Voice recognizer, voice recognizing method and game machine using them

• US 6,529,875 B1
• Filed: 03/02/1998
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD.
• Inventors: Hamada, Kazuhiko, Nakajima, Takuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Knepper, David D.
• Application Number:
  US09/029,561
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/275, 704/231
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• 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 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command

Abstract

A voice recognition device used as a peripheral device for a game machine including a voice input device, a voice recognition section for recognizing the player'"'"'s voice by comparing the voice signal output from the voice input device with data from previously defined voice recognition dictionaries and generating control signals relating to the game on the basis of the recognition result. The voice recognition section includes a non-specific speaker voice recognition dictionary which is previously defined for unspecified speakers, and a specific speaker voice recognition dictionary which is defined by the player.

Claims

1. A voice recognition device used as a peripheral device for a game machine, the voice recognition device comprising:

voice input means for receiving a player'"'"'s voice and outputting a voice signal;

a voice recognition section for recognizing the player'"'"'s voice by comparing the voice signal output from said voice input means with data from previously defined voice recognition dictionaries, and generating control signals relating to the game on the basis of the recognition results; and

a game machine control section connected to said voice recognition section;

wherein said voice recognition results from said voice recognition section and control data from said game machine control section such that control of the game machine control section and the player'"'"'s voice input to the voice recognition section;

said voice recognition section outputs a value indicating a state of the voice signal output from said voice input means and a similarity level indicating the degree of similarity between said voice signal and the contents of said voice recognition dictionary, and said voice recognition section has a first operating mode, wherein voice recognition is conducted on the basis of the state of the voice signal and the similarity level in order to select the type of game action, and a second operating mode, wherein no voice recognition is conducted and the state of said voice signal is measured in order to select the type of game action; and

in said second operating mode, said voice recognition section determines a type of voice based on the state of said voice signal, and sets the state of the game action on the basis of the type of voice.

2. A voice recognition device according to claim 1, wherein said voice recognition section comprises, as said voice recognition dictionaries, a non-specific speaker voice recognition dictionary, which is previously defined for unspecified speakers, and a specific speaker voice,recognition dictionary which is defined by the player, and in its initial state, the device selects said non-specific speaker voice recognition dictionary.

3. A voice recognition device according to claim 2, wherein said voice recognition section comprises a plurality of specific speaker voice recognition dictionaries corresponding respectively to a plurality of players, and one of these specific speaker voice recognition dictionaries is selected by an action of the player as the dictionary to be used for voice recognition processing.

4. A voice recognition device according to claim 3, wherein said control section outputs control signals for implementing normal actions, and said voice-recognition section generates control signals for implementing special actions.

5. A voice recognition device according to claim 1, wherein said voice recognition section outputs a value indicating a state of the voice signal output from said voice input means and a similarity level indicating the degree of similarity between said voice signal and the contents of said voice recognition dictionary, and said voice recognition section has a first operating mode, wherein voice recognition is conducted on the basis of the state of the voice signal and the similarity level in order to select the type of game action, and a second operating mode, wherein no voice recognition is conducted and the state of said voice signal is measured in order to select the type of game action.

6. A voice recognition device according to claim 1, wherein said voice recognition section outputs a similarity level indicating the degree of similarity between the voice signal output from said voice input means and the contents of said voice recognition dictionary, and the corresponding volume level, evaluates this volume level on the basis of a predetermined rejection level, and rejects the recognition result from said voice recognition section depending on this evaluation result.

7. A voice recognition device according to claim 6, sets said rejection level for each type of game or each game stage.

8. A voice recognition device according to claim 1, wherein said voice recognition section performs voice recognition on the basis of the similarity level indicating the degree of similarity between said voice signal output from the voice input means and the contents of said voice recognition dictionary, and changes the state of action in the game according to control signals generated on the basis of the recognition result, in response to said similarity level.

9. A game machine comprising a peripheral control device including a voice recognition device according to any of claims 1 to 8.

10. A voice recognition device used as a peripheral device for a game machine, the voice recognition device comprising:

voice input means for receiving a player'"'"'s voice and outputting a voice signal;

a voice recognition section for recognizing the player'"'"'s voice by comparing the voice signal output from said voice input means with data from previously defined voice recognition dictionaries, and generating control signals relating to the game on the basis of the recognition results; and

a game machine control section connected to said voice recognition section;

wherein said voice recognition results from said voice recognition section and control data from said game machine control section such that control of the game machine control section and the player'"'"'s voice input to the voice recognition section;

said voice recognition section outputs a value indicating a state of the voice signal output from said voice input means and a similarity level indicating the degree of similarity between said voice signal and the contents of said voice recognition dictionary, and said voice recognition section has a first operating mode, wherein voice recognition is conducted on the basis of the state of the voice signal and the similarity level in order to select the type of game action, and a second operating mode, wherein no voice recognition is conducted and the state of said voice signal is measured in order to select the type of game action; and

in said second mode, said voice recognition section determines an average sound level of a part or all of the voice signal based on the state of said voice signal, and sets the state of the game action on the basis of this average sound level.

11. A voice recognition device used as a peripheral device for a game machine, the voice recognition device comprising:

voice input means for receiving a player'"'"'s voice and outputting a voice signal;

a voice recognition section for recognizing the player'"'"'s voice by comparing the voice signal output from said voice input means with data from previously defined voice recognition dictionaries, and generating control signals relating to the game on the basis of the recognition results; and

a game machine control section connected to said voice recognition section;

wherein said voice recognition results from said voice recognition section and control data from said game machine control section such that control of the game machine control section and the player'"'"'s voice input to the voice recognition section;

said voice recognition section outputs a value indicating a state of the voice signal output from said voice input means and a similarity level indicating the degree of similarity between said voice signal and the contents of said voice recognition dictionary, and said voice recognition section has a first operating mode, wherein voice recognition is conducted on the basis of the state of the voice signal and the similarity level in order to select the type of game action, and a second operating mode, wherein no voice recognition is conducted and the state of said voice signal is measured in order to select the type of game action; and

in said second mode, said voice recognition section determines a peak sound level of said voice signal based on the state of the voice signal, and sets the state of the game action on the basis of this peak sound level.

12. A voice recognition device used as a peripheral device for a game machine, the voice recognition device comprising:

voice input means for receiving a player'"'"'s voice and outputting a voice signal;

a voice recognition section for recognizing the player'"'"'s voice by comparing the voice signal output from said voice input means with data from previously defined voice recognition dictionaries, and generating control signals relating to the game on the basis of the recognition results; and

a game machine control section connected to said voice recognition section;

wherein said voice recognition results from said voice recognition section and control data from said game machine control section such that control of the game machine control section and the player'"'"'s voice input to the voice recognition section;

said voice recognition section outputs a value indicating a state of the voice signal output from said voice input means and a similarity level indicating the degree of similarity between said voice signal and the contents of said voice recognition dictionary, and said voice recognition section has a first operating mode, wherein voice recognition is conducted on the basis of the state of the voice signal and the similarity level in order to select the type of game action, and a second operating mode, wherein no voice recognition is conducted and the state of said voice signal is measured in order to select the type of game action; and

in said second mode, said voice recognition section determines a voice signal rise time based on the state of said voice signal, and sets the state of the game action on the basis of this rise time.

13. A voice recognition device used as a peripheral device for a game machine, the voice recognition device comprising:

voice input means for receiving a player'"'"'s voice and outputting a voice signal;

a voice recognition section for recognizing the player'"'"'s voice by comparing the voice signal output from said voice input means with data from previously defined voice recognition dictionaries, and generating control signals relating to the game on the basis of the recognition results; and

a game machine control section connected to said voice recognition section;

wherein said voice recognition results from said voice recognition section and control data from said game machine control section such that control of the game machine control section and the player'"'"'s voice input to the voice recognition section;

said voice recognition section outputs a value indicating a state of the voice signal output from said voice input means-and a similarity level indicating the degree of similarity between said voice signal and the contents of said voice recognition dictionary, and said voice recognition section has a first operating mode, wherein voice recognition is conducted on the basis of the state of the voice signal and the similarity level in order to select the type of game action, and a second operating mode, wherein no voice recognition is conducted and the state of said voice signal is measured in order to select the type of game action; and

in said second mode, said voice recognition section determines a voice signal continuation time based on the state of said voice signal, and sets the state of the game action on the basis of this continuation time.

14. A voice recognition method for use in a controlling operation of a game, comprising:

a first step wherein a voice signal is received;

a second step wherein a player'"'"'s voice is recognized by comparing said voice signal with data from previously defined voice recognition dictionaries;

a third step where control signals relating to the game are generated on the basis of the recognition result from said second step; and

a fourth step of using control data to control the operation of the game;

wherein in said third step, control signals for controlling the game are generated by combining the voice recognition result from said second step and the control data from said fourth step, such that control of the game is determined based on the relationship between the control data from the fourth step and the player'"'"'s voice input in the second step;

in said second step, a value indicating the state of the voice signal and a similarity level indicating the degree of similarity between said voice signal and the contents of the voice recognition dictionary are output such that in a first operating mode, voice recognition is conducted on the basis of the similarity level in order to select a type of game action, and in a second operating mode, no voice recognition is conducted and the state of said voice signal is measured in order to set the state of the action;

wherein

in the second operating mode, the type of voice is determined based on the voice signal, and the state of the game action is set based on the type of voice.

15. The voice recognition method according to claim 14, wherein said previously defined voice recognition dictionaries include a non-specific speaker voice recognition dictionary which is previously defined for unspecified speakers, and a specific speaker voice recognition dictionary which is defined by a player, such that in an initial state said non-specific speaker voice recognition dictionary is selected.

16. The voice recognition method according to claim 14, wherein said previously defined voice recognition dictionaries includes a plurality of specific speaker voice recognition dictionaries and a player selects one of a plurality of specific speaker voice recognition dictionaries to be used for voice recognition processing.

17. The voice recognition method according to claim 14, wherein the fourth step, the control data is used to perform normal actions, and in the third step, the control signals are used to perform special actions.

18. The voice recognition method according to claim 14, wherein the state of the game action is changed in accordance with the control signals generated on the basis of the recognition result, in response to said similarity level.

19. The voice recognition method according to claim 14, wherein in the second step, a volume level is output and evaluated such that is the third step, the voice signal is rejected when the volume level exceed as desired rejection level.

20. The voice recognition method according to claim 19, wherein said rejection level is set for each type of game or each game stage.