Method of using speech to control a game program, and game machine controller therefor

• US 6,077,164 A
• Filed: 08/18/1997
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Da-Ming Liu
• Original Assignee: Da-Ming Liu
• Inventors: Liu, Da-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Clayton, Sheila
• Application Number:
  US08/912,640
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36, 463/37, 463/38, 463/39, 434/185, 3/307 A, 3/307 R, 704/200, 704/231, 704/246
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/424 involving acoustic input signals, e.g. by using the results of pitch or rhythm extraction or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting

Abstract

The invention provides a method of using speech to control a game program of a game machine and a game machine controller for the application of the method, through the method and the game machine controller, the operator can control special function keys of the game program (for example, special actions or the so-called knack of different roles in the game program) by speech or control keys as desired.

Claims

1. A method of using speech to control a game program, comprising the steps of:

(i) starting a speech recognition integrated circuit of a game machine controller to store inputted speech signal in one memory address of data conversion table of an electrically erasable progammable read only memory unit of the game machine controller when setting an operation status;

(ii) storing an action control signal in another memory address of the data conversion table of said electrically erasable programmable read only memory unit, said action control signal controlling an action of a character in the game program, and permitting the stored action control signal to be associated with the speech control signal; and

(iii) letting said speech recognition integrated circuit compare the received speech input signal with the speech control signal stored in said electrically erasable programmable read only memory unit when the speech recognition integrated circuit receives a speech input signal from the operator, and enabling said speech recognition integrated circuit to pick up the corresponding action control signal from said electrically erasable programmable read only memory unit when matched, and then to send the picked up action control signal to a central processing unit of the game machine controller, for permitting it to be sent by said central processing unit to a game machine for running a game program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electrically erasable programmable read only memory unit comprises a first electrically erasable programmable read only memory for storing speech signals corresponding to pre-set serial numbers and a second electrically erasable programmable read only memory for storing action control signals corresponding to the serial numbers stored in said first electrically erasable programmable read only memory, so that when said speech recognition integrated circuit receives a speech signal from the operator, it compares the received speech signal with the speech signals stored in the data conversion table of said first electrically erasable programmable read only memory, then picks up the corresponding action control signal from said second electrically erasable programmable read only memory, permitting the picked up action control signal to be transmitted through said central processing unit to the game machine for controlling the game program.

3. The method of claims 1 or 2 further comprising the step of setting a waiting time value so that the controller returns to normal operation status when there is no speech input within the set length of time after said speech recognition integrated circuit has turned to the status of receiving a control speech input.

4. A game machine controller connected to a game machine for controlling its operation by speech, comprising:

a CPU (central processing unit) connected to said game machine and adapted to transmit a control signal so said game machine for running a game program;

a first EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory) connected to said CPU and having a data conversion coded with serial numbers into which action control key signals for controlling actions by characters in the game program are written by said CPU;

at least one non-speech type input device respectively connected to said CPU for game program control signal input;

at least one speech input device respectively connected to said CPU for control speech input;

a speech recognition intergrated circuit connected to said at least one speech input device and said CPU and adapted to receive control speeches inputted by the operator through said at least one speech input device and to convert received control speeches into corresponding control speech signals; and

a second EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory) connected to said speech recognition integrated circuit and having a data conversion table coded with serial numbers into which control speech signals are written by said speech recognition integrated circuit;

wherein when the operator inputs a speech through said at least one speech input device, said speech recognition integrated circuit converts the inputted speech into a corresponding speech control signal and compares it with the control speech signals of the data conversion table of said second EEPROM and then picks up the corresponding control speech signal from said second EEPROM and sends the picked-up speech signal to said CPU, enabling said CPU to pick up the corresponding action control key signal for said first EEPROM and to send the picked-up action control key signal to said game machine for running the game program.

6. The game machine controller of claim 4 further comprising display means connected to said CPU and adapted to display speech control signals or action control signals inputted by the operator.

7. The game machine controller of claim 4, wherein said at least one non-speech type input device includes a keyboard.

8. The game machine controller of claim 4, wherein said at least one non-speech type input device includes a joystick.

9. The game machine controller of claim 4, wherein said at least one speech type input device includes a microphone.

10. The game machine controller of claim 6, wherein said display means is comprised of a set of light emitting diodes.

11. The game machine controller of claim 6, wherein said display means is a liquid crystal display.

5. A game machine controller connected to a game machine for controlling its operation by speech, comprising:

a CPU (central processing unit) connected to said game machine and adapted to transmit a control signal to said game machine for running a game program;

at least one speech input device respectively connected to said CPU for game program control signal input;

at least one speech input device respectively connected to said CPU for control speech input;

a speech recognition integrated circuit connected to said at least one speech input device and said CPU and adapted to receive control speeches inputted by the operator through said at least one speech input device and to convert received control speeches into corresponding control speech signals; and

an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory) connected to said speech recognition integrated circuit and having a data conversion table coded with control speech signals into which action control key signals for controlling actions by characters in the game program are written by said speech recognition integrated circuit;

wherein when the operator inputs a speech through said at least one speech input device, said speech recognition integrated circuit converts the inputted speech into a corresponding speech control signal and compares it with the control speech signals of the data conversion table of said EEPROM and then picks up the corresponding control speech signal from said EEPROM and sends the picked-up control speech signal to said game machine through said CPU for running the game program.

12. The game machine controller of claim 5 further comprising display means connected to said CPU and adapted to display speech control signals or action control signals inputted by the operator.

13. The game machine controller of claim 5, wherein said at least one non-speech type input device includes a keyboard.

14. The game machine controller of claim 5, wherein said at least one non-speech type input device includes a joystick.

15. The game machine controller of claim 5, wherein said at least one speech type input device includes a microphone.

16. The game machine controller of claim 12, wherein said display means is comprised of a set of light emitting diodes.

17. The game machine controller of claim 12, wherein said display means is a liquid crystal display.