US 11,711,235 B2
Information providing method and information providing apparatus
Koichi Kusukame, Osaka (JP); Kazuki Funase, Osaka (JP); and Tetsuji Fuchikami, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA, Torrance, CA (US)
Filed by Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America, Torrance, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/856,378.
Application 17/856,378 is a division of application No. 17/023,758, filed on Sep. 17, 2020, granted, now 11,411,764.
Application 17/023,758 is a division of application No. 15/904,639, filed on Feb. 26, 2018, granted, now 10,809,748, issued on Oct. 20, 2020.
Application 15/904,639 is a division of application No. 14/371,310, granted, now 9,946,273, issued on Apr. 17, 2018, previously published as PCT/JP2013/006600, filed on Nov. 8, 2013.
Claims priority of application No. 2012-251356 (JP), filed on Nov. 15, 2012; and application No. 2013-041953 (JP), filed on Mar. 4, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2022/0337446 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G10H 3/00 (2006.01); H04L 12/28 (2006.01); H05B 47/19 (2020.01); H05B 47/105 (2020.01); G05D 23/19 (2006.01); G08B 17/12 (2006.01)
CPC H04L 12/2825 (2013.01) [G05D 23/193 (2013.01); G05D 23/1917 (2013.01); H05B 47/105 (2020.01); H05B 47/19 (2020.01); G08B 17/12 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An information providing method for use in an information providing apparatus connected to a plurality of appliances via network, the method comprising:
receiving a signal indicating that an acquisition of a voice of a user by a terminal, the terminal being connected via the network and being configured to acquire the voice of the user;
specifying one or more sound generators installed in an area where the terminal for acquiring the voice of the user is installed and each generating sound in accordance with an operation, by referring to a list of one or more appliances that are installed in a same area among the plurality of appliances; and
outputting a control signal for lowering volume of the sound generated in the area from at least one sound generator of the one or more sound generators to the at least one sound generator of the one or more sound generators;
receiving position specifying information specifying a location of the plurality of appliances in the area and specifying a location of the user in the area;
determining when a distance between the location of the at least one sound generator and the location of the user in the area indicates a predetermined value or greater based on the received position specifying information; and
keeping the control signal from being output when the distance is determined to indicate the predetermined value or greater.