Sound input-output control apparatus, sound input-output control method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022417644-A1
Application number	US-202217898441-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 29, 2022
Priority date	Mar 24, 2020
Publication date	Dec 29, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sound input-output control apparatus that can provide wider usage to a sound output apparatus are provided. The sound input-output control apparatus includes a distance determination unit configured to determine whether the distance between at least two of a plurality of sound output apparatuses each independently mounted on a user and configured to output sound toward the user is equal to or longer than a predetermined distance, and an operation control unit configured to control each of the sound output apparatuses to perform first operation when the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is shorter than the predetermined distance, and control each of the sound output apparatuses to perform second operation when the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sound input-output control apparatus configured to control a plurality of sound output apparatuses each independently mounted on a user and configured to output sound toward the user, the sound input-output control apparatus comprising:
a distance determination unit configured to determine whether a distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than a predetermined distance; and an operation control unit configured to control each of the sound output apparatuses to perform first operation when it is determined by the distance determination unit that the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is shorter than the predetermined distance, and control each of the sound output apparatuses to perform second operation when it is determined by the distance determination unit that the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance.

2 . The sound input-output control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the distance determination unit determines whether the distance among the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance based on a signal state in communication between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses.

3 . The sound input-output control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a format of communication used by the distance determination unit for determination of the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is different from a format of communication used for sound signal transmission and reception between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses.

4 . The sound input-output control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the distance determination unit determines whether the distance among the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance based on position information of each of at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses.

5 . The sound input-output control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
at least one of the sound output apparatuses includes a sound input unit configured to collect voice of a user on which the one sound output apparatus is mounted, and the operation control unit causes the one sound output apparatus to output the voice collected by the sound input unit of the one sound output apparatus to any other sound output apparatus when it is determined by the distance determination unit that the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance.

6 . The sound input-output control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operation control unit causes each of the sound output apparatuses to output monaural sound when it is determined by the distance determination unit that the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance.

7 . The sound input-output control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operation control unit can individually adjust a volume of sound of each of the sound output apparatuses when it is determined by the distance determination unit that the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance.

8 . A sound input-output control method in which a plurality of sound output apparatuses each independently mounted on a user and configured to output sound toward the user are controlled by a sound input-output control apparatus, wherein the sound input-output control apparatus:
determines whether a distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than a predetermined distance, controls each of the sound output apparatuses to perform first operation when having determined that the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is shorter than the predetermined distance, and controls each of the sound output apparatuses to perform second operation when having determined that the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a computer program that causes a sound input-output control apparatus to execute processing of controlling a plurality of sound output apparatuses each independently mounted on a user and configured to output sound toward the user, the computer program causing the sound input-output control apparatus to execute:
processing of determining whether a distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than a predetermined distance; and processing of controlling each of the sound output apparatuses to perform first operation when having determined that the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is shorter than the predetermined distance, and controlling each of the sound output apparatuses to perform second operation when having determined that the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance.

Assignees

• Jvckenwood Corp

Inventors

• Kumakura Hiroyuki
• Tomizawa Katsumi
• Miyakuchi Ryo
• Takehara Hideki
• OMATA Naribumi
• Choe Jeong-Ju

Classifications

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H04R5/033

  Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)} · CPC title

• H04Q9/02

  Automatically-operated arrangements · CPC title

• H04R2430/01

  Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems · CPC title

• H04Q9/00

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title