a visitor attempting to access another private section within residential complex 100 is located at lobby intercom 20 installed in the common entrance hall of residential complex 100.

[0052] [Action Example 2] Operation Example 1 describes the operation when the visitor's second facial information is included in the reliability information, for example, because the visitor has visited residential complex 100 in the past. Operation Example 2 describes the operation when the visitor's second facial information is not included in the reliability information. Figure 5 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of Operation Example 2 of communication system 10 of the embodiment. Furthermore, Operation Example 2 below describes the operation when a visitor attempting to access a private area within residential complex 100 is located at lobby intercom 20 installed in the shared entrance hall of residential complex 100.

[0053] First, the camera unit 24 of the hall intercom 20 captures the visitor's facial image (S31 of FIG. 5 ). This action can be automatically executed when the visitor performs a call operation (operation of specifying the account number of the exclusive department) on the hall intercom 20.

[0054] Next, the image acquisition unit 22a of the information processing unit 22 acquires the visitor's facial image captured by the camera unit 24 (S32 in FIG. 5 ). The capture unit 22b extracts first facial information from the facial image acquired by the image acquisition unit 22a (S33 in FIG. 5 ). If the first facial information contains the information necessary for individual identification, but the required amount of first facial information cannot be extracted, the operations of S31-S33 are repeated until the required amount of first facial information is obtained. At this point, the lobby intercom 20 can provide the visitor with instructions using both visual and audio instructions for capturing an image suitable for capturing the first facial information.

[0055] When the first facial information is extracted, the output unit 22c attempts to identify the visitor's reliability. Specifically, the output unit 22c attempts to identify the visitor's reliability based on the extracted first facial information and the reliability information stored in the memory unit 25. The output unit 22c attempts to identify the second facial information corresponding to the first facial information from among the plurality of second facial information used for query. If the second facial information corresponding to the first facial information is not included in the reliability information and cannot be identified, the output unit 22c registers the first facial information extracted in step S33 as the new second facial information in the reliability information (S34 in Figure 5).

[0056] If the reliability cannot be determined, the output unit 22c uses the communication unit 21 to transmit the visitor's facial image to the intercom host 30 at the visitor's destination (S35 in FIG5 ). The facial image transmitted by the communication unit 21 is received by the intercom host 30 via the control device 40 (not shown in FIG5 ). When the communication unit 31 of the intercom host 30 receives the visitor's information, the information processing unit 32 displays the facial image on the display unit 34 (S36 in FIG5 ). At this time, a message indicating that the information processing unit 32 cannot determine the reliability, meaning that the visitor is visiting the residential complex 100 for the first time, may be displayed along with the facial image.

[0057] When the facial image is displayed, the information processing unit 32 uses the operation receiving unit 33 to receive the resident's operation. First, the information processing unit 32 receives the resident's response operation (S37 in Figure 5). The response operation is received, for example, by the resident pressing the "Talk" button on the operation receiving unit 33. By performing the response operation, the resident can talk to the visitor, inquire about the matter, and decide whether to unlock the door. Next, the information processing unit 32 receives the resident's unlock operation (S38 in Figure 5). The unlock operation is received, for example, by the resident pressing the "Unlock" button on the operation receiving unit 33.

[0058] When an unlock operation is received, the information processing unit 32 uses the communication unit 31 to send an unlock command to the hall intercom 20 (S39 in FIG5 ). The unlock command sent by the communication unit 31 is received by the hall intercom 20 via the control device 40 (not shown in FIG5 ). When the communication unit 21 of the hall intercom 20 receives the unlock command, the information processing unit 22 uses the communication unit 21 to unlock the automatic locking door 60.

[0059] Finally, the information processing unit 22 updates the reliability information stored in the memory unit 25 (S40 in FIG. 5 ). When the resident performs a response operation and an unlocking operation to unlock the automatic locking door 60, the initial reliability of the visitor is set by adding 1 to the number of unlocking times associated with the second facial information of the visitor registered in S34, as shown in FIG. 3 .

[0060] Here, in S37 and S38, if an answering operation is performed but an unlocking operation is not performed, and an ending operation is performed instead, the initial reliability of the visitor is set by adding 1 to the number of unlocking attempts associated with the second facial information of the visitor registered in S34, as shown in FIG3 . The ending operation is an operation for ending a call, for example, by the resident pressing the "End" button of the operation receiving unit 33. This situation occurs, for example, when a visitor attempts to visit who is not desirable for the resident. Furthermore, if neither an answering operation nor an unlocking operation is performed, the information processing unit 22 does not modify the specified reliability. This situation occurs, for example, when the resident is not at home.

[0061] In this way, according to Action Example 2, the communication system 10 can register the first facial information of a person who visits the collective housing 100 for the first time as new second facial information in the reliability information.

[0062] Furthermore, Example 2 describes the operation performed when a visitor attempting to access a private section within residential complex 100 is located at lobby intercom 20 installed in the shared entrance of residential complex 100. However, the same operation is performed when a visitor attempting to access another private section within residential complex 100 is located at lobby intercom 20 installed in the shared entrance of residential complex 100. Therefore, the reliability information stored in memory unit 25 of lobby intercom 20 includes the second facial information of visitors who have attempted to access any private section within residential complex 100 to date.

[0063] [Action Example 3] In Operation Examples 1 and 2, the operation is described for a case where only one lobby intercom 20 is installed in the residential complex 100. However, multiple lobby intercoms 20 may be installed in the residential complex 100. For example, consider a case where multiple shared entrances are installed in the residential complex 100, and each of the multiple shared entrances has a lobby intercom 20 installed.

[0064] Therefore, in Operation Example 3, the operation will be described for the case where a plurality of lobby intercoms 20 are installed in the residential complex 100. Fig. 6 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of Operation Example 3 of the communication system 10 of the embodiment.

[0065] Here, two lobby intercoms 20 are provided, referred to as lobby intercom 20A and lobby intercom 20B. Note that A and B are merely used to distinguish between them and do not represent differences in functional configuration or superiority. A and B can be interchanged as appropriate.

[0066] First, the visitor uses the lobby intercom 20A. The lobby intercom 20A operates according to operation example 1 or 2, and the information processing unit 22A of the lobby intercom 20A updates the reliability information stored in the storage unit 25A (S51 in Figure 6).

[0067] When the reliability information is updated, the information processing unit 22A of the hall intercom 20A transmits the reliability information to the hall intercom 20B using the communication unit 21A (S52 in FIG. 6 ). The reliability information transmitted by the communication unit 21A is received by the hall intercom 20B via the control device 40 (not shown in FIG. 6 ) (S53 in FIG. 6 ). Based on the received reliability information, the information processing unit 22B of the hall intercom 20B updates the reliability information stored in the memory unit 25B (S54 in FIG. 6 ). Specifically, the information processing unit 22B reflects the updated contents of the received reliability information (the updated contents of the reliability information in step S53) in the reliability information stored in the memory unit 25B.

[0068] In this way, the communication system 10 can remind residents of the visitor's reliability regardless of whether the collective residence 100 has multiple lobby intercoms 20 or whether a visitor who has used a common entrance in the past uses another common entrance.

[0069] The reliability information can be sent and received every time the reliability information is updated, or it can be sent and received at a specified time interval. For example, it can be sent and received at 5:00 AM every day.

[0070] Alternatively, the reliability information may be stored only in the memory unit 25A of the hall intercom 20A, and the other hall intercoms 20B and the like may communicate with the hall intercom 20A and access the memory unit 25A to determine the reliability. Alternatively, the reliability information may be stored in a memory unit of an external device separate from any of the plurality of hall intercoms 20, and the plurality of hall intercoms 20 may communicate with the external device and determine the reliability by accessing the reliability information stored in the external device. For example, the external device may be the control device 40.

[0071] [Action Example 4] Operation Examples 1-3 describe the operation of the communication system 10 within a single residential complex 100. Here, in the communication system 10, a reliability information server 70 installed externally to the intercom system 80 enables reliability information to be shared between multiple intercom systems 80 installed in different residential complexes 100. Operation Example 4 describes the operation in which reliability information is shared between multiple intercom systems 80 installed in different residential complexes 100. Figure 7 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of Operation Example 4 of the communication system 10 according to the embodiment. Furthermore, the following describes the processing performed by the lobby intercom 20 installed in a residential complex 100 and the reliability information server 70 when a visitor visits the residential complex 100.

[0072] First, the camera unit 24 of the hall intercom 20 captures the visitor's facial image (S61 of FIG. 7 ). This action can be automatically executed when the visitor performs a call operation (such as specifying the account number of the exclusive department) on the hall intercom 20.

[0073] Next, the image acquisition unit 22a of the information processing unit 22 acquires the visitor's facial image captured by the camera unit 24 (S62 in FIG. 7 ). The capture unit 22b captures first facial information from the facial image acquired by the image acquisition unit 22a (S63 in FIG. 7 ). If the first facial information contains the information necessary for individual identification, but the required amount of first facial information cannot be captured, the operations of S61-S63 may be repeated until the required amount of first facial information is acquired. At this point, the hall intercom 20 may provide the visitor with instructions using both visual and audio signals to capture an image suitable for capturing the first facial information.

[0074] After extracting the first facial information, the output unit 22c uses the communication unit 21 to transmit the visitor's first facial information to the reliability information server 70 (S64 in FIG. 7 ). The first facial information transmitted by the communication unit 21 is received by the reliability information server 70 via the control device 40 (not shown in FIG. 7 ), the gateway device 50 (not shown in FIG. 7 ), and the public network 90 (not shown in FIG. 7 ).

[0075] Upon receiving the first facial information, the information processing unit 72 of the reliability information server 70 identifies the visitor's reliability (S65 in Figure 7). Specifically, the information processing unit 72 identifies the visitor's reliability based on the received first facial information and the reliability information stored in the memory unit 73. The information processing unit 72 identifies the second facial information corresponding to the first facial information from among the plurality of second facial information used for query. Here, the second facial information corresponding to the first facial information can be the second facial information that matches the first facial information or the second facial information that has the highest similarity to the first facial information, as long as the first facial information and the identified second facial information are facial information of the same person. The information processing unit 72 identifies the reliability associated with the identified second facial information as the visitor's reliability.

[0076] When the reliability of a specific visitor is determined, the information processing unit 72 uses the communication unit 71 to send the reliability of the specific visitor to the lobby intercom 20 (S66 in Figure 7). The reliability sent by the communication unit 71 is received by the lobby intercom 20 via the public network 90, the gateway device 50, and the control device 40.

[0077] Upon receiving the visitor's reliability, the information processing unit 22 uses the communication unit 21 to transmit visitor information, including the visitor's facial image and reliability, to the intercom host 30 at the visitor's destination (S67 in Figure 7). The visitor information transmitted by the communication unit 21 is received by the intercom host 30 via the control device 40. When the communication unit 31 of the intercom host 30 receives the visitor information, the information processing unit 32 displays the visitor information on the display unit 34 (S68 in Figure 7). Figure 4 illustrates an example of a display screen displaying visitor information. As shown in Figure 4, the display screen displays not only the visitor's facial image but also a gauge indicating the visitor's reliability.

[0078] When the visitor information is displayed, the information processing unit 32 uses the operation receiving unit 33 to receive the resident's operation. First, the information processing unit 32 receives the resident's response operation (S69 in Figure 7). The response operation is received, for example, by the resident pressing the "Talk" button on the operation receiving unit 33. By performing the response operation, the resident can talk to the visitor, inquire about the matter, and decide whether to unlock the door. Next, the information processing unit 32 receives the resident's unlock operation (S70 in Figure 7). The unlock operation is received, for example, by the resident pressing the "Unlock" button on the operation receiving unit 33.

[0079] Upon receiving an unlock operation, the information processing unit 32 uses the communication unit 31 to transmit an unlock command to the hall intercom 20 (S71 in FIG. 7 ). The unlock command transmitted by the communication unit 31 is received by the hall intercom 20 via the control device 40. When the communication unit 21 of the hall intercom 20 receives the unlock command, the information processing unit 22 uses the communication unit 21 to unlock the automatic locking door 60 (S72 in FIG. 7 ).

[0080] Finally, the information processing unit 22 uses the communication unit 21 to transmit unlock determination information indicating whether the unlock command has been issued to the reliability information server 70 (S73 in FIG. 7 ). The unlock determination information transmitted by the communication unit 21 is received by the reliability information server 70 via the control device 40, the gateway device 50, and the public network 90. ​​Based on the received unlock determination information, the information processing unit 72 updates the reliability information stored in the memory unit 73 (S74 in FIG. 7 ).

[0081] In this way, the communication system 10 can use the reliability information stored in the reliability information server 70 to identify a visitor's reliability. FIG7 illustrates the processing performed by the lobby intercom 20 installed in a certain residential complex 100 and the reliability information server 70 when a visitor visits that residential complex 100. The same processing is also performed by the lobby intercom 20 installed in that residential complex 100 and the reliability information server 70 when a visitor visits another residential complex 100. In other words, the reliability information stored in the reliability information server 70 is shared among multiple intercom systems 80 (multiple lobby intercoms 20) installed in different residential complexes 100.

[0082] In this way, the residents can confirm the reliability of a visitor who visits the collective housing 100 for the first time if the visitor has visited other collective housings 100.

[0083] Furthermore, the reliability information stored in the reliability information server 70 includes not only visitors who have visited the collective housing 100 in the past, but also dangerous persons such as wanted criminals and murderers.

[0084] [Example of Change] In the above embodiment, the processing of the reliability of a specific visitor and the processing of updating the reliability of a visitor are described as being performed by the hall intercom 20. However, the processing may be performed by the control device 40 or the gateway device 50 instead of the hall intercom 20.

[0085] Furthermore, the intercom host 30 can process and update the reliability of a specific visitor. In this case, in addition to the situation where an outgoing call is performed on the lobby intercom 20, the intercom host 30 can also process and update the reliability of a specific visitor when an outgoing call is performed on the intercom slave 35. In the description of FIG2 and the following variations, the lobby intercom 20 and the camera unit 24 can be appropriately replaced with the intercom slave 35 and the camera unit 35a.

[0086] [Effects, etc.] Hereinafter, inventions derived from the disclosure of this specification are exemplified, and effects obtained from the exemplified inventions are described.

[0087] Invention 1 is an intercom system 80, which includes: an image acquisition unit 22a, which acquires a facial image of a visitor to the collective residence 100; a capture unit 22b, which captures first facial information from the acquired facial image; and an output unit 22c, which specifies the reliability corresponding to the second facial information corresponding to the first facial information by referring to reliability information that establishes a correspondence between the reliability and each of a plurality of second facial information used for inquiries, and outputs the visitor information of the visitor's face image and the reliability that is specified to be displayed to the intercom host 30 installed in the collective residence 100.

[0088] According to such an intercom system 80, since the reliability can be displayed together with the facial image on the intercom host, the resident can be prompted with information that serves as a basis for judgment when confirming the identity of the visitor.

[0089] Invention 2 is an intercom system 80 as in Invention 1, wherein after the output unit 22c outputs the visitor information, if the visitor is allowed to enter the collective residence 100, the reliability of the established correspondence between the second facial information and the first facial information is increased, and if the visitor is denied entry to the collective residence 100, the reliability of the established correspondence between the second facial information and the first facial information is reduced.

[0090] According to such an intercom system 80, the reliability information of a visitor can be updated without the resident performing any specific operation for evaluating the visitor. Specific operations performed by the resident for evaluating the visitor include, for example, pre-registering a facial image of a reliable visitor or inputting the visitor's attribute information or reliability after the visitor has been contacted.

[0091] Invention 3 is an intercom system 80 as in Invention 1 or 2, wherein if the second facial information does not contain facial information corresponding to the first facial information, the output unit 22c adds the first facial information to the reliability information as new second facial information.

[0092] According to such an intercom system 80, the reliability of visitors who visit the collective residence 100 for the first time can be recorded.

[0093] Invention 4 is an intercom system 80 as in any one of Inventions 1 to 3, wherein the intercom host 30 has a display unit 34 for displaying received visitor information on the display unit 34.

[0094] According to such an intercom system 80, the resident can visually confirm the reliability of the visitor together with the visitor's facial image.

[0095] Invention 5 is an intercom system 80 as in any one of Inventions 1 to 4, wherein the collective residence 100 has a plurality of shared entrances, cameras are respectively installed in the plurality of shared entrances, and the second facial information for the plurality of inquiries includes facial information extracted from facial images of visitors captured by the plurality of cameras corresponding to the plurality of shared entrances.

[0096] According to such an intercom system 80, in a collective residence 100 having a plurality of shared entrances, when a visitor who has used a shared entrance in the past uses another shared entrance, the residents can be informed of the visitor's reliability.

[0097] Invention 6 is an intercom system 80 as in any one of Inventions 1 to 5, wherein the second facial information used for multiple inquiries includes facial information of visitors who have attempted to visit any one of the multiple private parts of the collective residence 100 in the past.

[0098] According to such an intercom system 80, in a collective residence 100 having a plurality of private sections, when a visitor who has visited a private section in the past visits another private section, the reliability of the visitor can be informed to the residents.

[0099] Invention 7 is an intercom system 80 as in any one of Inventions 1 to 6, which further includes an external communication unit for communicating with a reliability information server 70 provided outside the system, wherein the second facial information and reliability information are stored in the reliability information server 70, and the second facial information and reliability information include facial information and reliability information of visitors who have attempted to visit other residences different from the collective residence 100 in the past.

[0100] According to such an intercom system 80, by sharing reliability information among multiple residential facilities, when a visitor who has visited a certain residence in the past visits another residence, the reliability of the visitor can be notified to the residents.

[0101] Invention 8 is an intercom system 80 as in any one of Inventions 1 to 7, wherein a camera is installed in the common entrance of the collective residence 100, and the image acquisition unit acquires the facial image of the visitor captured by the camera.

[0102] According to such an intercom system 80, the resident can be prompted with visitor information of the visitor who visits the shared entrance hall.

[0103] Invention 9 is an intercom system 80 as in any one of Inventions 1 to 8, wherein a camera is installed at the entrance of the private part of the collective residence 100, and the image acquisition unit acquires the facial image of the visitor captured by the camera.

[0104] According to such an intercom system 80, the resident can be prompted with visitor information of the visitor who visits the private part.

[0105] Invention 10 is an intercom system 80 as in any one of Inventions 1 to 9, wherein the image acquisition unit 22a, the capture unit 22b and the output unit 22c are provided by an intercom 20 installed in the lobby of the collective housing 100.

[0106] According to such an intercom system 80, the lobby intercom 20 can identify the reliability of a specific visitor.

[0107] Invention 11 is an intercom system 80 as in any one of Inventions 1 to 9, wherein the image acquisition unit, the capture unit, and the output unit are provided by a control device 40 installed in the collective residence 100, and the control device 40 controls the communication between the intercom host 30 and the lobby intercom 20 installed in the collective residence 100.

[0108] According to such an intercom system 80, the control device 40 can determine the reliability of a specific visitor.

[0109] Invention 12 is an intercom system 80 as in any one of Inventions 1 to 9, wherein the image acquisition unit, the capture unit and the output unit are provided by a gateway device 50 installed in the collective residence 100, and the gateway device 50 is used to connect the intercom system 80 to the public network 90.

[0110] According to such an intercom system 80, the gateway device 50 can determine the reliability of a specific visitor.

[0111] Invention 13 is an information processing method, which is executed by an intercom system 80 installed in a collective residence 100 and includes: an image acquisition step, which acquires a facial image of a visitor to the collective residence 100; a capture step, which captures first facial information from the acquired facial image; and an output step, which specifies the reliability of the second facial information corresponding to the first facial information by referring to reliability information that establishes a correspondence between the reliability and each of a plurality of second facial information used for query, and outputs the reliability of the visitor information of the visitor corresponding to the first facial information to the intercom host 30 installed in the collective residence 100.

[0112] According to such an information processing method, the resident can be prompted with information that serves as a basis for judgment when confirming the identity of the visitor.

[0113] Invention 14 is a program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method of Invention 13.

[0114] According to such a program, the computer can use the intercom system 80 to prompt the resident with information that becomes the judgment material when confirming the identity of the visitor.

[0115] The above description of the intercom system, information processing method, and program of the present invention is based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. As long as they do not depart from the spirit of the present invention, various modifications that may occur to those skilled in the art, such as those that incorporate the embodiments, or other embodiments constructed by combining some of the components of the embodiments, are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0116] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the communication system and intercom system are implemented by one or more server devices. As such, the term "system" in this specification may be composed of a single device or a plurality of devices. When a system is composed of a plurality of devices, the system's components (particularly functional components) may be arbitrarily distributed across the plurality of devices.

[0117] Furthermore, the communication method between the devices in the above embodiment is not particularly limited. Furthermore, a relay device (not shown) (such as a broadband router) may be interposed in the communication between the devices.

[0118] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the processing performed by a specific processing unit can be performed by another processing unit. Furthermore, the order of multiple processing can be changed, and multiple processing can be performed in parallel.

[0119] In the above-mentioned embodiment, each component can be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component can be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU or a processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

[0120] Furthermore, each component can be implemented by hardware. For example, each component can be a circuit (or integrated circuit). These circuits can be integrated into a single circuit or can be separate circuits. Furthermore, these circuits can be general-purpose circuits or dedicated circuits.

[0121] Furthermore, the present invention, in its entirety or in its specific aspects, may be implemented as a system, apparatus, method, integrated circuit, computer program, or computer-readable recording media such as a CD-ROM. Furthermore, the present invention may be implemented as any combination of the systems, apparatus, method, integrated circuit, computer program, and recording media.

[0122] For example, the present invention can be implemented as a method executed by a computer system, such as a walkie-talkie system, for displaying reliability, or as a program for causing a computer system to execute the method. Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented as a computer-readable, non-transitory recording medium containing such a program.

[0123] In addition, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various changes thought of by those skilled in the art to each embodiment, or forms achieved by arbitrarily combining the constituent elements and functions of each embodiment within the scope not departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0124] 10: Communication System 20, 20A, 20B: Lobby intercom 21: Communications Department 22: Information Processing Department 22a: Image acquisition unit 22b: Capture unit 22c: Output unit 23: Operation Reception Department 24: Camera Department 25: Memory Department 30: Walkie-talkie host 31: Communications Department 32: Information Processing Department 33: Operation Reception Department 34: Display unit 35: Walkie-talkie handset 35a: Camera Department 40: Control device 41: Communications Department 42: Information Processing Department 43: Memory Department 50: Gateway device 51: Communications Department (External Communications Department) 52: Information Processing Department 53: Memory Department 60: Automatic locking door 70:Reliability Information Server 71: Communications Department 72: Information Processing Department 73: Memory Department 80: Intercom system 90: Public network 100: Collective Housing S11~S20, S31~S40, S51~S54, S61~S74: Steps

Claims

1. A walkie-talkie system comprising: an image acquisition unit that acquires a facial image of a visitor in a multi-family dwelling; an extraction unit that extracts first facial information from the acquired facial image; and an output unit that, by referring to reliability information that establishes a correspondence between reliability and a plurality of second facial information used for querying, specifies the reliability of the second facial information corresponding to the first facial information, displays the visitor information specifying the aforementioned reliability and the acquired facial image, and outputs it to a walkie-talkie host installed in the multi-family dwelling; wherein the aforementioned reliability is a value representing the degree to which the residents of the multi-family dwelling consider the aforementioned visitor to be reliable, and varies depending on whether the residents allow the aforementioned visitor to enter the multi-family dwelling.

2. As in the walkie-talkie system of request item 1, wherein after the aforementioned output unit outputs the aforementioned visitor information, if the aforementioned visitor is allowed to enter the aforementioned apartment complex, the aforementioned reliability of the established correspondence between the second facial information corresponding to the aforementioned first facial information is increased; if the aforementioned visitor is denied entry to the aforementioned apartment complex, the aforementioned reliability of the established correspondence between the second facial information corresponding to the aforementioned first facial information is decreased.

3. In the walkie-talkie system of request item 1 or 2, if there is no face information corresponding to the aforementioned first face information in the aforementioned second face information, the aforementioned output unit adds the aforementioned first face information as new second face information to the aforementioned reliability information.

4. The walkie-talkie system as requested in item 1 or 2, wherein the aforementioned walkie-talkie host has a display unit that displays the received visitor information on the aforementioned display unit.

5. The intercom system as requested in item 1 or 2, wherein the aforementioned residential complex has a plurality of shared entrances, and cameras are installed in the plurality of shared entrances, and the second facial information used for the plurality of queries includes facial information extracted from facial images of visitors captured by the plurality of cameras corresponding to the plurality of shared entrances.

6. The intercom system as requested in item 1 or 2, wherein the second facial information used for the aforementioned plurality of queries includes facial information of visitors who have previously attempted to access any of the plurality of private units of the aforementioned apartment complex.

7. The intercom system of request item 1 or 2 further includes an external communication unit that communicates with a reliability information server located outside the system. The aforementioned second facial information and the aforementioned reliability information are stored in the aforementioned reliability information server. The aforementioned second facial information and the aforementioned reliability information include facial information and reliability information of visitors who have previously attempted to access other residences different from the aforementioned apartment complex.

8. The intercom system as requested in item 1 or 2, wherein a camera is installed in the common entrance hall of the aforementioned apartment complex, and the aforementioned image acquisition unit acquires the aforementioned facial image of the aforementioned visitor captured by the aforementioned camera.

9. The intercom system as requested in item 1 or 2, wherein a camera unit is installed in the entrance hall of the private part of the aforementioned apartment building, and the aforementioned image acquisition unit acquires the aforementioned facial image of the aforementioned visitor captured by the aforementioned camera unit.

10. The walkie-talkie system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the aforementioned image acquisition unit, the aforementioned capture unit and the aforementioned output unit are provided by means of a walkie-talkie installed in the lobby of the aforementioned apartment building.

11. The walkie-talkie system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the aforementioned image acquisition unit, the aforementioned capture unit and the aforementioned output unit are provided by a control device installed in the aforementioned apartment building, and the aforementioned control device controls the communication between the aforementioned walkie-talkie main unit and the walkie-talkie installed in the lobby of the aforementioned apartment building.

12. The walkie-talkie system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the aforementioned image acquisition unit, the aforementioned capture unit and the aforementioned output unit are provided by means of a gateway device installed in the aforementioned apartment building, the aforementioned gateway device being used for connecting the aforementioned walkie-talkie system to a public network.

13. An information processing method, performed by an intercom system installed in a residential building, comprising: an image acquisition step, which acquires a facial image of a visitor of the residential building; an extraction step, which extracts first facial information from the acquired facial image; and an output step, which, by referring to reliability information that establishes a correspondence between reliability and a plurality of second facial information used for query, specifies the established reliability of the second facial information corresponding to the first facial information, and outputs the specified reliability and visitor information of the acquired facial image to an intercom host installed in the residential building; wherein the reliability is a value representing the degree to which the residents of the residential building consider the visitor to be reliable, and varies depending on whether the residents allow the visitor to enter the residential building.

14. A program for causing a computer to perform the information processing method as requested in item 13.

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