Device for generating speech, apparatus connectable to or incorporating such a device, and computer program product therefor

• US 20060217981A1
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mahmudovska, Nercivan, Tomasson, Anna, Klinghult, Gunnar
• Granted Patent: US 8,340,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A control unit extracts at least a part of data that is displayed on a display and sends the extracted part of the displayed data to a speech generating device. The speech generating device includes a conversion circuit that converts the received data to a speech signal. The conversion circuit may be connected to a speaker system for broadcasting the speech signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display configured to display various readable data; and

a control unit configured to extract at least a part of the displayed data and configured to send the extracted part of the displayed data to a speech generating device that is configured to generate speech from the extracted part of the displayed data,

wherein the speech generating device is attachable to the apparatus.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically send said extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device at a fixed and/or controllable rate.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to send said extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device based on scrolling in the display.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displayed data includes text from menus, text messages, help information, calendars and/or confirmation of actions taken with the apparatus.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to send said extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device based on inputting characters to the apparatus.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to send the displayed data responsive to input of definite characters including letters, signs, spaces and/or punctuation marks.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to extract the displayed data from a selected file and automatically send the displayed data to the speech generating device at a fixed and/or controllable rate.

36. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a portable telephone, a pager, a communicator and/or an electronic organizer.

8. A device for generating speech, comprising:

a microcontroller configured to be connected to an apparatus and configured to receive data from said apparatus to be converted to speech; and

a conversion circuit coupled to the microcontroller and configured to be connected to a speaker system,

wherein the conversion circuit is configured to receive the data from the microcontroller and convert the data to a speech signal.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the data is received as ASCII characters.

10. A device according to claim 8, wherein the conversion circuit is configured to support various selectable languages.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the conversion circuit is configured to download languages via the connected apparatus.

12. A device according to claim 8, wherein the conversion circuit is configured to support various selectable voices.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein the conversion circuit is configured to download voices via the connected apparatus.

14. A device according to claim 8, wherein a speed of the speech signal is adjustable.

15. A device according to claim 8 wherein the microcontroller is configured to be connected to a memory device containing language information, including various languages, abbreviation lists and/or dictionaries.

16. A device according to claim 8, wherein the microcontroller is configured to be connected to a memory device containing voice settings.

17. A device according to claim 8, wherein the microcontroller is configured to be connected to the apparatus via a system connector having an interface for audio signals, serial channels, power leads and/or analog and digital ground leads.

18. A device according to claim 17, wherein the device includes a functional cover comprising a shell covering a front of the apparatus and a microprocessor cooperating with a processor of the apparatus.

19. A device according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus comprises a portable telephone, a pager, a communicator and/or an electronic organizer.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a display configured to display various readable data;

a control unit; and

a speech generating device including a conversion circuit therein configured to convert received data to a speech signal and configured to be connected to a speaker system,

wherein the control unit is configured to extract at least a part of the displayed data and send the extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the control unit is configured to send said extracted part of the displayed data automatically to the speech generating device at a fixed and/or controllable rate.

22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the control unit is configured to send said extracted part of the readable data to the speech generating device based on scrolling in the display (2).

23. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the displayed data includes text from menus, text messages, help information, calendars and/or confirmation of actions taken with the apparatus.

24. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the control unit is configured to send said extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device based on inputting characters to the apparatus.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the control unit is configured to send the displayed data responsive to input of definite characters including letters, signs, spaces and/or punctuation marks.

26. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the control unit is configured to extract the displayed data from a selected file and automatically send the displayed data to the speech generating device at a fixed and/or controllable rate.

27. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the speaker system is integrated with the apparatus.

28. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the data is sent as ASCII characters.

29. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the conversion circuit is configured to support various selectable languages.

30. An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the apparatus is configured to download languages.

31. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the conversion circuit is configured to support various selectable voices.

32. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the apparatus is configured to download voices.

33. An apparatus according to claim 20, the wherein a speed of the speech signal is adjustable.

34. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the apparatus is configured to be connected to a memory device containing language information including various languages, abbreviation lists and/or dictionaries.

35. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the apparatus is configured to be connected to a memory device containing voice settings.

37. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code configured to be loaded into internal memory of an apparatus having a display for showing various readable data, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code configured to achieve the functionality of the apparatus of claim 20.

38. (canceled)