Virtual Space Presence Detection Using Distance-Based Audio Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing remote work communication systems lack the ability to accurately determine participant presence and facilitate communication akin to in-person office interactions, relying solely on one-dimensional voice or image input/output.
Innovation Solution
An information processing system that includes a server and user terminals, where the server specifies user positions within a virtual space and adjusts communication based on distance, allowing for two-dimensional interaction and volume correction of voice and video inputs according to positional relationships.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If presence determination is based only on microphone and camera input, then the system is simple to operate, but the communication realism and user experience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional presence detection (voice/image input only) to multi-dimensional presence detection by adding spatial position information as a new dimension. The server acquires position information of participants and uses this spatial data to determine presence, creating a more realistic communication environment that mimics physical office interactions.
2Reliability
If position information is acquired and processed by the server, then communication realism is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that handles the complex tasks of acquiring position information from multiple terminals and processing presence determination. This centralizes the complexity in a dedicated mediator rather than requiring each terminal to independently perform complex spatial calculations, making the overall system more manageable.
3Reliability
If distance-based volume correction is implemented, then communication naturalness is improved, but the processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically changes the volume parameter of audio output based on the calculated distance between participants. The server calculates distances using position information and adjusts volume levels accordingly, creating a natural acoustic environment where closer participants are heard more loudly than distant ones, mimicking real-world physics.
4Measurement precision
If spatial position information is used for presence determination, then measurement precision of presence is improved, but the information processing requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary position information from terminal data and uses this extracted spatial data for presence determination. Rather than processing all terminal information, the system selectively extracts and utilizes position coordinates, reducing the overall information processing burden while maintaining high precision in presence detection.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual space management unit 60 generates a virtual space information and manages the virtual space information. An icon position acquisition unit 61 acquires icon position information of each of the users U. A transmission-side voice acquisition unit 62 acquires a transmission-side voice information. A distance calculation unit 63 calculates a distance between each of the icons based on a position within the virtual space of the icons corresponding to each of the users U. A correction factor determination unit 64 determines a correction factor of an output information based on the distance between the icons calculated by the distance calculation unit 63. A reception-side voice transmission control unit 65 transmits the acquired transmission-side voice information and the determined correction factor to each of the second user terminals 3.