Camera with a voice command responsive system

• US 4,389,109 A
• Filed: 12/29/1980
• Issued: 06/21/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera
• Inventors: Nakai, Masaaki, Taniguchi, Nobuyuki, Ishida, Tokuji, Uchida, Isamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, William B.
• Application Number:
  US06/220,777
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 354/230, 354/60 R, 354/60 E, 354/60 L, 354/289, 354/217, 354/218, 354/238, 354/266-268, 354/131, 354/75, 354/76, 354/127, 354/128, 179/1 SB, 179/1 SD, 179/1 SM, 179/1 VC, 179/1 SP, 340/148, 364/525, 364/709, 364/710, 367/198
• US Class Current: 396/56
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/40 with delayed or timed action
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/005 Blur detection

Abstract

A camera with a voice command system includes a switch which selectively brings the voice command system to one of learning and working modes. During the learning mode, various command voices spoken into a microphone and each registered in the camera at a designated section. During the working mode, a spoken command voice is compared with each one of the registered command voices and recognized by the one that correlates mostly for generating a control signal relying on the identified section.

Claims

1. A control system for a camera which performs a plurality of operations, said system comprising:

switching means for selectively bringing the control system to one of a learning mode and a working mode;

voice coding means for coding a voice command to a recognizable pattern and for producing a voice feature signal;

register means having a plurality of sections each being capable of registering one voice feature signal during said learning mode such that a plurality of voice feature signals corresponding to said plurality of camera operations are registered in said register means;

designator means operable during said learning mode for designating said plurality of sections of said register means for registering said plurality of voice feature signals to respective designated sections;

discriminator means operable during said working mode for discriminating one of said plurality of sections carrying a voice feature signal which correlates with a newly obtained voice feature signal;

control means for controlling the camera such that the camera performs one of the operations commensurate with the section discriminated by the discriminator means, and

means for producing an exposure data signal and an exposure data indication means, wherein said control means further includes means for reading out an exposure data signal from said exposure data signal producing means corresponding to the discriminated section of said register means and means for actuating said exposure data indication means to indicate an exposure datum commensurate with the read-out exposure data signal.

2. A control system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an indicator means for indicating the failure of discrimination when said discriminator means does not discriminate any register section carrying a voice feature signal which correlates with said newly obtained voice feature signal.

3. A camera with a voice command system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an indicator means for indicating the completion of registration of one voice feature signal.

4. A control system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said indicator means includes an audible indicator means.

5. A control system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said audible indicator means comprises means for generating a synthesized voice controlled by a microcomputer and providing data obtained from the camera through words.

6. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said exposure indicator means is an audible indicator means.

7. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said exposure data signal producing means is an indicator means for indicating a charged condition of a flash light device applied to said camera.

8. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said exposure data indicator means is an indicator means for signal producing data corresponding to a used frame number.

9. A control system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising manual control means for effecting the camera operation through manual operation, said manual control means being arranged in parallel with said control means to act on a camera operation means parallelly.

10. A control system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising power switch means for turning on and off the control means.

11. A control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said light measuring and calculating means includes means for calculating a F-stop number as said value of an exposure parameter.

12. An audio responsive camera for taking pictures having at least an automatic exposure control circuit, and a power supply comprising:

a transducer connected to the power supply and responsive to audio sounds for generating electrical signals from a voice command;

voice coding means for coding specific voice command electrical signals into specific signal patterns;

means for storing a predetermined set of signal patterns;

means for comparing a signal pattern generated by the voice coding means with the stored signal patterns and producing an output signal representative of a matched signal pattern, and

means for controlling and/or monitoring an operational feature of the camera in response to the output signal.

13. The invention of claim 12 further including means for producing audible predetermined word comments in response to the output signal to indicate an operational condition of the camera.

14. The invention of claim 13 wherein the means for producing an audible predetermined word comment includes a speaker and a voice synthesizer circuit means.

15. The invention of claim 12 further including switch means for enabling the means for storing a predetermined set of signal patterns to receive and store a specific voice command electrical signal pattern from the user, the switch means operatively designating a particular signal pattern to an operational feature of the camera for storage.

16. The invention of claim 15 further including a timing circuit for automatically deactivating the means for controlling at a predetermined time period after an output signal is generated and responded to by the camera.

17. The invention of claim 16 further including means for automatically connecting the means for controlling and/or monitoring an operational feature of the camera to the power supply to activate the same when a predetermined voice command is received by the transducer.

18. The invention of claim 15 further including means for synthesizing audible predetermined word comments in response to the output signal to indicate an operational condition of the camera.

19. The invention of claim 18 wherein the operational condition is the number of film frames that have been exposed.

20. The invention of claim 18 wherein the operational condition is the level of electrical charge of the power supply.

21. The invention of claim 18 wherein the operational condition is the shutter speed.

22. The invention of claim 18 wherein the operational condition is the F stop number.

23. The invention of claim 15 wherein the voice coding means includes a buffer amplifier connected to the transducer, and a plurality of band pass filters to provide simultaneous frequency analysis of a voice command.

24. The invention of claim 23 further including a voice command detector circuit means for producing a start signal when the output of the amplifier exceeds a predetermined level.

25. The invention of claim 24 further including a multiplexer and an analog to digital conversion circuit means, the multiplexer sequentially transmitting the output of each band pass filter to the analog to digital conversion circuit to provide a signal pattern.

26. An audio responsive camera control system comprising:

a transducer responsive to audio sounds for generating electrical signals from a voice command;

voice coding means for coding a specific voice command electrical signal from said transducer, into a specific signal pattern;

means for storing said specific signal pattern;

means for comparing a signal pattern generated by the voice coding means with the stored signal pattern and producing an output signal representative of a matched signal pattern;

light measuring and calculation means for measuring light from an object to be photographed and calculating a value of an exposure parameter as a function of the light measurement to produce an exposure signal commensurate with the calculated value;

indicator means for indicating the calculated value in response to the exposure signal;

power supply means for supplying electric power to said light measuring and calculation means and said indicator means;

manual means for generating an actuation signal in response to a manual operation; and

means for transmitting said output signal from said comparing means and said actuation signal from said manual means to said power supply means to actuate the latter in response to any one of the output signal and the actuation signal.

27. An audio responsive camera control system as claimed in claim 26 further comprising a timer means connected between said comparing means and said power supply means for deactivating said power supply means after the lapse of a predetermined time from the actuation of the same in response to the output signal.

28. An audio responsive camera control system as claimed in claim 26 further comprising a switch means for making said voice coding means and comparison means inoperative.

29. An audio responsive camera control system as claimed in claim 26 wherein said indicator means includes an audible indicator means for indicating said value of the exposure parameter with sound.

30. An audio responsive camera control system comprising:

a transducer responsive to audio sounds for generating electrical signals from a voice command;

voice coding means for coding a specific voice command electrical signal from said transducer, into a specific signal pattern;

means for storing said specific signal pattern;

means for comparing a signal pattern generated by the voice coding means with the stored signal pattern and producing an output signal representative of a matched signal pattern;

light measuring and calculation means for measuring light from an object to be photographed and calculating a value of an exposure parameter as a function of the light measurement to produce an exposure signal commensurate with the calculated value;

display means for visually indicating the calculated value in response to the exposure signal;

exposure control means for controlling camera exposure in accordance with said exposure signal;

power supply means for supplying electrical power to said light measuring and calculation means, said display means and said exposure control means;

manual means for generating an actuation signal in response to a manual operation; and

power supply control means responsive to the actuation signal from said manual means for activating the power supply through said power supply means to said light measuring and calculation means, said display means and said exposure control means, and responsive to the output signal from said comparing means for causing the power supply through said power supply means to said light measuring and calculating means and said exposure control means, with said display means being left deenergized.

31. An audio responsive camera control system as claimed in claim 30 wherein said exposure control means includes means for generating a completion signal with completion of an exposure operation, and said power supply control means includes means for deactivating said power supply means in response to said completion signal.

32. An audio responsive camera control system as claimed in claim 30 further comprising a switch means for deactivating said voice coding means and comparing means.

33. An audio responsive camera control system comprising:

a transducer responsive to audio sounds for generating electrical signals from a voice command;

voice coding means for coding a specific voice command electrical signal from said transducer, into a specific signal pattern;

means for storing said specific signal pattern;

means for comparing a signal pattern generated by said voice coding means with the stored signal pattern and producing an output signal representative of a matched signal pattern;

exposure control means for controlling camera exposure;

manual means for generating an initiation signal for initiating camera exposure; and

means for transmitting said output signal and said initiation signal to said exposure control means such that the latter means is initiated by any one of said output and initiation signals.

34. An audio responsive camera control system as claimed in claim 33 further comprising switch means for deactivating said voice coding means and said comparing means.

35. An audio responsive camera control system comprising:

a transducer responsive to audio sounds for generating electrical signals from a voice command;

voice coding means for coding a specific voice command electrical signal from said transducer, into a specific signal pattern;

means for storing said specific signal pattern;

means for comparing a signal pattern generated by the voice coding means with the stored signal pattern and producing an output signal respresentative of a matched signal pattern;

selection means manually, selectively settable to a normal photography position and to a self-timer photography position;

exposure control means for controlling camera exposure;

timer means for generating an initiation signal after the lapse of a given time as necessary for self-time photography, from receipt of an input signal, said timer means being coupled with said exposure control means to initiate the latter by said initiation signal;

signal control means for directing said output signal to said timer means as the input signal of the latter with said selection means set to the self-timer photography position and to said exposure control means for the initiation thereof without the self-time delay with said selection means set to the normal photography position.

36. An audio responsive camera control system comprising;

a transducer responsive to audio sounds for generating electrical signals from a voice command;

voice coding means for coding a specific voice command electrical signal from said transducer, into a specific signal pattern;

means for storing said specific signal pattern;

means for comparing a signal pattern generated by said voice coding means with the stored signal pattern and producing an output signal representative of a matched signal pattern;

light measuring and calculating means for measuring light from an object to be photographed and calculating a value of an exposure parameter as a function of the light measurement to produce an exposure signal commensurate with the calculated value;

power supply means for supplying electrical power to said light measuring and calculating means;

audible indication means for making indication by sound; and

indication control means responsive to the output signal from said comparing means for reading out the exposure signal and causing said audible indication means to indicate the exposure parameter value corresponding to the exposure signal and to indicate no-power supply to said light measuring and calculation means when any exposure signal cannot be read out.

37. An audio responsive camera control system as claimed in claim 36 wherein said light measuring and calculating means includes means for calculating F-stop number as said value of an exposure parameter.

38. An audio responsive camera control system as claimed in claim 36 wherein said light measuring and calculating means includes means for calculating shutter speed value as said value of an exposure parameter.

39. An audio responsive camera control system as claimed in claim 36 further comprising switch means for deactivating said voice coding means and comparing means.

40. An audio responsive camera control system comprising:

a transducer responsive to audio sounds for generating electrical signals from a voice command;

voice coding means for coding a specific voice command electrical signal from said transducer, into specific signal pattern;

means for storing said specific signal pattern;

means for comparing a signal pattern generated by the voice coding means with the stored signal pattern and producing an output signal representative of a matched signal pattern;

light measuring an calculating means for measuring light from an object to be photographed and calculating a value of an exposure parameter as a function of the light measurement to produce an exposure signal commensurate with the calculated value;

audible indication means for indicating, by sound, the exposure parameter value in accordance with the exposure signal;

visual indication means for visibly indicating the exposure parameter value in accordance with the exposure signal;

manual means for generating an initiation signal in response to manual operation thereon; and

means for actuating said audible indication means in response to said output signal and actuating said visual indication means at least in response to said initiation signal.

41. An audio responsive camera control system comprising:

a transducer responsive to audio sounds for generating electrical signals from a voice command;

voice coding means for coding a specific voice command from said transducer, into specific signal pattern;

means for storing said specific signal pattern;

means for comparing a signal pattern generated by the voice coding means with the stored signal pattern and producing an output signal representative of a matched signal pattern;

a flash light device which generates a ready signal when it becomes ready for operation;

audible indication means for making audible indication in response to said ready signal;

visual indication means for making a visual indication in response to said ready signal;

manual means for generating an initiation signal in response to manual operation thereto, and

means for actuating said audible indication means in response to the output signal and said visual indication means at least in response to the initiation signal.

42. An audio responsive camera control system as claimed in claim 41 further comprising switch means for deactivating said voice coding and said comparing means.

43. A control system for a camera which performs a plurality of operations, said system comprising:

switching means for selectively bringing the control system to one of a learning mode and a working mode;

voice coding means for coding a voice command to a recognizable pattern and for producing a voice feature signal;

register means having a plurality of sections each being capable of registering one voice feature signal during said learning mode such that a plurality of voice feature signals corresponding to said plurality of camera operations are registered in said register means;

designator means operable during said learning mode for designating said plurality of sections of said register means for registering said plurality of voice feature signals to respective designated sections;

discriminator means operable during said working mode for discriminating one of said plurality of sections in the register means carrying a voice feature signal which correlates with a newly obtained voice feature signal;

means for producing an exposure data signal including means for measuring light from an object to be photographed and calculating a value of an exposure parameter as a function of the light measurement;

an exposure data indication means, and

control means for controlling the camera such that the camera performs one of the operations commensurate with the section discriminated by the discriminator means, including means for reading out an exposure data signal from the exposure data signal producing means corresponding to the discriminated section of said register means, and means for actuating said exposure data indication means to indicate an exposure data commensurate with the read-out exposure data signal.

44. A control system as claimed in claim 43 wherein said exposure data signal producing means is an indicator means for indicating an F-stop number.

45. A control system for a camera which performs a plurality of operations, said system comprising:

switching means for selectively bringing the control system to one of a learning mode and a working mode;

voice coding means for coding a voice command to a recognizable pattern and for producing a voice feature signal;

register means having a plurality of sections each being capable of registering one voice feature signal during said learning mode such that a plurality of voice feature signals corresponding to said plurality of camera operations are registered in said register means;

designator means operable during said learning mode for designating said plurality of sections of said register means for registering said plurality of voice feature signals to respective designated sections;

discriminator means operable during said working mode for discriminating one of said plurality of sections carrying a voice feature signal which correlates with a newly obtained voice feature signal;

a light measuring and calculation circuit means for measuring light from an object to be photographed and calculating a value of an exposure parameter as a function of the light measurement, and

control means for controlling the camera such that the camera performs one of the operations commensurate with the section discriminated by the discriminator means including a control signal producing means adapted to produce a signal in accordance with the discriminator means for causing said light measuring and calculation circuit means to determine an exposure parameter.

46. A control system as claimed in claim 45 wherein said light measuring and calculating means includes means for calculating a shutter speed value as said value of an exposure parameter.

47. A control system for a camera which performs a plurality of operations, said system comprising:

switching means for selectively bringing the control system to one of a learning mode and a working mode;

voice coding means for coding a voice command to a recognizable pattern and for producing a voice feature signal;

register means having a plurality of sections each being capable of registering one voice feature signal during said learning mode such that a plurality of voice feature signals corresponding to said plurality of camera operations are registered in said register means;

designator means operable during said learning mode for designating said plurality of sections of said register means for registering said plurality of voice feature signals to respective designated sections;

discriminator means operable during said working mode for discriminating one of said plurality of sections carrying a voice feature signal which correlates with a newly obtained voice feature signal;

a self-timer circuit means for controlling a self-timer camera exposure, and

control means for controlling the camera such that the camera performs one of the operations commensurate with the section discriminated by the discriminator means including a control signal producing means, operatively connected with the self-timer circuit means for producing a signal in accordance with the discriminating means for controlling the functioning of the self-timer circuit means.

48. A control system for a camera which performs a plurality of operations, said system comprising:

switching means for selectively bringing the control system to one of a learning mode and a working mode;

voice coding means for coding a voice command to a recognizable pattern and for producing a voice feature signal;

register means having a plurality of sections each being capable of registering one voice feature signal during said learning mode such that a plurality of voice feature signals corresponding to said plurality of camera operations are registered in said register means;

designator means operable during said learning mode for designating said plurality of sections of said register means for registering said plurality of voice feature signals to respective designated sections;

discriminator means operable during said working mode for discriminating one of said plurality of sections carrying a voice feature signal which correlates with a newly obtained voice feature signal;

an exposure control means for controlling camera exposure, and

control means for controlling the camera such that the camera performs one of the operations commensurate with the section discriminated by the discriminator means including a control signal producing means, operatively connected to said exposure control means for producing a signal in accordance with the discriminating means for starting the operation of said exposure control means.

49. A camera control system comprising:

first selection means manually, selectively settable to normal photography position and to a self-timer photography position;

exposure control means for controlling camera exposure;

manual means for generating a first initiation signal in response to manual operation thereon;

responsive means for generating a second initiation signal in response to a command signal given from a location remote from the camera;

timer means which commences its time count in response to any of said first and second initiation signals and generates a first count completion signal after a lapse of a given first delay time from the commencement of the time count and a second count completion signal after a lapse of second given delay time from the commencement of the time count;

second selection means for transmitting said first count completion signal upon receipt of said first initiation signal with said first selection means set to the normal photography position, said second count completion signal upon receipt of said first initiation signal with said first selection means set to the self-timer photography position, and said second count completion signal upon receipt of said second initiation signal regardless of the position of said first selection means, and

means for actuating said exposure control means in response to said first or second count completion signal transmitted by said second selection means.

50. A camera control device as claimed in claim 49 wherein said responsive means includes:

a transducer responsive to audio sounds for generating electrical signals from a voice command as said command signal;

voice coding means for coding a specific voice command electrical signal from said transducer, into a specific signal pattern;

means for storing said specific signal pattern; and

means for comparing a signal pattern generated by the voice coding means with the stored signal pattern and producing said output signal as representative of a matched signal pattern.