Voice response system

Abstract

The present invention concerns a voice response system in which a voice response unit sends a monaural voice signal corresponding to a request signal from a communication terminal to the communication terminal. The communication terminal comprises a monaural/stereo conversion portion for converting a monaural voice signal from the voice response unit to a stereo voice signal and a stereo voice outputting portion for outputting converted stereo voice signal. With this structure, the invention provides a voice response system capable of raising an appeal performance to a listener more than conventionally.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire structure of a voice response system of a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an assigned position instructing portion of the telephone terminal of the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the entire structure of the voice response system of a second embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the entire structure of the voice response system of a third embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the entire structure of the voice response system of a fourth embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of appearance of telephone terminal of the fourth embodiment.

Claims

1. A voice response system in which a voice response unit sends a monaural voice signal, corresponding to a request signal from a communication terminal, to the communication terminal, wherein the communication terminal comprises: a monaural/stereo conversion portion for converting the monaural voice signal from the voice response unit to a stereo voice signal; and a stereo voice output portion for outputting the converted stereo voice signal.

2. The voice response system according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal further comprises an assigned position instruction portion that provides to the monaural/stereo conversion portion an assigned position parameter for specifying a sound source position in the stereo voice signal after conversion, corresponding to user operation.

3. The voice response system according to claim 1 wherein the voice response unit includes an assigned position parameter sending portion which supplies to the monaural/stereo conversion portion of the communication terminal an assigned position parameter for specifying a sound source position in the stereo voice signal after conversion, the assigned position parameter being determined corresponding to the monaural voice signal to be sent to the communication terminal.

4. The voice response system according to claim 1 wherein the voice response unit includes a pattern type sending portion for sending assigned position pattern type information determined corresponding to the monaural voice signal to be sent to the communication terminal, and the communication terminal includes an assigned position supply portion which has a plurality of assigned position patterns composed of time-series of assigned position parameters for specifying a sound source position in the stereo voice signal after conversion and successively supplies assigned position parameters of an assigned position pattern determined by the type information provided from the voice response unit to the monaural/stereo conversion portion.

5. The voice response system according to claim 1 wherein the voice response unit has a position information sending portion which sends sound source position information determined corresponding to the monaural voice signal to be sent to the communication terminal to the communication terminal, or a position information sending portion which sends the sound source position information from an external unit to the communication terminal, and the communication terminal comprises: a terminal position detection portion for detecting the position of the communication terminal;a terminal orientation detection portion for detecting the orientation of the communication terminal; andan assigned position parameter forming portion which forms an assigned position parameter for specifying a sound source position in the stereo voice signal after conversion, based on sound source position information provided from the voice response unit, terminal position information outputted from the terminal position detection portion and terminal orientation information outputted from the terminal orientation detection portion and supplies the assigned position parameter to the monaural/stereo conversion portion.

6. The voice response system according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of the voice response units, wherein the communication terminal has a plurality of one-touch transmission buttons corresponding to each of the voice response units, for starting establishment of a communication link with each of the voice response units by one-touch action.

7. The voice response system according to claim 6 wherein each of the one-touch transmission buttons accommodates a light emission device and the voice response system further comprises a light emission device control server, wherein a reproduced monaural voice signal group puts the light emission device of a one-touch transmission button corresponding to an updated voice response unit into a different mode from the light emission device of another one-touch transmission button.

8. The voice response system according to claim 1 wherein the communication terminal is a telephone terminal capable of corresponding to a supply method of a plurality of assigned position parameters.

9. The voice response system according to claim 1 wherein the communication terminal further comprises a voice recognition portion and sends a recognition result to the voice response unit.