JP2012175235A - Remote communication apparatus, remote communication method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

A remote inter-communication device capable of realizing privacy level discrimination control at low cost without requiring special hardware.
A sound level determination unit that acquires a microphone input signal and determines whether it is sounded or silent, and a sound periodicity that acquires a microphone input signal and determines whether it is a physical sound or a sound The determination unit and the determination result of the sound level determination unit and the determination result of the sound periodicity determination unit are acquired, and when the determination result of the sound level determination unit is silent, it is determined to be silent, and the determination of the sound level determination unit When the result is sound and the determination result of the sound periodicity determination unit is a sound, it is determined as a sound, and the determination result of the sound level determination unit is sound and the determination result of the sound periodicity determination unit is a sound. A result determination processing unit that determines that the sound is a voice.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote area communication apparatus, a remote area communication method, and a program that connect remote areas by communication and enable video communication and voice communication.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in communication between remote locations, there is known a communication system that performs communication while feeling the presence of each other using various sensors and a display device even when there is no explicit conversation. This communication system is mainly used for home monitoring service or telework. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a communication terminal that conveys a sense of connection. The communication terminal disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not interrupt a person's thoughts when knowing the presence information of the other party, and can feel the presence of the other party in real time, and conveys a sense of connection without bothering the hands of the person. It is an object. Specifically, the transmission unit transmits the sensor information acquired by the sensor unit to the communication network, the reception unit receives the sensor information transmitted by the counterpart device via the communication network, and the operation execution unit receives the reception unit. The operation execution unit executes the operation according to the sensor information, and further, the operation execution unit executes the operation according to the information on the movement of the person at the remote place or the environment, thereby transmitting the movement of the person at the remote place semi-explicitly. Features. However, in the communication terminal of Patent Document 1, for example, in an environment where constant communication is established, information is always collected by various sensors such as a camera and transmitted to the other party, so that the user feels that the user is constantly monitored. Become a privacy issue. In order to solve this problem, a method of selecting a signal to be sent to the other side on the transmission side can be considered, but this method is problematic because it involves a cumbersome operation for the user. Therefore, for example, a video communication device of Patent Document 2 has been devised in order to maintain privacy and perform smooth always-on communication without the user being aware of the operation.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a video communication apparatus that communicates video and audio between a local terminal having a local terminal camera and a counterpart terminal having a counterpart terminal camera. In this video communication apparatus, the detection means detects the direction of the user's line of sight or the stop time, the receiving means receives the direction of the user's line of sight or the stop time from the counterpart terminal, and the video signal processing means The video to be transmitted to the partner terminal is processed according to the direction of the user's line of sight or the stop time and the direction of the user's line of sight or the stop time. In the video signal processing, for example, for the video to be transmitted to the partner terminal, the processing for reducing the frame rate, the processing for adding a delay, or the processing for each frame image, the processing for reducing the size, the fading processing is performed to reduce the definition. Processing to reduce is included. As described above, the video communication apparatus of Patent Document 2 can control the privacy level by performing various processes on the video according to the user's line-of-sight direction.

JP 2002-314707 A Japanese Patent No. 4475579

  In order to determine a privacy level using the video communication apparatus of Patent Document 2, it is necessary to combine a plurality of sensor information and feature amounts calculated from the sensor information. However, if a plurality of sensors are incorporated in a communication terminal, the hardware scale increases, and the software scale increases due to the necessity of calculating a plurality of feature amounts. In order to realize communication by the video communication apparatus described in Patent Document 2, a dedicated terminal having special hardware must be purchased, which raises an entry barrier for the user. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a remote communication device that can realize privacy level discrimination control at low cost without the need for special hardware.

  The communication device between remote locations of the present invention is characterized in that data is communicated between its own terminal and a partner terminal, and includes a sound periodicity determination unit and a sound obscuring processing unit. The sound periodicity determination unit acquires a microphone input signal and determines whether the microphone input signal is “sound” or “physical sound” based on the periodicity of the microphone input signal. The sound obscuring processing unit transmits the microphone input signal as it is to the network when the microphone input signal is determined to be “speech”, and substitutes the signal when the microphone input signal is determined to be “sound”. Is transmitted to the network.

  According to the remote communication device of the present invention, since it is possible to perform different signal processing on the microphone input signal according to the determination result by determining whether the microphone input signal is a sound or sound, privacy is achieved. Level discrimination control can be realized at low cost without the need for special hardware.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a remote location communication device according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the remote-to-remote communication apparatus according to the first embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structure of the communication apparatus between remote places concerning Example 2. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a remote place communication device according to a second embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. In addition, the same number is attached | subjected to the structure part which has the same function, and duplication description is abbreviate | omitted.

<Definition of terms used in this specification>
In this specification, all sounds including human voices and sound are expressed as “sound”, and “sound” includes “sound” and “speech” and is spoken near the apparatus of the present invention. The human voice is expressed as “speech”, and all sounds other than “sound” are defined as “sounds”.
<End of definition of terms used in this specification>

<Points of the present invention>
In the remote area communication apparatus of the present invention, an input signal of a 1-channel microphone is used in order to avoid an increase in hardware scale. One-channel microphones are often built in general-purpose terminals as compared to human sensors, distance sensors, and the like, which can lower the cost of hardware and lower the barrier to entry for users.

In remote communication, when a user wants to convey information, the user often speaks clearly near the device. Therefore, in the remote communication apparatus of the present invention, the voice clearly spoken near the apparatus is set as “voice”, and it is determined that there is an intention to convey to the other party. Voices and non-stationary noises spoken from a distance are regarded as “sounds”, and it is determined that they do not want to be transmitted to the other party. In order to increase the determination accuracy, it is necessary to avoid false detection of “sound” and “sound”. Here, the periodicity of the voice clearly spoken near the device appears clearly. On the other hand, since the level of the voice normally spoken far away from the device is small, periodicity does not appear clearly. In addition, since the reverberation is superimposed on a voice uttered loudly at a distance from the device, periodicity is less likely to appear. Non-stationary noise does not show periodicity regardless of whether the sound level is large or small. Utilizing these properties, the remote-to-site communication apparatus of the present invention analyzes the periodicity of sound and uses it for the determination of sound / sound. Further, the remote inter-communication device of the present invention analyzes the sound level and uses it for the determination of sound / silence. High-precision determination can be realized only by analyzing these small feature quantities (periodicity, level), and privacy level discrimination control can be performed.
<End of the point of the present invention>

  With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a remote place communication apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a remote location communication device 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the remote location communication apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. The remote location communication device 100 of this embodiment is characterized in that data such as voice is communicated between its own terminal and a partner terminal. The remote site communication apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is connected to a microphone 91, a speaker 92, and a network 93 so that they can communicate with each other wirelessly or by wire. The microphone 91 is a one-channel microphone. The remote-to-ground communication apparatus 100 receives a microphone input signal from the microphone 91 as input, performs processing described later on the microphone input signal, and transmits the processed signal to the network 93. In addition, a signal transmitted from the counterpart terminal to the network 93 is received and reproduced by the speaker 92. It is assumed that the remote terminal communication apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is also used for the counterpart terminal. The remote area communication device 100 of this embodiment includes a sound level determination unit 110, a sound periodicity determination unit 120, a result determination processing unit 130, a sound obscuration processing unit 140, and a sound communication processing unit 150. Prepare.

  The sound level determination unit 110 is intended for sound / no sound determination based on the level of the microphone input signal. The sound level determination unit 110 includes a Fourier transform unit 111, a spectrum calculation unit 112, a spectrum holding unit 113, a sound power calculation unit 114, and a power threshold determination unit 115. The Fourier transform unit 111 acquires a microphone input signal and performs a Fourier transform on the microphone input signal (SS111). The spectrum calculation unit 112 acquires the microphone input signal that has undergone Fourier transform, squares the microphone input signal that has undergone the Fourier transform, and calculates spectrum power for each band (SS112). The spectrum holding unit 113 acquires the spectrum power for each band, holds the minimum value in the time direction of the spectrum power for each band, and calculates the estimated noise spectrum power for each band from the held minimum value (SS113). The sound power calculation unit 114 acquires the band-specific spectrum power and the band-specific estimated noise spectrum power, and calculates the band-specific sound spectrum power by subtracting the band-specific estimated noise spectrum power from the band-specific spectrum power (SS114). The power threshold value determination unit 115 acquires the sound spectrum power for each band, and determines that the sound is present when the sound spectrum power for each band is greater than a preset power threshold for each band (SS115, S131Y). ), If the per-band sound spectrum power is smaller than a preset per-band power threshold, it is determined that there is no sound (SS115, S131N).

  The purpose of the sound periodicity determination unit 120 is to determine sound / sound according to the periodicity of the microphone input signal. The sound periodicity determination unit 120 includes a linear prediction processing unit 121, an autocorrelation calculation unit 122, a sort calculation unit 123, a cumulative sum calculation unit 124, and a cumulative sum threshold determination unit 125. The linear prediction processing means 121 acquires a microphone input signal and calculates a linear prediction residual signal of the microphone input signal (SS121). The autocorrelation calculation unit 122 acquires a linear prediction residual signal and calculates an autocorrelation value of the linear prediction residual signal (SS122). The sort calculation unit 123 acquires the autocorrelation values of the linear prediction residual signal and rearranges the autocorrelation values in descending order (SS123). The cumulative sum calculation means 124 acquires the rearranged autocorrelation values and calculates the cumulative sum of the rearranged autocorrelation values up to a predetermined rank (SS124). Cumulative sum threshold value determination means 125 performs determination using two threshold values (unsteady noise threshold value and voice threshold value). Here, it is assumed that the non-stationary noise threshold value> the voice threshold value is established. Here, a procedure for obtaining two threshold values will be described. A maximum allowable level audio sample and a minimum allowable level audio sample are prepared in advance. A sound sample having the maximum allowable level is input from the microphone 91, and the sub-steps SS121 to SS124 are executed for this microphone input signal to calculate a cumulative sum, and the time average value is set as an unsteady noise threshold value. Next, an audio sample having the minimum allowable level is input from the microphone 91, and sub-steps SS121 to SS124 are executed for the microphone input signal to calculate a cumulative sum, and the time average value is used as an audio threshold value. Cumulative sum threshold value determination means 125 acquires the cumulative sum, and when the cumulative sum is larger than a predetermined non-stationary noise threshold value and when the cumulative sum is smaller than the voice threshold value, It is determined as a sound (SS125, S132YorS133N), otherwise it is determined as a sound (SS125, S132NandS133Y).

  The result determination processing unit 130 is intended to output a final determination result from the determination result of the sound level determination unit 110 and the determination result of the sound periodicity determination unit 120. The result determination processing unit 130 acquires the determination result of the power threshold determination unit 115 and the determination result of the cumulative sum threshold determination unit 125, and when the determination result of the power threshold determination unit 115 is silent. Is determined to be silence (S131N), and if the determination result of the power threshold determination means 115 is sound (S131Y) and the determination result of the cumulative sum threshold determination means 125 is a sound, it is determined to be a sound. (S132YorS133N) When the determination result of the power threshold value determination means 115 is sound (S131Y) and the determination result of the cumulative sum threshold value determination means 125 is sound, it is determined as sound (S132NandS133Y). Here, the result determination processing unit 130 sets the value 2 when the determination result is a sound, the value 1 when the determination result is sound, and the value 0 when the determination result is silence. Output as.

  The sound obscuring processing unit 140 transmits the microphone input signal as it is to the network 93 when the microphone input signal is determined as “speech”, and transmits the alternative signal as the network 93 when it is determined as “sound”. It is intended to be transmitted to. The sound obscuring processing unit 140 includes a switching unit 141 and a sound obscuring unit 142. The switching unit 141 acquires a microphone input signal from the microphone 91 and acquires a determination result signal from the result determination processing unit 130. When the determination result signal is 2 (object sound), the determination result signal (= 2) is output to the object sound obscuring means 142. When the determination result signal is 1 (voice), the microphone input signal is output to the sound communication processing unit 150. If the determination result signal is 0 (silence), nothing is output and the processing flow returns to the start (to F1 (start)). The object sound obscuring means 142 acquires the determination result signal (= 2) and outputs a preset sound source signal (for example, a file containing a bird's chirping sound, a river murmuring sound, etc.) to the sound communication processing unit 150. (SS142). On the other hand, the sound communication processing unit 150 acquires a microphone input signal or a sound source signal, and transmits either to the network 93 (S150). In addition, when the counterpart terminal transmits a signal to the network 93, the sound communication processing unit 150 acquires the signal and outputs it to the speaker 92. The speaker 92 reproduces the input signal. As described above, the remote communication apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment blocks “sounds” that are not desired to be transmitted to the other party with a preset sound source signal, and transmits “sounds” that are desired to be transmitted to the network 93 as it is. Control can be performed appropriately. In addition, the remote inter-communication device 100 according to the present embodiment can realize the determination of the privacy level by analyzing only the periodicity of the sound and the sound level, so that the calculation cost can be reduced. Further, since the remote area communication device 100 of this embodiment uses a signal from the microphone 91 which is a one-channel microphone with a built-in general-purpose terminal, no special hardware is required, the hardware cost is reduced, and the user's cost is reduced. The barrier to entry can be lowered.

  Next, referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the remote control according to the second embodiment configured to make the video / sound transmission / reception operation different according to the “state” defined by the voice detection status of the own terminal and the partner terminal. The ground communication device 200 will be described. In the present embodiment, three types of “state” are defined: FG (foreground) communication, P & P (push and pull) communication, and BG (background) communication. FG communication means a videophone state, and is a transition destination when voice is detected from both the own terminal and the partner terminal. P & P communication means a call state, and is a transition destination when voice is detected from either one of the terminal and the partner terminal but no voice is detected from the other terminal. BG communication means an atmosphere communication state, and is a transition destination when no sound is detected from both the own terminal and the partner terminal. It is assumed that the system starts up in the BG communication state when the remote place communication device 200 of the present embodiment is activated. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the remote location communication apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the remote location communication apparatus 200 according to this embodiment. The remote site communication apparatus 200 of this embodiment is characterized in that data such as voice and video is communicated between its own terminal and a partner terminal. The remote location communication apparatus 200 of this embodiment is connected to a microphone 91, a speaker 92, a network 93, a camera 94, and a display 95 by wireless or wired communication. The microphone 91 is a one-channel microphone. The remote-to-ground communication apparatus 100 receives a microphone input signal from the microphone 91 as input, performs processing described later on the microphone input signal, and transmits the processed signal to the network 93. Further, the signal transmitted from the counterpart terminal to the network 93 is acquired and reproduced by the speaker 92. Furthermore, the remote location-to-location communication apparatus 200 receives the video signal from the camera 94 only when certain conditions are satisfied, and transmits this video signal to the partner terminal via the network 93. Also, the video signal transmitted from the partner terminal is reproduced on the display 95 only when certain conditions are satisfied. It is assumed that the remote terminal communication apparatus 200 of the present embodiment is also used for the partner terminal. The remote location communication device 200 of the present embodiment includes a signal switching unit 210, a state determination processing unit 220, a video / audio communication processing unit 230, a sound level determination unit 110, a sound periodicity determination unit 120, and a result determination. A processing unit 130, a sound obscuring processing unit 140, and a sound communication processing unit 150 are provided. The difference between the present embodiment and the first embodiment is that the remote communication device 200 of the present embodiment has a signal switching unit 210, a state determination processing unit 220, and a video / audio communication processing unit 230. The remote place communication apparatus 100 of Example 1 is a point which does not have this. Therefore, the sound level determination unit 110, the sound periodicity determination unit 120, the result determination processing unit 130, the sound obscuration processing unit 140, and the sound communication processing, which are configurations common to the first embodiment and the present embodiment, are used. Since the processing performed by the unit 150 is exactly the same as that described in the first embodiment in this embodiment, the description thereof is omitted as appropriate. In the first embodiment, a series of processing flows described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2 is referred to as F1, and in this description, when “F1 is executed” is described, the sound level determination unit 110 and the sound periodicity It means that the determination unit 120, the result determination processing unit 130, the sound obscuring processing unit 140, and the sound communication processing unit 150 execute all the processes in the flowchart of FIG.

  The sound level determination unit 110 performs sound / silence determination based on the level of the microphone input signal (S110). The sound periodicity determining unit 120 performs sound / sound determination based on the periodicity of the microphone input signal (S120). The result determination processing unit 130 determines whether the final determination result is a sound (2) / voice (1) / silence (0) from the determination result of the sound level determination unit 110 and the determination result of the sound periodicity determination unit 120. It is determined whether it is present, and a determination result signal (= 2 or 1 or 0) is output to the state determination processing unit 220 (S130). This determination result signal (= 2 or 1 or 0) is also transmitted to the counterpart terminal via the network 93. The state determination processing unit 220 acquires the determination result signal of the own terminal from the result determination processing unit 130, and acquires the determination result signal of the partner terminal transmitted via the network 93. When the determination result signal of the terminal itself is 1 (voice detection) (S130Y) and the determination result signal of the counterpart terminal is 1 (voice detection) (S221Y), the state determination processing unit 220 performs FG communication. A transition is made (S225). When the determination result signal of the own terminal is 1 (voice detection) (S130Y) and the determination result signal of the partner terminal is 2 or 0 (no voice detected) (S221N), the process transits to P & P communication (S223). ). When the determination result signal of the own terminal is 2 or 0 (no sound detected) (S130N) and the determination result signal of the partner terminal is 1 (voice detected) (S222Y), the process transits to P & P communication (S223). ). If the determination result signal of the own terminal is 2 or 0 (no sound detected) (S130N) and the determination result signal of the other terminal is 2 or 0 (no sound detected) (S222N), transition to BG communication (S226). Returning to step S223, in the case of transition to P & P communication, the state determination processing unit 220 operates the signal switching unit 210, the microphone 91 and the speaker 92, the sound level determination unit 110, the sound periodicity determination unit 120, and the result determination processing. The unit 130, the sound obscuring processing unit 140, and the sound communication processing unit 150 are connected, and F1 is executed (S211). Here, since the counterpart terminal is also the same remote communication apparatus 200 and has transitioned to P & P communication in the same manner as the own terminal, F1 is also executed at the counterpart terminal. Therefore, the microphone input signal is transmitted via the network 93 for the terminal where the voice is detected among the own terminal and the partner terminal, and the sound source signal is transmitted via the network 93 for the other terminal where the voice is not detected. Or nothing is transmitted. Here, even if a predetermined fixed time has passed, if a voice non-detected state continues for a terminal that has not detected voice (S224Y), transition to BG communication (S226) and F1 is executed again. (S212). After the execution of F1, the processing flow returns to the start (to F2 (start)), the voice detection of the own terminal and the partner terminal is repeated, and stays at the BG or changes state to either FG or P & P. Returning to step S224, if a voice is detected for a terminal with no voice detected before a predetermined time has elapsed (S224N), the state transition processing unit 220 changes to FG communication (S225), The switching unit 210 is operated to connect the microphone 91 and the speaker 92 to the video / audio communication processing unit 230. The video / audio communication processing unit 230 receives the microphone input signal from the microphone 91 on the own terminal side, and the camera 94 on the own terminal side. Are transmitted to the counterpart terminal via the network 93. At this time, since the state of the counterpart terminal is also changed to FG communication, a microphone input signal and a video signal are transmitted from the counterpart terminal to the own terminal via the network 93. The video / audio communication processing unit 230 acquires the transmitted microphone input signal and video signal from the counterpart terminal, outputs the microphone input signal to the speaker 92, and outputs the video signal to the display 95 (S230). The speaker 92 reproduces the input microphone input signal, and the display 95 reproduces the input video signal. After execution of step S230, the processing flow returns to the start (goes to F2 (start)), the voice detection of the own terminal and the partner terminal is repeated, and stays in the FG or changes state to either BG or P & P. Here, after execution of step S230, an explicit call state is entered. At this time, the processing flow may be temporarily removed, and the user may return to the start of the processing flow after waiting for an explicit disconnection operation (to F2 (start)). Alternatively, the processing flow may be temporarily removed, and the processing flow may be returned to the start (to F2 (start)) on the occasion that there is no sound in the own terminal and the partner terminal for a certain period of time.

  As described above, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the remote site communication apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment is limited to a case where both the user on the own terminal side and the user on the partner terminal side have a conversation intention (FG communication). Video can be sent and received to reduce the privacy level, and video is sent and received when at least one of the user on the local terminal side or the user on the other terminal side does not have a conversation intention (P & P communication, BG communication) Since the privacy level can be raised due to the absence, the privacy level in the video can be controlled.

  In the above description, the voice detection of the own terminal is performed in the own terminal, and the voice detection of the partner terminal is performed in the partner terminal. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Voice detection may be performed collectively by either terminal, or another terminal for voice detection may be mediated. Further, an independent device may perform the role of the video / audio communication processing unit 230, and this device may mediate between the own terminal and the partner terminal. At this time, UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) may be used. In step S224, when a transition is made to BG after a predetermined time has elapsed (S224Y, S226), this means that the other terminal did not respond to the call of either the own terminal or the partner terminal. In this case, for example, when a transition to P & P is used as a trigger, one terminal starts recording a video signal and recording a microphone input signal, and using the transition to BG as a trigger, the recording and recording is terminated, and the recorded recording data is transferred to the network. It is good also as transmitting to the other terminal via 93. At this time, only the remind signal that the recording / recording data is present may be sent to the other terminal, and the other terminal may transmit and play the recording / recording data using the voice detection of the other terminal as a trigger.

  In addition, the various processes described above are not only executed in time series according to the description, but may be executed in parallel or individually according to the processing capability of the apparatus that executes the processes or as necessary. Needless to say, other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  Further, when the above-described configuration is realized by a computer, processing contents of functions that each device should have are described by a program. The processing functions are realized on the computer by executing the program on the computer.

  The program describing the processing contents can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. As the computer-readable recording medium, for example, any recording medium such as a magnetic recording device, an optical disk, a magneto-optical recording medium, and a semiconductor memory may be used.

  The program is distributed by selling, transferring, or lending a portable recording medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM in which the program is recorded. Furthermore, the program may be distributed by storing the program in a storage device of the server computer and transferring the program from the server computer to another computer via a network.

  A computer that executes such a program first stores, for example, a program recorded on a portable recording medium or a program transferred from a server computer in its own storage device. When executing the process, the computer reads a program stored in its own recording medium and executes a process according to the read program. As another execution form of the program, the computer may directly read the program from a portable recording medium and execute processing according to the program, and the program is transferred from the server computer to the computer. Each time, the processing according to the received program may be executed sequentially. Also, the program is not transferred from the server computer to the computer, and the above-described processing is executed by a so-called ASP (Application Service Provider) type service that realizes the processing function only by the execution instruction and result acquisition. It is good. Note that the program in this embodiment includes information that is used for processing by an electronic computer and that conforms to the program (data that is not a direct command to the computer but has a property that defines the processing of the computer).

In this embodiment, the present apparatus is configured by executing a predetermined program on a computer. However, at least a part of these processing contents may be realized by hardware.

Claims (7)

A remote inter-communication device for communicating data between its own terminal and a partner terminal,
A sound periodicity determination unit that acquires a microphone input signal and determines whether the microphone input signal is “sound” or “sound” based on the periodicity of the microphone input signal;
When the microphone input signal is determined to be “voice”, the microphone input signal is transmitted as it is to the network, and when the microphone input signal is determined to be “sound”, an alternative signal is transmitted to the network. A remote communication device comprising an obscuring processing unit. A remote inter-communication device for communicating data between its own terminal and a partner terminal,
A sound level determination unit, a sound periodicity determination unit, and a result determination processing unit,
The sound level determination unit
Fourier transform means for acquiring a microphone input signal and Fourier transforming the microphone input signal;
Spectral calculation means for acquiring the microphone input signal subjected to the Fourier transform and calculating the spectrum power for each band of the microphone input signal subjected to the Fourier transform;
Spectrum holding means for obtaining the band-specific spectrum power and calculating the band-specific estimated noise spectrum power from the minimum value in the time direction of the band-specific spectrum power;
Sound power calculation means for obtaining the band-specific spectrum power by obtaining the band-specific spectrum power and the band-specific estimated noise spectrum power, and subtracting the band-specific estimated noise spectrum power from the band-specific spectrum power;
The band-specific sound spectrum power is acquired, and when the band-specific sound spectrum power is greater than a preset band-specific power threshold, it is determined that the sound is present, and the band-specific sound spectrum power is determined as a preset band. Power threshold judgment means for judging that there is no sound when smaller than another power threshold,
The sound periodicity determination unit
Linear prediction processing means for obtaining the microphone input signal and calculating a linear prediction residual signal of the microphone input signal;
Autocorrelation calculating means for obtaining the linear prediction residual signal and calculating an autocorrelation value of the linear prediction residual signal;
Sort calculation means for obtaining autocorrelation values of the linear prediction residual signal and rearranging the autocorrelation values in descending order;
A cumulative sum calculation means for obtaining the sorted autocorrelation value and calculating a cumulative sum of the sorted autocorrelation value up to a predetermined rank;
The cumulative sum is acquired, and when the cumulative sum is larger than a predetermined non-stationary noise threshold and when the cumulative sum is smaller than a voice threshold, it is determined as a sound, In some cases, it is provided with cumulative sum threshold value judging means for judging as voice,
The result determination processing unit acquires the determination result of the power threshold determination unit and the determination result of the cumulative sum threshold determination unit, and when the determination result of the power threshold determination unit is silent Is determined to be silence, and if the determination result of the power threshold determination means is sound and the determination result of the cumulative sum threshold determination means is a sound, it is determined to be a sound, and the power threshold A remote-to-terrestrial communication apparatus, wherein if the determination result of the determination means is sound and the determination result of the cumulative sum threshold value determination means is speech, it is determined as speech. The remote area communication device according to claim 2,
A state determination processing unit and a video / audio communication processing unit;
The state determination processing unit acquires the determination result of the determination result processing unit and data from the counterpart terminal, the determination result of the determination result processing unit is voice, and the data from the counterpart terminal is voice. Transition to state FG, transition to state P & P when the determination result of the determination result processing unit is voice and the data from the counterpart terminal is not voice, and the determination result of the determination result processing unit is not voice Transition to state P & P when the data from the counterpart terminal is voice, and transition to state BG when the judgment result of the judgment result processing unit is not voice and the data from the counterpart terminal is not voice. ,
The video / audio communication processing unit acquires the state, and transmits the sound and video on the terminal side to the partner terminal only when the state is FG, and receives the sound and video on the partner terminal side to the terminal. A remote-to-site communication device characterized by: A remote communication method for communicating data between the own terminal and the other terminal,
Obtaining a microphone input signal, and based on the periodicity of the microphone input signal, a sound periodicity determination step of determining whether the microphone input signal is “sound” or “sound”;
When the microphone input signal is determined to be “voice”, the microphone input signal is transmitted as it is to the network, and when the microphone input signal is determined to be “sound”, an alternative signal is transmitted to the network. A remote inter-communication method comprising an obscuring processing step. A remote communication method for communicating data between the own terminal and the other terminal,
A sound level determination step, a sound periodicity determination step, and a result determination processing step,
The sound level determination step includes
A Fourier transform substep for obtaining a microphone input signal and Fourier transforming the microphone input signal;
A spectrum calculation sub-step of acquiring a microphone input signal subjected to the Fourier transform and calculating a spectrum-specific spectral power of the microphone input signal subjected to the Fourier transform;
A spectrum holding sub-step of obtaining the band-specific spectrum power and calculating the band-specific estimated noise spectrum power from the minimum value in the time direction of the band-specific spectrum power;
A sound power calculation sub-step of obtaining the band-specific spectral power by obtaining the band-specific spectral power and the band-specific estimated noise spectral power, and subtracting the band-specific estimated noise spectral power from the band-specific spectral power;
The band-specific sound spectrum power is acquired, and when the band-specific sound spectrum power is greater than a preset band-specific power threshold, it is determined that the sound is present, and the band-specific sound spectrum power is determined as a preset band. A power threshold determination substep for determining silence when it is smaller than another power threshold,
The sound periodicity determining step includes:
A linear prediction processing sub-step of obtaining the microphone input signal and calculating a linear prediction residual signal of the microphone input signal;
Obtaining the linear prediction residual signal and calculating an autocorrelation value of the linear prediction residual signal;
Sort calculation sub-step of obtaining autocorrelation values of the linear prediction residual signal and rearranging the autocorrelation values in descending order;
A cumulative sum calculation sub-step of obtaining the sorted autocorrelation values and calculating a cumulative sum of the sorted autocorrelation values up to a predetermined rank;
The cumulative sum is acquired, and when the cumulative sum is larger than a predetermined non-stationary noise threshold and when the cumulative sum is smaller than a voice threshold, it is determined as a sound, A cumulative sum threshold determination sub-step for determining a voice as a case,
The result determination processing step acquires the determination result of the power threshold determination substep and the determination result of the cumulative sum threshold determination substep, and the determination result of the power threshold determination substep is silent. In some cases, it is determined that there is no sound. If the determination result of the power threshold determination substep is sound and the determination result of the cumulative sum threshold determination substep is a sound, it is determined as a sound. A remote inter-location communication method, wherein if the determination result of the power threshold determination sub-step is sound and the determination result of the cumulative sum threshold determination sub-step is speech, it is determined as speech . The remote communication method according to claim 5,
A state determination processing step and a video / audio communication processing step;
The state determination processing step acquires the determination result of the determination result processing step and the data from the counterpart terminal, the determination result of the determination result processing step is voice, and the data from the counterpart terminal is voice. Transition to state FG, transition to state P & P when the determination result of the determination result processing step is speech and the data from the counterpart terminal is not speech, and the determination result of the determination result processing step is not speech Transition to state P & P when the data from the counterpart terminal is voice, and transition to state BG when the judgment result of the judgment result processing step is not voice and the data from the counterpart terminal is not voice. ,
The video / audio communication processing step acquires the state, transmits the sound and video on the own terminal side to the partner terminal only when the state is FG, and receives the sound and video on the partner terminal side to the own terminal. A remote communication method characterized by:   A program for causing a computer to function as the remote communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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