Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-10
2003-03-25
{haeck over (S)}mits, T{overscore (a)}livaldis Ivars (Department: 2654)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C704S275000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06538666
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing devices, and more particularly to an image processing device which changes the state of display of a dialogue partner object in response to speech input from a user.
2. Description of the Background Art
Speech recognition devices that recognize spoken words by a user's speech have been utilized in various fields. For example, known applications of such speech recognition devices include image processing devices (e.g., video game machines) which change the content of images (e.g., characters) displayed on the screen in response to speech commands (refer to Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-230890, for example).
However, conventional image processing devices utilizing speech recognition are constructed to change images only when particular words are spoken, so that the operator must previously know the words that can be used as input to the device. If the operator does not know the predefined input words, the operator can only guess what the appropriate words may be, thereby making the image processing device very inconvenient to use. Furthermore, conventional image processing devices utilizing speech recognition do not change the display when an improper or unrecognized word is entered, thereby causing the operator to be puzzled as to whether he/she input a wrong word or the machine is malfunctioning.
Moreover, conventional image processing devices utilizing speech recognition process the results of speech recognition in a fixed way independently of the progress of the program. However, depending on the type of program executed in the image processing device, it may be preferred that the method of processing the speech recognition results is changed as the program progresses. For example, if the program executed in the image processing device is a video game program, an effective way of making the game more amusing is to change the relation between the speech recognition results and actions of the characters as the player clears several stages and becomes more skillful at playing the game. Also, when the program executed in the image processing device is an educational program for teaching language to children, an effective way for successful learning is to change the method of processing the speech recognition results so as to require the children to more correctly pronounce words as their learning progresses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device which can be easily used even if the operator does not know usable words prior to using the device.
Another object of the invention is to provide an image processing device which can change the way the speech recognition results are processed as the program advances.
To achieve the objects above, the present invention has the following features.
A first aspect of the present invention is directed to an image processing device for varying action of a dialogue partner object displayed on a display device in response to speech input from a user through a microphone. According to the invention, the image processing device comprises:
a converting part for converting an analog speech signal received by the microphone to digital speech data;
a speech recognition part for recognizing a word corresponding to the digital speech data converted by the converting part;
a determining part for determining whether the word recognized by the speech recognition part matches a word to be inputted at that time;
a first display control part for, when the determining part determines a word match, controlling a displayed state of the dialogue partner object to cause the dialogue partner object to perform an action corresponding to the recognized word; and
a second display control part for, when the determining part determines no word match, displaying on the display device an indication to the user that the determining part did not find a match for the word.
As stated above, according to the first aspect of the invention, a determination delivering display is provided that indicates a mismatch of words when a word different from predetermined words to be inputted are entered, thereby preventing the user from being puzzled or confused when an improper word is entered.
According to a second aspect of the invention, in the image processing device of the first aspect,
the second display control part makes a display on the display device, as the determination delivering display, to show that the dialogue partner object cannot understand the input word.
As stated above, according to the second aspect, when a word different from predetermined words to be inputted are entered, a display is made to show that the dialogue partner object cannot understand the input word speech, so that the user can more clearly recognize that he/she has entered a wrong word.
According to a third aspect of the invention, in the image processing device of the second aspect,
when the determining part continuously determines a mismatch of words over a given time period, the second display control part further displays on the display device, as the determination delivering display, a message containing a proper word to be inputted at that time.
As stated above, according to the third aspect, when a correct word is not entered over a given time period, a message that contains a correct word to be currently inputted is further displayed, which prevents the user from repeatedly entering wrong words.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the image processing device of the second aspect,
when the determining part repeatedly determines a mismatch of words over a given number of times, the second display control part further displays on the display device, as the determination delivering display, a message containing a proper word to be inputted at that time.
As stated above, according to the fourth aspect, when wrong words are repeatedly entered a given number of times, a message which contains a proper word to be inputted at that time is further displayed, which prevents the user from repeatedly entering wrong words.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the image processing device of the third aspect,
the second display control part controls the display on the display device so that the word to be inputted at that time and the remaining part of the message are displayed in different colors in the message.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention, in the image processing device of the fourth aspect,
the second display control part controls the display on the display device so that the word to be inputted at that time and the remaining part of the message are displayed in different colors in the message.
As stated above, according to the fifth and sixth aspects, a word to be currently inputted is displayed in a color different from the remaining part of the message sentence, so that the user can easily recognize the word to be inputted.
According to a seventh aspect of the invention, an image processing device is provided for displaying a given image on a display device according to set program data and to vary action of a dialogue partner object displayed on the display device in response to a spoken word from a user through a microphone, wherein the device comprises:
a converting part for converting an analog speech signal input to the microphone to digital speech data;
a speech recognition part for recognizing a word corresponding to the digital speech data converted by the converting part;
a display control part for controlling a displayed state of the dialogue partner object on the basis of the result of recognition made by the speech recognition part; and
a degree of progress detecting part for detecting a degree of progress of the program data;
wherein the display control part changes, in steps, the way the displayed state of the dialogue partner object is controlled in accordance with the degree of progress of the program data detected by the degree of progress detecting part.
Mitsunari Koji
Nagareda Takeshi
Ozawa Muneaki
Nintendo Co. Ltd.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
{haeck over (S)}mits T{overscore (a)}livaldis Ivars
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