Apparatus for generating synthesized voice from text

• US 4,964,167 A
• Filed: 07/06/1988
• Issued: 10/16/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamura, Akira, Ueji, Noboru, Itoyama, Hiroshi, Kunizawa, Hiroharu
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Merecki, John A.
• Application Number:
  US07/216,210
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 381/51-53, 364/513, 364/5, 235/462-467, 235/472, 434/116, 434/185
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10891 the scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon

Abstract

An apparatus for generating synthesized voice from a bar code includes a voice encoding unit of a voice data input unit, a composition data analyzer, and an analyzed information library arranged independent of a voice response unit of a control information generator and voice composer. Analyzed information is written into the information store means in the voice encoding unit.

Claims

1. An encoding and composing system for generating voice from text, the system comprising:

(a) a voice encoding unit for text, said voice encoding unit including;

(i) means for obtaining text data as an input for the text,

(ii) a composition analysis means which receives the text data from said text data input means and generates from the text data rhythm information and phonemic information, and

(iii) means connected to receive the prosody and phonemic information for encoding the information as voice data and for writing the encoded voice data;

(b) an encoded voice data storing means including an integrated circuit (IC) card separated from but associatable with said voice encoding unit, said encoding and writing means of said voice encoding unit writing into said storing means the encoded voice data when the storing means is associated with the voice encoding unit; and

(c) a voice response unit separate from said voice encoding unit and associatable with said storing means for composing, when associated, said voice of said text from the stored encoded voice data, said voice response unit including;

(i) a control information generating means for reading from said storing means the encoded voice data to decode therefrom the phonemic and prosody information and generating therefrom control information, and

(ii) a voice composition means responsive to said control information for composing the voice from the control information.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the stored encoded voice data is a bar code.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein said bar code is a representation of at least each of narrow and wide bars and narrow and wide spaces, the bar code representing a number of data bits 1 less than the total number of said bars and spaces.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein said bar code includes a narrow bar at a terminating position the width of the last-positioned bar may be positively determined.

5. A system according to claim 2 wherein said means for storing the encoded voice data is a language dictionary in which said bar codes are provided for respective words contained in said dictionary.

6. A system according to claim 2 wherein said voice encoding unit is in the form of a picture book including a plurality of picture figures and a plurality of said bar codes provided respectively encoded with words corresponding to said figures, and said voice response unit further includes a reader means for reading said bar codes and having means for displaying each of said words read out by said reader means.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein said reader means is further provided with a memory means.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein said control information generating means includes a reader means having a sensor which comprises a lens, a light emitting element embedded in said lens, an optical fiber having a front and a rear end passed through said lens to position the front end at least adjacent a surface of the lens, and a light receiving element connected to the rear end of said optical fiber wherein the reader means scans said information store means optically to produce the control information and is connected to supply the control information to said voice composition means.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said tip end of said optical fiber is sharpened.

10. A system according to claim 8 wherein said sensor further comprises a bead of a glass material and fitted to said tip end of said optical fiber.

11. A system according to claim 8 wherein said light receiving element is also embedded in said lens.

12. A system according to claim 1 wherein said information store, means includes a bar code provided on commodities.

13. A system according to claim 12 wherein said bar code is provided on a projected land of said commodities.

14. A system according to claim 12 wherein said bar code is provided along a groove made in a surface of said commodities so that bars and spaces forming the bar code will lie across said groove, and said voice response unit further includes a bar code reader means having a sensor capable of scanning the bar code along the groove.