Dynamic Voice Utterance Control for Attention Attraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing voice notification systems gradually reduce their effectiveness as users adapt to volume and tone adjustments, making it difficult to maintain attention, especially when users ignore notifications.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus and method that analyzes context to determine targets and outputs attracting utterances, incorporating emotional expressions and matter-of-interest content to re-engage users effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If volume control based on ambient noise level is used, then information notification effectiveness is improved, but user attention attraction deteriorates over time due to user adaptation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation notification effectivenessVSAvoiduser attention attraction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically changes utterance characteristics (volume, tone, speed, pauses) based on real-time analysis of user response. When a user does not respond, the system automatically adjusts these parameters to create more attention-grabbing utterances, transforming from static volume control to dynamic multi-parameter adjustment that adapts to user behavior patterns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes multiple utterance parameters simultaneously including volume level, tone quality, speaking speed, and pause intervals. This multi-parameter adjustment strategy prevents user adaptation by continuously varying the notification characteristics beyond simple volume control, thereby maintaining attention attraction effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of information

If repeated information notification is performed, then information delivery is improved, but attention attraction effectiveness deteriorates due to user habituation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation deliveryVSAvoidattention attraction effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs periodic notification attempts with increasing intervals, using different utterance patterns for each attempt. Rather than repeating identical notifications, the system varies the utterance characteristics in each periodic attempt, preventing user habituation while ensuring information delivery across multiple trials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically modifies notification strategies based on user response patterns. When users fail to respond to initial notifications, the system automatically adjusts subsequent notification timing, tone, and content to maintain effectiveness, transforming from static repetition to dynamic adaptive notification sequences

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11302317B2Information processing apparatus and information processing method to attract interest of targets using voice utterance

Publication Date: 2022.04.12 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

Achieving voice utterance that can attract an interest of a target further effectively. There is provided an information processing apparatus that includes an utterance control unit that controls output of voice utterance. The utterance control unit determines a target on the basis of an analyzed context, and controls an output device to output an attracting utterance that attracts an interest of the target. Furthermore, there is provided an information processing method that includes executing, by a processor, output control of voice utterance. The execution of the output control further includes determining a target on the basis of an analyzed context and controlling an output device to output an attracting utterance that attracts an interest of the target.