JP6499308B2 - Electronic device, program, and control method of electronic device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device including a plurality of microphones.

  Conventionally, development of electronic devices with a sound collection function has been underway. In particular, in recent years, the development of mobile phones with a sound collecting function having the appearance of a robot has been activated. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a mobile phone having a robot shape including at least one of a binaural part, a mouth part, an arm part, a foot part, a head part, and an eye part, and a torso part. At the mouth portion of the mobile phone, a microphone that collects sound to the other party is arranged. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a mobile phone that is made of a flexible body, includes a trunk portion, a head portion, a hand portion, and a leg portion, and includes a main body with a built-in telephone board. The main body of the cellular phone has an overall shape that can be called a human minimal design, and a microphone for acquiring a user's voice is incorporated in the body portion.

Japanese Patent Publication “Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-177771 (Released on August 6, 2009)” Japanese Published Patent Publication "Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-29066 (published on February 9, 2012)"

  However, both the mobile phone disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the mobile phone disclosed in Patent Document 2 have only one microphone. In other words, each of the plurality of microphones is not arranged at any location on the mobile phone or the like according to the characteristics of various functions of the mobile phone or the like. Therefore, these mobile phones and the like have a problem in that any one of the microphones cannot be appropriately selected according to the function used by the user.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to arrange a plurality of microphones in any part of the electronic device in accordance with the characteristics of the plurality of functions of the electronic device. The microphone to be used is appropriately switched according to the function used by the user.

  In order to solve the above problem, an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention is an electronic device including a plurality of microphones having a sound collection function, and each of the plurality of microphones provided in the electronic device. Are associated with a plurality of functions of the electronic device and are arranged at different parts of the electronic device, and a sound collecting function is provided according to each of the plurality of functions executed by the electronic device. A microphone selection unit that selects a microphone to be turned on from the plurality of microphones is provided.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of microphones are arranged in any part of an electronic device according to the characteristics of the plurality of functions of the electronic device, so that the user can use the electronic device according to the function of the electronic device. The microphone to be used can be appropriately selected by the microphone selection unit.

(A) is a front view which shows the outline of the robot which concerns on Embodiments 1-3 of this invention. (B) is a rear view showing an outline of the robot. It is the schematic which shows arrangement | positioning of the 1st drive part-3rd drive part with which the said robot is provided. It is an example of the selection microphone data table which shows the correspondence of the various functions of the said robot, and a selection microphone. It is an example of the noise cancellation microphone data table showing the correspondence between the various functions of the robot and the noise cancellation microphone. It is the schematic which shows the positional relationship of a user and the said robot in the case of using a telephone call function.

Embodiment 1
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. In the following embodiments, the case where the electronic apparatus according to the present invention is a biped walking humanoid robot with a telephone function will be described as an example. However, the robot is not limited to a biped walking humanoid robot. For example, robots such as battle robots and animal robots (animal robots including at least a head and a torso) of an anime character without legs, plant robots, mobile terminals, wireless communication Devices and the like are subject to application of the present invention.

  In the following descriptions, for convenience of explanation, the upper vertical side is the upper side, the lower vertical side is the lower side, the right side is the right side of the page, and the left side is the left side of the page.

<Overview of the robot>
First, an outline of the robot 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a robot (electronic device) 1 includes a head 1a, a shoulder 1d, a torso 1e, an upper arm 1f, a forearm 1g, a thigh 1h, and a foot. 1i. The head 1a includes an eye 1b, a mouth 1c, a first microphone 2a to a third microphone 2c, a camera unit 4, and a control unit. A speaker 3 is built in the mouth 1c. The body part 1e includes a fourth microphone 2d, a display part 5, and an operation input part 6. In addition, the body portion 1e includes a microphone selection unit 7 and a noise canceling microphone selection unit 8.

  The first microphone 2a to the fourth microphone 2d (a plurality of microphones) are sound collectors having a sound collecting function. Details of the arrangement of the microphones will be described later. The speaker 3 is a reproduction unit having a function of reproducing information including sound data and a sound output function. The camera unit 4 is an imaging unit that images a subject. For example, the camera unit 4 may be incorporated in each of the two eyes 1b. The display unit 5 displays various images such as images resulting from execution of application software and the like that the robot 1 has. The operation input unit 6 acquires the input user operation. The display part 5 and the operation input part 6 may be arrange | positioned at the site | part from the chest part of the trunk | drum 1e to the abdomen, for example. A control unit (not shown) controls the robot 1 in an integrated manner. Details of the microphone selection unit 7 and the noise cancellation microphone selection unit 8 will be described later.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, the head 1a is integrated with the neck (see FIG. 2), and the shoulder 1d and the upper arm 1f are integrated with the thigh 1h via the shoulder joint 1j. Are movably connected to the body portion 1e via the hip joint portion 11. The forearm 1g is movably connected to the upper arm 1f via an elbow joint 1k. The foot 1i is movably connected to the thigh 1h via the ankle joint 1m.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a first drive unit 10 a to a third drive unit 10 c are built in the neck portion and each joint portion constituting the skeleton 20 of the robot 1. The head 1a, the shoulder 1d, the upper arm 1f, the forearm 1g, the thigh 1h, and the foot 1i are respectively movable in a predetermined direction by being driven by these driving units.

  The first drive unit 10a drives the part of the robot 1 to be driven in the pitch direction. The 2nd drive part 10b drives the site | part of the robot 1 used as a drive object to the direction of a roll. The third drive unit 10c drives the part of the robot 1 to be driven in the yaw direction. Here, “pitch” refers to the direction of rotation around the Y axis in FIG. “Roll” refers to the direction of rotation around the X axis in FIG. “Yaw” refers to the direction of rotation around the Z-axis in FIG. Therefore, for example, since all of the first drive unit 10a to the third drive unit 10c are built in the neck, the head 1a is movable about all axes.

  In addition to the servo motor, various actuators such as a hydraulic cylinder and a pneumatic cylinder are used for the first driving unit 10a to the third driving unit 10c.

  Furthermore, the robot 1 has a plurality of functions to be executed using any one of the first microphone 2a to the fourth microphone 2d. Specifically, the robot 1 has a voice direction detection function, a voice recognition function, a hands-free call function, and a telephone call function. The voice direction detection function is a function of detecting a direction in which an external voice generation source exists as viewed from the robot 1. The speech recognition function is a function for recognizing speech uttered by the user to the robot 1. The hands-free call function is a function in which the robot 1 collects the content of the user's utterance while the user is not holding the robot 1 and transmits it to the outside for a telephone call. The telephone call function is a function in which the robot 1 functions as a handset in a telephone call while the user is holding the robot 1.

  In addition to the above four functions, or in place of any of the above four functions, the robot 1 has other functions that are executed using any of the first microphone 2a to the fourth microphone 2d. May be. Needless to say, the robot 1 has various functions that are executed by using built-in components other than the microphones.

  The microphone selection unit 7 selects, as the first microphone 2a, a selection microphone that turns on the sound collection function according to each of the voice direction detection function, voice recognition function, hands-free call function, and telephone call function executed by the robot 1. Select from the fourth microphone 2d.

  Specifically, by operating the operation input unit 6 so that a function desired by the user is selected, the microphone selection unit 7 acquires input data indicating the function selected by the user from the operation input unit 6. . Here, the microphone selection unit 7 stores a selected microphone data table in which the correspondence between a plurality of functions of the robot 1 and the selected microphone selected by the microphone selection unit 7 is recorded as shown in FIG. Yes. Therefore, the microphone selection unit 7 performs a process of selecting a microphone corresponding to the function of the robot 1 indicated by the input data by recording the acquired input data in the selected microphone data table. The selected microphone data table may be stored, for example, in a storage unit (not shown) built in the control unit.

  In addition, for example, in addition to each data recorded in the selected microphone data table, data on each posture of the robot 1 associated with each of the above four functions (for example, an upright stationary posture, a physical education sitting posture, etc.) Another data table (not shown) in which is recorded may be stored in the microphone selection unit 7. In this case, the selection processing by the microphone selection unit 7 is executed by controlling the posture so that the posture of the robot 1 associated with the function of the robot 1 desired by the user is achieved by a user operation. Further, for example, when executing the voice recognition function, the microphone selection unit 7 performs only when the user's image is included in the imaging data captured by the camera unit 4 in addition to the input operation to the operation input unit 6. The selection process may be executed.

  The noise cancellation microphone selection unit 8 uses at least one microphone other than the microphone selected by the microphone selection unit 7 as a noise cancellation microphone when the user selects use of at least one of the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function. select. On the other hand, when the user selects the use of the voice direction detection function or the telephone call function, the noise cancellation microphone selection unit 8 does not select the noise cancellation microphone (see FIG. 4).

  Specifically, when the user selects use of at least one of the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function by an input operation to the operation input unit 6, the noise canceling microphone selection unit 8 is selected by the user from the operation input unit 6. Get the input data indicating the function that was performed. Here, the noise canceling microphone selection unit 8 records a noise canceling recording of correspondence between a plurality of functions of the robot 1 and a noise canceling microphone selected by the noise canceling microphone selection unit 8 as shown in FIG. A microphone data table is stored. Therefore, the noise canceling microphone selection unit 8 records the acquired input data in the noise canceling microphone data table, so that the microphone corresponding to either the voice recognition function or the hands-free call function indicated by the input data. The process of selecting is executed. The noise cancellation microphone data table may also be stored in the storage unit.

  When the user selects at least one of the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function, the sound output function control unit 9 is configured such that the speaker 3 is a noise canceling microphone, that is, a microphone selected by the noise canceling microphone selection unit 8 The sound output function of the speaker 3 is controlled so as to output an erasing sound having a phase opposite to that of the sound collected by. Specifically, the sound output function control unit 9 acquires the input data output from the operation input unit 6 when the user selects use of at least one of the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function, thereby The erasing sound is output from 3.

  In addition, about the microphone selection part 7, the noise cancellation microphone selection part 8, and the sound output function control part 9, each block which implement | achieves the function is shown in (a) of FIG. Each block is illustrated to clarify that the robot 1 includes a microphone selection unit 7, a noise canceling microphone selection unit 8, and a sound output function control unit 9. The microphone selection unit 7, noise It does not indicate a physical configuration such as a shape or a mounting (arrangement) position according to the cancel microphone selection unit 8 and the sound output function control unit 9.

<Relationship between voice direction detection function and microphone>
Next, the relationship between the voice direction detection function and the first microphone 2a to the fourth microphone 2d will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, when the user selects the voice direction detection function, the microphone selection unit 7 selects the first microphone 2a to the third microphone 2c (microphone group) as the selected microphone. Here, as shown to (a) and (b) of FIG. 1, the 1st microphone 2a and the 2nd microphone 2b are each arrange | positioned above the eye part 1b, and the 3rd microphone 2c is a camera part in a back head. 4 is disposed at a position substantially opposite to 4. Further, the first microphone 2a to the third microphone 2c are arranged so that the heights in the vertical direction from the placement surface on which the robot 1 is placed such as on a desk or on the floor are substantially the same.

  Here, the meaning of “substantially the same height” in the description of “the height in the vertical direction from the placement surface on which the robot 1 is placed is substantially the same” means the first microphone 2a to the third microphone 2c. Of course, the case where the heights in the vertical direction from the placement surface of the robot 1 are completely the same is included in the concept of “substantially the same height”. Even when the heights of the first microphone 2a to the third microphone 2c do not completely match, the heights of these microphones differ within a range that does not affect the voice direction detection function. If so, it is included in the concept of “substantially the same height”. For example, in the present embodiment, the difference obtained by arbitrarily extracting two values from the height values in the vertical direction in the first microphone 2a to the third microphone 2c are both larger than 0 mm and within 5.0 mm. Three microphones are arranged to fit within the range. Note that this numerical range is merely an example, and if any of the three differences obtained as described above exceeds 5.0 mm, it does not affect the voice direction detection function. It can be said that the vertical heights of the first microphone 2a to the third microphone 2c are “substantially the same”.

  With such a number and arrangement of microphones, any of the first microphone 2a to the third microphone 2c has a sound source regardless of the direction of the external sound source as viewed from the robot 1. It will be substantially opposite to the direction to do. Therefore, the sound generated from the sound source can be collected with high accuracy by any microphone.

  Various variations can be considered in the number and arrangement of microphones corresponding to the voice direction detection function. For example, any one of the first microphone 2a to the third microphone 2c is arranged between the two eyes 1b and vertically below the camera unit 4, and the remaining two microphones are the two eyes in the back of the head. You may arrange | position in the position which substantially opposes each of 1b. Further, when executing the voice direction detection function, it is not necessary to use all of the first microphone 2a to the third microphone 2c, and at least two of these may be used. Two microphones of the first microphone 2a to the third microphone 2c are recorded. Further, a first microphone 2a to third microphone 2c and a fifth microphone (not shown) having substantially the same height in the vertical direction from the placement surface of the robot 1 are arranged in any part of the head 1a. Alternatively, a selection microphone corresponding to the voice direction detection function may be used.

  Moreover, you may utilize the 4th microphone 2d as a selection microphone corresponding to an audio | voice direction detection function. For example, when the robot 1 is lying on its back, the fourth microphone 2d is selected in addition to the first microphone 2a and the second microphone 2b. In this case, the first microphone 2a, the second microphone 2b, and the fourth microphone 2d are different in the range in which the vertical height from the placement surface of the robot 1 does not affect the voice direction detection function. (See FIG. 1A.) The vertical heights of these microphones can be said to be substantially the same. Therefore, when the user selects the voice direction detection function while the robot 1 is lying on its back, the microphone selection unit 7 uses the first microphone 2a, the second microphone 2b, and the fourth microphone 2d as the selected microphones. You may choose.

  In other words, when the user selects the voice direction detection function, the placement state of the robot 1 by the acceleration sensor, pressure sensor (both not shown) or the like built in the sole, chest and back of the robot 1. (An upright fixed posture, a state of sleeping on the back, etc.) may be detected. Then, the microphone selection unit 7 determines the placement surface (hereinafter referred to as a reference surface) of the robot 1 from the detection result, and the three microphones having the smallest difference or average variance in the vertical height from the reference surface. May be selected from the first microphone 2a to the fourth microphone 2d.

[Embodiment 2]
The following will describe another embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those described in the embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

<Relationship between voice recognition function and hands-free call function and microphone and speaker>
With reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, the relationship between the voice recognition function, the hands-free call function, the first microphone 2a to the fourth microphone 2d, and the speaker 3 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the user selects the voice recognition function or the hands-free call function, the microphone selection unit 7 selects the first microphone 2a as the selected microphone in any case. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the noise cancellation microphone selection unit 8 selects the third microphone 2c and the fourth microphone 2d as noise cancellation microphones in any case. Here, the first microphone 2 a is disposed above the right eye 1 b as described in the first embodiment, in other words, on the front side of the robot 1. The “front side of the robot 1” is a surface of a part existing on the same side as the eye 1b, the mouth 1c, the chest, the abdomen, and the like in the robot 1, and is used when performing a voice recognition function or a hands-free call function The surface of the site | part with high possibility of facing a user compared with another site | part. Further, as shown in FIG. 1A, the fourth microphone 2d is disposed on the left lower abdomen portion of the body portion 1e.

  Then, the user's voice is collected mainly by the first microphone 2a, and an erasing sound is output from the speaker 3 based on the sounds collected by the third microphone 2c and the fourth microphone 2d.

  As described above, the robot 1 collects the user's voice mainly by using the first microphone 2a while outputting the erasing sound from the speaker 3. Therefore, the robot 1 collects the user's voice with high accuracy by the noise canceling effect. be able to. Further, when the robot 1 is placed on a placement surface such as a desk or on the floor, the fourth microphone 2d is located farther from the user's mouth than the first microphone 2a and the third microphone 2c. An effect can be obtained.

  Various variations are conceivable in the number and arrangement of microphones corresponding to the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function. For example, since the second microphone 2b is disposed on the front side of the robot 1, when the user selects the voice recognition function or the hands-free call function, the microphone selection unit 7 replaces the first microphone 2a with the second microphone 2a. You may select the microphone 2b as a selection microphone. Alternatively, both the first microphone 2a and the second microphone 2b may be selected microphones.

  Further, since the fourth microphone 2d is also arranged on the front side of the robot 1, when the user selects the voice recognition function or the hands-free call function, the microphone selection unit 7 replaces the first microphone 2a with the fourth microphone 2d. The microphone 2d may be selected as the selection microphone. Alternatively, both the first microphone 2a and the fourth microphone 2d may be selected microphones. In these cases, the noise cancellation microphone selection unit 8 selects only the third microphone 2c or both the third microphone 2c and the second microphone 2b as the noise cancellation microphone.

  Further, a plurality of microphones below a fifth microphone (not shown) may be further disposed at any part of the robot 1 and used as a selection microphone and a noise canceling microphone, respectively.

  Only one of the third microphone 2c and the fourth microphone 2d may be a noise canceling microphone. The voice recognition function and the hands-free call function may have different microphones to be selected as noise canceling microphones (for example, the third microphone 2c is selected for the voice recognition function and the fourth microphone is used for the hands-free call function). 2d etc.). Furthermore, since the noise canceling microphone is not an essential member in executing the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function, a configuration in which the noise canceling microphone is not selected may be employed. In this case, since it is not necessary to output an erasing sound from the speaker 3, the robot 1 may not include the noise canceling microphone selection unit 8 and the sound output function control unit 9.

[Embodiment 3]
The following will describe another embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those described in the embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

<Relationship between phone call function and microphone>
With reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the relationship between the telephone call function and the first microphone 2a to the fourth microphone 2d will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the user selects the telephone call function, the microphone selection unit 7 selects the fourth microphone 2d as the selected microphone. Here, the 4th microphone 2d is arrange | positioned at the left lower abdominal part in the trunk | drum 1e. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the fourth microphone 2 d faces the user's mouth when the user holds the robot 1 and brings the mouth portion 1 c (with the built-in speaker 3) close to the ear. Placed in position. Therefore, by using the fourth microphone 2d when executing the telephone call function, the robot 1 can collect the user's voice with high accuracy.

  Note that the location of the fourth microphone 2d may be changed as appropriate according to the shape and size of the robot 1. For example, when the length of the trunk portion 1e in the vertical direction is longer than that shown in FIG. 5, the fourth microphone 2d may be disposed on the abdomen or chest. Further, when the vertical length of the body portion 1e is shorter than that shown in FIG. 5, or when the overall size of the robot 1 is smaller than that shown in FIG. 5, the fourth microphone 2d is connected to the thigh 1h or the foot. You may arrange | position to the part 1i. In other words, regardless of the shape and size of the robot 1, the fourth microphone 2 d may be disposed at a position facing the user's mouth when the user is holding the robot 1.

  Further, the fourth microphone 2d is used only as a noise canceling microphone in the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function, and a fifth microphone (not shown) for the telephone call function is separately arranged on the lower abdomen of the robot 1. Also good.

[Example of software implementation]
The control blocks of the robot 1 (in particular, the microphone selection unit 7, the noise cancellation microphone selection unit 8, and the sound output function control unit 9) are realized by a logic circuit (hardware) formed on an integrated circuit (IC chip) or the like. Alternatively, it may be realized by software using a CPU (Central Processing Unit). In the latter case, the robot 1 includes a CPU that executes instructions of a program that is software that realizes each function, a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a memory in which the program and various data are recorded so as to be readable by the computer (or CPU). An apparatus (these are referred to as “recording media”), a RAM (Random Access Memory) for expanding the program, and the like are provided. And the objective of this invention is achieved when a computer (or CPU) reads the said program from the said recording medium and runs it. As the recording medium, a “non-temporary tangible medium” such as a tape, a disk, a card, a semiconductor memory, a programmable logic circuit, or the like can be used. The program may be supplied to the computer via an arbitrary transmission medium (such as a communication network or a broadcast wave) that can transmit the program. The present invention can also be realized in the form of a data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program is embodied by electronic transmission.

[Summary]
The electronic device (robot 1) according to aspect 1 of the present invention is an electronic device including a plurality of microphones (first microphone 2a, second microphone 2b, third microphone 2c, and fourth microphone 2d) having a sound collecting function. And each of the some microphone with which the said electronic device is equipped is matched with the some function which the said electronic device has, and it is in a different site | part (head 1a, trunk | drum 1e) in the said electronic device. A microphone selection unit (7) is provided that selects a microphone for turning on the sound collection function from the plurality of microphones according to each of the plurality of functions executed by the electronic device.

  According to the above configuration, each of the plurality of microphones provided in the electronic device is associated with a plurality of functions of the electronic device, and is disposed in different parts of the electronic device.

  Therefore, for example, the electronic apparatus according to the present invention is a small biped walking humanoid robot, and is associated with a voice recognition function that recognizes a user's voice in a state where the robot in an upright and immobile state is separated from the user's body. When the microphone is placed on the head, the user's voice can be collected more easily than when the microphone is placed on the foot. Also, for example, when a microphone associated with a call function is placed on the foot, the microphone is held by the user with the robot gripped and the head (speaker is placed) close to the ear. It will be located near the mouth. Therefore, it becomes easy to collect the user's voice as in the case of the voice recognition function.

  As described above, according to the characteristics of the plurality of functions of the electronic device, the microphones associated with each of the plurality of functions are arranged in any part of the electronic device, so that the plurality of functions can be efficiently performed. Can be demonstrated well.

  Moreover, according to the said structure, a microphone selection part selects the microphone which makes a sound collection function an ON state from a several microphone according to each of the several function which an electronic device performs. Therefore, the user can appropriately switch the microphone to be used according to the function of the electronic device used by the user by selecting the microphone associated with the function of the electronic device used by the user using the microphone selection unit. .

  Furthermore, the microphones that are not selected by the microphone selection unit are in a state where the sound collection function is off, that is, cannot be used. Therefore, useless use of the microphone can be prevented and power consumption of the electronic device can be suppressed.

  The electronic device according to aspect 2 of the present invention is the electronic device according to aspect 1, in which the electronic device performs a sound direction detection function for detecting a direction in which an external sound source is present when viewed from the electronic device. The microphone selection unit collects microphone groups (first microphone 2a, second microphone 2b, and third microphone 2c) having substantially the same height in the vertical direction from the mounting surface on which the electronic device is mounted. You may select as a microphone which turns on a sound function.

  According to the above configuration, when the electronic device performs the voice direction detection function, the microphone selection unit is a microphone group in which the height in the vertical direction from the placement surface on which the electronic device is placed is substantially the same. Is selected as the microphone that turns on the sound collection function. Therefore, compared with the case where the microphone selection unit selects each microphone having a variation in the vertical height as the microphone group, the electronic device according to the present invention detects the direction in which the sound source is present with high accuracy. be able to.

  Also, for example, when the electronic device according to the present invention is a biped walking humanoid robot, and the microphone group is disposed on the head of the robot, the sound from the sound source is more than when the microphone group is disposed on the foot. It becomes easy to collect sound. Therefore, it is possible to realize a robot capable of efficiently exhibiting the voice direction detection function by arranging the microphone group in a part of the robot suitable for the characteristics of the voice direction detection function.

  The electronic device according to aspect 3 of the present invention is the electronic device according to aspect 1 or 2, in which the speech recognition function for recognizing the speech uttered to the electronic device and the content uttered without holding the electronic device. When the electronic device performs at least one of hands-free call functions for collecting the sound collected by the electronic device and transmitting it to the outside for a phone call, the microphone selection unit is at least on the front side of the electronic device. May be selected as a microphone that turns on the sound collecting function.

  When a user speaks to an electronic device, for example, if the electronic device is a humanoid robot, the user usually speaks in a state of facing the front side portion of the robot provided with a face portion. .

  In that regard, according to the above configuration, when the electronic device is executing at least one of the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function, the microphone selection unit at least includes a microphone disposed on the front side of the electronic device. Select the microphone to turn on the sound collection function. Therefore, the user's voice can be collected with higher accuracy than when the microphone selection unit selects only the microphone arranged on the back side of the electronic device.

  In addition, for example, when the electronic device according to the present invention is a biped walking humanoid robot and a microphone is arranged on the face of the robot, it is considered that the user speaks toward the head of the robot. It is easier to collect the user's voice than when the is placed on the front side of the leg. Therefore, it is possible to realize a robot capable of efficiently exhibiting the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function by arranging the microphone at the site of the robot that is suitable for the characteristics of the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function.

  In the electronic device according to aspect 4 of the present invention, when the use of at least one of the speaker (3) having a sound output function and the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function is selected in the aspect 3, the microphone A noise canceling microphone selection unit (8) for selecting at least one microphone other than the microphone selected by the selection unit as a noise canceling microphone (third microphone 2c, fourth microphone 2d), the voice recognition function, and the hands-free When the use of at least one of the call functions is selected, the speaker sound is output so that the speaker outputs an erasing sound having a phase opposite to that of the sound collected by the microphone selected by the noise canceling microphone selection unit. And a sound output function control unit (9) for controlling the output function.

  According to the above configuration, the electronic device according to the present invention performs noise cancellation on at least one microphone other than the microphone selected by the microphone selection unit when the use of at least one of the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function is selected. And a noise canceling microphone selection unit that selects the microphone for use. In addition, when the electronic device according to the present invention is selected to use the above function, an erasure sound having a phase opposite to that of the sound collected by the microphone selected by the noise canceling microphone selection unit is output. A sound output function controller for controlling the sound output function is further provided.

  Therefore, even when there is noise around the electronic device, by outputting the erasing sound from the speaker, it is possible to obtain a noise canceling effect in which the noise is canceled by the erasing sound and cannot be heard. Therefore, the microphone selected by the microphone selection unit can collect the user's voice with higher accuracy.

  As described above, it is possible to realize an electronic device that can more efficiently exhibit the voice recognition function and the hands-free call function.

  In addition, for example, the noise cancellation microphone selection unit selects two or more microphones other than the microphone selected by the microphone selection unit, and at least one microphone of the two or more microphones is selected from other microphones. When arranged at a position close to the placement surface of the electronic device, the at least one microphone is located farther from the user's mouth than the other microphones.

  Therefore, the at least one microphone can collect a sound with less influence of the user's voice than the other microphones, so that a higher noise canceling effect can be obtained.

  An electronic device according to Aspect 5 of the present invention is the electronic device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4, wherein the electronic device has a telephone call function in which the electronic device functions as a handset in a telephone call while holding the electronic device. In this case, the microphone selection unit may select a microphone (fourth microphone 2d) facing the mouth as a microphone that turns on the sound collection function.

  According to the above configuration, when the electronic device performs the telephone call function, the microphone selection unit selects the microphone that faces the mouth as the microphone that turns on the sound collection function, so that the user's voice can be accurately High sound collection. Therefore, an electronic device that can efficiently perform the telephone call function can be realized.

  An electronic device according to an aspect 6 of the present invention is the robot according to any one of the above aspects 1 to 5 including at least the head (1a) and the torso (1e). You may include the microphone (1st microphone 2a, 2nd microphone 2b, 3rd microphone 2c) arrange | positioned, and the microphone (4th microphone 2d) arrange | positioned at the said trunk | drum part.

  According to the above configuration, when the electronic apparatus according to the present invention is, for example, a humanoid robot or an animal robot, a plurality of functions of the robot can be efficiently exhibited.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, a new technical feature can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

1 Robot (electronic equipment)
1a head 1e body 2a first microphone (microphone)
2b Second microphone (microphone)
2c 3rd microphone (microphone, noise canceling microphone)
2d 4th microphone (microphone, noise canceling microphone)
7 Microphone selection unit 8 Noise canceling microphone selection unit 9 Sound output function control unit

Claims (8)

An electronic device including a plurality of microphones having a sound collecting function,
Each of the plurality of microphones provided in the electronic device is associated with a plurality of functions executed by the electronic device after voice input, and is disposed in different parts of the electronic device.
According to each of the plurality of functions executed by the electronic device, a microphone selection unit that selects a microphone for turning on the sound collection function from the plurality of microphones;
A control unit that controls a posture of the electronic device by operating a movable part of the electronic device associated with each of the plurality of functions executed by the electronic device. Electronic equipment.   When the electronic device is executing a sound direction detection function for detecting a direction in which an external sound source is present when viewed from the electronic device, the microphone selection unit is mounted on which the electronic device is mounted. 2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a group of microphones having substantially the same height in the vertical direction from the surface is selected as a microphone that turns on the sound collection function. The electronic device is a robot,
If the contents uttered when no gripping the upper Symbol electronic device, a hands-free call function to send for a telephone call outside the electronic apparatus collects the above electronic devices are running, the The microphone selection unit selects at least a microphone disposed in a portion facing the user when the user and the electronic device face each other in the electronic device as a microphone that turns on the sound collection function. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is an electronic device. A speaker having a sound output function;
If you choose to use the upper Symbol handsfree function, and the noise canceling microphone selector for selecting at least one microphone than the microphone selected by the microphone selection section as a noise canceling microphone,
If you choose to use the upper Symbol handsfree function, so that the speaker outputs the cancellation sound of collected sounds and opposite phase by the microphone selected by the noise canceling microphone selection unit, the speaker The electronic device according to claim 3, further comprising a sound output function control unit that controls the sound output function of the electronic device.   When the electronic device performs a telephone call function in which the electronic device functions as a handset in a telephone call while holding the electronic device, the microphone selection unit collects a microphone facing the mouth. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is selected as a microphone that turns on a sound function. The electronic device is a robot including at least a head and a torso,
6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of microphones includes a microphone disposed on the head and a microphone disposed on the body part. 6.   The program for functioning a computer as each part with which the electronic device of any one of Claim 1 to 6 is provided. A method for controlling an electronic device including a plurality of microphones having a sound collecting function,
Each of the plurality of microphones provided in the electronic device is associated with a plurality of functions executed by the electronic device after voice input, and is disposed in different parts of the electronic device.
A first step of selecting, from the plurality of microphones, a microphone that turns on a sound collection function according to each of the plurality of functions executed by the electronic device;
And a second step of controlling the posture of the electronic device by operating a movable part of the electronic device associated with each of the plurality of functions executed by the electronic device. A control method for electronic equipment.

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