Speech output device, control method for a speech output device, printing device, and interface board

• US 9,266,356 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Paras D
• Application Number:
  US13/048,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20110238421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 704 2- 9, 704/258, 704/260, 704/270, 704/275
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 plurality of portable speakers;

an interface board including a memory that stores a language table that identifies which language is used with each of the plurality of portable speakers;

the interface board being configured to

acquire print data for printing a ticket or a receipt;

convert part of the print data to first text data in a first language,

convert the first text data in the first language to second text data in two or more second languages in accordance with the language table,

generate speech data in the two or more second languages based on the language table, and

output the speech data to two or more of the plurality of portable speakers in the respective identified language(s) based on the generated speech data, the generated speech data pertaining to customer preferences being output at a higher volume than speech data corresponding to product name; and

a print mechanism configured to print the ticket or the receipt based on the print data.

2. A POS system comprising:

a POS terminal configured to output print data for printing a ticket or a receipt;

a plurality of portable speakers;

an interface board including a memory that stores a language table that identifies which language is used with each of the plurality of portable speakers;

the interface board being configured to

acquire the print data outputted by the POS terminal,

convert part of the print data to first text data in a first language,

convert the first text data in the first language to second text data in two or more second languages in accordance with the language table,

generate speech data in the two or more second languages based on the language table,

output the speech data to two or more of the plurality of portable speakers in the respective identified language(s) based on the generated speech data, the generated speech data pertaining to customer preferences being output at a higher volume than speech data corresponding to product name, and

output the print data; and

a printer configured to print the ticket or the receipt based on the print data.

3. The POS system described in claim 2, further comprising:

a code reader connected to the POS terminal and configured to read encoded information;

wherein the print data includes output from the code reader.

4. An interface board comprising:

a plurality of portable speakers;

a first interface including a memory that stores a language table that identifies which language is used with each of the plurality of portable speakers, the first interface being configured to acquire print data for printing a ticket or a receipt;

a controller configured to

convert part of the print data to first text data in a first language,

convert the first text data in the first language to second text data in two or more second languages in accordance with the language table, and

generate speech data in the two or more second languages based on the language table;

a second interface configured to output the speech data to two or more of the plurality of portable speakers in the respective identified language(s) based on the generated speech data, the generated speech data pertaining to customer preferences being output at a higher volume than speech data corresponding to product name; and

a third interface configured to output the print data.

5. A control method for a POS system, comprising:

storing a language table that identifies which language is used with each of a plurality of portable speakers;

receiving, by an interface board, print data for printing a ticket or a receipt generated by a POS terminal;

converting, by the interface board, part of the print data to first text data in a first language;

converting, by the interface board, the first text data in the first language to second text data in two or more second languages in accordance with the language table;

generating, by the interface board, speech data in the two or more second languages based on the language table; and

outputting, by the interface board, the speech data to two or more of the plurality of portable speakers in the respective identified language(s) based on the generated speech data, the generated speech data pertaining to customer preferences being output at a higher volume than speech data corresponding to product name, and outputting the print data to a printer.