JP2001121850A - Instruction manual for electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an instruction manual of electronic equipment which enables a user to understand a handling method of the equipment simply and with ease of use. SOLUTION: In the margin of an instruction manual 13 wherein an explanatory writing 15 and an illustration 16 are printed, voice information composed by reading aloud the explanatory writing 15 is printed in the form of a code image 14 which can be read optically by manual scanning of a reading device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an instruction manual for an electronic device for explaining a method of handling various electronic devices. The present invention relates to an instruction manual of various electronic devices printed and recorded as a readable code image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various electronic devices such as a telephone, a video device, a personal computer, and a computer readable software program for causing the personal computer to execute a predetermined operation are usually provided to a user. An instruction manual for explaining how to handle the device is attached.

[0003] In order to allow a user to accurately and quickly understand how to handle the electronic device, the overall structure of the instruction manual is devised. The descriptive sentence described is simplified as much as possible, and illustrations, photographs, and the like are frequently used.

[0004] However, in recent electronic devices, the operation as a user interface has become increasingly complicated due to the multifunctionality or complexity of the devices.
The above-mentioned instruction manual alone has a certain limit in allowing the user to correctly understand how to handle the electronic device.

In recent years, with the widespread use of magnetic recording / reproducing devices for reproducing and outputting sound and images magnetically recorded on video cassette tapes in general households, some electronic devices have been described in terms of handling methods. Some video cassettes are provided to users as instruction manuals.

That is, a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus is used to reproduce and output sounds and images describing a method for handling the electronic device from the video cassette so that the user can understand the method for handling the electronic device. It is.

[0007] According to this method, the user can obtain information on how to handle the electronic device both visually and audibly. The effect is greater than in the case of understanding how to handle electronic devices.

[0008]

However, according to such a method using a video cassette, the user sets the video cassette in the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus one by one,
In addition, a TV monitor must be set,
The work becomes complicated, and when it is desired to reconfirm only a specific handling method of a certain part of the handling method of an electronic device, etc., the random access property is poor because of the magnetic tape. As a result, it takes time to find a part of the handling method, and as a result, the usability is extremely poor.

[0009] In addition, if there is a separate instruction manual, the instruction manual and the video cassette must be stored separately because they are separate components, so that a large storage space is required. Therefore, if these are stored separately, there is a disadvantage that one of them may be lost.Therefore, after all, there are many points to be improved in the method using the video cassette. It had been.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an instruction manual for an electronic device that allows a user to easily and conveniently understand how to handle the electronic device.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a first mode of a manual for electronic equipment according to the present invention includes a manual for electronic equipment for explaining a method of handling electronic equipment. In addition, a voice relating to handling of the electronic device is printed and recorded as a code image that can be optically read by manual scanning.

That is, according to the first aspect of the instruction manual for an electronic device of the present invention, information relating to the handling of the electronic device can be optically read by manual scanning in a manual such as paper. Since the code image is directly printed and recorded as a possible code image, the user reads the code image at an arbitrary position at an arbitrary time with a dedicated reader while viewing the instruction manual, and obtains information on the handling of the electronic device. Can be easily obtained.

Therefore, the user can easily obtain information regarding the handling of the electronic device from both the visual and the auditory senses while using the instruction manual made of paper or the like, which is easier and more convenient than in the past. Understand how to handle the electronic device.

According to a second aspect of the instruction manual for electronic equipment according to the present invention, in the first aspect, the information on handling of the electronic equipment includes at least voice.

That is, according to the second aspect of the instruction manual for the electronic device of the present invention, since the information regarding the handling of the electronic device includes at least voice, the user can read the instruction manual of the electronic device from the instruction manual. Voice information on handling can be easily obtained.

According to a third aspect of the instruction manual for an electronic device according to the present invention, in the second aspect, the electronic device outputs a predetermined voice to a user when a predetermined operation is performed. When the electronic device is configured to perform such processing, the voice related to the handling of the electronic device, which is printed and recorded as the code image, is the predetermined voice.

That is, according to the third aspect of the instruction manual for the electronic device of the present invention, the electronic device outputs a predetermined sound to the user when a predetermined operation is performed. It is configured. The voice related to the handling of the electronic device, which is printed and recorded as the code image, is the predetermined voice.

Therefore, the user can hear a certain sound in the operation directly from the instruction manual, not as a sentence, but as a sound, so that the user can accurately and more accurately understand the operation in the instruction manual. It can be deepened further.

According to a fourth aspect of the instruction manual for electronic equipment according to the present invention, in the third aspect, the predetermined voice is a warning sound to a user.

That is, according to the fourth aspect of the instruction manual for the electronic device of the present invention, the predetermined sound is used as the warning sound, so that the user can operate the electronic device at a point in time before actually using the electronic device. It is possible to easily and directly check the sound to be noted above, so that there is no panic when a warning sound is issued in a real scene.

According to a fifth aspect of the instruction manual for electronic equipment according to the present invention, in the fourth aspect, a plurality of types of the warning sound are present for each type of the warning.

That is, according to the fifth aspect of the instruction manual for electronic equipment of the present invention, when there are a plurality of types of warning sounds for each cause of the warning, it is extremely difficult to distinguish the warning sounds from each other only by the description. However, since the plurality of types of warning sounds can be actually identified and confirmed in advance by voice in advance, the user is not confused even if each of the warning sounds is emitted from the electronic device in a real scene, and appropriate measures are taken. I can take it.

[0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of an instruction manual for an electronic device according to the present invention will be described. Before that, first, a one-dimensional or two-dimensional bar code which is an example of the electronic device according to the present invention will be described. A reading device for optically reading an optically readable code image including the above will be described.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the optically readable code image, which is described, for example, in JP-A-6-231466.

That is, in the figure, a plurality of rectangular blocks 2 are two-dimensionally arranged adjacently to form a dot code 1 as a code image.

Each block 2 is composed of white dots corresponding to the value "0" or "1" of the data divided for each block of the audio data (in FIG. 3, the white dots are printed in the form of white dots). The data dot pattern portion 3 which is not recorded and the color of the paper surface itself corresponds to this white dot) or a dot image of a black dot in a predetermined arrangement form, and each dot of the data dot pattern portion 3 A marker 4 having a constant number of continuous blacks arranged at the four corners of each block 2 used to find a reference point for detecting a data dot (hereinafter referred to as a data dot), and the plurality of different blocks 2 And a block address pattern section 5 including an error detection or error correction code disposed between the markers 4 so as to be identifiable at the time of reading. Note that, in the drawing, the lines drawn in the vertical and horizontal directions in the block 2 are virtual lines for showing the positions of the data dots for convenience.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing an electric functional block configuration of a reading device for manually scanning the dot code 1 and optically reading the dot code 1. As shown in FIG.

That is, an illuminating section composed of an LED or the like for illuminating the dot code 1, an optical system for forming an image of the reflected light of the dot code 1, and a CCD or the like for picking up the image formed by the optical system. An imaging unit 6 including an area sensor; a binarization processing unit 7 for binarizing an imaging signal output from the imaging unit 6 with a predetermined binarization threshold; A binarized image memory 8 for storing binarized binarized image data, and a binarized image stored in the binarized image memory 8
A restoration unit 9 for reading the digitized image data, detecting the data dots, assigning a value of “0” or “1” to each of the detected data dots, and outputting the data; And a reproduction unit 11 that performs error correction processing, data expansion processing, and the like to reproduce and output the original audio.

Thus, this reading apparatus uses the dot code 1
Even if the overall size is larger than the imaging field of view 6A of the imaging unit 6 (see FIG. 3), the imaging unit 6 moves on the dot code 1 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. By sequentially taking an image while scanning, the reading can be performed.

In other words, even if the dot code 1 cannot be imaged in one shot, if the data dot pattern portion 3 and the block address pattern portion 5 can be read for each unit of the block 2, Since the data of each block 2 can be collected by the address and the original data can be reconstructed, the amount of information which cannot be realized by a conventional one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcode or the like can be densely written on paper or the like. , And can also be read by manual scanning at the same time, so that sound and the like can be easily transmitted using paper as a medium.

Here, when the restoring section 9 reads the binarized image data stored in the binarized image memory 8 and detects each of the data dots, first, a marker is read from the binarized image data. 4 is found, and then, based on the found barycentric position of the marker 4, a reading reference position of the data dot is obtained. A dot reading point for reading each data dot is detected, it is determined whether each detected dot reading point is white or black, and a value of "0" or "1" is assigned to output data. Have been.

Therefore, even if the printing quality of the dot code 1 printed and recorded at high density, for example, there is some geometric distortion, the reading is performed adaptively and the reading stability is high.

Further, the demodulation unit 10 is provided with a dot code 1
Since the modulation processing is performed in advance on the audio data input as the recording target at the time of print recording, this section performs processing for returning the data to the original data before modulation.

That is, such a modulation process is a process which has been previously performed in the restoring unit 9 in order to make it easier to find the marker 4 first, and each data dot in the data dot pattern unit 3 and the marker 4 so that the number of continuous black dots in the data dot pattern portion 3 is smaller than the number of continuous black dots forming the marker 4 as a result. It has been applied.

For example, when the maximum diameter of the marker 4 is equivalent to a size formed by arranging five black dots to be printed and recorded in the data dot pattern portion 3 adjacently in a predetermined direction, after the modulation process, The modulation processing is performed on the input audio data so that the number of continuous black dots in the modulated data is less than five.

Each of the functional blocks described above is incorporated in, for example, a pen-shaped casing, and a code image printed and recorded in a sheet-like instruction manual made of paper or the like described below is manually written. It is configured to be optically readable.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4B, a reading opening (not shown) provided at the distal end of the reading device 12 is brought into contact with the instruction manual 13 and the code image printed and recorded there is provided. 14 is read and a voice is output.

(First Embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment of an instruction manual for electronic equipment according to the present invention will be described. Note that an example will be described in which an instruction manual for an electronic device includes precautions for operation.

Although there are many products designed so that electronic devices can be used even by blind people, instruction manuals for those devices are often written in sentences for healthy persons. is there.

Therefore, in the first embodiment,
As shown in FIG. 1A, by reading out the audio information reading the above-mentioned explanatory note 15 as a code image 14 outside the margin of the instruction manual 13 on which the explanatory note 15 and the illustration 16 are printed, The instruction manual 13 can be understood by a blind person.

For example, if the electronic device is configured so that the safety mechanism is activated by an erroneous operation to stop the operation and a warning sound is sounded, the instruction manual 13 avoids the erroneous operation method. As well as
About the warning sound "If you hear a sound like XX ~"
The actual warning sound is converted into a dot code and printed and recorded as a code image 14 near the description 15, as shown in FIG. 1B. Is also good.

According to this example, since it is possible to hear a sound that is difficult to express in characters as an actual sound, it goes without saying that the invention of the present application has a great effect for a healthy person. .

This is a particularly remarkable effect when different warning sounds are used for different types of warnings, as shown in FIG. 2A.

That is, this figure is the instruction manual 13 of the reading device 12 that reads the code image 14, and the actual sound of the notation "pong" of the warning sound included in the description 15-1 is the code image 14-1. And the corresponding description 15
-1 is printed and recorded. Similarly, description 15
The actual sound of the notation of the warning sound “Pong Hyun” included in the description image 15-2 is described as a code image 14-2 in the description 15-3.
The actual sound of the notation “Pon Huy” of the warning sound included in the
4 is printed as a code image 14-4 near the corresponding explanatory note.

(Second Embodiment) In particular, FIG.
When the present invention is applied to the instruction manual 13 of the reading device 12 that reads the code image 14 as shown in FIG. 1, each warning sound is output by a method other than printing and recording the actual warning sound as a code image. This will be described below as a second embodiment of the present invention.

That is, in the second embodiment, the code image 14 itself, which is printed and recorded in the instruction manual 13 of the reading device that reads the code image 14, is given predetermined damage. , Reader 1
2 reads the code image 14, the warning sound printed and recorded as the code image 14 is not output. As a result, the warning sound is actually output as a device instead of the sound reproduced by the reading device 12 from the code image 14. The feature is that it is output.

The reading device 12 of the code image 14
However, since a method of determining the warning sound type based on the reading result of the code image 14 is disclosed in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 11-251512 by the present applicant, the details are omitted, but the method is simply described. The method of determining the warning sound type will be described. The reading state of the code image 14 is detected, and the warning sound type is determined based on the detected state.

For example, to give an example of the reading state, in scanning the code image 14, it is detected that a reading opening (not shown) provided at the leading end of the reading device 12 has come off the code image 14. In addition, the detection is performed by detecting that the block 2 of the dot code 1 as the code image 14 is missing on one side of the dot code 1. That is, as shown in FIG. 2B, as a result of reading the code image 14 of the dot code 1 composed of 24 blocks 2, “15”, “17”,
If it is found that five blocks 2 having block addresses of "19", "21", and "23" are missing,
It is determined that the reading opening has deviated from the code image 14, and a signal of a warning sound (“Pong Hyun” in the example of FIG. 2A) indicating that is read from the code image 14 to a built-in ROM (not shown).
, And sound the warning sound.

Therefore, when the warning sound in the case of the deviation is expressed in the instruction manual 13 using the code image 14, the warning sound itself is not recorded as the dot code 1 in the code image 14-2. When the code image 14-2 is read, if the block 2 is missing, as if code scanning is missed, the same warning sound will be emitted.

For example, “1” in FIG.
The blocks corresponding to the five blocks 2 having the block addresses of "5", "17", "19", "21", and "23" are assigned "16", "16", 1
If the code image 14-2 is scanned with the code image 14-2 having the block addresses of "8", "20", "22", and "24", even if the code image 14-2 is correctly scanned, the above-described operation is performed. "15", "1"
Five blocks of "7", "19", "21", and "23" are missing. Therefore, the reading device 12 determines that the scanning has been missed, and emits a warning sound.

In this case, compared to the case of recording an audio signal, it is sufficient that only an appropriate number of blocks 2 can be read, and any signal recorded in the data dot pattern section 3 of the block 2 can be used. That is, there is an advantage that the required number of blocks of the code image 14 can be reduced, and that there is no need to add an error correction code because the data in the block itself has no meaning.

In particular, regarding the former advantage, since the code image 14 having only about 24 blocks can output only a very short sound of a few seconds, it is difficult to hear it as a sound. According to the third embodiment, it is possible to output a warning sound even with the code image 14 having such a block number. Is very effective.

The code images of other types of warning sounds may be configured as described in Japanese Patent Application No. 11-251512.

In the above description, an example in which only audio information is converted into a code image has been described. In the present invention, so-called multimedia information including video information, text data, and the like in addition to the audio information is used. It may be printed and recorded as a code image in the instruction manual. In this case, it goes without saying that the present invention can further enhance the user's understanding of the instruction manual.

Hereinafter, a description will be given by taking a manual of a computer as an electronic apparatus as an example.

When the user learns the operation method based on the instruction manual of the computer, the user normally executes the corresponding operation while looking at the instruction manual. Modern computers come with a CD-ROM, whereby the operating method of the computer is displayed on a monitor as a video image, and some of them are configured to be explained.

In order to use the instruction manual of the present invention instead of the CD-ROM, for example, a code image reader can be connected to a computer. The code image is printed and recorded on the premise that it can be read while being connected to a computer.

According to this instruction manual, when a command is to be entered by a key input from a keyboard, a code image printed on the instruction manual is read by a reader instead of actually inputting the key. Can be entered. At this time, if the user is informed of the content of the signal actually read for confirmation of the key by voice, and is transmitted to the computer after obtaining the confirmation, a reading error can be prevented. There are advantages too.

Also, in the item for explaining the movement of the computer screen, the code image printed in the instruction manual is read by the reading device to reproduce the multimedia information recorded therein on the computer screen. It is also possible to make it.

Further, in the case where a CD-ROM is used in combination, it is also possible to cause a signal readout instruction from the CD-ROM to be performed from a code image printed on the above-mentioned instruction manual.

For this purpose, in the instruction manual for an electronic device according to the present invention, as information relating to the handling of the electronic device, so-called multimedia information including video information and text data in addition to audio information is converted into a code image and printed. It is also possible to record or print and record only video information and text data that can be handled by a computer.

As described above, in the present invention, the above-described dot code 1 has been described as an example of the optically readable code image 14. Various code images can be adopted.In addition to the reading device described above, the electronic device can be read by a telephone, a facsimile, a video device, a personal computer, or a computer for causing this personal computer to execute a predetermined operation. Various electronic devices such as various possible software programs can be adopted.

[0063]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an instruction manual for an electronic device that allows a user to easily and easily understand how to handle the electronic device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a diagram showing an instruction manual for an electronic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an instruction manual for the electronic device according to the first embodiment; It is a figure showing another example.

FIG. 2A is a diagram showing still another example of an instruction manual of the electronic device according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2B is a block which is not read when a code error occurs during scanning. (C) is a diagram for explaining the second embodiment of the present invention.
This is for explaining the dot code as a code image printed and recorded in the instruction manual of the electronic device according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing arrangement.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a physical format of a dot code as a code image.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing an electrical functional block configuration of a reading device for optically reading a dot code by manually scanning a dot code, and FIG. 4B shows a state of manual scanning of the reading device. It is a perspective view.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 dot code 2 block 3 data dot pattern section 4 marker 5 block address pattern section 6 imaging section 7 binarization processing section 8 binarized image memory 9 restoration section 10 demodulation section 11 playback section 12 reading device 13 instruction manual 14, 14-1, 14-2, 14-3, 14-4
Code image 15, 15-1, 15-2, 15-3, 15-4
Explanation 16 Illustration

Claims (5)

[Claims] In an electronic device instruction manual for explaining a method of handling an electronic device, information on the handling of the electronic device is printed and recorded as a code image that can be optically read by manual scanning. Instruction manual for electronic equipment, characterized in that: 2. The instruction manual for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the information on handling of the electronic device includes at least a voice. 3. When the electronic device is an electronic device configured to output a predetermined sound to a user when a predetermined operation is performed, the electronic device printed and recorded as the code image. 3. The instruction manual for an electronic device according to claim 2, wherein a voice relating to the handling of the device is the predetermined voice. 4. The instruction manual for an electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined sound is a warning sound to a user. 5. The instruction manual for an electronic device according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of types of the warning sound exist for each type of the warning.