Device for generating speech, apparatus connectable to or incorporating such a device, and computer program product therefor

• US 8,340,966 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Klinghult, Gunnar, Tomasson, Anna, Kerimovska, Nercivan
• Primary Examiner(s): COLUCCI, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US10/539,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,329 Days
• Field of Search: 704/271, 704/275, 704/260, 704/251, 704/235, 455/90.1, 455/566, 455/575.5, 455/575.3, 455/575.1, 455/556.2, 455/550.1, 455/406, 455/405, 380/270, 709/206, 715/200, 379/93.01, 379/433.02, 379/110.01, 345/169, 235/462.25
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A control unit extracts at least a part of data that is displayed on a display and sends the extracted part of the displayed data to a speech generating device. The speech generating device includes a conversion circuit that converts the received data to a speech signal. The conversion circuit may be connected to a speaker system for broadcasting the speech signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a display configured to display various readable data; and

a control unit configured to extract a part of the displayed data and configured to send the extracted part of the displayed data to a speech generating device that is configured to generate a speech signal from the extracted part of the displayed data,

wherein the speech generating device is an accessory device that is external to and physically attachable to the apparatus and is configured as a functional cover, and wherein the functional cover comprises;

a shell configured to cover at least a substantial portion of a front of the apparatus;

a microprocessor configured to communicate with the control unit of the apparatus; and

an interface for physically attaching the speech generating device to the apparatus via a system connector.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically send said extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device a line or a word at a time.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to send said extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device a line or a word at a time based on scrolling in the display.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displayed data includes text from menus, text messages, help information, calendars and/or confirmation of actions taken with the apparatus.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to send said extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device a line or a word at a time based on inputting characters to the apparatus via a keypad.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to send the part of the displayed data to the speech generating device responsive to input of spaces and/or punctuation marks via the keypad.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to extract the displayed data from a selected file and automatically send the displayed data to the speech generating device at a controllable rate.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data is received as ASCII characters.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the speech generating device includes a conversion circuit configured to support various selectable languages.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the conversion circuit is configured to download the languages via the connected apparatus.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the speech generating device includes a conversion circuit configured to support various selectable voices.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the conversion circuit is configured to download the voices via the connected apparatus.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the speech generating device includes a microcontroller configured to be connected to a memory device containing language information including various languages, abbreviation lists and/or dictionaries.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the speech generating device includes a microcontroller configured to be connected to a memory device containing voice settings.

15. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a portable telephone, a pager, a communicator and/or an electronic organizer, and wherein the display and the control unit are built into the apparatus.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to send the extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device at a controllable rate and in response to scrolling the displayed data.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a display configured to display various readable data;

a control unit; and

a speech generating device including a conversion circuit therein configured to convert received data to a speech signal and configured to be connected to a speaker system,

wherein the control unit is configured to extract a part of the displayed data and send the extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device, and wherein the speech generating device is configured to provide a spoken reading of the displayed data at an adjustable rate, and

wherein the speech signal comprises at least one word corresponding to a meaning of a short messaging system (SMS) icon included among the displayed data.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the displayed data includes text from menus, text messages, help information, calendars and/or confirmation of actions taken with the apparatus.

19. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is configured to send said extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device based on inputting characters to the apparatus via a keypad.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the control unit is configured to send the part of the displayed data to the speech generating device responsive to input of spaces and/or punctuation marks via the keypad.

21. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is configured to extract the displayed data from a selected file and automatically send the displayed data to the speech generating device at a controllable rate.

22. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the speaker system is integrated with the apparatus.

23. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the data is sent as ASCII characters.

24. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the conversion circuit is configured to support various selectable languages.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the apparatus is configured to download the languages.

26. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the conversion circuit is configured to support various selectable voices.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the apparatus is configured to download the voices.

28. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured to be connected to a memory device containing language information including various languages, abbreviation lists and/or dictionaries.

29. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured to be connected to a memory device containing voice settings.

30. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code configured to be loaded into internal memory of an apparatus having a display for showing various readable data, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code configured to achieve the functionality of the apparatus of claim 17.

35. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is configured to send the extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device at a controllable rate and in response to scrolling the displayed data.

31. A mobile phone handset, comprising:

a display configured to display various readable data;

a speaker;

a speech generating device built into the mobile phone handset including a conversion circuit therein configured to convert received data to a speech signal and provide the speech signal to the speaker; and

a control unit configured to extract a part of the displayed data and send the extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device, wherein the speech generating device is configured to provide a spoken reading of the displayed data at an adjustable rate, and wherein the speech signal comprises at least one word corresponding to a meaning of a short messaging system (SMS) icon included among the displayed data.

32. A mobile phone handset according to claim 31, wherein the control unit is configured to send the extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device at a controllable rate based on user interaction with the display comprising a voice control input.

33. A mobile phone handset according to claim 31, wherein the control unit is configured to send said extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device responsive to input of characters to the mobile phone handset.

34. A mobile phone handset according to claim 33, wherein the control unit is configured to send the part of the displayed data to the speech generating device responsive to input of spaces and/or punctuation marks via a keypad.

36. A mobile phone handset according to claim 31, wherein the control unit is configured to send the extracted part of the displayed data to the speech generating device at a controllable rate and in response to scrolling the displayed data.