Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Shinzo Nishizaki

Akira Tanimoto

Sigeaki Masuzawa

Shinya Shibata

A synthetic speech calculator is provided which is capable of generating an audible sound signal which can be representative of keyed data, sequences of keyed data (and errors), processed data, the contents of a memory or the contents of a counter. The sound signal can be suppressed under certain specific circumstances or made soft in intensity. A synthetic-speech calculator includes the keyboard consisting of digit keys and function keys, a desired number of registers for storing information entered by the depression of selected ones of the digit keys, a read-only-memory for storing a large number of digital codes as sound quantizing information, counter means for specifying the address of the memory so as to take a specific digital code out of the memory, a digital-to-analog converter for converting the specific digital code taken out of the memory into an audible sound signal, and a loud speaker driven by the audible sound signal and producing an audible sound. There are provided means responsive to combinations of at least two sequentially operated keys of the keyboard for modifying the output condition of the audible sound, for example, volume, speed, etc. The synthetic speech calculator also has a selection key and multi-function keys, such as 7/sin.theta.. If the selection key is depressed followed by actuation of one of the multi-function keys, as audible sound indicative of the second function of the multi-function key is audibly generated, i.e., 'sin.theta.' is audibly generated. If the selection key is not depressed prior to actuation of the multi-function key, an audibly sound indicative of the first function (7) is audibly generated. Similarly, the calculator will also develop an audible sound indicative of 'EQUAL' if the following key sequence is actuated: a.times.b=, where a and b are numerals. The calculator will develop an audible sound indicative of 'TWO' if the following key sequence is actuated: a.times.=. An audible sound indicative of 'THREE' will be developed if the following key sequence is actuated: a.times.==.

Synthetic-speech calculators

A synthetic-speech calculator includes a keyboard consisting of digit keys and function keys and, if desired, or more mode selectors, a desired number of registers for storing numerical information entered by the depression of selected ones of the digit keys, a read-only-memory for storing a large number of digital codes as sound quantizing information, counter means for specifying the address of the memory so as to take a specific digital code out of the memory, a digital-to-analogue converter for convering the specific digital code taken out of the memory into an audible sound signal, and a loud speaker driven by the audible sound signal and producing an audible sound. There are further provided means for producing audible sounds indicative of not only numerical information but also its associated conditional information having a particular meaning with respect to that numerical information, for example, position information, index information, tabulation information, etc. Those numerical information and conditional information is derived in different audible forms. Specifically, a first sound indicates the most significant digit of the data, a second sound (monotone peep) separates the first sound from a third sound representing the data.

A synthetic-speech calculator includes a keyboard consisting of digit keys and function keys and, if desired, or more mode selectors, a desired number of registers for storing numerical information entered by the depression of selected ones of the digit keys, a read-only-memory for storing a large number of digital codes as sound quantizing information, counter means for specifying the address of the memory so as to take a specific digital code out of the memory, a digital-to-analogue converter for converting the specific digital code taken out of the memory into an audible sound signal, and a loud speaker driven by the audible sound signal and producing an audible sound. There are further provided means for producing audible sounds indicative of not only numerical information but also its associated conditional information having a particular meaning with respect to that numerical information, for example, position information, index information, tabulation information, etc. This numerical information and conditional information is derived in different audible forms.

A synthetic speech calculator is provided which is capable of generating an audible sound signal which can be representative of keyed data, processed data, the contents of a memory or the contents of a counter. The sound signal can be suppressed under certain specific circumstances or made soft in intensity. The synthetic-speech calculator includes a keyboard consisting of digit keys and function keys, a desired number of registers for storing information entered by the depression of selected ones of the digit keys, a read-only-memory for storing a large number of digital codes as sound quantizing information, counter means for specifying the address of the memory so as to take a specific digital code out of the memory, a digital-to-analog converter for converting the specific digital code taken out of the memory into an audible sound signal, and a loud speaker driven by the audible sound signal and producing an audible sound. There are provided means responsive to combinations of at least two sequentially operated keys of the keyboard for modifying the output condition of the audible sound, for example, volume, speed, etc.

A synthetic-speech calculator includes a keyboard consisting of digit keys and function keys and one or more mode selectors, a desired number of registers for storing numerical information entered by the depression of selected ones of the digit keys, a read-only-memory for storing a large number of digital codes as sound quantizing information, counter means for specifying the address of the memory so as to take a specific digital code out of the memory, a digital-to-analog converter for converting the specific digital code taken out of the memory into an audible sound signal, and a loud speaker driven by the audible sound signal and producing an audible sound. The synthetic-speech calculator is adapted such that the audible sound signals are derived via the loud speaker by at least two different methods of sound generation. For example, when a voice start key is depressed, all digits of keyed information are produced in audible form with appropriate pauses. In addition, numerical information is produced by digit by digit in audible form each time a voice start key is depressed. Numerical information is produced in a 3-digit group mode, each of the 3-digit groups being audibly produced each time the voice start key is depressed. Finally, numerical information may be audibly produced in order of ascending significance relative to the least significant digit or in order of descending significance relative to the most significant digit. The mode selector directs the synthetic-speech calculator how to derive the audible sound signals via the loud speaker.

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Nara, Japan

Shinzo Nishizaki