Direction detection apparatus, direction detection method and direction detection program, and direction control apparatus, direction control method, and direction control program

A program which causes a computer to execute a direction detection method, comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a distribution of intensities of sounds in a predetermined directional range;
• emphasizing sounds in the distribution of the intensities of the sounds obtained at the distribution obtainment step, wherein at said emphasis step, the sounds in a second directional range which is a narrower directional range than the predetermined directional range are emphasized and a center of the second directional range corresponds to a direction represented by selection information;
• and
• deciding a direction to be selected next based on the distribution of the intensities of the sounds which are output at the emphasis step and outputting the direction decided to be selected next as the selection information.

A direction control method, comprising the steps of:

• driving a drive section in a designated direction;
• obtaining a distribution of intensities of sounds in a predetermined directional range;
• emphasizing sounds in the distribution of the intensities of the sounds obtained at the distribution obtainment step, wherein at said emphasis step, the sounds in a second directional range which is a narrower directional range than the predetermined directional range are emphasized and a center of the second directional range corresponds to a direction in which the drive section is being currently driven at the drive control step;
• and
• designating a direction in which the drive section is caused to drive based on the distribution of the intensities of the sounds which are output from the emphasis section at the drive control step.

A program which causes a computer to execute a direction control method, comprising the steps of:

• driving a drive section in a designated direction;
• obtaining a distribution of intensities of sounds in a predetermined directional range;
• emphasizing sounds in the distribution of the intensities of the sounds obtained at the distribution obtainment step, wherein at said emphasis step, the sounds in a second directional range which is a narrower directional range than the predetermined directional range are emphasized and a center of the second directional range corresponds to a direction in which the drive section is being currently driven at the drive control step;
• and
• designating a direction in which the drive section is caused to drive based on the distribution of the intensities of the sounds which are output from the emphasis section at the drive control step.

A direction detection apparatus, comprising:

• a distribution obtainment section which obtains a distribution of intensities of sounds in a predetermined directional range;
• an emphasis section which emphasizes sounds in the distribution of the intensities of the sounds obtained by the distribution obtainment section, wherein said emphasis section emphasizes the sounds in a second directional range which is a narrower directional range than the predetermined directional range and a center of the second directional range corresponds to a direction represented by selection information;
• and
• a direction selection section which decides a direction to be selected next based on the distribution of the intensities of the sounds which are output from the emphasis section and outputs the direction decided to be selected next as the selection information.

A direction control apparatus, comprising:

• a drive control section which drives a drive section in a designated direction;
• a distribution obtainment section which obtains a distribution of intensities of sounds in a predetermined directional range;
• an emphasis section which emphasizes sounds in the distribution of the intensities of the sounds obtained by the distribution obtainment section, wherein said emphasis section emphasizes the sounds in a second directional range which is a narrower directional range than the predetermined directional range and a center of the second directional range corresponds to a direction in which the drive control section is currently driving the drive section;
• and
• a direction designation section which designates a direction in which the drive control section causes the drive section to drive based on the distribution of the intensities of the sounds which are output from the emphasis section.