JPH05313684A - Voice reading device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the voice reading device which greatly facilitates the restart of a read of document data at an interruption point and is extremely easily used by providing a function for putting a bookmark in a book. CONSTITUTION:This voice reading device is equipped with a recording medium 101 which stores the document data, a reading means 102 which selectively reads the document data out of the recording medium 101, a voice synthesizing means 103 which converts the read document data into a voice, and an address specifying means 104 which specifies an optional address of the document data stored on the recording medium 101. Then, the reading means 102 starts reading the document data out according to the address specified by the address specifying means 104.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a voice reading device for reading a sentence from a document and outputting the sentence by voice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a reading machine, there is known a reading machine having an integrated function from the reading of characters to the outputting of voice and a device having a function of displaying text data.

[0003]

With respect to such a reading machine, there is a demand for a reading machine capable of reading by voice anytime and anywhere with the improvement of the sound quality of the voice synthesis sound due to the standardization of the equipment. However, there is a problem in that it cannot be said that the function is sufficient for use by simply outputting the sound. The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and it is possible to suspend or resume reading by adding a function for registering / reading out a desired address of text data, that is, a "bookmark" function. A voice reading device capable of

[0004]

The present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a recording medium 101 storing text data and a reading means 1 for selectively reading the text data from the recording medium.
02, voice synthesizing means 103 for converting the read text data into voice, and address designating means 104 for designating an arbitrary address of the text data stored in the recording medium 101.
And the reading means 102 comprises the addressing means 10
The present invention provides a voice reading device characterized in that reading of text data is started based on an address designated by No. 4.

[0005]

The reading means 102 starts reading the text data based on the arbitrary address designated by the address designating means 104. Therefore, even if the reading operation of the text data is interrupted, it is possible to restart the subsequent reading operation by designating the address of the interrupted portion.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. This does not limit the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. OCR device (Optical Charaeter Reade)
r) The book is read and characters are recognized by 1, and the obtained text data (character code) is stored in an IC card or other storage medium 2
To memorize. Then, the storage medium 2 is inserted into the voice reader main body 3. When the play key 3a of the main body 3 is pressed,
Characters are displayed on the display unit (LCD) 3b and read aloud by voice. The main body 3 further includes a stop key 3c and a bookmark registration key 3 for bookmark registration / search.
A d-bookmark search key 3e, a cursor key 3f, a power switch 3g, and a sound weight adjustment knob 3h are provided. Further, this apparatus is miniaturized so that it can be carried, and sound output is performed by the earphone 4.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the embodiment of FIG. 2, 5 is a dictionary ROM equipped with a language processing dictionary for performing language processing of document data, and 6 is a DSP (Digital Signa).
l Processor), 7 D / A converter, 8 CPU, 9 C
A ROM storing a control program of the PU 8, 10 is an interface unit for reading the document data from the storage medium 2 into the CPU 9, 11 is a power-on detecting means, 12 is a power-off detecting means, and 13 is a key 3a, 3c, 3d, 3e. , 3
Various keys including f, 14 is a driver for driving the display unit (LCD) 3b, and 15 is a RAM for temporarily storing various setting conditions.

In the main body 3 of the voice reading device, a dictionary R is used for document data (character code) read from the storage medium 2.
Language processing such as Kanji-Kana conversion is performed using the language processing dictionary installed in the OM 5, and then voice synthesis processing is performed using the DSP 6 to obtain voice digital data. This is digital-to-analog converted by the D / A converter 7, and an analog audio signal is obtained and output from the earphone 4.

Normally, in the reading mode of the voice reading apparatus, the document content is output by voice and the text content is displayed on the screen of the display unit 3b. On the screen, the position where the voice is currently output is indicated by the position of the cursor, and the cursor moves along with the voice output. The screen display of characters for the user not only helps the user to understand the flow of sentences and the like, and is useful not only for voice reading but also for bookmark registration.

FIG. 4 shows a processing flowchart when the bookmark registration key 3d is pressed. Registration key 3 during voice playback
When d is pressed (step S1), the address of the text data currently being read is registered in the area reserved in advance in the storage unit 2a of the storage medium 2 (step S2). At this time, if this area is full of registration data (step S3), the oldest registration data is erased (step S3).
4) Raise the ranking number of registered data (step A
5) The address being read is registered at the end of the registration data (step S6). Further, when the reading of the voice is stopped by the stop key 3c, the cursor position is on the display screen at the stopped position, and the cursor can be moved by the operation of the cursor key to perform bookmark registration by the registration key. Here, the registered data are arranged in the order of registration (oldest first).

Next, when the bookmark search key 3e is pressed, the last page registered as a bookmark is displayed on the display section 3d. Each time the bookmark search key 3e is operated, the storage unit 2a
Bookmark bookmarks are read in chronological order from the oldest,
Each page is displayed sequentially. In the display unit 3b,
It is desirable that the location of bookmark registration is displayed in a state where it is distinguished from other characters such as reverse display of characters. Further, when the text is displayed on the screen from the beginning position of the text immediately before the document having the bookmark registered portion, and the reading is performed by the reproduction key 3a, the reading is performed from the beginning of the screen. Thus, when the voice reading is restarted, the user can be reminded of the connection with the previously read sentence.

FIG. 5 shows a processing flowchart when the power-off is detected as the bookmark function. When the power off is detected by the detection means 12 (step S11),
The address of the text data currently being read is registered in the previously secured area (bookmark registration area for power off) of the storage unit 2a of the storage medium 2 (step S).
12, 13).

FIG. 6 shows a processing flowchart when the power-on is detected. When the detection means 11 detects that the power is turned on (step S21), the address of the text data registered when the power is turned off is acquired from the bookmark registration area for turning off the power (step S22) and displayed on the display unit 3b. In the case of displaying, similarly to the case of the search, the text is displayed from the beginning one sentence before, and reading is started from this position by the reproduction key 3a (steps S23 to S26).

[0015]

According to the present invention, by providing a book with a function of adding a bookmark, the operation of resuming reading of text data from interruption to resumption can be extremely facilitated, and a voice reading apparatus with good usability is provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an example.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a main part of the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a main part of the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a main part of the operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 OCR device 2 Storage medium 3 Reading device main body 3b Display section 3g Power switch 4 Earphone 5 Dictionary ROM 6 DSP 7 D / A converter 8 CPU 9 ROM 10 Interface section 11 Power-on detection means 12 Power-off detection means 13 Various keys 14 Driver 15 RAM

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A recording medium storing document data, a reading means for selectively reading text data from the recording medium, a voice synthesizing means for converting the read text data into voice, and a text data stored in the recording medium. And an address designating unit for designating an arbitrary address, wherein the reading unit starts reading the text data based on the address designated by the address designating unit.