Patent ID: 8447590

Claim:
A voice emitting/collecting device, comprising: a speaker which emits a voice at a sound pressure that is symmetrical with respect to a predetermined reference plane; a first microphone group which collects a voice on one side of the predetermined reference plane, and a second microphone group which collects a voice on other side of the predetermined reference plane; a voice collecting beam generating portion which generates respective voice collecting beam signals of a first voice collecting beam signal group based on voice collecting signals of the first microphone group, and which generates respective voice collecting beam signals of a second voice collecting beam signal group based on voice collecting signals of the second microphone group symmetrically with respect to the predetermined reference plane; a difference signal generating portion which generates difference signals between the voice collecting beam signals of the first voice collecting beam signal group and the voice collecting beam signals of the second voice collecting beam signal group respectively; a signal comparing portion which compares absolute levels of respective difference signals to select a difference signal having a maximum level; and a voice collecting beam signal outputting portion which outputs the difference signal having the maximum level, which is selected by the signal comparing portion.