Electronic apparatus operable by external sound

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least two sound sensors for converting sounds into electric signals;

means for determining an angular position of a sound source of a first sound wave as seen from the apparatus on the basis of moments of arrival of the first sound wave at the respective sound sensors which are represented by the electric signals, and determining an angular position of a sound source of a second sound wave as seen from the apparatus on the basis of moments of arrival of the second sound wave at the respective sound sensors which are represented by the electric signals, the second sound wave following the first sound wave in time domain;

means for calculating a relative angle between the determined angular position of the sound source of the first sound wave and the determined angular position of the sound source of the second sound wave; and

means for controlling a condition of the apparatus in response to the calculated relative angle;

a monitor; and

means for indicating controllable contents of the condition of the apparatus on the monitor;

wherein said calculating means comprises means for setting a group of selection zones substantially centered at the determined angular position of the sound source of the first sound wave, and the number of the selection zones is equal to the number of the controllable contents indicated on the monitor.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controlling means comprises means for deciding which of selection zones contains the calculated relative angle, and means for controlling the condition of the apparatus in accordance with a result of said deciding.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controlling means comprises means for deciding whether or not the calculated relative angle is within an effective range, and means for controlling the condition of the apparatus only when the deciding means decides that the calculated relative angle is within the effective range.

4. An apparatus comprising:

at least three sound sensors for converting sounds into electric signals;

means for determining a position of a sound source of a first sound wave as seen from the apparatus on the basis of moments of arrival of the first sound wave at the respective sound sensors which are represented by the electric signals, and determining a position of a sound source of a second sound wave as seen from the apparatus on the basis of moments of arrival of the second sound wave at the respective sound sensors which are represented by the electric signals, the second sound wave following the first sound wave in time domain;

means for calculating a relative position between the determined position of the sound source of the first sound wave and the determined position of the sound source of the second sound wave; and

means for controlling a condition of the apparatus in response to the calculated relative position;

a monitor; and

means for indicating controllable contents of the condition of the apparatus on the monitor;

wherein said calculating means comprises means for setting a group of selection zones substantially centered at the determined position of the sound source of the first sound wave, and the number of the selection zones is equal to the number of the controllable contents indicated on the monitor.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 4 , wherein the controlling means comprises means for deciding which of selection zones contains the calculated relative position, and means for controlling the condition of the apparatus in accordance with a result of said deciding.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 4 , wherein the controlling means comprises means for deciding whether or not the calculated relative position is within an effective range, and means for controlling the condition of the apparatus only when the deciding means decides that the calculated relative position is within the effective range.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6 , wherein the effective range extends from a first given angle less than an angle of the determined position of the sound source of the first sound wave to a second given angle greater than the angle of the determined position of the sound source of the first sound wave, and extends in a distance-wise direction up to a given distance greater than the distance between the apparatus and the determined position of the sound source of the first sound wave, the first given angle and the second given angle being defined in a horizontal plane perpendicular to a screen of the monitor.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 6 , wherein the effective range is a circle having a given radius and centered at the determined position of the sound source of the first sound wave.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising means for indicating the calculated relative angle on the monitor.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising loudspeakers, means for generating vocal messages from the loudspeakers which indicate controllable contents of the condition of the apparatus on the monitor in a manner such that the indicated controllable contents are related with an angular position at which a sound wave is to be generated, and means for causing the loudspeakers to present a sound image located at a position corresponding to the calculated relative angle.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controlling means comprises means for deciding whether or not the calculated relative angle is within an effective range, and means for controlling the condition of the apparatus only when the deciding means decides that the calculated relative angle is within the effective range, and wherein the effective range extends from a first given angle less than an angle of the determined angular position of the sound source of the first sound wave to a second given angle greater than the angle of the determined angular position of the sound source of the first sound wave, the first given angle and the second given angle being defined in a horizontal plane perpendicular to a screen of the monitor.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 4 , further comprising means for indicating the calculated relative position on the monitor.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 4 , further comprising loudspeakers, means for generating vocal messages from the loudspeakers which indicate controllable contents of the condition of the apparatus on the monitor in a manner such that the indicated controllable contents are related with a position at which a sound wave is to be generated, and means for causing the loudspeakers to present a sound image located at a position corresponding to the calculated relative position.

14. A method of operating an apparatus having a monitor, comprising the steps of:

detecting a first sound reaching the apparatus;

displaying a picture on the monitor when the first sound is detected, the picture having portions indicating controllable items respectively;

detecting a position of a source of the detected first sound;

setting a group of selection zones substantially centered at the detected position of the source of the detected first sound, the selection zones extending in places corresponding to positions of the portions of the picture respectively;

detecting a second sound reaching the apparatus after the first sound is detected;

detecting a position of a source of the detected second sound;

deciding which of the selection zones contains the detected position of the source of the detected second sound; and

deciding which of the controllable items is selected in accordance with a result of deciding which of the selection zones contains the detected position of the source of the detected second sound;

wherein the number of the selection zones is equal to the number of the controllable items.