CN104345871B - device selection system - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a device selection system capable of effectively using one or more devices to be controlled by a plurality of users. A device selection system for connecting a plurality of MFPs to a server via a network and allowing a designated user to acquire a use authority for the designated MFP in response to a user instruction signal, comprising: a photographing unit for photographing a plurality of users who give instruction signals to a plurality of MFPs; a user designating section for designating each user who has transmitted the instruction signal based on the photographing information; a device specifying section that specifies the MFP according to the direction of the photographed user; a signal discrimination section for receiving an instruction signal from a user and discriminating the instruction signal; an instruction signal setting unit for setting different signal contents for the same instruction item for each user who takes an image; and a control unit for causing the user specified by the user specifying unit to acquire the usage right to the MFP specified by the user, based on the instruction signal determined by the signal determining unit and the instruction item and signal content set by the instruction signal setting unit.

Description

Equipment selection system

technical field

The embodiments described in this specification relate to a technique in which multiple information processing devices such as multifunction peripherals (MFPs) are used as control target devices, and multiple users use spatial gestures and other methods to obtain usage rights for specified control target devices.

Background technique

Conventionally, in order for an operator to select one device from among multiple devices and perform on-off control, etc., as a method of selecting a device to be controlled and an operation method of the selected device to be controlled, the use of spatial gestures has been proposed. method (Patent Document 1).

These methods capture spatial gestures performed by the operator through a camera, and then identify which device the operator selects through image processing. These control target devices are lighting fixtures, curtain switch drive units, CD players, televisions, and video recorders, and one operator operates different types of devices, and the operator is not selected.

Therefore, a plurality of operators can only use the specified control target equipment for their own needs, and cannot exclude other operators from using it.

prior art literature

patent documents

Patent Document 1, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-037434

Contents of the invention

The technical problem to be solved by the invention

In view of such a conventional selection method, an object of the present invention is to provide a device selection system capable of efficiently using one or a plurality of control target devices by a plurality of users.

Technical solutions to technical problems

The device selection system in this embodiment relates to a device selection system that connects at least a plurality of control target devices and a server through a network, and enables a specified user to obtain use authority for the specified control target device according to an instruction signal sent by the user.

The device selection system includes: a photographing unit that photographs a plurality of users who send instruction signals to the plurality of control target devices; a user designation unit that designates each user who sends a designation signal based on photographing information captured by the above-mentioned photographing unit; an equipment designation unit that According to the direction of the user captured by the above-mentioned photographing unit, the device to be controlled is designated; the signal discrimination unit receives the instruction signal sent by the user, and distinguishes the instruction signal; the instruction signal setting unit, according to each user photographed by the above-mentioned photographing unit, performs and the control unit, based on the indication signal discriminated by the above-mentioned signal discrimination unit, and the indication items and signal content set by the above-mentioned indication signal setting unit, make the specified by the above-mentioned user designation unit The user obtains the use authority for the controlled device specified by the user.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a device selection system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the device of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the photographing unit of FIG. 2 .

Fig. 4 is a control block diagram of the server shown in Fig. 1 .

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of initial processing by the server shown in FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of call processing in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of selection processing in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of operation processing in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the definition of a gesture.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the definition of gestures for each control target device by each user.

detailed description

Hereinafter, a device selection system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the device selection system, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the device.

In FIG. 1 , a plurality of information processing devices 11 , 12 , and 13 , a plurality of personal computers (PCs) 31 , 32 , and 33 , a server 40 , and a plurality of cameras 61 constituting an external camera group 60 constitute a control target device group 10 . , 62 are connected to the network 70 .

Hereinafter, the plurality of information processing devices 11 , 12 , and 13 will be described as, for example, a multifunction peripheral (MFP) having multiple functions such as a scanner function, a printer function, a Web browser function, and a FAX function. In addition, a plurality of MFPs 11, 12, and 13 may be collectively arranged in one place in an office, for example, or may be distributed in appropriate locations. Furthermore, not all MFPs may have the same functions, for example, only one MFP may be configured to have developing units that accommodate both the decolorizable toner and the non-decolorizable toner.

As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, MFPs 11, 12, and 13 are provided with an image forming unit 14 on the main body of the device, a paper storage unit 15 for storing printing paper, and transporting the paper in the paper storage unit 15 to the image forming unit 14 and It is discharged to the paper conveying section 16 outside the equipment. In addition, the main body of the device includes a scanner unit 18 that reads documents from the automatic document feeder 17 and documents placed on the platen glass, an operation panel 19 that includes an operation unit and a display unit, and recognizes gestures of the operator such as spatial gestures. Identification section 20 , network interface 21 , speaker 22 , and card authentication section 23 .

The operation panel 19 performs operations of the MFP 11 ( 12 , 13 ), and temporarily stores a job in a queue in the case of network printing, for example. The user releases the jobs stored in the queue by operating the operation panel 19 . The function of temporarily storing the print jobs in the queue is effective as a means of preventing information leakage. That is, when printing is started as soon as a job is received without being temporarily stored, if the printed matter is placed in the paper discharge section of the MFP for a long time, there will be a third person seeing it during this period. possibility. Therefore, when the operator puts his own authentication card on the card authentication unit 23 of the selected MFP, the print job of the operator temporarily stored in the server 40 is printed from the selected MFP. As shown in FIG. 1 , the operator D 84 puts his own authentication card on the card authentication unit 23 and waits for it to be printed, for example.

On the other hand, the operators 81 , 82 , 83 sitting facing the desks where the PCs 31 , 32 , 33 are placed, and the MFPs 11 , 12 , 13 are located as the gesture recognition unit 20 of the MFP 11 , 12 , 13 can recognize operators A to C. The range of the gestures of 81, 82, and 83 is, for example, within a range of several m to several tens of m. The A user 81 is associated with the PC 31 , the B user 82 is associated with the PC 32 , and the C user 83 is associated with the PC 33 , and data for printing from the PCs 31 to 33 is stored in the server 40 .

In the gesture recognition unit 20 , a color camera 203 and an infrared camera 204 for recognizing the depth of a photographed image are provided on a horizontal bar 202 provided at the upper end of a pillar 201 . In addition, a notification lamp 205 is provided on the upper end of the pillar 201 . When the gesture recognition unit 20 of the MFP detects a gesture, the operator is notified of the control status of the MFP as a device to be controlled by lighting the notification lamp 205 of the MFP or the like. For example, when the indication is a call target, a lamp is turned on so that the indication is selected as an operation target. In the present embodiment, the notification lamp 205 blinks when it is called, turns on when it is in a selected state, and turns off when it is in a standby state. At this time, the control state may be notified by sound through the speaker 22 .

The color camera 203 and the infrared camera 204 photograph the inside of the office in a wide-angle range, and face authentication of a plurality of operators 81 to 83 can be performed at one time. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3 , a structure in which the gesture recognition unit 20 and the MFPs 11 to 13 can be provided separately may also be adopted. Structure. The microphone 206 is used for operator's voice recognition.

In the present embodiment, by disposing the gesture recognition unit 20 to each MFP, when the operators 81 to 83 gesture to the MFP that wants to obtain the operation authority, the cameras 203 and 204 of the MFP can reliably recognize that they intend to obtain the operation authority. . The color camera 203 acquires video data used for facial recognition of the operators 81 to 83 . The operator is captured as a video, and the infrared camera 204 acquires data for specifying the depth and gesture of the subject.

In addition, a plurality of cameras 51 and 52 constituting the external camera group 50 are appropriately arranged on the ceiling and walls of the office, computers 31, 32, and 33, etc., and by photographing the operator, it is possible to make it perform the same operation as the camera of the gesture recognition unit 20. recognition, or as an assistance to the gesture recognition unit 20.

As shown in FIG. 4, the server 40 includes a processor 41, a storage unit 42, an output unit 43 having a display 431 and a speaker 22, an input unit 44, a network interface unit 45, a plurality of personal designation units 46 of operators, and a plurality of simultaneous The gesture detection unit 47 , the gesture recognition unit 48 , the device selection possibility judgment unit 49 , the device selection completion notification unit 50 , and the device operation unit 51 corresponding to gestures are connected to a line 52 .

The processor 41 performs various judgments in the server 40 and issues instructions to each unit. The storage unit 42 stores information used for control by the processor 41 . The input unit 44 is an input unit of a user interface, and receives operations of a keyboard 441 and a mouse 442 operated by users A 81 to C 83 . The display 431 of the output unit 43 is an output unit of the user interface, and displays information to the user. The network interface unit 45 performs input and output of information between the MFPs 11 to 13 as control target devices and the network 70 , and connects the MFPs 11 to 13 of the control target device group 10 and the cameras 61 and 62 of the external camera group 60 .

The multiple operator individual specifying unit 46 specifies users through face recognition processing and voice recognition processing based on photographing information from cameras, voice information from microphones, and pre-registered facial image information and voice information of users 81 to 83 .

The plurality of simultaneous gesture detection units 47 simultaneously detect gestures of a plurality of users in real time.

The gesture recognition unit 48 judges whether the content of the gesture is "calling of a device", "selection of a device", or "operation of a device", based on, for example, a gesture performed by the user through image processing. When distinguishing, use gesture actions as shown in FIG. 9 and control the definition of the control target device, and each of the plurality of A to C users for each of the control target devices (MFP) 11 to 13 as shown in FIG. 10 Corresponding to different gestures to define the corresponding table of operation content. In FIG. 10, in each control item of call, selection, and operation, even if the content of the gesture is different, the same control is executed if the user is different.

The device selection possibility judgment unit 49 judges whether or not the device to be controlled is in a callable and selectable state.

The device selection completion notification unit 50 notifies the user that there is a control target device that has been selected by a gesture, and is equivalent to, for example, the notification lamp 205 and the speaker 22 shown in FIG. ○Sir/Madam, you can perform the operation" and give an instruction by voice.

The device operation unit 51 corresponding to a gesture instructs the MFPs 11 to 13 as devices to be controlled, and instructs the MFPs 11 to 13 to control content defined corresponding to the gesture.

Next, the initial processing of the device selection system performed by the server 40 will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 .

The processor 41 of the server 40 receives the moving image from each gesture recognition unit 20 of the control target device group 10 and the external camera group 60 through the network interface unit 45 (operation 1 ), and then proceeds to operation 2 .

In Act 2, the processor 41 judges whether a gesture is detected, and if a gesture is detected, proceeds to Act 3.

In Act 3 , the processor 41 designates the number of users performing gestures using the individual designating unit 46 of a plurality of operators, and then proceeds to Act 4 .

In action 4, the processor 41 judges whether the user is zero (0), if not zero, enters action 5, and if it is zero, returns to action 1.

In Act 5, if there are a plurality of users, it is judged whether the gestures of these users are calls of the control target device. If it is a calling gesture, go to Act 6 to perform calling processing of the control target device, and if not, go to Act 7.

In Act 7, it is judged whether it is a selection gesture, if it is a selection gesture, proceed to Act 8, and perform selection processing of the controlled device; if not, proceed to Act 9, and perform operation processing of the controlled device. Then, when the processing of Act 6, Act 8, and Act 9 ends, return to Act 4.

The calling process shown in ACT 6 of FIG. 5 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 6 .

After the invocation process starts, in Act 21 , the processor 41 designates who invokes which controlled device according to the shooting information of the camera, and then proceeds to Act 22 . Here, designation of the device to be controlled is determined based on, for example, whether the direction of the face of the designated user is directed toward the device to be controlled, or whether the gesture of the designated user is directed toward the device to be controlled. The control target device of the calling object can be limited to one, or multiple devices nearby can be used as the target. This can change the behavior according to the setting of the whole system. In addition, the discrimination for specifying the user is to specify the user who performed the gesture based on facial recognition, or the position and angle of the camera, or the seating chart.

In Act 22 , the processor 41 inquires the designated control target device about the device state of the designated control target device, and then enters Act 23 .

In Act 23 , when the state of the device satisfies the call execution condition, proceed to Act 24 , instruct the control target device to indicate a call response, and then proceed to Act 25 . As a call response instruction, the call is indicated by blinking the patrol lamp, or a sound indicating the call is output from the speaker 22 .

In addition, if the call execution condition is not satisfied in Act 23, this processing operation is terminated. As a case where the call execution condition is not satisfied, for example, a case where the device to be controlled is already used by another user (is in operation).

In act 25, the processor 41 temporarily records the information in memory. For example, the control device number, the user number, and the device status = "calling" are recorded in the memory, and the calling process is terminated.

The selection process shown in ACT 8 of FIG. 5 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 7 .

After the selection process starts, in Act 31 , the processor 41 designates who selects which device to be controlled according to the shooting information of the cameras, and then proceeds to Act 32 . The specified method is the same as the case of calling processing.

In Act 32 , the processor 41 searches the memory for the record information of the temporarily stored control target equipment group, and then proceeds to Act 33 .

In Act 33, when the result of the inquiry is that there is a record of the designated control target device and the device status is "invoking", the process proceeds to Act 34, and if the device status is selected, the selection process ends.

In Act 34 , the processor 41 instructs the selected control target device to select a response instruction, and then proceeds to Act 35 .

In act 35, the processor 41 temporarily records the information in memory. For example, the number of the control-target device for which the calling instruction was issued, the user number, and the status of the device as "selected" are recorded in the memory. In addition, the controlled device that has received the selection response instruction lights up the patrol lamp to indicate the completion of the selection, or outputs a sound indicating the completion of the selection from the speaker 22, and ends the present selection process.

The operation processing shown in ACT 9 in FIG. 5 will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 8 .

After starting the operation process, the processor 41 designates who operates which device to be controlled according to the photographing information of the camera, and then proceeds to Act 42 . Specifying the method is the same as calling the process.

In Act 42 , the processor 41 searches the stored record information of the controlled device group from the memory, and then proceeds to Act 43 .

In Act 43, if there is a record of the designated control target device, and its device status is "selected", proceed to Act 44, otherwise, end this operation process.

In ACT 44 , an operation instruction is given to the designated device to be controlled, and then the process proceeds to ACT 45 .

In Act 45 , the processor 41 receives an operation completion notification when the operation of the specified control target device ends, and proceeds to Act 46 .

In Act 46, the processor 41 deletes the information temporarily recorded in the memory, and then ends the present operation process.

The processing shown in FIG. 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 9 . FIG. 9 is information that defines the association between spatial gestures and actual operations, and uniquely assigns operations to spatial gestures.

For example, when user A 81 wants to use a plurality of MFPs 11, 12, and 13 to print the printing information of user A 81 stored in the server 40, since it is not clear which MFP can be used, for example, call MFP 11 and MFP 12 as the use. As a candidate, for this purpose, for example, the A user 81 calls MFP11 and MFP12 which are a plurality of control target devices arranged not far away by waving his hand from his seat. The invoked multiple MFPs 11 and 12 return a response (blinking the notification lamp 205 ), and when the user points to the MFP 11 to designate it, the selection process is executed, the notification lamp 205 of the designated MFP 11 is turned on, and the notification lamp 205 of the unselected MFP 12 is turned off.

Since user A 81 has selected MFP 11, user A 81 executes an operation process by performing a spatial gesture (thumbs up) on the designated MFP 11, and after server 40 receives the authentication information from user A's authentication card through the MFP, it MFP11 prints the printing tasks stored in the queue.

In this embodiment, in order to allow a plurality of users 81, 82, 83 to select a plurality of MFPs 11, 12, 13, spatial gestures are assigned as shown in FIG. 10 .

Here, even if user A 81 and user B 82 invoke and select the same MFP 11, when user A 81 uses the printing function and user B 82 uses the scanner function, if the gestures are reassigned to multiple functions, they can be used simultaneously. MFP11.

In addition, when only the MFP 13 is equipped with a developing device containing decolorizing toner, if user A 81 and user B 82 compete to use the decolorizing printing function, if the order of priority is determined in advance, it is possible to prevent, for example, user C 83 from Squeeze in.

The gesture recognition unit 20 has a function of photographing the user's face with a camera in order to designate a user who intends to use a plurality of devices to be controlled, and reads calls, selections, and operations made by the user while talking with the server 40 through the camera. Indicates the functionality of the signal's spatial gestures.

In this embodiment, in order to perform a printing operation after selection from the invocation of the device, for example, as shown in FIG. , but the signal of calling, selecting, and operating instructions is not limited to spatial gestures. For example, a remote control device using a near-infrared light-emitting element can also be used, and the light receiving part of the remote control device is set in the gesture recognition part 20, and the specified user is output from the remote control device. At the same time, it outputs various indication signals such as call indication, selection indication, and operation indication.

According to the present embodiment, using an instruction medium such as a spatial gesture that defines one or more controlled devices for each of a plurality of users, it is possible to simultaneously and independently acquire usage rights. In addition, it is possible to operate the controlled device or function for which the usage authority has been obtained, and perform desired operations. For example, the execution of a printing job can only release the job stored by each user to perform printing.

In addition, when the D user 84 in FIG. 1 has already operated the buttons on the operation panel, or a certain user is performing an operation through the space gesture, other users cannot use the MFP or the function through the space gesture.

The above-described embodiment is an example, and it can be implemented in various other forms without departing from the spirit or main characteristics thereof. Therefore, the above-mentioned embodiment is only an illustration in every respect, and is not interpreted restrictively. The interpretation of the technical solution shown by the claims is not limited by the contents of the description. Furthermore, all modifications, various improvements, replacements, and reorganizations that belong to the scope of the claims and their equivalents fall within the scope of the present invention.

Symbol Description

11~13: Information processing equipment (MFP)

20: Gesture recognition department

31~33: Personal computer (PC)

40: server

70: Network

81~84: User

Claims (10)

1. a kind of device selection system, by network connection many motors control object-based device and server, according to the finger that user sends Show signal, the user for specifying is obtained access right to specified control object equipment, it is characterised in that

The device selection system includes：

Photography portion, shooting sends multiple users of indication signal to many motors control object-based device；

User's specifying part, each user for sending indication signal is specified according to the photographic information shot by the photography portion；

Equipment specifying part, according to the direction specified control object-based device of the user shot by the photography portion；

Signal distinguishing portion, receives the indication signal that user sends, and distinguish indication signal；

Indication signal configuration part, according to each user shot by the photography portion, sets different to identical directory entry Signal content；And

Control unit, sets according to the indication signal distinguished by the signal distinguishing portion and by the indication signal configuration part Directory entry and signal content, make the user specified by user's specifying part, and the control object equipment that the user specifies is taken Obtain access right.

2. device selection system according to claim 1, it is characterised in that

The indication signal is space gesture.

3. device selection system according to claim 1, it is characterised in that

The many motors control object-based device has the user's identification portion of the certification card of identifying user, and the control unit is used in acquirement When the user's identification portion of the control object equipment of authority identifies the user with access right, output is stored in the server The user with access right data.

4. device selection system according to claim 2, it is characterised in that

The many motors control object-based device has the user's identification portion of the certification card of identifying user, and the control unit is used in acquirement When the user's identification portion of the control object equipment of authority identifies the user with access right, output is stored in the server The user with access right data.

5. device selection system according to claim 1, it is characterised in that

The control object equipment is the compounding machine at least possessing scanner functions and printing function.

6. device selection system according to claim 2, it is characterised in that

The control object equipment is the compounding machine at least possessing scanner functions and printing function.

7. device selection system according to claim 3, it is characterised in that

The control object equipment is the compounding machine at least possessing scanner functions and printing function.

8. device selection system according to claim 4, it is characterised in that

The control object equipment is the compounding machine at least possessing scanner functions and printing function.

9. device selection system according to claim 1 and 2, it is characterised in that

The control unit is according to the indication signal distinguished by the signal distinguishing portion, it is first determined whether being to determine by the equipment One or more control object equipment that specifying part is specified is to call instruction using candidate, is then calling situation about finishing Under, judge whether indication signal is that the selection for selecting control object equipment is indicated, it is being in the case that selection is indicated so as to this The control object equipment of selection obtains access right.

10. the device selection system according to any one of claim 3 to 8, it is characterised in that

The control unit is according to the indication signal distinguished by the signal distinguishing portion, it is first determined whether being to determine by the equipment One or more control object equipment that specifying part is specified is to call instruction using candidate, is then calling situation about finishing Under, judge whether indication signal is that the selection for selecting control object equipment is indicated, it is being in the case that selection is indicated so as to this The control object equipment of selection obtains access right.