Sound reproduction device and sound reproduction system

Abstract

A sound reproduction device of the present disclosure includes a detection device that detects an object in a detecting area, and a superdirective speaker that can output a sound. In the superdirective speaker, directivity is set for the detecting area. When the detection device detects the object in the detecting area, the superdirective speaker outputs a sound to the detecting area.

1 . A sound reproduction apparatus comprising:
 a detector configured to detect an object in a detecting area;   a speaker configured to output a sound; and   a controller configured to control the speaker to output the sound to the object based on an attribute of the object.   
     
     
         2 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the speaker to output different sounds for different attributes. 
     
     
         3 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the attribute of the object is determined based on information acquired by the detector. 
     
     
         4 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the object is a human being, and   the attribute comprises at least one of age or sex of the human being.   
     
     
         5 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the information acquired by the detector comprises an image of a face of the human being acquired using a camera, and   the at least one of the age or sex is determined based on the image of the face.   
     
     
         6 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one of age or sex is determined by using a pattern matching process. 
     
     
         7 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the information acquired by the detector comprises movement of a face of the human being determined based on a plurality of images taken by a camera.   
     
     
         8 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the information acquired by the detector comprises an eye direction of the human being determined based on an image taken by a camera.   
     
     
         9 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the attribute of the object. 
     
     
         10 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the speaker is a directional speaker. 
     
     
         11 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein an emission angle of the directional speaker is between 0° to ±30°, inclusive. 
     
     
         12 . A sound reproduction apparatus comprising:
 a detector configured to detect an object in a detecting area;   a speaker configured to output a sound; and   a controller configured to control the speaker to output the sound to the object based on an emotion of the object.   
     
     
         13 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to control the speaker to output different sounds for different emotions. 
     
     
         14 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the emotion of the object is determined based on information acquired by the detector. 
     
     
         15 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the object is a human being, and   the information comprises at least one of information acquired from a facial image of the human being, voice sound of the human being, linguistic expression of the human being, or gesture of the human being.   
     
     
         16 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the detector comprises at least one of a camera, a microphone, a time-of-flight sensor, a millimeter-wave sensor, a millimeter-wave radar, or a walking sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the emotion is estimated from an arousal component and a valence component calculated from the information. 
     
     
         18 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the emotion of the object. 
     
     
         19 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the speaker is a directional speaker. 
     
     
         20 . The sound reproducing apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein an emission angle of the directional speaker is between 0° to ±30°, inclusive. 
     
     
         21 . A method, comprising:
 acquiring information with respect to an object in a detecting area;   acquiring an attribute or an emotion of the object based on the acquired information; and   controlling a speaker to output sound to the object based on the attribute or the emotion.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the attribute is acquired and the speaker is controlled to output sound to the object based on the attribute, and   the controlling the speaker comprises controlling the speaker to output different sounds for different attributes.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the attribute is acquired and the speaker is controlled to output sound to the object based on the attribute,   the object is a human being, and   the attribute comprises at least one of age or sex of the human being.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the information comprises an image of a face of the human acquired by a camera, and   the at least one of the age or sex is determined based on the image of the face.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one of age or sex is determined by using a pattern matching process. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the information comprises movement of a face of the human being determined based on a plurality of images taken by a camera.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the information comprises an eye direction of the human being determined based on an image taken by a camera.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the emotion is acquired and the speaker is controlled to output sound to the object based on the emotion, and   the controlling the speaker comprises controlling the speaker to output different sounds for different emotions.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the emotion is acquired and the speaker is controlled to output sound to the object based on the emotion,   the object is a human being, and   the information comprises at least one of information acquired from a facial image of the human being, voice sound of the human being, linguistic expression of the human being, or gesture of the human being.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the information is acquired by at least one of a camera, a microphone, a time-of-flight sensor, a millimeter-wave sensor, a millimeter-wave radar, or a walking sensor. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the emotion is estimated from an arousal component and a valence component calculated from the information. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the speaker is a directional speaker. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein an emission angle of the directional speaker is between 0° to ±30°, inclusive. 
     
     
         34 . A sound control device comprising:
 a controller configured to acquire an attribute or an emotion of an object based on information with respect to the object, and cause a speaker to output sound to the object based on the attribute or the emotion of the object.   
     
     
         35 . The sound control device of  claim 34 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the speaker to output different sounds for different attributes or to output different sounds for different emotions. 
     
     
         36 . The sound control device of  claim 34 , wherein:
 the object is a human being,   the controller is configured to acquire the attribute of the object, and cause the speaker to output sound to the object based on the attribute of the object, and   the attribute comprises at least one of age or sex of the human being.   
     
     
         37 . The sound control device of  claim 36 , wherein:
 the information comprises an image of a face of the human, and   the at least one of the age or sex is determined based on the image of the face.   
     
     
         38 . The sound control device of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one of age or sex is determined by using a pattern matching process. 
     
     
         39 . The sound control device of  claim 37 , wherein:
 the information comprises movement of a face of the human being determined based on a plurality of images.   
     
     
         40 . The sound control device of  claim 37 , wherein:
 the information comprises an eye direction of the human being determined based on an image.   
     
     
         41 . The sound control device of  claim 34 , wherein:
 the object is a human being,   the controller is configured to acquire the emotion of the object, and cause the speaker to output sound to the object based on the emotion of the object, and   the information comprises at least one of information acquired from a facial image of the human being, voice sound of the human being, linguistic expression of the human being, or gesture of the human being.   
     
     
         42 . The sound control device of  claim 41 , wherein the emotion is estimated from an arousal component and a valence component calculated from the information. 
     
     
         43 . The sound control device of  claim 34 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the attribute or the emotion of the object. 
     
     
         44 . The sound control device of  claim 34 , wherein the controller is further configured to acquire the information with respect to the object. 
     
     
         45 . The sound control device of  claim 34 , wherein:
 the controller includes:
 a processor; and 
 a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program, 
   the program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to acquire the attribute or the emotion of then object based on the information with respect to the object, and cause the speaker to output the sound to the object based on the attribute or the emotion of the object.