JPH09319761A - Information retrieval system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize information retrieval system of hyper text form in an information retrieving device having only a voice output means without a picture display means as an information output means. SOLUTION: The information retrieving device 1 outputs storing position information, an converting order control signal and an related unit information reading signal to an information analyzing and storing device 6 through a network 5. The device 6 reads unit information in an information storing device 7 corresponding to inputted storing position information through the network 5, and stores it in a unit information storing means 6. In addition, the device 6 reads unit information stored according to the converting order control signal, converts it to voice information by a voice synthesizing means 64 and outputs it to the device 1. At the time of inputting the related unit information reading signal, the device 6 reads related unit information from the pertinent device 7. The device 1 outputs voice information inputted from the device 6 by a voice output means 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information retrieval system, and more particularly to a technical field of a system for retrieving and presenting desired information accumulated by an information accumulating device connected through a network including telecommunications equipment. Belong to.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art WWW constructed on the Internet
In a distributed database system composed of an information storage device and an information retrieval device connected via a network composed of telecommunications equipment such as (World Wide Web), a potato-type information called hypertext format is used. A search method is used.

In this information retrieval method, if there is other unit information (related unit information) related to a part (partial information) of the unit information read from the information storage device, if the partial information is designated, it is related to it. The related unit information is read from the information storage device.

Here, the unit information is information read from the information storage device by one search, and is, for example, WW.
This corresponds to one HTML file of W. Unit information is
It is composed of single or multiple text part information or image part information. Each piece of partial information corresponds to, for example, a minimum unit surrounded by a set of HTML tags.

This hypertext format information retrieval method is an effective retrieval method when it is difficult to know what kind of information there is like WWW or when it is not clear what the information one wants.

However, since it is necessary to indicate to the operator which partial information of the unit information the related unit information exists, conventionally, the related unit among the unit information displayed on the image display means of the information retrieval apparatus is displayed. By changing the color of the partial information in which the information exists, enclosing the partial information in a frame, or underlining the partial information, the operator can be identified. Then, the operator has designated reading of the related unit information by instructing the displayed partial information with a pointing device such as a mouse. That is, it has been assumed that the unit information is displayed as an image on the image display means of the information search device.

For this reason, it is impossible to realize the information retrieval system of the hypertext format in the information retrieval apparatus which does not have the image display means as the information output means and has only the voice output means. Therefore, it was impossible for blind persons to use this information retrieval method, and it was also impossible to use this information retrieval method with their eyes closed and relaxed. In addition, it is difficult to store a large amount of information in an information retrieval device considering a mobile phone, and it is quite difficult to realize text analysis.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to realize a hypertext format information retrieval system in an information retrieval apparatus having no image display means as information output means but only voice output means. .

[0009]

For example, in an information retrieval apparatus having no image display means as information output means but only voice output means, the retrieved unit information must be converted into voice and output. Therefore, among the unit information, only the text part information is converted into the sound information by the sound synthesizing means and output to the sound outputting means, and the image part information which cannot be converted into the sound is ignored. However, as it is, the operator cannot identify the text partial information having the related unit information.

Therefore, when the text partial information is converted into the voice information by the voice synthesizing means, by changing the sound quality of the partial information having the related unit information and the other partial information, the operator can change the related unit information. Make it possible to identify the presence or absence of. For example, the partial information having related unit information has a female sound quality, and the partial information having no related unit information has a male sound quality.

With this, the presence of the text partial information having the related unit information can be shown to the operator, so that the operator can check the relation of the immediately preceding text partial information among the text partial information heard by the voice information. It is possible to give an instruction to read the unit information from the information storage device, for example, by pressing a push button or the like. In addition,
In addition to such a change in sound quality, for example, by changing the volume or adding a specific sound such as a beep sound, it is possible to let the operator identify the presence or absence of related unit information. Further, by vibrating a part or the whole of the information retrieval device, it is possible to let the operator identify the presence or absence of the related unit information.

The conversion into voice information by voice synthesis is usually performed from the beginning of the unit information, but the conversion order can be operated by the operation input means composed of push buttons as shown in FIG. By doing so, a more flexible and efficient search method can be realized.

For example, by the operation input means, "start conversion to voice information", "stop conversion", "start conversion from beginning position of partial information having immediately preceding related unit information", "preceding related unit information" By enabling operations such as "start conversion from the beginning of the sentence to which the text part information that it has" and "start conversion from the beginning position of the partial information that has the next related unit information", the operator can change the sound quality. Even if the partial information having the related unit information identified in step 6 is heard over a plurality of times, it is possible to instruct the conversion start of desired partial information again, and the related unit related to this partial information. It is also possible to read information.

However, in an information retrieval device having a low processing capability without an image display means intended to be carried, it is difficult to execute the process of receiving designated unit information, text analysis, and voice synthesis. is there. Therefore, in the present invention, text processing for voice synthesis and voice synthesis processing, or text processing before the voice synthesis processing is left to a device other than the portable device. This makes it possible to reduce the load on the portable information retrieval device.

As described above, the information retrieval in the hypertext format is realized even in the information retrieval apparatus having only the voice output section without the image display section and the information retrieval apparatus having a low processing capacity considering the portable. It becomes possible. However, in practice, it may be difficult to realize an efficient information search only by using the hypertext format information search method. Therefore, by directly inputting the storage position of the desired unit information in the database system, It is desirable to use it in combination with a direct search method that can read out desired unit information.

In this case, since it is not necessary to have an image display device, for example, an information storage position input means such as a bar code reading means is added to the information retrieval device. Then, prepare the paper in which the outline of the unit information and the storage position in the database system are recorded by a code such as a bar code (for blind people, for example, a paper in which the outline of the unit information is described in Braille) is prepared. By inputting the bar code corresponding to the above from the bar code reading means, the read bar code is converted into storage position information, and the information desired by the operator is read out from the database system. By using this kind of direct retrieval method together, more effective information retrieval becomes possible.

[0017]

1 shows a structural example (1) according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an information retrieval device, 10
Is an information retrieval processing unit, 11 is a reading unit, 12 is a conversion order control unit, 2 is an information storage position input unit, 3 is an operation input unit, and 4 is a voice output unit. Further, 5 is a network, 6 is an information analysis storage device, 61 is a search / readout device, 62 is a unit information storage device, 63 is a unit information processing device, 64 is a voice synthesis device, and 7 is an information storage device.

The information storage position input means 2 comprises, for example, a bar code reading means, and the operation input means 3
Is an operation panel composed of, for example, push buttons as shown in FIG. 3, and the audio output means 4 is a speaker device or the like.

This device operates as follows. First,
The storage position information of desired unit information is input from the information storage position input means 2. When the reading unit 11 reads the storage position information input to the information storage position input unit 2, the reading unit 11 passes the storage position information to the search / read unit 61 of the information analysis storage device 6 via the network 5 to search / read the unit. Reference numeral 61 reads the unit information from the storage position of the information storage device 7 indicated by the storage position information, and temporarily stores the read unit information in the unit information storage means 62. Next, the operator inputs the conversion order control signal from the operation input means 3.
The conversion sequence control signal includes a conversion start signal, a backtracking signal, which is generated by a push button provided in the operation input means 3.
For example, a conversion stop signal.

When the operator inputs a conversion start signal from the operation input means 3, the operation input means 3 outputs the conversion start signal to the conversion order control means 12. When the conversion start signal is input, the conversion order control means 12 reads out the reading means 1
The conversion start signal is output to 1, and the reading means 11 issues a conversion start command to the search / readout means 61 of the information analysis storage device 6 via the network 5.

The search / readout means 61 of the information analysis storage device 6 sequentially reads out the text partial information of the unit information stored in the unit information storage means 62, and the unit information processing means 6
Output to 3. At this time, when the related unit information is associated with the text part information, the related unit information present signal is also output to the unit information processing means 63 at the same time.

The unit information processing means 63 outputs the input text portion information to the voice synthesizing means 64, and at the same time, when the related unit information present signal is input, the sound quality A signal, and the related unit information present signal is output. If not input, the sound quality B signal is output to the voice synthesizing means 64. The voice synthesizing unit 64 converts the input text portion information into voice information having the sound quality indicated by the input sound quality A signal or sound quality B signal, and converts the voice information into the sound information of the information search processing unit 10 via the network 5. The data is sent to the reading means 11, and the reading means 11 outputs the audio information to the audio output means 4.

When the operator inputs a backward signal from the operation input means 3, the operation input means 3 outputs the backward signal to the conversion sequence control means 12. The conversion order control means 12 is
When the backtracking signal is input, the backtracking signal is output to the reading means 11 to command the searching / reading means 61 of the information analysis / storage device 6 to backtrack through the network 5, and from the unit information storage means 62 until now. Among the read text partial information, the read position is returned to the beginning of the text partial information to which the immediately preceding related unit information is associated,
Again, the reading from the unit information accumulating unit 62 and the output to the unit information processing unit 63 are restarted.

When the operator inputs the conversion stop signal from the operation input means 3, the operation input means 3 outputs the conversion stop signal to the conversion order control means 12. Conversion order control means 12
When the conversion stop signal is input, outputs the conversion stop signal to the reading means 11 until the conversion start signal is input again to the search / readout means 61 of the information analysis storage device 6 via the network 5. Give a command to stop the operation.

When the operator inputs the related unit information read signal from the operation input means 3, the operation input means 3 outputs the related unit read signal to the conversion order control means 12. When the related unit information read signal is input, the conversion order control means 12 outputs the related unit information read signal to the read means 11 and sends it to the search / read means 61 of the information analysis and storage device 6 via the network 5. The related unit information read command is issued, and the unit information storage means 62 has been used up to now.
It is assumed that the operator has designated the text part information associated with the immediately preceding related unit information among the text parts read from the. Search / readout means 61
Reads out the storage position information of the related unit information from the unit information stored in the unit information storage means 62.

When the retrieval / reading means 61 reads out the storage position information, it reads out the unit information from the storage position of the information storage device 7 indicated by the storage position information via the network 5, and stores the read unit information in the unit information. It is stored in the means 62.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example (2) according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The difference from the first embodiment is that the information retrieval device 1 is provided with a voice synthesizing means 13. That is, the information retrieval apparatus 1 is made to perform the voice synthesis processing.

This device operates as follows. First,
The storage position information of desired unit information is input from the information storage position input means 2. When the reading unit 11 reads the storage position information input to the information storage position input unit 2, the reading unit 11 passes the storage position information to the search / read unit 61 of the information analysis storage device 6 via the network 5 to search / read the unit. Reference numeral 61 reads the unit information from the storage position of the information storage device 7 indicated by the storage position information, and temporarily stores the read unit information in the unit information storage means 62. Next, the operator inputs the conversion order control signal from the operation input means 3.
The conversion order control signal is a conversion start signal, a backtracking signal, a conversion stop signal, or the like.

When the operator inputs the conversion start signal from the operation input means 3, the operation input means 3 outputs the conversion start signal to the conversion order control means 12. Conversion order control means 12
When the conversion start signal is input, the conversion start signal is output to the read means 11, and the read means 11 instructs the search / read means 61 of the information analysis storage device 6 to start the conversion via the network 5. To do.

The search / read-out means 61 of the information analysis storage device 6 sequentially reads out the text partial information of the unit information stored in the unit information storage means 62, and the unit information processing means 6
Output to 3. At this time, when the related unit information is associated with the text part information, the related unit information present signal is also output to the unit information processing means 63 at the same time. The unit information processing means 63 sends a signal indicating the presence or absence of the input text portion information and related unit information to the reading means 11 via the network 5.

Reading means 11 of the information retrieval processing unit 10
Outputs the received text portion information to the voice synthesizing means 13. At the same time, if a signal with related unit information is input from the information analysis / storage device 6 via the network 5, a sound quality A signal is output, and if a signal with related unit information is not input, a sound quality B signal is input. Output to. The voice synthesizing means 13 converts the input text portion information into voice information having the sound quality indicated by the input sound quality A signal or sound quality B signal, and outputs the converted sound information to the sound output means 4.

When the operator inputs the backward signal from the operation input means 3, the operation input means 3 outputs the backward signal to the conversion sequence control means 12. The conversion order control means 12 is
When the backtracking signal is input, the backtracking signal is output to the reading means 11 to command the searching / reading means 61 of the information analysis / storage device 6 to backtrack through the network 5, and from the unit information storage means 62 until now. Among the read text partial information, the read position is returned to the beginning of the text partial information to which the immediately preceding related unit information is associated,
Again, the reading from the unit information accumulating unit 62 and the output to the unit information processing unit 63 are restarted.

When the operator inputs the conversion stop signal from the operation input means 3, the operation input means 3 outputs the conversion stop signal to the conversion order control means 12. Conversion order control means 12
When the conversion stop signal is input, outputs the conversion stop signal to the reading means 11 and continues until the conversion start signal is input again to the search / readout means 61 of the information analysis storage device 6 via the network 5. Give a command to stop the operation.

When the operator inputs the related unit information read signal from the operation input means 3, the operation input means 3 outputs the related unit information read signal to the conversion order control means 12. When the related unit information read signal is input, the conversion order control means 12 outputs the related unit information read signal to the read means 11 and sends it to the search / read means 61 of the information analysis and storage device 6 via the network 5. Issue a related unit information read command.

It is assumed that the search / read-out means 61 specifies, by the operator, the text partial information associated with the immediately preceding related unit information among the text partial information read from the unit information accumulating means 62 so far. The storage position information of the related unit information is read from the unit information stored in the unit information storage means 62, and the search / readout means 61 is read.
Output to When the search / readout unit 61 reads the storage position information, the search / readout unit 61 reads the unit information from the storage position of the information storage device 7 indicated by the storage position information via the network 5, and stores the unit information in the unit information storage unit 62.

With such a configuration, the operator can listen to the text portion information converted into voice and
The presence or absence of related unit information can be identified by the change in sound quality.
Moreover, the related unit information can be retrieved and converted into voice again. Therefore, it is possible to realize an efficient hypertext format information search without an image display means. In addition, the processing load on the information search processing unit 10 of the information search device 1 can be reduced.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the operation input means 3 of the information retrieval device 1. To simplify the explanation, a conversion start signal, a backtracking signal, and a conversion stop signal are input as the conversion sequence control signal from the operation input means 3 shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, and a related unit information read signal is also input. However, it is possible to further increase the types of conversion order control signals as described below.

Push button 3 of operation input means 3 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 1 is a button for instructing to start conversion from the beginning of the sentence to which the text part information having the immediately preceding related unit information belongs. The push button 32 is a button for instructing to start conversion from the head position of the partial information having the immediately preceding related unit information. The push button 33 is a button for instructing to read the immediately preceding related unit information. The push button 34 is a button for instructing to stop conversion to audio information. Push button 3
Reference numeral 5 is a button for instructing to start conversion to audio information.
The push button 36 is a button for instructing to start conversion from the head position of the partial information having the following related unit information.

When the push button 35 is pressed, a conversion start signal to voice information is generated. By pressing the push button 36, a conversion start signal is generated from the head position of the partial information having the following related unit information. Also, push button 3
By pressing 4, a conversion stop signal is generated.

On the other hand, when the push button 31 is pressed, a backtracking signal for instructing the start of conversion from the beginning of the sentence to which the text part information having the immediately preceding related unit information belongs is generated. When the push button 32 is pressed, a backtracking signal for instructing to start conversion from the head position of the partial information having the immediately preceding related unit information is generated. By pressing the push button 33, a related unit information read signal instructing to read the immediately preceding related unit information is generated.

The processing of the conversion order control means 12 and the search / readout means 61 based on these conversion start signals or backtracking signals can be easily inferred from the description of the above-mentioned embodiment, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The operation input unit 3 does not necessarily have to include all of these push buttons, and may include buttons for other commands in addition to these push buttons. Further, the input means is not limited to the push button, and input by voice of the operator may be considered.

[0042]

According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a hypertext format information retrieval system by voice output, even in an information retrieval apparatus having only voice output means without image display means as information output means.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration example (1) according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG.

FIG. 2 is a configuration example (2) according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of operation input means according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Information Retrieval Device 10 Information Retrieval Processing Unit 11 Readout Means 12 Conversion Order Control Means 13 Voice Synthesis Means 2 Information Storage Position Input Means 3 Operation Input Means 4 Voice Output Means 5 Network 6 Information Analysis Storage Means 61 Search / Read Means 62 Unit Information Storage means 63 Unit information processing means 64 Voice synthesis means 7 Information storage device

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Noboru Sonehara 3-19-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An information retrieval device connected to a network in a system for retrieving and presenting information stored by an information storage device that provides information via a network,
An information analysis storage device, wherein the information retrieval device includes an information storage position input means for inputting storage position information to be searched,
A reading unit that outputs the storage position information to the information analysis storage device via a network to read voice information corresponding to the unit information of the corresponding information storage device, a voice output unit that outputs the read voice information, and a conversion order. When an operation input means for inputting a control signal or a related unit information read signal and a conversion sequence control signal or a related unit information read signal are inputted from the operation input means, the inputted signal is read by the reading means via a network. And a conversion order control means for outputting to the information analysis storage device to perform a search and read operation. The information analysis storage device, when the storage position information is input from the information search device, stores the input storage position. The unit information of the information storage device corresponding to the information is read out via the network, When a conversion order control signal or a related unit information read signal is input, conversion order control of unit information to be converted into audio information or search and read control of related unit information related to a portion of unit information being output or already output Search / readout means for performing the above, unit information storage means for storing the unit information read out from the information storage device by the search / readout means, and storage in the unit information storage means according to an instruction from the search / readout means. A unit information processing means for reading out the unit information and outputting a signal indicating the presence or absence of the text part information of the read unit information and the related unit information related thereto, and the presence or absence of the text part information and the related unit information from the unit information processing means. Is input, the text part information is converted into a sound quality corresponding to the signal indicating the presence or absence of the related unit information. Preferably, it has a voice synthesizing means for converting the voice information of the volume or the addition of the specific sound into voice information in a state in which the presence or absence of the related unit information can be identified, and outputting the voice information to the information retrieval device via the network. And information retrieval system. 2. An information retrieval device connected to a network in a system for retrieving and presenting information stored by an information storage device which provides information via a network,
An information analysis storage device, wherein the information retrieval device includes an information storage position input means for inputting storage position information to be searched,
Output of storage position information to the information analysis storage device via a network, and presence or absence of text part information of unit information read by the information analysis storage device from the corresponding information storage device and related unit information corresponding to the text part information. And a read means for reading the signal indicating from the information analysis and storage device, and the read text part information, by adding the sound information or the sound information of the sound quality or the volume corresponding to the signal indicating the presence or absence of the related unit information, or the specific unit information. A voice synthesizing means for converting voice information into a state in which presence or absence can be identified, a voice output means for outputting voice information, an operation input means for inputting a conversion order control signal or a related unit information read signal, and the operation input means. When the conversion order control signal or the related unit information read signal is input from the input device, the input signal is input to the read means. And a conversion order control means for outputting to the information analysis and storage device via the network to perform search and read operations, and the information analysis and storage device, when the storage position information is input from the information search device, The unit information of the information storage device corresponding to the input storage position information is read out via the network, and when the conversion order control signal or the related unit information read signal is input from the information retrieval device, the unit information of the output unit information is output. Retrieval / reading means for performing conversion order control or retrieval and reading control of related unit information related to a portion of the unit information being output or already output, and accumulating unit information read out from the information accumulating device by the retrieval / reading means. Unit information accumulating means, and accumulating in the unit information accumulating means in accordance with an instruction from the searching / reading means. Unit information processing means for reading out the read unit information, and outputting a signal indicating the presence or absence of the related text unit information of the read unit information and the related unit information to the information retrieval device via a network. Characteristic information retrieval system.