JP2012204865A - Intercom system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an intercom system to be operated to allow a visitor to stand in front of a camera without performing a pan/tilt operation and issuing a message.SOLUTION: A room master unit 2 includes an image storage part 26 for preserving character images representing a resident, and then, an entrance slave unit 1 includes a slave unit monitor 16 for displaying the character images. When the room master unit 2 is operated for response by receiving a call from the entrance slave unit 1, a master unit CPU 27 reads the predetermined character image from the image storage part 26 and allows the slave unit monitor 16 to display the image. Subsequently, when the input of voice from a master unit microphone 22 is started, the multiple states of the character images are read thereby to allow the slave unit monitor 16 to successively display the images.

Description

  The present invention relates to an interphone system including a camera for imaging a visitor, and more particularly, to an interphone system that enables favorable imaging of a visitor's face without operating a pan / tilt function on the camera.

  In order to improve security, an interphone system that incorporates a camera for imaging a visitor into an entrance cordless handset and includes a monitor that displays the picked-up video on the room base phone has become widespread. In such an intercom system, the camera automatically starts imaging when a visitor's call operation is performed, and the captured image is displayed on the parent machine. However, the visitor does not stand in front of the camera or stands. In some cases, the camera does not face the camera. In such a case, the camera can be operated so that the face of the visitor can be confirmed by pan / tilt operation (see, for example, Patent Document 1), Some systems that do not have a tilt function have been devised to face the camera. For example, in Patent Document 2, a message saying “Please stand in front of the doorphone slave” is sent from the entrance cordless handset to urge visitors to stand in front of the camera.

JP-A-6-205417 JP 2002-204315 A

However, the form of operation so that visitors who are not in front of the camera can be confirmed by the pan / tilt function is troublesome, and it is difficult to confirm the face when the visitor is facing in the other direction. It was.
Moreover, in the case of the form of the announcement of the said patent document 2, the visitor who operated the entrance cordless handset is urged to stand in front of the camera by reporting a message, so that the visitor is out of the field of view of the camera. The percentage of visitors could be reduced, but the message prompting the visitor's standing position was not considered in what state the visitor himself was imaged. The message was also reported to visitors who did not or were standing in front of them, which sometimes harmed the visitors.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an intercom system that operates so that a visitor can stand in front of a camera without reporting a pan / tilt operation or a message.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 includes a camera for imaging a visitor, a call button for calling a resident, a handset microphone for calling, and a front handset provided with a handset speaker. A room equipped with a master monitor for displaying captured images of the camera, a response operation unit for responding to a call from the entrance slave, and a master microphone and a speaker for talking with a visitor An intercom system having a master unit, wherein an image storage unit for storing a character image imitating a resident is provided in the room master unit or a storage device connected to the room master unit via a transmission line, A slave monitor for displaying a character image is provided, and when a response operation unit is operated in response to a call from the entrance slave unit to the living room master unit, a predetermined character image is read from the image storage unit to Characterized in that a character display control unit for displaying on the monitor.
According to this configuration, the character image is displayed on the child device monitor provided in the entrance child device in accordance with the response operation of the resident who has received the call. Thus, the visitor feels that the resident who is responding is displayed, paying attention to the character, and naturally entering the imaging range of the camera. However, to look at the slave monitor, it turns to the camera. As a result, an image for easily confirming a visitor without pan / tilt operation or announcement is displayed on the parent device monitor. And since what is displayed is a character and not the resident itself, the resident's privacy can be protected.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first aspect, the image storage unit stores a character image representing a plurality of states for one character, and the character display control unit is configured to operate the response operation unit. In addition, when voice input from the main unit microphone is detected, a plurality of character states are read, and while the voice input from the main unit microphone is detected, the plurality of read states are sequentially displayed on the slave unit monitor. Features.
According to this configuration, while the resident is talking, it is possible to display the character representing the resident in a pseudo manner. For example, if a plurality of still images are sequentially read and displayed so that the mouth moves, it is possible to make the visitor feel as if the character is responding, and the visitor can easily talk while standing in front of the camera.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the configuration according to the first or second aspect, the image storage unit stores character images representing a plurality of states for one character, and the character display control unit is a response operation unit. In addition to the operation, when a voice input from the slave unit microphone is detected, a plurality of character states are read, and while the voice input from the slave unit microphone is detected, the plurality of read states are sequentially displayed on the slave unit monitor. It is characterized by that.
According to this configuration, while the visitor is talking, it is possible to display the character representing the resident in a pseudo manner in accordance with it. For example, if a plurality of still images are read and displayed sequentially as if nodding, the character can feel as if he / she is listening to a visitor's story, and the visitor can easily talk while standing in front of the camera.

  According to the present invention, the character image is displayed on the slave monitor provided in the entrance slave according to the response operation of the resident who has received the call. Thus, the visitor feels that the resident who is responding is displayed, paying attention to the character, and naturally entering the imaging range of the camera. However, to look at the slave monitor, it turns to the camera. As a result, an image for easily confirming a visitor without pan / tilt operation or announcement is displayed on the parent device monitor. And since what is displayed is a character and not the resident itself, the resident's privacy can be protected.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows an example of the intercom system which concerns on this invention. It is the block diagram which showed the entrance subunit | mobile_unit and living room main | base station of FIG. 1 with the circuit block. It is a figure which shows the character displayed on a subunit | mobile_unit monitor. It is a transition diagram which shows the change of the character displayed on a subunit | mobile_unit monitor. It is a figure which shows the other example of a character.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments embodying the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show an example of an interphone system according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram, and FIG. 2 shows each device of FIG. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 is an entrance cordless handset for calling a resident and making a call, and 2 is a room parent set for answering a call from the entrance cordless handset 1 Machine. Both are connected via a transmission line L1.

  The entrance handset 1 includes a call button 11 for a visitor to call a resident, a handset microphone 12 and a handset speaker 13 for the visitor to talk to the resident, a camera 14 for imaging the visitor, A video processing unit 15 for processing video captured by the camera 14 and transmitting it to the living room master unit 2, a slave unit monitor 16 and image processing unit 17 for displaying characters, and a child unit for controlling each unit of the entrance slave unit 1 A machine CPU 18 and a child machine IF 19 for communicating with the room master 2 are provided.

In addition, the living room master unit 2 includes an operation unit 21 including a touch panel for performing various operations such as a response operation for responding to a visitor's call and a character selection, and a parent for a resident to talk to the visitor. A machine microphone 22 and a parent machine speaker 23, a parent machine monitor 24 and a video processing unit 25 for outputting images taken by the camera 14, an image storage unit 26 for storing character images, and each unit of the living room parent unit 2 are controlled. A master unit CPU 27, a master unit IF 28 for communicating with the entrance slave unit 1, and the like are provided.
3 shows characters displayed on the child device monitor 16, and the image storage unit 26 replaces the character image displayed on the child device monitor 16 and the parent device monitor 24 in addition to the resident image shown in FIG. A character image for use in the storage is stored.

  The operation of the intercom system configured as described above will be described below. When a visitor presses the call button 11 to call a resident, a call signal is transmitted to the room master unit 2 through the slave unit IF 19 and the transmission line L1 under the control of the slave unit CPU 18. Further, the slave CPU 18 activates the camera 14 and transmits a video signal obtained by capturing an image of the visitor to the room master 2 via the same route as the call signal.

  In the base unit 2, when the base unit CPU 27 receives a call signal via the base unit IF 28, a ringing tone is generated from the base unit speaker 23 to shift to the calling state. The transmitted video signal is transmitted from the base unit IF 28 to the video processing unit 25 and displayed on the base unit monitor 24 under the control of the base unit CPU 27.

FIG. 4 shows changes in the display of the slave monitor 16, which will be described below with reference to FIG. In FIG. 4, (a) indicates that the call is in progress, (b) indicates that the resident who has received the call has responded, (c) indicates the state when the resident is speaking, ( d) shows the state when the visitor is speaking.
The master CPU 27 that has received the call signal and transitioned to the call state reads out the “calling” image from the image storage unit 26 and transmits it to the front cordless handset 1 through the reverse route to the call signal. As a result, the slave CPU 18 controls the video processor 15 to activate the slave monitor 14 that has been in the standby state, displays the received “calling” as shown in FIG. It is displayed that the calling state in which calling is being performed in the base unit 2 is performed.

  Thereafter, when a resident who recognizes a call from the front door unit 1 operates a response button in the operation unit 21, the base unit CPU 27 forms a communication path between the front door unit 1 and the room base unit 2, A predetermined one image is read out from the plurality of character images stored in the image storage unit 26 and transmitted to the child device monitor 16 through the same route as the “calling” image. 16 is displayed. FIG. 2B shows this display state.

Subsequently, for example, when a resident inputs a voice such as “Yes, who is?” To the base unit microphone 22, the voice input from the handset speaker 13 of the front door unit 1 through the formed communication path is received. It is reported. At this time, the master CPU 27 detects a voice input from the master microphone 22, reads a plurality of predetermined character images from the character images stored in the image storage unit 26, and sends them to the slave monitor 16. It is displayed at a predetermined time interval. This display is continued while a voice input is detected from the parent microphone 22. Thereby, in the cordless handset speaker 13, while the voice of the resident such as “Yes, who are you?” Is being reported, for example, the mouth of the character is closed as shown in FIG. And open ones are displayed alternately.
Due to this change in display, it appears as if the mouth of the character is moving, so that the visitor feels as if the resident who is responding is displayed. It will naturally enter the imaging range. However, in order to see the slave monitor 16, the camera is directed toward the camera. As a result, an image that allows easy confirmation of a visitor without pan / tilt operation or announcement is displayed on the parent device monitor 24. And since what is displayed is a character and not the resident itself, the resident's privacy can be protected.
In addition, while the resident is talking, the mouth of the character representing the resident artificially moves accordingly, and the visitor can feel as if the character is responding. It becomes easier to talk in front of you.

Further, when the visitor starts speaking in order to convey the requirements or the like in response to this response, the voice inputted from the handset microphone 12 is transmitted to the room base unit 2 through the formed communication path, and the base unit speaker is transmitted. 23 is reported. At this time, the master CPU 27 detects the visitor voice, reads a plurality of specific character images from the image storage unit 26, and displays them on the slave monitor 16. As a result, while the visitor is speaking, a character image that changes like a nod is displayed as shown in FIG.
As a result, while the visitor is talking, a plurality of still images are sequentially read and displayed so that the character representing the resident is nodding in response, so that the character listens to the visitor's story. This makes it easier for visitors to talk in front of the camera. Moreover, since it is not a self-image but a character for a resident, privacy can be maintained.

In the above embodiment, a simple character image is used as the resident's pseudo image. However, the image may be operated using a photograph or picture of a pet such as a dog or cat. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a character closer to a human face may be used.
Further, while a character that makes a nodding motion is used while the visitor is whispering, other characters such as blinking may be displayed.
Further, in a system in which a controller for controlling a communication path is provided between devices that make a call, such as an interphone system used in an apartment house, a storage device in which an image storage unit is provided in the controller It is also good.
Further, a plurality of image data stored in the image storage unit 26 may be prepared and selected according to the resident's preference, or rewritten so that a separate personal computer or the like can be connected to the parent room 2 or the like. You may comprise so that it can add. Furthermore, the character image to be displayed on the child device monitor 16 is provided with personal identification means such as fingerprint authentication and face image authentication on the side of the living room parent device 2, and the character used for each responding resident (family) can be used properly. Is possible.
Further, although the living room master unit 2 has been described as a configuration that responds hands-free, even if the configuration is such that it responds using a handset, a character image can be displayed on the slave unit monitor 16 in the same manner.

  1 .. Entrance cordless handset, 2 .... Room master, 11 .... Call button, 12 .... Site microphone, 13 .... Speaker, 14 .... Camera, 16 .... Slave monitor, 18 .... Child Machine CPU, 21..Operation part (response operation part), 22..Parent microphone, 23..Parent speaker, 24..Parent monitor, 26..Image storage, 27..Parent CPU (character) Display control unit).

Claims (3)

A camera for imaging a visitor, a call button for calling a resident, an entrance cordless handset including a handset microphone and a handset speaker for calling, a base unit monitor for displaying an image captured by the camera, and the above An intercom system having a response operation unit for responding to a call from an entrance cordless handset, and a living room base phone provided with a master phone microphone and a parent phone speaker for calling with a visitor,
An image storage unit for storing a character image imitating a resident is provided in the room master unit or a storage device connected to the room master unit via a transmission line, and the slave unit displays the character image on the entrance slave unit A monitor,
A character display control unit that reads a predetermined character image from the image storage unit and displays it on the slave unit monitor when the response operation unit is responded by receiving a call from the entrance slave unit to the living room master unit An intercom system characterized by providing. The image storage unit stores character images representing a plurality of states for one character,
When the character display control unit detects voice input from the base unit microphone in addition to the operation of the response operation unit, the character display control unit reads a plurality of states of the character, and detects voice input from the base unit microphone. 2. The intercom system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of read states are sequentially displayed on the slave monitor. The image storage unit stores character images representing a plurality of states for one character,
When the character display control unit detects voice input from the slave unit microphone in addition to the operation of the response operation unit, the character display control unit reads a plurality of states of the character, and detects voice input from the slave unit microphone. 3. The intercom system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of read states are sequentially displayed on the slave monitor.

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