JPH11352990A - Voice outputting device and control method therefor, and computer readable memory - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily recognize a feature of a recorded voice by converting an input voice into a corresponding character based on the input voice, by determining a prescribed form for the character, and by outputting the character corresponding to the input voice with the form. SOLUTION: Voices (voice messages) recorded by an answering telephone 100 are stored in a voice input part 102 of a voice character recorder 101, and the voices stored in the input part 102 are digital converted to fed to a voice-character converting part 103. The fed voices are converted into characters in order in the processing part 103, and forms for the characters such as fonts, colors, sizes (point numbers) and the like are determined there. The determined character lines and the forms are converted into recording data to be fed to a character output part 104. A printer or a display is used for the output part 104. The voice character recorder 101 outputs the characters corresponding to the voices recorded by the telephone with the determined forms.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a voice output device for recognizing and outputting voice, a control method thereof, and a computer readable memory.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an answering machine function provided in a telephone has been to record only a voice from a caller. Also, recently, voices recorded by a technique such as voice recognition can be converted into characters and output on a display or output from a recording device such as a printer.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, spoken words recorded on an answering machine or the like are merely converted into monotonous characters and output, so that a person with a distant ear or a hearing impairment is required. Even if a person reads the output characters or sentences, there is a problem in that the feelings are inorganic and difficult to convey, and that the voice characteristics cannot be recognized.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an audio output device capable of easily recognizing characteristics of recorded audio, a control method thereof, and a computer-readable memory. And

[0005]

The audio output device according to the present invention for achieving the above object has the following arrangement.
That is, a voice output device that recognizes and outputs voice, based on voice input from an external device, converts the voice into a character corresponding to the voice, and determines the format of the character; Output means for outputting a character corresponding to the input voice in a format based on the conversion result.

Preferably, the converting means includes a voice recognizing means for recognizing a character corresponding to the input voice, and a volume for determining the size of the character based on the volume of the input voice. Recognition means, comprising a voice frequency recognition means for determining the font and color of the character based on the voice frequency of the input voice, the output means,
A character corresponding to the input voice is output in a format based on a recognition result of each of the voice recognition unit, the volume recognition unit, and the voice frequency recognition unit.

Preferably, the voice frequency recognizing means further determines a style of the character based on a voice frequency of the input voice.

Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a character converted by the converting means and a changing means for changing a format of the character.

[0009] Preferably, the external device is a telephone having an answering machine recording function.

Preferably, the external device is a voice recorder.

[0011] Preferably, the output means is a printer.

Preferably, the output means is a display.

A method for controlling an audio output device according to the present invention for achieving the above object has the following configuration. That is,
A method for controlling a voice output device that recognizes and outputs voice, comprising: converting a voice corresponding to the voice based on voice input from an external device, and determining a format of the character; and Outputting a character corresponding to the input voice in a format based on the conversion result of the step.

A computer-readable memory according to the present invention for achieving the above object has the following configuration. That is,
A computer-readable memory storing a program code for controlling a voice output device that recognizes and outputs voice,
Based on the voice input from the external device, the character code corresponding to the voice is converted, and the program code of the conversion step of determining the format of the character and the format based on the conversion result of the conversion step, And a program code for an output step of outputting characters corresponding to the voice.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. [Embodiment 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a voice character recording apparatus provided with an answering machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Voice (voice message) recorded by voice mail 100 is stored in voice input unit 102 of voice character recording device 101. The voice stored in the voice input unit 102 is digitally converted, and the voice-to-text conversion processing unit 1
03 is sent. The voice-to-speech conversion unit 103 sequentially converts the transmitted voice into characters, and simultaneously selects a font, a color, a size (point number), and the like for the characters, and a character string corresponding to the voice and its character string. Determine the format. Then, the determined character string and its format are converted into appropriate recording data and sent to the character output unit 104. As the character output unit 104, a printer or a display is used. As described above, the voice character recording device 101 can output the character corresponding to the voice-recorded voice message in the determined format.

Next, details of the speech character conversion processing unit 103 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the details of the voice character conversion processing unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The voice character conversion processing unit 103 receives the voice digitally converted by the voice input unit 102 and stores it in the memory 201. The voice stored in the memory 201 is sent to the voice recognition processing unit 202, and the volume of the voice is
3, the voice frequency of the voice is converted to the voice frequency recognition processing unit 204.
Sent to

The speech recognition processing unit 202 includes a memory 201
Is analyzed and the character corresponding to the voice is determined. This is described, for example, in JP-A-09-1983.
82 and the like.

The volume recognition processing unit 203 receives the volume of the voice at the time of the absence recording via the voice input unit 102 and the memory 201, and determines the character size (point number) corresponding to the voice by the value (volume). decide. This determination is made by comparing the standard volume (reference volume) with the volume to be processed. For example, when the volume to be processed is higher than the reference volume (when it is loud), Is output at 20 points.

The voice frequency recognition processing unit 204 analyzes the level of the voice from the voice frequency of the voice sent from the memory 201 and determines the font and color of the character corresponding to the voice. This determination is made by comparing a standard audio frequency (reference audio frequency) with an audio frequency to be processed. For example, when the audio frequency to be processed is higher than the reference audio frequency (a high voice such as a female voice). ), The character corresponding to the voice is output in a circle of pink.

The character corresponding to the voice recognized by the voice recognition processing unit 202 is converted into a character output unit using the determined size, font, and color of the volume recognition processing unit 203 and the voice frequency recognition processing unit 204, respectively. Recording data to be output at 104 is created by the recording data creation processing unit 205. The created recording data is sent to the character output unit 20.
Sent to 5.

Next, a summary of the processing executed in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the processing executed in the first embodiment of the present invention.

First, in step S101, the answering machine 1
At 00, the voice-recorded voice is input to the voice input unit 102. Subsequently, the input voice is converted to the voice-to-text conversion processing unit 1.
03 is stored in the memory 201. Next, step S1
In step 02, the voice stored in the memory 201 is input to the voice recognition processing unit 202, and the character corresponding to the voice is recognized. Next, in step S103, the volume of the voice stored in the memory 201 is input to the volume recognition processing unit 203, the volume is analyzed, and the size of a character corresponding to the voice is determined based on the analysis result. . In step S104, the voice frequency of the voice stored in the memory 201 is input to the voice frequency recognition processing unit 204, and the voice frequency is analyzed.
The font and color of the character corresponding to the voice are determined based on the analysis result. In step S105, step S10
2 to Step S104, based on the respective processing results,
The recording data to be output by the character output unit 104 is created by the recording data creation processing unit 205, and the recording data is output from the character output unit 104 in a determined format to a character string corresponding to the input voice.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the character corresponding to the voice message recorded by the answering machine 100 is changed in size, font and color based on the characteristics (volume, voice frequency) of the voice. Is determined and output, so that the user can easily grasp the features and the person image of the voice-recorded voice message.

As described above, when a simple spoken word recorded on the answering machine 100 is voice-recognized and converted into a character, the character is output (printed out) in various sizes, fonts and colors. As a result, it is possible to convey a message to people who are deaf or hard of hearing in a fun and emotional manner. In addition, a number of requirements are
Even if the voicemail is recorded to 0, the character string corresponding to the voicemail of each requirement is output to the recording medium, so you can immediately recognize which is an important requirement without playing them one by one in order. can do. [Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment, the voice input to the voice input unit 102 is the voice recorded by the answering machine 100. However, for example, the voice recorder 400 as shown in FIG. It is also possible to adopt a configuration using recorded voice. With such a configuration, the voice recorded with the message can be output as a light memo or a message. [Third Embodiment] In the first embodiment, the character corresponding to the input voice, its size, font and color are determined by the voice recognition processing unit 202, the volume recognition processing unit 203, and the voice frequency recognition processing unit 204, respectively. However, as shown in FIG. 5, a configuration in which the user can arbitrarily set the character size, font, and color using the external input unit 301 including panel keys or the like can also be adopted. With this configuration, the user can set his / her favorite character size, font, and color to characters corresponding to the input voice. If there is a character that is erroneously recognized by the voice recognition processing unit 202, the character can be specified and corrected. Fourth Embodiment In the first embodiment, the voice frequency recognition processing unit 204 determines the font and color of the character corresponding to the input voice, but as shown in FIG. Not only the font and color of the characters, but also
It is also possible to adopt a configuration that determines a style such as bold or italic.

It is needless to say that the above-described embodiments can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

The present invention can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), but it can be applied to a single device (for example, a copier, a facsimile machine). Etc.).

Another object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and to provide a computer (or CPU) of the system or apparatus.
And MPU) read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) May perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is read based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide an audio output device capable of easily recognizing features of recorded audio, a control method thereof, and a computer-readable memory.

[0037]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a voice character recording device including an answering machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating details of a speech character conversion processing unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow of processing executed in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a voice character recording device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a voice character recording device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a voice character recording device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Answering machine 102 Voice input unit 103 Voice character conversion processing unit 104 Character output unit 201 Memory 202 Voice recognition processing unit 203 Volume recognition processing unit 204 Voice frequency recognition processing unit 205 Recorded data creation processing unit 301 External input unit 400 Voice recorder

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A voice output device for recognizing and outputting voice, comprising: a conversion unit that converts a voice input from an external device into a character corresponding to the voice and determines a format of the character; Output means for outputting a character corresponding to the input voice in a format based on the conversion result of the conversion means. 2. A voice recognition unit for recognizing a character corresponding to the input voice; a volume recognition unit for determining a size of the character based on a volume of the input voice; A voice frequency recognition unit that determines a font and a color of the character based on a voice frequency of the input voice; the output unit includes the voice recognition unit, the volume recognition unit, and the voice frequency recognition unit. 2. The voice output device according to claim 1, wherein a character corresponding to the input voice is output in a format based on a recognition result of each of the recognition units. 3. The audio output device according to claim 2, wherein the audio frequency recognition unit further determines a style of the character based on an audio frequency of the input audio. 4. The audio output device according to claim 1, further comprising: a character converted by the conversion unit, and a change unit that changes a format of the character. 5. The audio output device according to claim 1, wherein the external device is a telephone having a voice mail recording function. 6. The audio output device according to claim 1, wherein the external device is a voice recorder. 7. The audio output device according to claim 1, wherein said output means is a printer. 8. The audio output device according to claim 1, wherein said output means is a display. 9. A method for controlling a voice output device for recognizing and outputting voice, comprising: converting a voice corresponding to the voice based on voice input from an external device; and determining a format of the character. And a step of outputting a character corresponding to the input voice in a format based on the conversion result of the conversion step. 10. The converting step includes: a voice recognition step of recognizing a character corresponding to the input voice; and a volume recognition step of determining a size of the character based on a volume of the input voice. A voice frequency recognition step of determining a font and a color of the character based on a voice frequency of the input voice, wherein the output step includes the voice recognition step, the volume recognition step, and the voice frequency recognition step. The method according to claim 9, wherein a character corresponding to the input voice is output in a format based on the recognition result of each of the recognition steps. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the voice frequency recognition step further determines a style of the character based on a voice frequency of the input voice. . 12. The control method for an audio output device according to claim 9, further comprising a step of changing the character converted in the conversion step and a format of the character. 13. The control method according to claim 9, wherein the external device is a telephone having an answering machine function. 14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the external device is a voice recorder. 15. A computer readable memory storing a program code for controlling a voice output device for recognizing and outputting a voice, wherein the computer readable memory converts the voice to a character corresponding to the voice based on a voice input from an external device. A program code of a conversion step of determining a format of the character, and a program code of an output step of outputting a character corresponding to the input voice in a format based on a conversion result of the conversion step. Computer readable memory.