JPH0310356B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a voice synthesis toy with a built-in electronically synthesized voice generator, and particularly to a switch operation of a switch in which pre-programmed voice code information is activated by physical pressure. The present invention relates to a voice synthesis toy that is read from a memory circuit by a computer and obtained as voice.

Since this type of voice synthesis toy has already been proposed by the applicant of the present application, this configuration will be briefly explained below. FIG. 1 shows the electronic circuit of an example of a voice synthesis toy, FIG. 2 shows the appearance of the toy, and FIG. 3 shows the card used therein.

First, in the electronic circuit shown in Fig. 1, 1 is a read-only storage circuit, and the recording circuit 1 stores speech synthesis information for performing speech synthesis in advance. Speech synthesis information that generates words is stored. 2 is a control circuit, and 3 is a speech synthesis circuit. These memory circuit 1, control circuit 2, and speech synthesis circuit 3 are each connected by an electric circuit, and the control circuit 2 selectively extracts desired speech synthesis information from the memory circuit 1. It is configured to read out the data and provide it to the speech synthesis circuit 3. S ₁
is a changeover switch for specifying a preset voice synthesis mode for the control circuit 2;
The switch _S1 is assumed to provide a switching signal to the control circuit 2 as 4-bit information coded in advance using four on/off switches. S ₂ is a start switch, and S ₃ is a repeat switch. Further, _S4 is a switch mechanically linked to the receptor 4, and is arranged corresponding to the card 5 having a mechanically deformable portion of selection information encoded in advance. The switch S ₄ is composed of, for example, nine on/off switches, and supplies it to the control circuit 2 as 9-bit information, extracts speech information of a plurality of required words from the memory circuit 1, and supplies it to the speech synthesis circuit 3. It is configured like this. 6 is an impedance conversion circuit for the speaker 9 connected to the homophone synthesis circuit 3, 7 is a DC-DC converter using a battery 8 as a power source, and _S5 is a power switch.

In the above-described circuit, the card 5 has a mechanically deformed portion formed on one side edge, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, to obtain a 9-bit signal. In other words, if the illustrated state is the front side of the card, there is a diagonal notch 5 at the left end.
1, and corresponds to the first switch 41 from the left of the switch S ₄ , and corresponds to the positions of the switches 42, 43, . . . , 49 arranged on the right side below,
Recesses are formed at necessary locations. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the receptor 4 which is activated by the card 5, in which the switch _S4 is disposed on the substrate 40, and an elastic tongue piece 50 is protruded above the switch S4.
It is formed with a holding frame 52 that holds the card 5 in a vertically slidable manner.By pushing down and holding the card 5, the tongue piece 50 is pressed by the edge of the card in the portion without the recessed portion, and the tongue piece 50 is pressed directly below it. switch 4
1, 42...49 are selectively closed. The role of the switch _S4 is, for example, to assign the first switch 41 and the ninth switch 49 to bits for obtaining signals for detecting the front and back sides of the card 5, and to assign the second switch 42 to ensure that the card 5 is set. The remaining third to eighth switches 43...48 can be assigned to bits for detecting a 6-bit code signal. The switch _S1 is composed of four switches 11, 12, 13, and 14 as shown in FIG. By configuring the switches 11, 12, 13, and 14 to be selectively activated depending on the correspondence with the virtual transformation section, a desired voice synthesis mode can be selected using a 4-bit code.

The operation of the above embodiment will be explained below. First, the power switch _S5 is turned on, the changeover switch _S1 is selectively turned on and off by the card 10, and the card 1
A signal specifying the voice synthesis mode using 0 is given to the control circuit 2. For example, the following three types of voice synthesis modes are set, and the contents are a mode in which the picture printed on the front side of the card 5 is read aloud, a mode in which the content of the picture programmed in advance is read out at random, and a mode in which the back side of the card 5 is used to read out the words programmed for each card, the word contents of multiple cards 5 are memorized and edited as necessary, and the desired words are uttered. . If the first mode is selected, a voice such as "Choose any card" is uttered from the speaker 9 via the memory circuit 1 and the voice synthesis circuit 3 based on the operation of the control circuit 2. . Next, when an arbitrary card 5 is taken out from a large number of cards 5 prepared in advance and set in the receptor 4, the switch _S4 is activated by the mechanically deformed portion formed on the edge of the card. The above 9-bit information is given to the control circuit 2, the contents of the code set therein are determined, and the speech synthesis information of the desired word is read out from the memory circuit 1 based on the operation of the control circuit 2. A word is edited from the series of words edited through the speech synthesis circuit 3, that is, the content of the picture printed on the surface of the card 5 is uttered from the speaker 9 as a word. In this case, card 5
If the card is erroneously set face down, it will be detected by the switches 41 and 49, and if necessary, a voice such as "The card is face down" can be emitted. As mentioned above, in this mode, many cards 5
By simply sequentially setting the cards 5 on the receptor 4, the contents of the pictures printed on the front surface of the card 5 can be sequentially uttered as words.

In addition, various other operations are possible.

The purpose of the present invention is to achieve
To provide a voice synthesis toy that generates different voices.

The speech synthesis toy of the present invention includes a memory circuit that stores information for speech synthesis, a speech synthesis circuit that performs speech synthesis based on the information for speech synthesis in the memory circuit, and a speech synthesis circuit that selectively uses the information for speech synthesis in the memory circuit. The main body includes a control circuit for extracting the information from the voice and providing it to the voice synthesis circuit, and an audio device connected to the voice synthesis circuit to generate voice, while extracting a plurality of pieces of voice synthesis information from the memory circuit. A plate-shaped body that is equipped with a switch mechanism that turns on and off in response to an electrical signal generated in response to the position or strength of physical pressure applied to a single area within the area. The plate-like body is configured to be electrically connectable to the main body, and a plurality of pieces of speech synthesis information are read from the memory circuit by the ON/OFF operation of the switch mechanism of the plate-like body. It is characterized by being made to be taken out.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a principle diagram of an embodiment of the switch mechanism of the voice synthesis toy of the present invention. That is, the mechanical pressure P is converted into a generated voltage obtained from a piezoelectric element 60 having a piezoresistance effect, such as a semiconductor film stress conversion element (=SFT stress element), by a voltage divider 62.
Connect so that it applies. Here, the voltage is applied, for example, to both terminals of a resistor with taps, and each tap has a voltage divided according to a predetermined resistance ratio.
V ₁ , V ₂ and V ₃ are generated respectively. _V1 to _V3 are applied to each control terminal of analog switches 64A, 64B and 64C having threshold voltages corresponding to these voltages,
These switches 64A to 64C are controlled ON/OFF. Therefore, these switches 64A~
The controlled terminal of 64C is connected to the control circuit 2 of FIG. As a result, coded information is given to the control circuit 2 in response to the analog switch being turned ON, and thereby audio data corresponding to this coded information is read out from the storage circuit 1. This data is subjected to predetermined processing in the voice synthesis circuit 3, and it becomes possible to generate voice from the speaker 9.

The piezoelectric element 60 and analog switch 64 described above, and the voltage divider 6 as necessary.
2 constitutes a switch mechanism. This switch mechanism is connected to cards 5 and 10 in Figure 2.
It is adopted as a card or plays the role of card 10. The point to note here is that in order to discriminate the difference in detected voltage depending on the strength of the mechanical pressure P for operating this switch mechanism, the first
As shown in the figure, multiple analog switches 64A~
64C (voltage divider 62 is also required), but if you simply want to distinguish whether a voltage is generated (whether pressure is applied or not), it is necessary to provide a voltage divider 64C. Direct ON/OFF control of only one analog switch is possible.

Next, FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which one analog switch is connected to one piezoelectric element. The output voltage of the piezoelectric element 60 is applied between both terminals of the variable resistor VR. A low output voltage with a desired voltage division ratio is taken out by this slider, and this voltage is half-wave rectified by a diode 66 to obtain a positive voltage. This voltage is applied as a gate voltage to the gate electrode G of the field effect transistor FET for analog switch. This causes the transistor FET to become conductive (ON). Since this transistor FET is connected to the control circuit 2, predetermined data is read out from the storage circuit 1 as described above, and sound is generated from the speaker 9. A Zener diode 68 connected between the cathode of the rectifying diode 66 and the gate electrode of the transistor FFT prevents the applied pressure P from being too strong and causing the gate voltage to become abnormally high and destroying the transistor FFT. This is to prevent this.

Further, the switch may have a plurality of patch-type piezoelectric elements on a plate-like card (not shown) such as the card 10 shown in FIG. 2. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of pads 72A and 72B are hermetically fixed on the surface of a plate-like card 70, and highly sensitive piezoelectric elements 74A and 72B are installed inside the pads 72A and 72B.
4B is provided so that it does not come into contact with the parts. If you press these parts 72A and 72B lightly with your fingers,
These air pressures cause the piezoelectric elements 74A, 74B to
becomes piezoelectric conversion operation. In this case, since the pads 72A and 72B are in close contact with the card 70, when pressed, the air inside the pads does not leak anywhere and acts to increase the internal pressure. This allows switching to occur. That is, by assigning a musical scale to each of the plurality of parts 72A, 72B, etc., the board-shaped card 70 can be made into an arbitrary musical instrument, and furthermore, by giving a musical scale to each of the parts 72A, 72B...
By changing the pressure with which B... is pressed, the intensity or volume of the sound produced can be changed.

This type of switch has the advantage of being extremely low cost. In addition, various other application examples may be devised.

For example, the above-mentioned switch mechanism is provided in each concentric circle of the target of the toy and is connected to an electronic circuit as shown in FIG. With this configuration, for example, when a ball or the like hits the "1st prize" in the center circle and the above-mentioned switch mechanism built into it is turned on, the speaker 9 will say "Good job, you're 1st prize". Make a sound emit, and when the ball hits another part, say "2nd prize" corresponding to that part.
It can be configured so that a voice such as "Sorry" is generated.

Furthermore, depending on the strength of the ball, etc., when the ball hits the ball hard, it will say, ``Strong fastball, 140 km/h,'' and when the ball, etc. hits the other part weakly, it will say, ``The ball, 100 km/h,'' etc. It can also be configured to generate audio.

It is also possible to configure a keyboard such as a piano to have a switch mechanism and perform predetermined electronic processing so that the melody can be uttered.

Furthermore, it is possible to make it sensitive not only to mechanical pressure and pneumatic pressure but also to fluid pressure (hydraulic).

As explained in detail above, according to the present invention,
Analog switch responds to mechanical pressure
Since it can be controlled ON/OFF, it has the effect of easily creating a voice synthesis toy with a wide range of applications.

Furthermore, since the strength of mechanical pressure can be identified, there is also the advantage that various sophisticated and complex voice synthesis toys can be obtained using this.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of the electronic circuit of the voice synthesis toy, Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the toy in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a front view of the main parts of the card used in this toy, and Figure 4 is the same. A front view of the main parts of the receptor, Fig. 5 is a principle diagram of an embodiment of the switch mechanism used in the toy of the present invention, and Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram of a specific embodiment of the switch mechanism based on the principle of Fig. 5. , FIG. 7 is a wiring diagram of another embodiment. Code 60, 74A, 74B...Piezoelectric element, 62
...Voltage divider, 64A to 64C... Analog switch, 66... Diode, 68... Zener diode, 70... Card, 72A, 72B...
...Patsuto.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A memory circuit that stores information for speech synthesis, a speech synthesis circuit that performs speech synthesis based on the information for speech synthesis in this memory circuit, and a speech synthesis circuit that selectively retrieves the information for speech synthesis in the memory circuit and sends it to the speech synthesis circuit. The main body includes a control circuit for generating a voice and an acoustic device connected to the voice synthesis circuit to generate voice, while a single plate-like unit is configured to take out a plurality of pieces of voice synthesis information from the memory circuit. In response to an electrical signal generated in response to the position or strength of physical pressure applied to a single area within that area
a plate-like body equipped with a switch mechanism for turning on and off; the plate-like body is configured to be electrically connectable to the main body; A voice synthesis toy characterized in that a plurality of pieces of voice synthesis information are retrieved from the memory circuit.