# US 12,182,476 B2 · Voice notification system, voice notification method, and recording medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,182,476 B2 - Document ID: US12182476B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/911,916 - Filed: 2021-12-21 - Published: 2023-07-20 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-04 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroki Urabe; Kazuhiro Kuroyama; Sara Asai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12182476B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback} - H04L 12/12: Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof - G06F 3/01: Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence) - H04L 12/2823: {Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network (device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00)} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A voice notification system is a system that causes a talking device to provide a voice notification of information about a notification target that is an information source device about which information is notified by the talking device or an information source service about which information is notified by the talking device. The system includes: a change detector that detects a change regarding notification details or a change regarding a notification method; and a notifier that causes the talking device to provide a voice notification of information about the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method when the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method is detected. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A voice notification system that causes a talking device, of at least one talking devices, to provide a voice notification of information about a notification target, of at least one notification targets, that is an information source device about which information is notified by the talking device or an information source service about which information is notified by the talking device, the voice notification system comprising: a change detector that detects a change regarding notification details or a change regarding a notification method; and a notifier that causes the talking device to provide a voice notification of information about the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method when the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method is detected, wherein the notifier further performs at least one of: (i) when an increase is detected in a total number of the at least one notification targets, each of which is the notification target, causing the talking device to provide a voice notification of information about the increase in the total number of the at least one notification targets, and when a decrease is detected in the total number of the at least one notification targets, causing the talking device to provide a voice notification of information about the decrease in the total number of the at least one notification targets; or (ii) when an increase is detected in a total number of the at least one talking devices, each of which is the talking device, causing at least one of the at least one talking devices after the increase to provide a voice notification of information about the increase in the total number of the at least one talking devices, and when a decrease is detected in the total number of the at least one talking devices, causing at least one of the at least one talking devices after the decrease to provide a voice notification of information about the decrease in the total number of the at least one talking devices. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The voice notification system according to claim 1, wherein the change regarding the notification details includes a change regarding the notification target, and the change regarding the notification method includes a change regarding the talking device or a change regarding a voice used for notification. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The voice notification system according to claim 1, wherein when no increase is detected in the total number of the at least one notification targets for a predetermined period after the decrease is detected in the total number of the at least one notification targets, the notifier causes the talking device to provide the voice notification of the information about the decrease in the total number of the at least one notification targets. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The voice notification system according to claim 1, wherein when no increase is detected in the total number of the at least one talking devices for a predetermined period after the decrease is detected in the total number of the at least one talking devices, the notifier causes the at least one of the talking devices after the decrease to provide the voice notification of the information about the decrease in the total number of the at least one talking devices. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The voice notification system according to claim 1, wherein when a change regarding a voice used for the voice notification is detected, the notifier causes the talking device to provide, using the voice changed, the voice notification of information about the change regarding the voice used for the voice notification. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The voice notification system according to claim 1, wherein a change regarding a voice used for the voice notification includes a change regarding a voice tone, a language, a pitch, a speed, a volume, an accent, or a dialect. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The voice notification system according to claim 1, further comprising: a receiver that receives activation of the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method, wherein the information about the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method includes an inquiry about the activation of the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The voice notification system according to claim 1, further comprising: a person detector that detects whether a person is present around the talking device, wherein when the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method is detected under a condition that a person around the talking device is detected, the notifier causes the talking device to provide the voice notification of the information about the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The voice notification system according to claim 1, wherein when the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method is detected, the notifier further causes a display device to provide, in a form of text, image, or video, a notification of the information about the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method. ### Claim 10 A voice notification method of causing a talking device, of at least one talking devices, to provide a voice notification of information about a notification target, of at least one notification targets, that is an information source device about which information is notified by the talking device or an information source service about which information is notified by the talking device, the voice notification method comprising: detecting a change regarding notification details or a change regarding a notification method; and causing the talking device to provide a voice notification of information about the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method when the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method is detected, wherein the causing further includes at least one of: (i) when an increase is detected in a total number of the at least one notification targets, each of which is the notification target, causing the talking device to provide a voice notification of information about the increase in the total number of the at least one notification targets, and when a decrease is detected in the total number of the at least one notification targets, causing the talking device to provide a voice notification of information about the decrease in the total number of the at least one notification targets; or (ii) when an increase is detected in a total number of the at least one talking devices, each of which is the talking device, causing at least one of the talking devices after the increase to provide a voice notification of information about the increase in the total number of the at least one talking devices, and when a decrease is detected in the total number of the at least one talking devices, causing at least one of the talking devices after the decrease to provide a voice notification of information about the decrease in the total number of the at least one talking devices. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to execute the voice notification method which causes a talking device, of at least one talking devices, to provide a voice notification of information about a notification target, of at least one notification targets, that is an information source device about which information is notified by the talking device or an information source service about which information is notified by the talking device, the voice notification method comprising: detecting a change regarding notification details or a change regarding a notification method; and causing the talking device to provide a voice notification of information about the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method when the change regarding the notification details or the change regarding the notification method is detected, wherein the causing further includes at least one of: (1) when an increase is detected in a total number of the at least one notification targets, each of which is the notification target, causing the talking device to provide a voice notification of information about the increase in the total number of the at least one notification targets, and when a decrease is detected in the total number of the at least one notification targets, causing the talking device to provide a voice notification of information about the decrease in the total number of the at least one notification targets; or (ii) when an increase is detected in a total number of the at least one talking devices, each of which is the talking device, causing at least one of the talking devices after the increase to provide a voice notification of information about the increase in the total number of the at least one talking devices, and when a decrease is detected in the total number of the at least one talking devices, causing at least one of the talking devices after the decrease to provide a voice notification of information about the decrease in the total number of the at least one talking devices.