Voice output device for outputting vocal instructions when the waiting time for a key input operation exceeds a set time limit

• US 5,592,583 A
• Filed: 07/09/1993
• Issued: 01/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sakurai, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, INDRINAL
• Application Number:
  US08/088,110
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 381/51-53, 395/2, 395/707, 395/709.09
• US Class Current: 704/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A voice output device includes a processor for setting a time limit for waiting for the performing of a key input operation. The device also includes a timer for measuring a waiting time for the performing of a key input operation to detect the lapse of the time limit. The device further includes voice processing circuitry for outputting voice instructions to the operator when the lapse of the time limit is detected by the timer.

Claims

1. A voice output device comprising:

a memory for storing data representing voice instructions relating to a sequence of key input operations;

means for storing data representing a plurality of time limits associated with the voice instructions;

means for setting a plurality of time limits associated with the voice instructions and for storing data representing the set time limits in said storing means;

a timer for measuring a waiting time for a next key input operation of the sequence of key input operations;

detection means for detecting whether the waiting time measured by said timer surpasses a stored time limit associated with a particular voice instruction; and

voice output means for outputting the particular voice instruction relating to the next key input operation in response to a detection by said detection means that the waiting time for the next key input operation surpasses the time limit associated with the particular voice instruction.

2. A voice output device according to claim 1 wherein said detection means comprises a processor.

3. A voice output device according to claim 2 wherein said processor comprises a central processing unit.

4. A voice output device according to claim 1 wherein said voice output means comprises voice processing circuitry.

5. A voice output device according to claim 4 where said voice processing circuitry comprises:

a voice synthesizing unit;

a digital to analog conversion unit for converting a digital signal output from said voice synthesizing unit into an analog signal;

an amplifying unit for amplifying the analog signal output from said digital to analog conversion unit; and

a speaker for outputting the amplified audio signal output from said amplifying unit.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said timer measures a waiting time from a display of a key-input-waiting state to a performing of a key input operation.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said memory and said storing means comprise two different elements of said device.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein said storing means comprises a random access memory for storing said data representing the plurality of time limits associated with the voice instructions, and wherein said memory comprises a random access memory.

9. A device comprising:

storage means for storing information comprising a plurality of vocal messages to be output relating to a sequence of key input operations and information on a plurality of time limits associated with vocal messages, wherein one of said plurality of time limits is associated with each message;

measuring means for measuring a waiting time for a next key input of the sequence of key input operations;

detection means for detecting whether the waiting time measured by said measuring means surpasses a stored time limit associated with a particular vocal message; and

output means for outputting the particular vocal message relating to the next key input operation in response to a detection by said detection means that the waiting time for the next key input operation measured by said measuring means surpasses the time limit associated with the particular vocal message.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein said storage means comprises two storage means, one for storing said information comprising said plurality of messages and another for storing said information on the time limit associated with each message.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein said storage means comprises a random access memory for storing said information on the time limit associated with each message, and a voice data storage unit for storing the plurality of messages.

12. A device according to claim 9 wherein said measuring means comprises a timer and said detection means comprises a central processing unit.

13. A device according to claim 9, wherein said measuring means measures a waiting time from a display of a key-input-waiting state to a performing of a key input operation.

14. A device according to claim 9, wherein said detection means comprises a processor.

15. A device according to claim 14, wherein said processor comprises a central processing unit.

16. A device according to claim 9, wherein said output means comprises voice processing circuitry.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein said voice processing circuitry comprises:

a voice synthesizing unit;

a digital to analog conversion unit for converting a digital signal output from said voice synthesizing unit into an analog signal;

an amplifying unit for amplifying the analog signal output from said digital to analog conversion unit; and

a speaker for outputting the amplified audio signal output from said amplifying unit.

18. A voice output method comprising the steps of:

storing data representing voice instructions relating to a sequence of key input operations;

storing data representing a plurality of time limits associated with the voice instructions;

setting a plurality of time limits associated with the voice instructions and storing data representing the set time limits;

measuring a waiting time for a next key input operation of the sequence of key input operations;

detecting whether the waiting time measured in said measuring step surpasses a stored time limit associated with a particular voice instruction; and

outputting the particular voice instruction relating to the next key input operation in response to a detection by said detection means that the waiting time of the next key input operation surpasses the set time limit associated with the particular voice instruction.

19. A voice output method according to claim 18, wherein said setting step is performed with a processor.

20. A voice output method according to claim 19, wherein said processor comprises a central processing unit.

21. A voice output method according to claim 18, wherein said outputting step is performed with voice processing circuitry.

22. A voice output method according to claim 21, wherein said outputting step further comprises the steps of outputting a digital signal from a voice synthesizing unit, converting the digital signal output from the voice synthesizing unit into an analog signal, amplifying the analog signal, and outputting the amplified analog signal.

23. A voice output method according to claim 18, wherein said two storing steps are performed by two different storage means.

24. The voice output method recited by claim 23, wherein said storing steps are performed by a random access memory.

25. The voice output method recited by claim 18, wherein said measuring step comprises the step of measuring a waiting time from a display of a key-input-waiting state to performing a key input operation.

26. A method comprising the steps of:

storing information comprising a plurality of vocal messages to be output relating to a sequence of key input operations and information on a plurality of time limits associated with vocal messages relating to the next key input operations, wherein one of said plurality of time limits is associated with each message;

measuring a waiting time for a next key input of the sequence of key input operations;

detecting whether the waiting time measured by said measuring means surpasses a stored time limit associated with a particular vocal message; and

outputting the particular vocal message relating to the next key input operation in response to a detection in said detecting step that the waiting time for the next key input operation measured in said measuring step surpasses the time limit associated with the particular vocal message.

27. The method recited by claim 26, wherein said storing step is performed by two storage means, one for storing the information comprising the plurality of messages and the other for storing the information on the time limit associated with each message.

28. The method recited by claim 27, wherein said storing step is performed by a random access memory for storing the information on the time limit associated with each message and by a voice data storage unit for storing the plurality of messages.

29. The method recited by claim 26, wherein said measuring step is performed by a timer and said detecting step is performed by a central processing unit.

30. A method according to claim 26, wherein said measuring step comprises the step of measuring a waiting time from a display of a key-input-waiting state to the performing of a key input operation.

31. A method according to claim 26, wherein said outputting step is performed by voice processing circuitry.

32. A method according to claim 26, wherein said detecting step is performed by a processor.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein said processor comprises a central processing unit.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein said outputting step comprises the steps of generating a digital signal with a voice synthesizing unit, converting the digital signal into an analog signal, amplifying the analog signal, and outputting the amplified analog signal.