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Talking video games

  • US 5,393,073 A
  • Filed: 05/25/1993
  • Issued: 02/28/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An electronic system for simulating voice conversions between animated video characters, the system comprising:

  • (a) means for digitally storing voice sound data representing a plurality of sentences, phrases, word segments or phonemes for two or more talking animated characters;

    (b) means for digitally storing a preprogrammed branching dialog between said animated characters, each branch comprising a plurality of alternative verbal expressions;

    (c) means for generating a video or RF signal representing images of said animated characters for display on a video screen;

    (d) cable means for sending to a hand-held portable game apparatus variable menus of alternatively selectable verbal expressions, each expression corresponding to a branch in said dialog;

    (e) cable means for receiving from said hand-held portable game apparatus a manually initiated signal representing a selected verbal expression in a menu of said verbal expressions, thereby selecting a branch in the dialog;

    (f) means for digitally reading from said catalog of voices voice sound data that corresponds to said selected verbal expression for the voice of one of said characters;

    (g) means for generating an audio signal from said voice sound data representing the voice of a character speaking said selected verbal expression; and

    (h) said hand-held portable game apparatus comprising;

    (1) two or more manually operatable push buttons;

    (2) a liquid crystal display positioned near said push buttons for displaying said variable menu of verbal expressions;

    (3) a ROM program cartridge storing a program of instructions for performing the following sequence of steps in said portable game system;

    a. reading said variable menu of verbal expressions from said cable;

    b. displaying said menu on said liquid crystal display;

    c. receiving from one of said push buttons a manually initiated selection signal; and

    d. transmitting said manually initiated selection signal on said cable;

    thereby selecting from said digital storing means the next branch of the branching dialog and voice sound data corresponding to the manually selected menu expression.

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