Patent Publication Number: US-2022230656-A1

Title: Server, terminal device, and method for online conferencing

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-005857, filed on Jan. 18, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to a server, a terminal device, and a method for online conferencing. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the related art, there is a technique called online conferencing in which a plurality of terminal devices connected via a network transmit and receive voices to perform a dialogue between a plurality of persons. In many cases, a plurality of terminal devices participating in the online conferencing are in different communication environments. In a terminal device with a poor communication environment, a portion of the voice input by the other terminal device may be interrupted or may not be output as an accurate voice. 
     In the related art, as one technique for measuring a communication quality between terminal devices in the online conferencing, there is a technique in which a small amount of test data is reciprocated and a throughput (transfer speed) is obtained from a time difference. Although such techniques in the related art are simple, these techniques often do not reflect human experience in the online conferencing. For example, in some cases, a voice may be heard even if the throughput is temporarily low, or the voice maybe interrupted even if the measured value of the throughput is stable. For this reason, there is a demand for a device that can reliably detect whether the voice of the talker is accurately reaching an audience during the online conferencing. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration example of an online conferencing system according to at least one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a control system in a server; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the control system in terminal devices; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an example of voice recognition results by a plurality of the terminal devices; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of the server; and 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of the server. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a server, a terminal device, and a method for online conferencing that can confirm that a voice of a talker is not normally output by a terminal device on a reception side are provided. 
     According to at least one embodiment, a server includes a communication interface, a memory, and a processor. The communication interface communicates with a first terminal device that transmits voice data generated from an input voice and a second terminal device that outputs a voice based on the voice data received from the first terminal device. The memory stores a voice recognition result by the first terminal device for an input voice input to the first terminal device and a voice recognition result by the second terminal device for the voice data of the input voice received by the second terminal device from the first terminal device. The processor determines a difference between the input voice input to the first terminal device and the voice output based on the voice data of the input voice received by the second terminal device from the first terminal device, based on a comparison between the voice recognition result by the first terminal device and the voice recognition result by the second terminal device. 
     Hereinafter, at least one embodiment is described with reference to the drawings.  FIG. 1  is a diagram for schematically explaining an online conferencing system  1  according to at least one embodiment. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the online conferencing system  1  according to the embodiment has a server  10  and a plurality of terminal devices  20  ( 21 ,  22 ,  23 , or . . . ) which are connected via a network. The server  10  is a management device that manages a quality of voice calls in each terminal device  20 . The server  10  determines how the voice input to a certain terminal device (first terminal device)  21  is output by the other terminal devices (second terminal devices)  22  and  23  which are connected via the network. In the example illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the first terminal device is the terminal device  21  for inputting the voice by the talker, and the second terminal devices are the terminal devices  22  and  23  of audience other than the talker. 
     The server  10  acquires a voice recognition result of the voice input to the terminal device (first terminal device)  21  by the talker from the terminal device  21 . In addition, the server  10  acquires the voice recognition result for the voice (voice output by the second terminal device) received from the terminal device  21  by the terminal devices (second terminal device)  22  and  23  other than the talker (audience) via the network, from the terminal devices  22  and  23 . 
     The server  10  compares the voice recognition result of the voice input to terminal device  21  of the talker with the voice recognition result of the voice output by the terminal devices  22  and  23  of the audience. When the voice recognition result of the terminal device  21  and the voice recognition result of the terminal devices  22  and  23  match each other, the server  10  determines that the voice input to the terminal device  21  is accurately output by the terminal devices  22  and  23 . If the voice recognition results of the terminal devices  22  and  23  and the voice recognition result of the terminal device  21  are different from each other, the server  10  determines that the voice input to the terminal device  21  is not accurately output by the terminal devices  22  and  23 . The server  10  transmits a warning to the terminal devices  22  and  23  if the voice recognition results of the terminal devices  22  and  23  and the voice recognition results of the terminal device  21  are different from each other by exceeding a default value (threshold value). 
     The plurality of terminal devices  20  ( 21 ,  22 ,  23 , . . . ) are information processing devices including a microphone and a speaker. The microphone inputs (collects) sounds including sounds uttered by a person. The speaker outputs a sound based on voice data. The information processing device as the terminal device  20  may be, for example, a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like. In addition, the terminal device  20  may have a configuration in which any one or both of a microphone  206  and a speaker  207  are connected to an information processing device such as a computer. 
     The terminal device  20  collects the sound (voice) uttered by the talker with the microphone and transmits the data (voice data) of the collected voice to the other terminal device  20  participating in the online conferencing. In addition, the terminal device  20  receives the voice data of the voice and the like of the talker received from the other terminal device  20  via the network and outputs the received voice data as the sound from the speaker. 
     The terminal device  20  transmits the voice data of the sound collected with the microphone to the other terminal device and outputs the sound based on the voice data received from the other terminal device by the speaker. In addition, the terminal device  20  performs the voice recognition processing. If the voice of the talker is collected with the microphone  206 , the terminal device  20  performs the voice recognition processing on the collected voice. In addition, when receiving the voice data from the other terminal device, the terminal device  20  performs the voice recognition processing on the voice to be output based on the received voice data. Furthermore, the terminal device  20  uploads the voice recognition result by the voice recognition processing to the server  10 . 
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates an example in which the terminal device  21  is the first terminal device used by the talker and the terminal devices  22  and  23  are the second terminal devices used by the audience. In the example illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the terminal device  21  as the first terminal device collects the sound uttered by the talker with the microphone and transmits the data (voice data) of the voice collected to the other terminal devices  22  and  23 . The terminal devices  22  and  23  as the second terminal devices receive the voice data from the terminal device  21  via the network and output the sound based on the received voice data from the speaker. 
     In addition, when detecting the sound uttered by the talker from the sound collected with the microphone  206 , the terminal device  21  as the first terminal device performs the voice recognition processing on the voice collected with the microphone  206 . The terminal device  21  transmits the voice recognition result by the voice recognition processing for the voice collected with the microphone  206  to the server  10 . In addition, when receiving the voice data from the terminal device  21  as the first terminal device, the terminal devices  22  and  23  as the second terminal devices perform the voice recognition processing for the sound based on the received voice data. The terminal devices  22  and  23  transmit the voice recognition result by the voice recognition processing for the sound based on the voice data received from the terminal device  21  to the server  10 . 
     Next, the configuration of the server  10  according to the embodiment will be described.  FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the server  10  according to at least one embodiment. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the server  10  includes a processor  101 , a main storage device  102 , an auxiliary storage device (memory)  103 , and a communication interface  104 . The processor  101  controls the entire server  10 . The processor  101  is, for example, a CPU. The processor  101  performs various processes described later by executing the program. For example, the processor  101  performs processing such as comparison of the voice recognition results by the respective terminal devices and outputting of a warning according to the comparison result of the voice recognition results. 
     The main storage device  102  is a main memory for storing data. The main storage device  102  is configured with, for example, a random access memory (RAM) or the like. The main storage device  102  temporarily stores the data being processed by the processor  101 . For example, the main storage device  102  stores the data necessary for executing the program, the execution result of the program, and the like. The main storage device  102  also operates as a buffer memory for temporarily retaining the data. 
     The auxiliary storage device  103  is a storage for storing data. The auxiliary storage device  103  includes a non-rewritable non-volatile memory such as a read only memory (ROM), a rewritable non-volatile memory, and the like. The rewritable non-volatile memory is configured with, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), an EEPROM (registered trademark), a flash ROM, or the like. 
     The auxiliary storage device  103  stores various programs and control data executed by the processor  101 , and the like. For example, the auxiliary storage device  103  stores a program for comparing the voice recognition results by the respective terminal devices  20  in the online conferencing system. In addition, the auxiliary storage device  103  stores a program for outputting a warning according to the comparison result of the voice recognition results by the respective terminal devices  20 . 
     In addition, in at least one embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the auxiliary storage device  103  has a storage area  113  for storing the voice recognition results by the respective terminal devices  20 . The storage area  113  stores the voice recognition result for the voice input to the terminal device  21  and the voice recognition result for the voice received (output) from the terminal device  21  by the terminal devices  22  and  23 . 
     The communication interface  104  is an interface for communicating with each terminal device  20  in the online conferencing system. The communication interface may include an interface that communicates through a wired line or may include an interface that communicates wirelessly. For example, the processor  101  acquires the voice recognition result from each terminal device  20  participating in the online conferencing system via the communication interface  104 . In addition, the processor  101  transmits the warning according to the comparison result of the voice recognition results by the respective terminal devices  20  to the specific terminal device  20  via the communication interface  104 . 
     Next, the configuration of the terminal device  20  according to at least one embodiment will be described.  FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration example of the terminal device  20  according to at least one embodiment. In the configuration example illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the terminal device  20  includes a processor  201 , a main storage device  202 , an auxiliary storage device (memory)  203 , a communication interface  204 , a voice processing circuit  205 , the microphone  206 , the speaker  207 , a display device (notification device)  208 , an operation device  209 , and the like. 
     The processor  201  controls the entire terminal device  20 . The processor  201  is, for example, a CPU. The processor  201  performs various processes described later by executing the program. For example, the processor  201  performs processing such as generation of the voice data of the input sound, transmission of the voice data, voice recognition for the input sound, transmission of the voice recognition result to server  10 , outputting of the warning, and the like. In addition, the processor  201  performs reception of the voice data, outputting of the voice based on the voice data, recognition of the voice for the voice to be received (output), transmission of the voice recognition result to the server  10 , and the like. 
     The main storage device  202  is a main memory for storing data. The main storage device  202  is configured with, for example, a random access memory (RAM) or the like. The main storage device  202  temporarily stores the data being processed by the processor  201 . For example, the main storage device  202  may store the data necessary for executing the program, the execution result of the program, and the like. The main storage device  202  also operates as a buffer memory for temporarily retaining the data. For example, the main storage device  202  retains the voice data obtained by processing the sound collected with each microphone  206  by the voice processing circuit  205 . In addition, the main storage device  202  retains the received voice data. 
     The auxiliary storage device  203  is a storage for storing data. The auxiliary storage device  203  includes a non-rewritable non-volatile memory such as a read-only memory (ROM), a rewritable non-volatile memory, and the like. The rewritable non-volatile memory is configured with, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), an EEPROM (registered trademark), a flash ROM, or the like. 
     The auxiliary storage device  203  stores programs executed by the processor  201 , control data, and the like. The auxiliary storage device  203  stores the programs for performing various processes as described above. For example, the auxiliary storage device  203  stores the voice recognition program for performing the voice recognition for the input voice or the received voice data. In addition, the auxiliary storage device  203  stores the program for transmitting the voice recognition result to the server  10 , the program for outputting the warning in response to the notification from the server  10 , and the like. Furthermore, in the example illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the auxiliary storage device  203  has a storage area  213  for retaining the voice recognition result. 
     The communication interface  204  is an interface for communicating with the other terminal devices  20  and server  10  participating in the online conferencing system. The communication interface  204  may include an interface that communicates through a wired line or may include an interface that communicates wirelessly. For example, the processor  201  performs transmission and reception of the voice data to and from the other terminal device  20  participating in the online conferencing system via the communication interface  204 . In addition, the processor  201  transmits the voice recognition result for the input voice or the received voice data to the server  10 . Furthermore, when receiving a warning notification via the communication interface  204 , the processor  201  performs the processing of notifying the warning by using the speaker, the display device, or the like. 
     The microphone  206  collects (acquires) sound. For example, the microphone  206  inputs the collected sound as an analog signal (analog waveform) and outputs the analog signal of the input sound to the voice processing circuit  205 . The voice processing circuit  205  inputs an analog signal of the sound collected with the microphone  206 , and outputs the voice data as digital data obtained by digitalizing the analog signal of the input sound. The voice processing circuit  205  includes an AD converter or the like that digitizes analog waveforms. It is noted that the microphone  206  may be an external device connected to the terminal device  20 . If the microphone  206  is configured as an external device, the voice processing circuit  205  may be provided with an interface for voice input to connect the microphone  206 . 
     The speaker  207  outputs the voice. The speaker  207  utters a sound based on the response waveform as the response voice supplied from the processor  201 . In addition, the speaker  207  may output the warning content according to the warning received from the server  10  described later as the notification device by the voice. It is noted that the speaker  207  may be an external device connected to the terminal device  20 . If the speaker  207  is configured as an external device, the terminal device  20  may be provided with an interface that outputs a signal indicating the sound waveform to be output to the speaker  207 . 
     The display device  208  displays an image. The display device  208  operates as the notification device. For example, the display device  208  displays a warning screen for notifying a warning in response to the warning received from the server  10  described later. The operation device  209  receives an operation instruction from the user. For example, the display device  208  and the operation device  209  may be configured by a display with a touch panel. In addition, the operation device  209  may include a numeric keypad, a keyboard, a pointing device, or the like. 
     Next, the voice recognition result collected by the server  10  according to at least one embodiment from each terminal device  20  will be described.  FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an example of the voice recognition result by each terminal device  20  stored in the storage area  113  of the auxiliary storage device  103  in the server  10 . The server  10  collects the voice recognition results by the respective terminal devices  20 . The server  10  stores the voice recognition results collected from the respective terminal devices in the storage area  113  of the auxiliary storage device  103 . In the example illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the server  10  stores the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice received by the other terminal device in association with the voice recognition result for the input voice. In the example illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the terminal device (first terminal device)  21  of the talker is the terminal A, and the terminal devices (second terminal devices)  22  and  23  of the audience are the terminals B and C. 
     The terminal A inputs the voice uttered by the talker with the microphone  206  and performs the voice recognition for the voice (input voice) that is input. The terminal A supplies the voice recognition result for the input voice to the server  10  in association with the information (time information) indicating the time. Herein, the terminal A may transmit, together with the voice recognition result and the time information, the information indicating the voice recognition result for the voice (input voice) uttered by the talker. 
     In addition, each of the terminal B and the terminal C receives the voice data of the input voice from the terminal A and performs the voice recognition on the received voice data. The terminal B and the terminal C supply the voice recognition result for the received voice data to the server  10  in association with the time information. Herein, the terminal B and the terminal C may transmit, together with the voice recognition result and the time information, the information indicating the voice recognition result for the voice data received via the network. In addition, the terminal B and the terminal C may transmit, together with the voice recognition result and the time information, the information indicating the voice recognition result for the voice data from the terminal A. 
     The server  10  stores the voice recognition results on the terminals A, B, and C in association with the time information. It is assumed that the difference between the time when the terminal A inputs the input voice and the time when the other terminals B and C receive the voice data of the input voice of the terminal A is short. In this case, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the voice recognition result for the input voice and the voice recognition results for the voice data of the input voice received by the other terminals are stored in association with each other in the storage area  113 . 
     The difference between the voice recognition result for the input voice by the terminal A of the talker and the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice by the terminal B indicates the communication quality between the terminal A and the terminal B. The voice recognition result for the input voice by the terminal A of the talker is not affected by the communication environment of the network or the like. On the other hand, the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice by the terminals B and C of the audience is affected by the communication environment (communication quality) with the terminal A. For example, if the communication quality between the terminal B and the terminal A is poor, the voice recognition result by the terminal B is significantly different from the voice recognition result by the terminal A. 
     That is, if the difference between the voice recognition result for the input voice by the terminal A and the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice by the terminal B becomes large, it can be determined that the communication status between the terminal A and the terminal B is deteriorated. If the voice recognition result for the input voice by the terminal A and the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice by the terminal B match each other, it can be determined that the communication status between the terminal A and the terminal B is good. Similarly, the communication status between the terminal A and the terminal C can be determined by the difference between the voice recognition result for the input voice by the terminal A and the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice by the terminal C. 
     In the example illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the voice recognition result for the input voice input to the terminal A at the time “00:01” matches the voice recognition results corresponding to the input voice in the terminals B and C. The voice recognition result for the input voice at the time “00:12” matches the voice recognition result corresponding to the input voice in the terminal B. However, the voice recognition result for the input voice at the time “00:12” partially does not match the voice recognition result corresponding to the input voice in the terminal C. As a result, at the time “00:12”, it can be determined that the communication quality between the terminal A and the terminal B is good, but the communication quality between the terminal A and the terminal C is slightly deteriorated. 
     In addition, in the example illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the voice recognition result for the input voice at the time “00:23” does not match the voice recognition results corresponding to the input voice in the terminals B and C. In addition, the voice recognition result for the input voice at the time “00:34” does not match the voice recognition result corresponding to the input voice in the terminals B and C. As a result, at the times “00:23” and “00:34”, it can be determined that, since the communication quality of the terminal B and the terminal C with the terminal A is poor, the input voice cannot be normally output. 
     In at least one embodiment, the server  10  acquires the information as illustrated in  FIG. 4  by collecting the voice recognition result from each terminal device participating in the online conferencing. The server  10  compares the voice recognition result for the input voice with the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice received by the other terminal device. The server  10  determines the difference between the input voice of the terminal A and the output voice of the terminal B or C corresponding to the input voice by calculating the difference of the corresponding voice recognition results. 
     The server  10  determines whether or not the magnitude of the difference between the voice recognition result by the terminal A and the voice recognition result by the terminal B or the terminal C exceeds a predetermined threshold value (default value). If the magnitude of the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold value, the server  10  warns the terminal A that the voice is not output normally. For example, if the difference between the voice recognition result by the terminal A and the voice recognition result by the terminal B exceeds the threshold value, the server  10  warns the terminal 
     A that the voice of the talker cannot be normally output by the terminal B. The terminal A notifies the warning from the server  10  by the display device  208 . As a result, the talker using the terminal A can know which terminal the sound is not normally output from. 
     Next, the operation of the terminal device  20  in the online conferencing system  1  according to at least one embodiment will be described.  FIG. 5  is a flowchart for explaining an operation example of the terminal device  20  in the online conferencing system  1  according to at least one embodiment. The processor  201  of the terminal device  20  participating in the online conferencing system receives the input of the voice collected with the microphone  206  or the input of the voice (voice data) received from the other terminal device  20  (ACT 11 ). The processor  201  may switch between an operation mode in which the voice input from the microphone  206  is enabled and an operation mode in which the voice input from the microphone  206  is disabled. For example, the processor  201  enables or disables the voice input from the microphone  206  in response to an instruction input by the user by using the operation device  209 . 
     If the voice input from the microphone  206  is disabled, the processor  201  performs inputting (reception) of the voice data from the other terminal device  20  without acquiring the input voice (YES inACT 11 ). When receiving the voice data from the other terminal device  20 , the processor  201  outputs the voice based on the voice data from the speaker  207 . As a result, the terminal devices  20  (terminal device  21  as the first terminal device)output the input voice input by the other terminal device  20  (terminal devices  22  and  23  as the second terminal devices) from the speaker  207 . 
     If the voice input from the microphone  206  is enabled, the processor  201  acquires the sound collected with the microphone  206  as the input voice via the voice processing circuit  205  (ACT 11 , YES). The processor  201  transmits (delivers) voice data generated from the acquired input voice to the other terminal device  20 . As a result, the processor  201  of the terminal device  20  (for example, the terminal device  21  as the first terminal device) can transmit (deliver) the sound (input voice) collected with the microphone  206  and uttered by the talker to the other terminal devices  20  (for example, the terminal devices  22  and  23  as the second terminal devices) as the voice data. If the voice input from the microphone  206  is enabled, the processor  201  performs the processing of outputting the voice based on the voice data received from the other terminal device  20  from the speaker  207  in parallel with the processing of delivering the input voice to the other terminal device  20 . 
     If the input voice collected with the microphone  206  is acquired via the voice processing circuit  205  (YES in ACT 11 ), the processor  201  performs the voice recognition processing on the input voice (ACT 12 ). The processor  201  stores the voice recognition result for the input voice in the storage area  213  of the auxiliary storage device  203  (ACT 13 ). For example, the processor  201  stores the voice recognition result in the storage area  213  in association with the time information indicating the time if the input voice is input. Furthermore, the processor  201  also stores information indicating that the voice recognition result is the voice recognition result for the input voice collected with the microphone  206 . 
     In addition, if the voice data from the other terminal device  20  is received by the communication I/F  204  (YES in ACT 11 ), the processor  201  performs the voice recognition processing on the received voice data (ACT 12 ). The processor  201  stores the voice recognition result for the voice data received from the other terminal device  20  in the storage area  213  of the auxiliary storage device  203  (ACT 13 ). For example, the processor  201  stores the voice recognition result in the storage area  213  in association with the time information indicating the time when the voice data is input. Furthermore, the processor  201  also stores the information indicating that the voice recognition result is the voice recognition result for voice data received from the other terminal device. 
     Herein, it is assumed that the voice recognition processing for the input voice and the voice recognition processing for the received voice data are executed by the same program for the voice recognition. In addition, the voice recognition processing performed by each terminal device  20  is assumed to be executed by the program for the voice recognition configured with an equivalent algorithm. However, the programs for the voice recognition executed by the respective terminal devices  20  may be different programs as long as the recognition results for the same voice do not differ by a threshold value or more. 
     In addition, the processor  201  determines whether or not to transmit the voice recognition result stored in the storage area  213  to the server  10  (ACT 14 ). The processor  201  transmits the voice recognition result stored in the storage area  213  to the server  10  based on the preset conditions. For example, the processor  201  transmits the voice recognition result at each predetermined time interval. In addition, the processor  201  may transmit the voice recognition result to the server  10  every time a series of sentences are stored as the voice recognition result. In addition, the processor  201  may transmit the voice recognition result to the server  10  every time the amount of data of the non-transmitted voice recognition result stored in the storage area  213  reaches a predetermined amount. 
     If it is determined that the voice recognition result is transmitted to the server  10 , the processor  201  transmits the non-transmitted voice recognition result stored in the storage area  213  to the server  10  by the communication I/F  204  (ACT 15 ). For example, the processor  201  transmits the voice recognition result in which additional information such as time information is associated with each series of sentences (texts) obtained by the voice recognition to the server  10 . 
     In addition, the processor  201  receives a warning from the server  10  during the online conferencing (ACT 16 ). When receiving the notification indicating the warning from the server  10 , the processor  201  notifies the warning according to the notified content (ACT 17 ). For example, it is assumed that, after the terminal A delivers the input voice (remark of the talker) input to the microphone  206  to the terminal B, the terminal B receives a warning indicating that the input voice is not normally output from the server  10 . In this case, the processor  201  of the terminal A displays a warning indicating that the input voice (remark of the talker) is not normally output by the terminal B on the display device  208 . 
     Accordingly, the terminal device (first terminal device) of the talker can notify the terminal device (second terminal device) in which the remark of the talker is not normally output. As a result, the talker using the first terminal device can recognize the terminal device in which the talker&#39;s own remark is not normally output without interrupting the online conferencing. 
     Next, the operation of the server  10  in the online conferencing system  1  according to at least one embodiment will be described.  FIG. 6  is a flowchart for explaining an operation example of the server  10  in the online conferencing system  1  according to at least one embodiment. The processor  101  of the server  10  communicates with each terminal device  20  participating in the online conferencing by the online conferencing system  1 . The processor  101  receives the voice recognition result from each terminal device  20  by the communication I/F  104  (ACT 31 ). 
     If the voice recognition result is received from a certain terminal device  20  (YES in ACT 31 ), the processor  101  stores the received voice recognition result in the auxiliary storage device  103  (ACT 32 ). For example, the processor  101  stores the voice recognition result received from each terminal device  20  in the storage area  113  of the auxiliary storage device  103  in association with each time. In addition, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the processor  101  may store the voice recognition result (voice recognition result for voice data of input voice received via the network) by the terminal device (second terminal device) of the audience in the storage area  113  in association with the voice recognition result (voice recognition result for the input voice) by the terminal device (first terminal device)  20  of the talker. 
     If the voice recognition result received from the terminal device  20  is stored, the processor  101  compares the stored voice recognition result (ACT 33 ). The processor  101  allows the voice recognition result for the input voice input by the terminal device  20  of the talker to be associated with the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice received by the terminal device  20  of the audience. The processor  101  calculates the difference between the voice recognition result for the input voice and the voice recognition result for the voice data received by the other terminal device  20 . For example, the processor  101  quantifies the difference between the two corresponding voice recognition results by using a Levenshtein distance. 
     Herein, it is assumed that the voice recognition programs used by the processors  201  of the respective terminal devices  20  for the voice recognition are the same. If the voice data of the input voice output from a certain terminal device (first terminal device) is accurately transmitted to the other terminal device (second terminal device), the input voice and the output voice based on the voice data of the input voice match each other. In this case, the voice recognition result for the input voice by the first terminal device and the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice by the second terminal device also match each other. On the other hand, if the voice data of the input voice output from the first terminal device is not accurately transmitted to the second terminal device, the input voice and the output voice based on the voice data of the input voice do not match each other. In this case, the voice recognition result for the input voice by the first terminal device and the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice by the second terminal device do not match each other. 
     The input voice input to the first terminal device is converted into a text by the voice recognition result for the input voice by the first terminal device. The output voice based on the voice data of the input voice received by the second terminal device from the first terminal device is converted into a text by the voice recognition result for the voice data (output voice) of the input voice received by the second terminal device. Therefore, the difference between the voice recognition result by the first terminal device and the voice recognition result by the second terminal device has a value indicating the degree to which the input voice input by the first terminal device is accurately output by the second terminal device. For example, the more unstable the communication path from the first terminal device to the second terminal device, the greater the difference between the voice recognition result by the first terminal device and the voice recognition result by the second terminal device. 
     The processor  101  determines whether or not to issue a warning based on the difference between the voice recognition result for the input voice (voice recognition result by the first terminal device) and the voice recognition result for the voice data received by the other terminal device  20  (voice recognition result by the second terminal device) (ACT 34 ). For example, the processor  101  determines whether or not the difference between the voice recognition result for the input voice and the voice recognition result for the voice data (output voice) received by the other terminal device  20  exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The predetermined threshold value is set to a level at which the user can recognize that the input voice and the output voice have the same content. 
     If the difference between the voice recognition result for the input voice and the voice recognition result for the output voice exceeds the predetermined threshold value, the processor  101  determines that a warning is issued. If the difference between the voice recognition result for the input voice and the voice recognition result for the output voice is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold value, the processor  101  determines that it is not necessary to issue a warning. 
     The processor  101  may compare the difference between the voice recognition result by the first terminal device and the voice recognition result by the second terminal device with a plurality of threshold values. For example, as the plurality of threshold values, a first threshold value and a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value may be set. The processor  101  may issue a first warning if the difference exceeds the first threshold value, and the processor  101  may issue a second warning if the difference is equal to or less than the first threshold value and exceeds the second threshold value. As a result, the server  10  can issue a warning according to the difference between the voice recognition result by the first terminal device and the voice recognition result by the second terminal device. 
     In addition, the processor  101  may store the difference between the voice recognition result by the first terminal device and the voice recognition result by the second terminal device in the time series. In this case, the processor  101  may issue a warning according to the change in time series of the difference between the voice recognition result by the first terminal device and the voice recognition result by the second terminal device. For example, the processor  101  may issue a warning if the difference between the voice recognition result by the first terminal device and the voice recognition result by the second terminal device tends to be large. 
     If it is determined that a warning is necessary (YES in ACT 34 ), the processor  101  notifies the terminal device (first terminal device)  20  to which the input voice is input of the warning (ACT 35 ). The processor  101  specifies the terminal device  20  that executes the voice recognition for the input voice as the first terminal device. For example, the processor  101  specifies the terminal device  20  that is the transmission source of the voice recognition result for the input voice as the first terminal device. If the terminal device (first terminal device) to which the input voice is input is specified, the processor  101  transmits a warning indicating that the input voice is not normally transmitted to the first terminal device that is the transmission source of the input voice by the other terminal device. 
     In addition, the processor  101  may specify the second terminal device that is the transmission source of the voice recognition result of the output voice of which difference from the voice recognition result for the input voice exceeds the threshold value. If the second terminal device is specified, the processor  101  transmits a warning indicating that the input voice is not normally transmitted to the specified second terminal device to the first terminal device that is the transmission source of the input voice. 
     The processor  101  may notify a plurality of terminal devices or a preset terminal device of the warning without specifying the terminal device (first terminal device)  20  to which the input voice is input. For example, the processor  101  may notify the warning to all the terminal devices (or all the terminal devices that transmit the voice recognition result)  20  participating in the online conferencing. In addition, the processor  101  may notify the warning to a preset terminal device such as a terminal device used by an organizer. 
     The processor  101  of the server  10  repeatedly performs the processing of ACT 31  to ACT 35  as described above while the online conferencing continues (NO in ACT 36 ). In addition, when receiving an instruction to stop the processing of notifying the talker of the warning, the processor  101  may end the processing of ACT 31  to ACT 35 . 
     The processing of the server  10  described above may be performed by any terminal device  20 . That is, the online conferencing system  1  may be configured by causing any one of the terminal devices  20  to perform the processing of the server  10  described above. For example, the terminal device  20  can perform the above-mentioned processing by installing a program that performs the above-mentioned processing of the server  10 . Accordingly, it is possible to configure the online conferencing system including a plurality of the terminal devices  20  without providing the server  10 . 
     According to the above-described processing, the server of the online conferencing system according to the embodiment acquires the voice recognition result for the input voice from the first terminal device. The server acquires the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice received by the second terminal device from the first terminal device from the second terminal device. The server determines the difference between the voice recognition result for the input voice acquired from the first terminal device and the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice acquired from the second terminal device. 
     Therefore, the server according to the embodiment can evaluate whether or not the input voice input by the first terminal device is normally output by the second terminal device. As a result, it is possible to evaluate the communication status between the first terminal device and the second terminal device. 
     In addition, the server issues a warning if the difference between the voice recognition result for the input voice and the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice received by the second terminal device exceeds the threshold value. Accordingly, it is possible to notify that the input voice input by the first terminal device is not normally output by the second terminal device. 
     Furthermore, if the difference between the voice recognition result for the input voice and the voice recognition result for the voice data of the input voice received by the second terminal device exceeds the threshold value, the server issues a warning to the first terminal device. Accordingly, it is possible to notify the talker who is the user of the first terminal device that the input voice input by the first terminal device is not normally output by the second terminal device. As a result, the talker can recognize during the online conferencing that the talker&#39;s own remark is not output normally by the terminal device of the audience. 
     In the above-described embodiment, the case where the program executed by the processor is stored in the memory in the device has been described. However, the program executed by the processor may be downloaded from the network to the device or may be installed from the storage medium to the device. The storage medium may be a storage medium such as a CD-ROM that can store a program and can be read by the device. In addition, the functions obtained by installation or downloading in advance may be realized in cooperation with the operating system (OS) or the like inside the device. 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure.