Speech Output Device, Control Method For A Speech Output Device, Printing Device, And Interface Board

• US 20110238421A1
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nobutani, Tsutomu
• Granted Patent: US 9,266,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/44 Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms having dual functions or combined with, or coupled to, apparatus performing other functions
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/08 Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A speech output device, a control method for a speech output device, a printer, and an interface board can improve the productivity of foreign language speaking workers in industries such as retailing and food services. A data communication unit 191 acquires print data. A data interpreter 193 analyzes and converts to text data at least part of the data acquired by the data communication unit 191. A language converter 194 converts the text data to one or more preset languages. A speech synthesizer 195 generates one or more units of synthesized speech data corresponding to the language-converted text data from the language converter 194. A speech data output unit 196 outputs the one or more units of synthesized speech data generated by the speech synthesizer 195 to a headphone 104.

Claims

1. A speech output device comprising:

a data acquisition unit that acquires print data;

a base language conversion unit that analyzes and converts to base language data at least part of the data acquired by the data acquisition unit;

a language conversion unit that converts the base language data to one or more preset languages;

a speech synthesis unit that generates one or more units of synthesized speech data corresponding to the base language data converted by the language conversion unit; and

a speech output unit that outputs to an external output device the one or more units of synthesized speech data generated by the speech synthesis unit.

2. The speech output device described in claim 1, comprising:

more than one external output device; and

a language table storage unit that stores a language table relating identification information for each external output device to a language;

wherein the speech output unit references the language table and outputs the synthesized speech data to the external output device linked to the language.

3. The speech output device described in claim 1, wherein:

there is more than one external output device; and

each external output device can set the language corresponding thereto, and outputs audio of the synthesized speech data corresponding to the set language from the one or more units of synthesized speech data output from the speech output unit.

4. The speech output device described in claim 1, wherein:

the print data includes POS terminal output data.

5. The speech output device described in claim 1, wherein:

the print data includes output from a code reader that reads encoded information.

6. The speech output device described in claim 1, wherein:

the speech output unit outputs one or more units of task instruction speech data, which is speech data for task instructions for an operator, in the one or more languages to the external output device.

7. The speech output device described in claim 1, wherein:

the speech output unit outputs synthesized speech data to emphasize the volume of at least part of the monetary information contained in the base language data.

8. A printing device comprising the parts of the speech output device described in claim 1.

9. An interface board that can be installed in an electronic device and comprises the parts of the speech output device described in claim 1.

10. A control method for a speech output device, comprising:

a data acquisition step that acquires print data;

a base language conversion step that analyzes and converts to base language data at least part of the data acquired by the data acquisition step;

a language conversion step that converts the base language data to one or more preset languages;

a speech synthesis step that generates one or more units of synthesized speech data corresponding to the base language data converted by the language conversion step; and

a speech output step that outputs to an external output device the one or more units of synthesized speech data generated by the speech synthesis step.

11. The control method for a speech output device described in claim 10, wherein:

the speech output step references a language table relating identification information for each external output device to a language, and outputs the synthesized speech data to the external output device linked to the language.

12. The control method for a speech output device described in claim 10, wherein:

the speech output step outputs one or more units of task instruction speech data, which is speech data for task instructions for an operator, in the one or more languages to the external output device.

13. The control method for a speech output device described in claim 10, wherein:

the speech output step outputs synthesized speech data to emphasize the volume of at least part of the monetary information contained in the base language data.