KR100686053B1 - Apparatus and method for output text information of television - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a TV text information output apparatus and method for providing various modes and options in a function of outputting memory card stored information and allowing a user to select them to satisfy user needs. The present invention provides a video / audio processing unit for processing the input video signal and the audio signal to be output through the display unit and the speaker, respectively; An external memory interface for controlling input / output of data information from an inserted memory card; A memory unit for storing a voice database and at least one of a picture file and a music file; And driving a built-in text to speech (TTS) program and converting the text information output from the memory card into a voice in accordance with a preset mode and option using the voice database and converting the picture file and the music file selected by the user. It provides a TV text information output device comprising a control unit for controlling to be output through the video / audio processing unit with at least one of the. Therefore, the function and convenience of the text viewer can be improved, and it can also be used for language learning, so the effect of product expansion can be expected.

Text / mode / options / TTS

Description

TV's text information output device and method {Apparatus and method for output text information of television}

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a TV text information output apparatus according to the present invention

2 is a flow chart showing a text information output method of the TV according to the present invention.

3 and 4 are diagrams illustrating a text viewer setting menu screen according to FIG. 2.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawings *

11: tuner 12: decoder

13: Image / Audio Processing Unit 14: Display Unit

15: Speaker 16: External memory interface

17: PVR 18: memory

19: control unit

The present invention relates to a TV, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for outputting text information of a TV.

In general, a TV is a device that receives a broadcast signal in a wired or wireless manner and outputs a video and audio according thereto.

Recently, TVs with a function of outputting video / audio information of a memory card used as a portable storage medium in digital cameras and mobile phones have been released.

This is to expand the range and enhance the function of TV, which is a video / audio output device that is most commonly encountered by users.

However, the above-described TV capable of supporting external memory has only a function of simply outputting information stored in a memory card as it is.

That is, when the user selects the TV's external memory card output function and selects information selected by the user, for example, text information (* .txt), from the video / audio information stored in the memory card, the corresponding character is displayed on the screen.

Of course, when the user selects the voice information (* .mp3), the corresponding music file is played and output through the speaker.

However, the above-described conventional TV capable of supporting external memory only has a problem of insufficiently satisfying various needs of the user since only TV / audio information stored in the memory card can be output.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide various modes and options in a function of outputting memory card storage information, and to allow a user to select a TV to satisfy user needs. It is to provide a text information output device and method.

In order to achieve the above object, the text information output apparatus of the TV according to the present invention comprises a video / audio processing unit for processing to output the input video signal and audio signal through the display and the speaker, respectively; An external memory interface for controlling input / output of data information from an inserted memory card; A memory unit for storing a voice database and at least one of a picture file and a music file; And driving a built-in text to speech (TTS) program and converting the text information output from the memory card into a voice in accordance with a preset mode and option using the voice database and converting the picture file and the music file selected by the user. And a control unit configured to control the output through the video / audio processing unit together with at least one of the at least one.
The memory unit is characterized in that the hard disk.
The voice database of the memory unit may include voice data classified by gender and language.
In order to achieve the above object, the text information output method of the TV according to the present invention is a text information output method of the TV that is compatible with the text information of the built-in or external storage medium, the text information of the built-in or external storage medium is compatible. A method of outputting text information of a TV, the method comprising: detecting a signal for selecting a text file from a user according to execution of a text mode; Displaying a mode and option selection window related to outputting the selected text file; And converting the text file into a voice to output the voice file in accordance with the selected mode and option through the mode and option selection window.
The mode in the mode and option selection window is characterized in that it comprises a mode and a plot mode divided by the speed for outputting the text to speech.
Modes categorized by speed are characterized in that they include reading, reading and speed reading.
Options in the mode and options window is characterized in that it includes a gender, language, wallpaper and background music.
The method may further include displaying a background file selection window when at least one of the background screen and the background music is selected in the mode and option selection window.
In the step of converting the text file to the voice to match the selected mode and option through the mode and option selection window and outputting more than one wallpaper selected as an option, the two or more wallpaper is displayed alternately .
In the step of converting the text file to the voice to match the mode and option selected through the mode and option selection window and outputting more than one background music selected as an option, characterized in that to output the two or more background music in sequence .

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Therefore, the function and convenience of the text viewer can be improved, and it can also be used for language learning, and the effect of extending the range of use can be expected.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention that can specifically realize the above object will be described.

1 to 4, an embodiment of a TV text information output apparatus and method according to the present invention will be described.

First, an embodiment of a TV text information output apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

TV text information output apparatus according to the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, the tuner 11, decoder 12, video / audio processing unit 13, display unit 14, speaker 15, external memory It includes an interface unit 16, a personal video recorder (PVR) 17, a memory unit 18, and a control unit 19.

The tuner 11 is configured to receive a broadcast signal and to separate it into a video and an audio.

The decoder 12 is configured to decode the video and audio output from the tuner 11.

The video / audio processor 13 is configured to process the video and audio decoded by the decoder 12 through the display unit 14 and the speaker 15, respectively.

The external memory interface unit 16 is configured to control information input / output of the inserted memory card. In this case, the external memory interface unit 16 includes a configuration for converting input / output information to fit the communication standard, for example, SATA / PCI BUS, defined with the controller 19. The memory card may store text information, still image or moving picture image files, and music files.

The PVR 17 generally includes a hard disk which is a mass storage medium for recording a broadcast program. In the present invention, the PVR 17 stores a voice database for performing the text to speech (TTS) of the controller 19. At this time, the PVR 17 includes a configuration for converting the input / output information to meet the communication standard, for example, SATA / PCI BUS defined with the controller 19. In addition, the PVR 17 may store text information, still image or moving image picture files, and music files.

The controller 19 controls the respective configurations according to a preset mode and option at the user's request to display text information of the memory card inserted into the external memory interface unit 16 and to convert the text information into voice and to display a background image. And configured to be output together with at least one of the background music.

At this time, the controller 19 has a built-in operation program and software for performing TTS.

The memory unit 18 includes a temporary memory for data processing of the controller 19 and a fixed memory for immutable information storage.

The image and audio used as the background may use at least one of a memory card inserted into the external memory interface unit 16, a PVR 17, and a memory unit 18.

Next, an embodiment of a text information output method of a TV according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. At this time, the text information output method of the TV according to the present invention can be implemented by the apparatus of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the configuration of FIG.

The controller 19 determines whether the user has executed a function of displaying a text file (hereinafter, referred to as a text viewer for convenience of description) (S21).

Subsequently, when the user executes the text viewer, the control unit 19 displays a text file list of the memory card inserted in the external memory interface unit 16 on the screen and selects a desired file from among them. To help.

At this time, the text file list of the memory card as well as the text file list stored in the PVR 17 may be displayed when the user runs the text viewer. This may vary depending on the design of the program related to running the text viewer, or may be selected by the user through a separate menu.

The controller 19 determines whether the user selects a predetermined file from the list of files displayed on the screen (S22), and when selecting a file, displays the mode and option selection window shown in FIG. 3 (S23).

The mode and option selection window is divided into a mode item and an option item as shown in FIG. 3.

In this case, the mode item selects a type of reading the text on the screen and reading it out by voice, and includes 'read', 'read', 'read' and 'plot'. The mode items are 'speed reading, reading carefully, reading aloud' in order of speed. The 'plot' is a mode that allows the viewer to easily understand the plot of the entire text by reading only words corresponding to a predetermined interval among the entire text.

Optional items include 'gender', 'language', 'wallpaper' and 'background music'. The 'gender' may include male, female, and child in detail. The 'language' may include all kinds of languages that can be supported in the voice database stored in the PVR 17, such as Korean, English, and Japanese. The 'background screen' and 'background music' are items that can select whether to output the picture and music selected by the user at the same time when the text is displayed on the screen and output as a voice.

Accordingly, the user can select a desired mode and option item in the mode and option selection window.

Subsequently, the controller 19 determines whether the background music or the background screen is selected from the option items (S24), and if so, displays the background file selection window as shown in FIG. 4 (S25).

As shown in FIG. 4, the background file selection window is divided into a picture file selection window related to a background screen and a music file selection window related to background music.

In this case, the picture file of the picture file selection window and the music file of the music file selection window may display a list of picture files and music files included in at least one of the memory card, the PVR 17, or the memory unit 18 as described above. will be. The picture file and the music file list may be displayed by the controller 19 sequentially searching for one or all of the memory card, the PVR 17, or the memory 18.

The controller 19 determines whether the user has selected at least one of a picture file and a music file in the background file selection window of FIG. 4 (S26).

Subsequently, if the user selects at least one of a picture file and a music file in the background file selection window of FIG. 4, the controller 19 switches the selected text file to voice according to the selected mode and option. And outputs it (S27).

At this time, the voice conversion of the text file is performed using the TTS program in which the control unit 19 is embedded and the voice database of the PVR 17.

For example, suppose the mode is 'Read' and the options are 'Men (Gender)', English (Language), 'Wallpaper', and 'Background Music'. The process of doing this is as follows.

First, the controller 19 reads a text file selected by a user from among text files stored in the memory card.

The controller 19 generates voice data of a male voice in English corresponding to the read text file using a TTS program using a voice database of the PVR 17.

Subsequently, the controller 19 outputs the generated voice data, displays the picture file selected as the background screen on the screen, and also plays the music file selected as the background music. If a plurality of the selected picture files are displayed alternately in the slide show format. Of course, even when there are a plurality of selected music files, the music files are played in a predetermined order.

Therefore, the user can listen to the text file in a format such as poetry reading along with the desired background and background music.

Subsequently, the controller 19 determines whether a menu key is input in the process of outputting the text as voice (S28).

In this case, the menu key is for allowing the user to change the text output mode and options during text output.

Accordingly, the controller 19 displays the mode and the option selection window again when the menu key is input (S23), so that the user can change the mode and the option.

On the other hand, the controller 19 determines whether the end key is input if the menu key is not input (S29), and if the end key is input (S29), the text voice output, and the background screen and the background music output are terminated. (S30).

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and as can be seen in the appended claims, modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, and such modifications are within the scope of the present invention.

The text information output apparatus and method of the TV according to the present invention described above has the following advantages.

First, the text can be output as a voice, and the format of the voice output can be determined by the user, thereby improving the convenience of the text viewer.

Secondly, when the text is output as a voice, the user can have the desired background image and the background music output at the same time, thereby greatly enhancing the function of the text viewer.

Third, the language of text output can be selected, so it can be used for language learning.

Claims (11)

A video / audio processor for processing the input video signal and the audio signal to be output through the display unit and the speaker, respectively; An external memory interface for controlling input / output of data information from an inserted memory card; A memory unit for storing a voice database and at least one of a picture file and a music file; And Runs a built-in text to speech (TTS) program and converts the text information output from the memory card into a voice to match a preset mode and option using the voice database, and selects among the picture files and music files selected by the user. And a control unit configured to control the output through the video / audio processing unit together with at least one. The method of claim 1, And the memory unit is a hard disk. The method of claim 1, And the voice database of the memory unit includes voice data classified by gender and language. In the text information output method of the TV compatible with the text information of the internal or external storage medium, Detecting a signal for selecting a text file from a user according to text mode execution; Displaying a mode and option selection window related to outputting the selected text file; And And converting a text file into a voice to output a voice in accordance with the selected mode and option through the mode and option selection window. The method of claim 4, wherein In the mode and option selection window, the mode is a text information output method of the TV, characterized in that it comprises a mode and plot mode divided by the speed for outputting the text as voice. The method of claim 5, The mode divided by the speed is a text information output method of the TV, characterized in that reading, reading and speed reading. The method of claim 5, The plot mode is a text information output method of the TV, characterized in that the mode of selecting and outputting the words at a predetermined interval of the entire text. The method of claim 4, wherein In the mode and option window, the option is a text information output method of the TV, characterized in that it comprises a gender, language, wallpaper and background music. The method of claim 4, wherein And displaying a background file selection window when at least one of the background screen and the background music is selected in the mode and option selection window. The method of claim 4, wherein In the step of converting the text file to the voice to match the selected mode and option through the mode and option selection window and outputting more than one wallpaper selected as an option, characterized in that alternately displaying the two or more wallpaper TV text information output method. The method of claim 4, wherein In the step of converting the text file to the voice to match the mode and option selected through the mode and option selection window and outputting more than one background music selected as an option, characterized in that for outputting the two or more background music sequentially TV text information output method.

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