JP2007219218A - Electronic equipment for language learning and translation reproducing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide electronic equipment for language learning, capable of confirming a meaning by voice, even when written information on a display screen cannot be seen, by performing predetermined operation, when a user encounters a word or a phrase which the user does not understand. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic equipment for language learning comprises: a display means for displaying written information; a memory means for storing translation of the written information beforehand; a voice output means for outputting voice regarding the written information displayed in the display means; and a voice output control means in which, when predetermined information is input during voice outputting of the written information by the voice output means, the translation of the written information is read by searching the memory means, and the translation is voice output by the voice output means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device for language learning and a translation reproduction method.

  Conventionally, portable language learning electronic devices having a listening learning function for foreign languages and the like are known. In general, this type of electronic device includes an audio playback unit and a character display screen, and is configured on the assumption that listening learning is performed while viewing character information on the display screen.

For example, in Patent Document 1, in order to improve learning efficiency when using an electronic device for language learning, an apparatus that does not display a phrase that is being played back on a screen until a predetermined key is pressed during listening learning is disclosed. Is disclosed. According to this apparatus, it is possible to perform listening learning without looking at character information, and to display phrases and Japanese translations on the screen when there are unclear points.
JP-A-9-114361

  However, according to the above-described prior art, there are words, phrases, and sentences that do not make sense when performing continuous listening learning in a state where the character information on the display screen is not visible in a crowded train, for example. However, since the display screen could not be seen, it was impossible to know their contents.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a predetermined information when a user encounters a word or phrase that does not make sense even when the character information on the display screen cannot be viewed. It is to provide a language learning electronic device and a translation reproduction method that can confirm their meaning by voice by performing operations.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the electronic device for language learning according to the present invention includes display means for displaying character information, storage means for previously storing a translation of the character information, Voice output means for outputting voice information on the character information displayed on the display means; and when predetermined input information is input during the voice output of the character information by the voice output means, the storage means is searched to It has a configuration of an electronic device for language learning provided with voice output control means for reading a translation of character information from the storage means and outputting the translation to the voice output means.

  Further, in the electronic device for language learning, when the predetermined output information is input during the audio output of the character information by the audio output unit, the audio output control unit The voice output is interrupted, and the voice output of the character information by the voice output means is restored after the voice output of the translation by the voice output means.

  Further, in the electronic device for language learning, the voice output control means causes the character information voice-output by the voice output means to be voiced retroactively according to the predetermined input information.

  In the electronic device for language learning, the predetermined input information is input by a predetermined key operation.

  Further, in the electronic device for language learning, the voice output control unit causes the character information output by the voice output unit to be voiced retroactively according to the predetermined number of key operations or the operation time. It is characterized by that.

  The program according to the present invention is displayed on the computer by a first procedure for displaying character information on the display means, a second procedure for storing a translation of the character information in the storage means in advance, and the display means. A third procedure for outputting the character information to the sound output means, and when predetermined input information is input during the sound output of the character information by the sound output means, the storage means is searched for the character information. It has a configuration of a program for reading a translated sentence from the storage means and executing a fourth procedure for outputting the translated sentence to the voice output means.

  In the program, in the fourth step, the voice output of the character information by the voice output unit is interrupted when the predetermined input information is input during the voice output of the character information by the voice output unit. The voice output of the character information by the voice output unit is restored after the voice of the translation is output by the voice output unit.

  In the program, in the fourth step, the character information output by the voice output unit is output as a voice in response to the predetermined input information.

  In the above program, the predetermined input information is input by a predetermined key operation.

  Further, in the above program, in the fourth step, the character information output by the audio output means is output retrospectively according to the predetermined number of key operations or the operation time. .

  The translated text reproduction method according to the present invention includes a step of displaying character information on a display means, a step of outputting the character information displayed on the display means by voice, and the predetermined input information being input. A step of interrupting the voice output, a step of searching a storage unit when the predetermined input information is input, and acquiring a translation of the character information from the storage unit, and a translation acquired from the storage unit A machine voice, a step of reproducing the machine voiced translation, and a step of returning to the voice output before the interruption.

  In the translated sentence reproduction method, the predetermined input information is input by a key operation.

  According to the present invention, even if the character information on the display screen cannot be seen, when the user encounters a word or phrase that does not make sense, the user can perform a predetermined operation, and the meaning is spoken. Can be confirmed.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The electronic device for language learning according to the present embodiment is for performing general language learning learning, but in this embodiment, English listening learning will be described as an example.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the electronic device for language learning according to the present embodiment. The electronic device for language learning includes an input means 11, a CPU (control means) 12, a display means 13, a communication means 14, a ROM (read only memory) 15, a RAM (random access memory) 16, a dictionary. A database (storage means) 17, an audio output means 18, and a playback / display database 19 are configured, and these are connected to each other via a bus.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an appearance of the electronic device for language learning according to the present embodiment. The input means 11 includes a switching key 11a, a forward movement key 11b, a backward movement key 11c, a return key 11d, a position designation key 11e, an audio reproduction key 11f, and a translation reproduction key 11g as push button type keys. . The display screen of the display unit 13 functions as a touch panel and functions as a part of the input unit 11. That is, the input unit 11 includes an English-Japanese key 11h as a touch panel type key. By pressing (tapping) a predetermined icon displayed on the display screen of the display means 13 with the tip of the stylus pen or the like with these touch panel keys, a signal (command) corresponding to the icon can be input. By operating the various keys described above, icons such as a keyboard can be displayed on the display means 13, and Japanese characters, English letters, numbers, symbols, and the like can be input by tapping the icons.

  The switching key 11a is a key for switching display contents of the display means 13. For example, when the switching key 11a is pressed while English text is displayed on the display means 13, the display means 13 displays the Japanese text corresponding to the English text. If the switching key 11a is pressed while the Japanese text is displayed on the display means 13, the display means 13 displays the English text corresponding to the Japanese text.

  The forward movement key 11b is a key for moving the display from the current display item to the previous display item when there are a plurality of items (such as English) to be displayed on the display means 13. The back movement key 11c is a key for moving the display from the current display item to the display item with the next rank when there are many items to be displayed on the display means 13. The return key 11d is for re-outputting the contents of the sound output from the beginning when, for example, this key is pressed during the sound output. The position designation key 11e is a key for designating a portion to be displayed in the display area of the display unit 13 when the image displayed on the display unit 13 is larger than the display area of the display unit 13, for example. That is, scrolling and the like can be performed with the position designation key 11e. The voice reproduction key 11f is a key for outputting the content of a word or sentence displayed on the display means 13 as a voice, for example. When an English sentence is displayed on the display means 13, so-called native English pronunciation can be performed by operating the voice reproduction key 11f.

  The translation reproduction key 11g is a key for causing the language learning electronic device of the present embodiment to exhibit the translation reproduction function of the present invention. That is, when this key is pressed during voice playback, the meaning of the word, phrase, sentence, or the like that was played back when the translation playback key 11g was pressed is played back in Japanese. It is also possible to check the meaning of a word missed before the translation playback key 11g, for example, n times when the translation playback key 11g is pressed n times. You can also play back the meaning (translation) of a word that has just been traced back. With this function, even if it is impossible for the user to see the display means 13 in a crowded train or the like, for example, the meaning of the word can be confirmed by playing back a translation of a word whose meaning is unknown. It becomes possible to do.

  Further, a small control unit including, for example, the above-described voice reproduction key 11f, return key 11d, translation reproduction key 11g, and the like can be provided between the language learning electronic device and the earphone. With this function, when the key operation of the main body cannot be easily performed, it is possible to reproduce a translation of a word whose meaning is unknown by only the key operation with a small control unit.

  Each key may be assigned a function to a predetermined area using the display unit 13 as a touch panel, and may determine which function is selected depending on the tapped position.

  The English-Japanese key 11h, which is a touch panel type key, is a key that exhibits a function as an English-Japanese dictionary. For example, when the desired English word displayed in the display means 13 is designated by the input means 11 such as a stylus pen and the English-Japanese key 11h is tapped with the stylus pen, the meaning of the designated English word is determined. It is displayed on the display means 13 in Japanese.

  The CPU 12 controls the operation of the electronic device for language learning. Information input by the input means 11 is temporarily stored in the RAM 16 and is interpreted by the CPU 12, and the language learning electronic device executes an operation according to the interpreted command. The CPU 12 functions as an audio output control means in the present invention.

  The display means 13 is comprised, for example with a liquid crystal display device, and can display at least a character. As described above, icons can be displayed, and still images, moving images, and the like can also be displayed. Further, the display means 13 may display black and white gradations, or may display colors. The display content of the display means 13 in FIG. 2 is an example.

  The communication means 14 communicates via a communication network such as the Internet. The ROM 15 stores a program and data that define the functional operation of the electronic device for language learning. The RAM 16 temporarily stores data input by the input unit 11 or the communication unit 14.

  The dictionary database 17 stores a translation of character information as a dictionary. For example, the contents of an English-Japanese dictionary, a Japanese-English dictionary, etc., character string data representing the character information, the character information, a translation of the character information, Is remembered. The dictionary database 17 also serves as dictionary storage means for storing a plurality of words or sentences in a plurality of languages. The dictionary database 17 may be composed of a removable storage means such as a memory card, for example, and the stored contents may be downloaded via the communication means 14 or updated.

  The dictionary database 17 may store only the words and sentences in the reproduction / display database 19 or may be configured using a well-known electronic dictionary database. The dictionary database 17 does not necessarily output the text data of the translation, and may output the voice of the translation. In this case, the voice output from the dictionary data is directly output from the speaker or the earphone without being converted into a mechanical voice by the voice output means 18.

  The voice output means 18 converts the voice data corresponding to the character information displayed on the display means 13 and the translation output from the dictionary database 17 into a machine voice and outputs it from a speaker or earphone.

The reproduction / display database 19 stores character string data and voice data of a sentence, and uses these data to display a sentence on the display means 13 and to output a voice of the sentence from the voice output means 18. it can.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of a sentence stored in the reproduction / display database 19. As shown in FIG. 3, the reproduction / display database 19 includes character string (character information) data (character string data) displayed on the display means 13 and voice output data (voice data) for the character string. And are stored.

  Here, the character string data is divided into words, and the data of each word is composed of a plurality of character data forming the word. One sentence is addressed in series at the memory address of the reproduction / display database 19 along a sequence of words forming the sentence and along a sequence of spellings forming the word.

The voice data is composed of pronunciation data divided for each word, and each pronunciation data is a corresponding character string head address a1, a2, a3, a4, which is an address corresponding to the head address of the corresponding word. is stored in a5. With such a data structure, it is possible to show the word that is output as voice on the display means 13. In other words, the character information displayed on the display means 13 can be output by voice.
The dictionary database 17 and the reproduction / display database 19 described above may be configured by the same hardware.

Next, the operation of the electronic device for language learning according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a translation reproduction operation when an external input is detected in the language learning electronic device.
Here, for convenience of explanation, a case where the meaning of a word that could not be heard during listening learning will be described as an example. However, in addition to the word, the meaning of a phrase or sentence can also be confirmed.

When the listening learning is started, the CPU 12 uses the voice output unit 18 to start the voice reproduction process of the text displayed on the display unit 13. At this time, the CPU 12 changes the display of the character string data indicated by the leading address corresponding to the character string at the head of the pronunciation data, thereby making it possible for the user to know the location that is currently being reproduced.
Thereafter, during the audio reproduction process, the CPU 12 monitors an external key input. Key input from the outside can be monitored by a process operating asynchronously with voice playback of a sentence, or by a hardware interrupt.
When the CPU 12 accepts an external input (S1), the CPU 12 temporarily stores the current reproduction information (audio data, character data being reproduced, and other information necessary for resuming reproduction) in the RAM 16 and the audio output means 18. Is interrupted (S2).

Next, the CPU 12 acquires character string data of a word that is pronounced at the time when an external input by the translation reproduction key 11g is received (S3). As described above, since each sound generation data in the voice data has a corresponding character string head address, the character string data is acquired using this address. If the key input is n times as an external input, the character string data of the word that is traced back by n words from the word that was being played back at the time of the key input is acquired. Note that the present invention is not limited to this example, and a predetermined key may be provided that goes back n words, and if the key is pressed for a long time, the character string of the word that goes back by the time the key was pressed It is good also as what acquires data.
Then, the CPU 12 inputs the character string data acquired in step S4 to the dictionary database 17, and searches for translation data of words corresponding to the character string data (S4).

  Next, the CPU 12 supplies the translated sentence data retrieved from the dictionary database 17 to the voice output means 18, and the voice output means 18 converts the translated sentence data into machine voice (S5), and uses this machine voice to translate the translated sentence. Playback is performed (S6). The voice output means 18 is composed of known voice output means for outputting text data and word data as voice. Alternatively, the translated speech data stored in the playback / display database 19 may be stored in advance and the data may be reproduced.

After the reproduction of the translated text is completed, the CPU 12 reads the information stored when there is an external input, restores the audio reproduction process interrupted in step S3, and starts reproducing the original audio again (S7). The position to return to the reproduction process of the original sound can be the word at the time when the sound reproduction process was interrupted in step S3, the previous word, the beginning of the sentence, etc., and can be freely set by the user. is there. It is also possible to reproduce the translated text by going back to the beginning of the text.
In the above description, the translation playback function starting means is external input using the translation playback key 11g. However, the translation playback function is not necessarily limited to key input, and the translated text is displayed when an arbitrary place on the display means 13 is tapped. The function can also be reproduced, and the function can be realized by a predetermined input from the input means.

  According to the electronic device for language learning of the present embodiment described above, the meaning of a desired word can be spoken only by a key operation during listening learning even in a situation where the display screen cannot be seen in a crowded train, for example. Can be confirmed with high efficiency.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail, the concrete structure is not restricted to this embodiment, The design change etc. of the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention are included.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which a translation of a word is acquired using a dictionary and the meaning thereof is confirmed. However, the present invention is also applicable to the case where the meaning of a phrase or sentence composed of a plurality of words is confirmed. Can be applied. In that case, for example, a translation is registered in advance in the database in association with the phrase or sentence, and the phrase or sentence translation is reproduced by voice using the set translation data.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to listening learning of a specific language, and the present invention can be applied to learning devices for various languages such as French, German, and Russian. The present invention can be applied not only to language learning but also to learning in various fields such as mathematics, science, society, chemistry, and law.

  In the above description, the electronic device for language learning and the translation reproduction method have been described, but each step of the translation reproduction method may be realized as a program. For example, the present invention can be expressed as a program for causing a computer to execute the following procedure. That is, a first procedure for displaying the character information on the display means, a second procedure for storing the translated text of the character information in the storage means in advance, and a voice procedure for outputting the character information displayed on the display means to the voice output means. When predetermined input information is input during the three steps and voice output of the character information by the voice output means, the storage means is searched to read a translation of the character information from the storage means, and the translation is It can be expressed as a program for executing the fourth procedure for causing the voice output means to output a voice.

  The present invention is suitable for use in an electronic device for language learning, particularly for listening learning.

It is a block diagram of the electronic device for language learning which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the external appearance structure of the electronic device for language learning same as the above. It is a figure which shows an example of the data structure of the text in a dictionary database. It is a flowchart which shows the translation reproduction | regeneration operation | movement at the time of the external input detection of the electronic device for language learning same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

11 input means 11a switching key 11b forward movement key 11c backward movement key 11d return key 11e position designation key 11f audio reproduction key 11g translation reproduction key 11h English-Japanese key 12 CPU
13 Display means 14 Communication means 15 ROM
16 RAM
17 Dictionary database 18 Voice output means 19 Playback / display database

Claims (12)

Display means for displaying character information;
Storage means for storing in advance a translation of the character information;
Voice output means for outputting voice information on the character information displayed on the display means;
When predetermined input information is inputted during the voice output of the character information by the voice output means, the storage means is searched to read a translation of the character information from the storage means, and the translation is read as the voice output means. An electronic device for language learning comprising voice output control means for causing the voice to be output.   The electronic device for language learning according to claim 1, wherein the voice output control unit performs the voice output by the voice output unit when the predetermined input information is input during voice output of the character information by the voice output unit. An electronic device for language learning, wherein speech output of character information is interrupted, and speech output of the character information by the speech output means is restored after speech output of the translation by the speech output means.   3. The electronic device for language learning according to claim 1, wherein the voice output control unit traces back the character information output by the voice output unit according to the predetermined input information. An electronic device for language learning characterized by being output.   The electronic device for language learning according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined input information is input by a predetermined key operation.   5. The language learning electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the voice output control unit traces back the character information voice-output by the voice output unit according to an operation frequency or an operation time of the predetermined key operation. An electronic device for language learning, which is characterized by outputting sound. On the computer,
A first procedure for displaying character information on the display means;
A second procedure for storing the translation of the character information in a storage means in advance;
A third procedure for outputting voice information to the voice output means for the character information displayed on the display means;
When predetermined input information is inputted during the voice output of the character information by the voice output means, the storage means is searched to read a translation of the character information from the storage means, and the translation is read as the voice output means. A program for executing the fourth procedure for causing the voice to be output.   7. The program according to claim 6, wherein in the fourth procedure, the voice output of the character information by the voice output unit is performed when the predetermined input information is input during the voice output of the character information by the voice output unit. And the voice output of the character information by the voice output means is restored after the voice of the translation is output by the voice output means.   8. The program according to claim 6, wherein in the fourth procedure, the character information output by the sound output means is output retroactively according to the predetermined input information. Program.   9. The program according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined input information is input by a predetermined key operation.   10. The program according to claim 9, wherein in the fourth step, the character information output by the sound output means is retroactively sound-outputted according to the number of operation times or the operation time of the predetermined key operation. A featured program. Displaying character information on the display means;
Outputting the character information displayed on the display means by voice;
Interrupting the audio output when the predetermined input information is input;
Searching the storage means when the predetermined input information is input and obtaining a translation of the character information from the storage means;
Converting the translation obtained from the storage means into a machine voice;
Replaying the machine voiced translation;
Returning to the voice output before the interruption.   12. The translation reproduction method according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined input information is input by a key operation.

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