US 12,114,123 B2
Sound input-output control apparatus, sound input-output control method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium
Hiroyuki Kumakura, Yokohama (JP); Katsumi Tomizawa, Yokohama (JP); Ryo Miyakuchi, Yokohama (JP); Hideki Takehara, Yokohama (JP); Naribumi Omata, Yokohama (JP); and Jeong-ju Choe, Yokohama (JP)
Assigned to JVCKENWOOD Corporation, Yokohama (JP)
Filed by JVCKENWOOD Corporation, Yokohama (JP)
Filed on Aug. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/898,441.
Application 17/898,441 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2020/043539, filed on Nov. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-052622 (JP), filed on Mar. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0417644 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. H04R 1/10 (2006.01); H04R 5/033 (2006.01)
CPC H04R 1/1041 (2013.01) [H04R 5/033 (2013.01); H04R 2420/07 (2013.01); H04R 2430/01 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sound input-output control apparatus configured to control a plurality of sound output apparatuses each independently mounted on at least one user to output sound toward the at least one 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, 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;
the operation control unit controls the one sound output apparatus to output a voice signal in accordance with 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; and
the operation control unit controls the other sound output apparatus to receive the voice signal and to output the voice toward the user in accordance with the voice signal.