KR200460984Y1 - Book and Paper to Sound Converting Apparatus for the Visually Handicapped - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a book and paper speech converter for visually impaired people to read a variety of books or papers in a place where you can read books and papers, such as a library. According to an aspect of the present invention, a book and paper-to-speech device includes a book mounting window made of a transparent material, an inverted V shape made of a transparent material, a book mounting window installed on the exposure plate, a paper tray, and a book spread on the book mounting window. Recognizing text contained in both sides of the book or the paper from the image signal obtained by the camera and the image signal obtained by the camera and photographing the paper input to the exposure plate through the paper tray on both sides or the paper tray to convert to the audio signal And a video / audio converter.

Book / Paper Speech, Text Recognition, Station V Book Mounting Window, Tray

Description

Book and Paper to Sound Converting Apparatus for the Visually Handicapped}

The present invention relates to a device for converting books and paper into speech, and particularly, a book for allowing a visually impaired person to read and read various books or papers in a place where a book or paper can be read, such as a library, and It relates to a paper-to-speech device.

A blind person may visit a library or the like to read books or papers. In some places, such as libraries for the visually impaired, there are braille books to increase convenience.

However, it is expensive to produce all books as braille books, so it is possible to produce and distribute some braille books only for limited books. Personally I can receive a custom made braille book for a specific book, but this also requires a lot of personally there is a limit to access a lot of books for the visually impaired.

Visually impaired people may be born, but normal people may also have visual impairments such as color blindness, color weakness, and presbyopia. The population with visual impairment is nearly 250,000 in our country alone, and the number of people with reading disorder such as presbyopia is 2 million in Korea.

Therefore, many people with visual impairments need to be able to easily access books and obtain a lot of information in public places such as libraries.

Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, the object of the present invention is to allow the visually impaired to place a variety of books or papers in a place where you can read books and papers, such as a library so that you can easily read by voice To provide a book and paper speech converter for.

First, to summarize the features of the subject innovation, the book and paper speech converter according to an aspect of the subject innovation, the exposure plate of a transparent material; A book mounting window having an inverted V shape of a transparent material and installed on the exposure plate; Paper trays; A camera that acquires a corresponding image signal by illuminating light reflected on a paper input to the exposure plate through both sides of the book spread out on the book holding window or the paper tray; And an image / audio converter for recognizing text contained in both sides of the book or the paper from the image signal acquired by the camera and converting the text into an audio signal.

The book and paper voice conversion device further includes a speaker for outputting a corresponding voice for the voice signal or an earphone jack for transferring the voice signal to the earphone.

When the book mode button or the paper mode button in which the name of the button is displayed in Braille is pressed, the camera operates in the book mode or the paper mode, and focuses on both sides of the book or the paper.

The video / audio converter further includes a discharge tray for loading paper discharged from the exposure plate, and in the paper mode, papers loaded on the paper tray are transferred to the exposure plate one by one in response to pressing a predetermined button in the paper mode. After the input, the injected paper after the photographing may be discharged from the exposure plate and loaded on the discharge tray.

The video / audio converter may include: a text recognizer configured to generate text information by recognizing text included in an image captured by the camera; And a text-to-speech converter for generating a speech signal representing each text of the text information generated by the text recognizer.

The image / audio converter further includes an image corrector configured to generate a corrected image signal by correcting such that the focal length correction amount is increased from the left and right sides of the book to the center line with respect to the image signals on both sides of the book, and recognizes the text. The unit may generate the text information based on the corrected image signal generated by the image corrector.

The book and paper speech converter further includes a memory for storing the speech signal generated by the text-to-speech converter in correspondence with both sides of the book or page numbers according to the photographing order of the paper.

For both sides of the book, the text-to-speech converter may store a corresponding voice signal for each of the two page numbers assigned to the left and right pages in the memory.

The video / audio converter further includes a page search unit that provides an audio signal of a requested page among audio signals stored in the memory.

The page search unit starts by providing a voice signal of a previously photographed page according to pressing a button indicating a previous listening in braille, or pressing a button displaying a name indicating a first page in braille. The audio signal of the first photographed page may be provided, or the voice signal of the page of the number may be provided by pressing a button marked with a name indicating a numeric key in Braille.

According to the book and paper speech converting apparatus according to the present invention, the visually impaired person can listen to the sound of the text information converted to speech by placing a book in the book holder window or a sheet of paper on the paper tray. Or other documented sources, you can easily learn a lot of information without reading disabilities.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and the contents described in the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited or limited to the embodiments. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements.

1 is a perspective view of a system in which a book and paper speech converter according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed.

Books and paper-to-speech apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may be installed in a library or other places providing documented information. The visually impaired person places a book in a book holder window or puts a sheet of paper on a paper tray, and operates by pressing a predetermined button so that the text information of the page is converted into voice through a speaker or an earphone. Accordingly, if the book and the paper-to-speech apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed, the visually impaired person can easily acquire information included in the book or paper type data at any time.

Hereinafter, a book and paper-to-speech device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

2 is a block diagram of a book and paper speech converter 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2, the book and paper speech converter 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the book mounting window 110, the paper tray 120, the discharge rack 121, the exposure plate 130, Braille includes a plurality of buttons 140, a camera 150, a video / audio converter 160, a memory 165, a speaker 170, and an earphone jack 171.

Book holding window 110 has an inverted V-shape and open material such as glass to open the book unfolds. The upper surface of the book mounting window 110 is the upper and reverse V-shape, but the front and rear may be made of another opaque material so that the external light does not enter. This inverted V-shape ensures that when a book is opened and placed, a cleanly captured image can be obtained without forming black lines in the center portion. The exposure plate 130 is also made of a transparent material such as glass.

A sheet of paper may be stacked in the paper tray 120. In the paper mode according to the present invention, the paper loaded in the paper tray 120 is input to the exposure plate 130 one by one according to the pressing of a predetermined button and then discharged from the exposure plate 130 after the photographing by the camera 150 is performed. To be loaded on the discharge tray 121.

As shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of buttons 140 shown in Braille are shown in FIG. It includes a listen button, a button to go to the first page, and a button indicating a numeric key. All of these buttons are marked with braille so that the visually impaired person can recognize the button with his or her finger. The plurality of buttons 140 displayed in Braille are designed to allow for the visually impaired and convenient for the visually impaired when the book and paper-to-speech device 100 is installed in a library or other documented information as shown in FIG. 1. Each may be placed in a suitable position.

In addition, a display window for allowing a helper or an operator to view a page number when the numeric key button is pressed may be further provided around the numeric key button.

The camera 150 illuminates light on both sides of the book spread out on the book holding window 110 or the paper input to the exposure plate 130 through the paper tray 120 to capture a reflected image to obtain a corresponding image signal. Can be. As shown in FIG. 3, the camera 150 operates in a book mode by pressing the book mode button in which the name of the corresponding button is displayed in braille. Both sides of the book laid out on the book holding window 110 when a predetermined light source shines the book. By focusing on and photographing, image signals for both sides of the reflected book can be obtained. Alternatively, as the user presses the paper mode button in which the name of the button is displayed in Braille as shown in FIG. 3, the camera 150 operates in the paper mode, and focuses on the paper fed to the exposure plate 130 when a predetermined light source illuminates the paper. The image signal of the reflected page may be obtained by fitting and photographing the image.

The video / audio converter 160 recognizes text included in both sides or paper of the book from the video signal acquired by the camera 150 and converts the text into an audio signal.

The speaker 170 outputs a corresponding voice for the audio signal output from the video / audio converter 160. The earphone jack 171 may transfer the audio signal output from the video / audio converter 160 to the earphone inserted in the earphone jack 171.

In particular, in the paper mode as described above, by pressing the start button or the like of FIG. 3, papers loaded on the paper tray 120 may be fed into the exposure plate 130 one by one, and the camera 150 is in the paper mode. After photographing by focusing on the paper inserted into the exposure plate 130, the injected paper may be discharged from the exposure plate 130 and automatically loaded on the discharge tray 121. In the paper mode, when the start button is pressed, a predetermined motor is operated so that papers loaded on the paper tray 120 are transferred one by one between the rollers (not shown) at the right end of the exposure plate 130 to the exposure plate 130. After being photographed, a predetermined motor may be operated to be automatically discharged to the discharge table 121 by rollers (not shown) at the left end of the exposure plate 130.

4 is a block diagram of a video / audio converter 160 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the image / audio converter 160 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an image corrector 161, a text recognizer 162, a text-to-speech converter 163, and a page searcher. 164.

The text recognizer 162 may generate text information by recognizing text included in an image captured by the camera 150. The text recognition unit 162 extracts each text (for example, Korean, English, Japanese, and all other languages) from the image signal from the camera 150 by using optical character recognition (OCR) technology. Text information including signals corresponding to all texts included in the photographing page (eg, digital signals) may be generated.

The text-to-speech converter 163 may generate a voice signal representing each text of the text information generated by the text recognizer 162. The text-to-speech converter 163 may generate a voice signal (eg, a digital signal) representing each text included in the above text information by using a text-to-sound technology. In this case, a natural voice may be output by using a technology for recognizing words, spacing, and intonation.

The image corrector 161 processes a correction of an image signal for correcting an image acquired by the camera 150. The image corrector 161 may not operate in the paper mode of the present invention. However, in the book mode of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, in order to prevent distortion of an image or a change in text size due to an inconsistent distance from the camera 150 to a book on the book holding window 110, an image report is performed. It is preferable that the government 161 operates to correct the image acquired by the camera 150, and then generate the text information based on the text recognition unit 162.

For example, in the book mode of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the font size may be reduced due to the change in focal length from the left and right of the book to the center line. In this case, since the text recognizing unit 162 may have difficulty in recognizing the text of the image signal, the image correcting unit 161 may correct the corresponding image such that the text has a predetermined size as shown in the following figure of FIG. 6.

That is, in the island mode of the present invention, the image correction unit 161 may increase the focal length correction amount from the left and right sides of the book to the center line, respectively, with respect to the image signals for both sides of the book from the camera 150. By correcting, a corrected video signal may be generated. Accordingly, an image from the camera 150 as illustrated in FIG. 6 may be corrected to include text of a predetermined size in the image as illustrated in FIG. 6. In this case, the text recognizing unit 162 generates text information based on the corrected image signal generated by the image correcting unit 161 as described above, thereby reducing an error in text recognition.

The audio signal generated by the text-to-speech converter 163 is stored in the memory 165 in correspondence with both pages of the book or page numbers according to the photographing order of the paper. With respect to both sides of the book in the book mode according to the present invention, the voice signal for each of the two page numbers assigned by the text-to-speech converter 163 by dividing the left and right pages may be stored in the memory 165. Until the reset button is pressed in FIG. 3, the voice signal for the book or paper currently stored in the memory 165 may not be deleted.

The page search unit 164 may provide a voice signal of a requested page among voice signals stored in the memory 165. For example, in response to a button displaying a name indicating a previous listening in Braille in FIG. 3, the page search unit 164 may provide a voice signal of a previously photographed page according to a corresponding request. In addition, in FIG. 3, the page search unit 164 may start by pressing a start button and provide an audio signal of the first photographed page as a button indicating a first page listening is shown in Braille. Alternatively, as the user presses a button in which a name indicating a numeric key is displayed in Braille in FIG. 3, the page search unit 164 may provide a voice signal for a page of the corresponding number. The helper or the operator can press the number key and look at the page number displayed on the display window.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains various modifications and variations from such descriptions. This is possible. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined by the utility model registration claims as described below and equivalents to the utility model registration claims.

1 is a perspective view of a system in which a book and paper speech converter according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed.

2 is a block diagram of a book and paper speech converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a view for explaining a button provided with a braille according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a block diagram of a video / audio converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a view for explaining a correction method of the image correction unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a view for explaining a method of correcting an image obtained by using a book mounting window according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (10)

An exposure plate made of a transparent material; A book mounting window having an inverted V shape of a transparent material and installed on the exposure plate; Paper trays; A camera that acquires a corresponding image signal by illuminating light reflected on a paper input to the exposure plate through both sides of the book spread out on the book holding window or the paper tray; And a video / audio converter for recognizing text contained in both sides of the book or the paper from the video signal obtained by the camera and converting the text into an audio signal. The video / audio converter, A text recognizer configured to recognize text included in the image photographed by the camera and generate text information; A text-to-speech converter for generating a speech signal representing each text of the text information generated by the text recognizer; And an image corrector configured to generate a corrected image signal by correcting such that the focal length correction amount increases from the left and right sides of the book to the center line with respect to the image signals on both sides of the book. And the text recognition unit generates the text information based on the corrected image signal generated by the image correction unit. The method of claim 1, Speaker jack for outputting the voice corresponding to the voice signal or earphone jack for transferring the voice signal to the earphone Book and paper speech converter further comprising a. The method of claim 1, Further includes a book mode button or a paper mode button with the name of the button in Braille, When the book mode button is pressed, the camera operates in book mode, focusing on both sides of the book, or taking a picture. And the camera operates in a paper mode according to the pressing of the paper mode button so as to focus and photograph the paper. The method of claim 3, Further comprising a discharge tray for loading the paper discharged from the exposure plate, Books and paper-to-speech, characterized in that the paper loaded on the paper tray in the paper mode is put into the exposure plate one by one, and then the paper is discharged from the exposure plate and loaded on the discharge tray after the photographing Device. delete delete The method of claim 1, A memory for storing the voice signal generated by the text-to-speech converter in correspondence with both pages of the book or page numbers according to the photographing order of the paper; Book and paper speech converter further comprising a. The method of claim 7, wherein Books and paper-to-speech apparatus, characterized in that for the both sides of the book, the text-to-speech converter stores the corresponding speech signal for each of the two page numbers assigned to the left and right pages in the memory. The method of claim 7, wherein A page search unit for providing a voice signal of a requested page among voice signals stored in the memory Book and paper speech converter further comprising a. The method of claim 9, wherein the page search unit, Press the button labeled Braille to listen to the previous one, or provide a speech signal for a previously recorded page, By pressing the button labeled Braille with the name of the first page, it starts and provides an audio signal for the first recorded page, or A book and paper-to-speech device, characterized in that for providing a speech signal for a page of the number in response to pressing a button marked with a name representing a number key in Braille.

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