Vocalizing apparatus
First Claim
1. Vocalizing apparatus comprising means for synthesizing a plurality of different sounds, means for controlling and operating said synthesizing means to produce a sequence of said sounds in a predetermined pattern, position responsive means for activating said controlling means, and means controlled by said controlling and operating means for operating said synthesizing means to produce the same sound in different locations in said pattern at different durations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Vocalizing apparatus for use in a doll which has a synthesizer for producing speech sounds. The synthesizer is controlled by a digital controller having a memory which stores information representing a vocabulary of infant-like sounds. A motion detector, which may be in the form of a gravity-actuated switch, activates the controller so as to cause the synthesizer to produce a pattern of sound simulating happy infant sounds when the doll is moved and when it is cuddled, and fussing or crying sounds when it is thereafter not moved for a time. The electronic apparatus is shut down if the doll is left unmoved for a time after it no longer emits the fussing sounds but is automatically activated when again it is moved. The vocalizing apparatus is provided in a self-contained package, removable for laundering.
186 Citations
25 Claims
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1. Vocalizing apparatus comprising means for synthesizing a plurality of different sounds, means for controlling and operating said synthesizing means to produce a sequence of said sounds in a predetermined pattern, position responsive means for activating said controlling means, and means controlled by said controlling and operating means for operating said synthesizing means to produce the same sound in different locations in said pattern at different durations.
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2. Vocalizing apparatus comprising means for synthesizing a plurality of different sounds, means for controlling said synthesizing means to produce a sequence of said sounds, said controlling means including means for operating said synthesizing means to produce said sounds in a predetermined pattern, position responsive means for activating said controlling means, and said operating means including means operating said synthesizing means to blank the production of sounds during selected intervals in said pattern.
- 3. Vocalizing apparatus comprising means for synthesizing a plurality of different sounds, means for controlling said synthesizing means to produce a sequence of said sounds, said controlling means including means for operating said synthesizing means to produce said sounds in a predetermined pattern, position responsive means for activating said controlling means, and said operating means further comprising means for operating said synthesizing means for blanking, with a predetermined probability of occurrence at predetermined times, the production of each sound in said pattern.
- 5. Vocalizing apparatus comprising means for synthesizing a plurality of different sounds, means for controlling said synthesizing means to produce a sequence of said sounds, position responsive means for activating said controlling means, and means in said controlling means for operating said synthesizing means to provide a selected pattern of said sounds when said position responsive means remains in the same position for a certain length of time.
- 7. A speaking doll having a vocabulary of a plurality of sounds comprising means for synthesizing and voicing said sounds, means for operating said synthesizing means to produce a pattern of said sounds, means for controlling said operating means to activate said operating means depending upon the state of motion of said doll, said operating means comprising digital controller means for storing information representing said sounds, and means for generating control signals corresponding to said information in predetermined sequences to cause said pattern of sounds to be synthesized by said synthesizing means, said controlling means comprising means for providing signals indicating movement of said doll, said digital controller means further comprising means responsive to said indicating signals for operating said control signals generating means to produce said sounds in a first pattern when said doll is moved and in a second pattern when said doll is not in motion for at least a first predetermined period of time after having been moved.
- 16. A speaking doll having a vocabulary of a plurality of sounds comprising means for synthesizing and voicing said sounds, means for operating said synthesizing means to produce a pattern of said sounds, means for controlling said operating means to activate said operating means depending upon the state of motion of said doll, said operating means comprising digital controller means for storing information representing said sounds, means for generating control signals corresponding to said information in predetermined sequences to cause said pattern of sounds to be synthesized by said synthesizing means, said synthesizing means comprising means for generating signals representing a plurality of formants of speech, means for combining said formant representing signals, means for producing said sounds in response to said combined formant signals, means responsive to said control signals for varying the pitch, amplitude and band pass characteristics of said formant signals, said formant signals producing means comprising pitch oscillator means, amplifier means, and a plurality of band pass filter means, each having a different pass band range, said pitch oscillator means being connected to said amplifier means and said amplifier means being connected to said band pass filter means, said digital controller comprising a memory for storing a plurality of groups of multi-bit digital words, each group representing at least one of said sounds, a plurality of digital to analog converter means each responsive to different bits of said words for producing different ones of said control signals which control the pitch frequency of said oscillator, the gain of said amplifier, and the pass band of said filters, respectively.
- 24. A system for synthesizing a plurality of speech sounds in sequence comprising means for producing a complex pitch signal, means responsive to a plurality of control signals for varying the spectral and amplitude characteristics of said pitch signal to simulate a formant of said speech sounds, control means for sequentially generating selective ones of a plurality of sequences of said control signal, each said sequence representing a different one of said plurality of sounds, means for applying said control signals from said generating means to said producing means and to said spectral and amplitude characteristics varying means to synthesize said speech sounds, said pitch signal producing means being a variable frequency pitch oscillator, said means for varying the spectral and amplitude characteristics of said pitch signal comprising a variable gain amplifier and a plurality of variable band pass filters, said filters being connected in parallel to said amplifier, said amplifier being connected to said oscillator, and means for varying the pitch frequency of said oscillator, the gain of said amplifier and the band pass location in frequency of said plurality of said filters, each with a different one of said control signals.
Specification