Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Speech signal processing – Application
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-09
2001-06-05
{haeck over (S)}mits, Tãlivaldis I. (Department: 2761)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Speech signal processing
Application
C704S271000, C704S275000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243682
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of photocopiers and more particularly to the field of controlling photocopiers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Persons with any of a variety of physical problems may be classified as handicapped or disabled individuals. The social importance of restoring handicapped or disabled persons to usefulness is, of course, widely accepted and the economic value which this represents has come to be recognized as having great significance for society. It has been estimated that a disabled person who has been provided with vocational rehabilitation services and has been placed in employment will, in the course of his/her working life, pay back in taxes ten times the amount of money spent for his/her rehabilitation.
Many handicapped and disabled individuals are unable to obtain employment because they cannot use the machines and equipment normally found in an office or factory. For instance, typical office photocopiers present usability problems to wheel chair users, vision impaired users and blind users. The foregoing classes of people find it difficult to control and use office photocopiers. Thus, often times they are denied gainful employment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a system that enables handicapped and disabled individuals to control and use office photocopiers. The foregoing is accomplished by coupling an interface to a diagnostic communication port on the photocopier. The diagnostic port may be used to simulate the pressing of keys on the photocopier control panel. A software program running on a personal computer is coupled to the interface so that the interface may duplicate the actions of the photocopier control panel. A voice, keyboard and touch screen interface is added to the software program to permit several keys to be used with a single phrase or touch. The user may use voice, the keyboard or the touch screen, or any combination of the above, to operate the photocopier. The addition of wireless audio may also be utilized to allow hands-free operation of the photocopier. An audio voice feedback provides information about exactly what command was executed.
The apparatus of this invention utilizes a speaker-dependent speech recognition engine. Thus, the photocopier may be operated by the speakers of many different languages. The reason for this is that the user of the photocopier trains the speech recognition engine of the photocopier to recognize commands in the user's language.
Furthermore, information regarding photocopier malfunctions or problems may be indicated by a photocopier voice output, i.e., location of paper jams, lack of toner, etc. The above information may also be displayed on a user interface.
The apparatus of this invention may also execute a plurality of commands by the user, enunciated by a single phrase, i.e., “one sided to two sided”. The foregoing means that the photocopier will take the one sided paper being input or copied and have the photocopier copy the information on both sides of the paper being output. The user may also access by voice command any function from any screen.
The photocopier also has a help menu which uses the photocopier voice output to inform the user of specific information about different photocopier functions. For example, the user says “finishing options” and the photocopier says “sorting off, sorting on, sort and staple, batch, etc.” The photocopier simultaneously displays the above finishing screen options on the touch screen. Then the user selects the option he/she desires.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4459673 (1984-07-01), Shibazaki et al.
patent: 4500971 (1985-02-01), Futaki et al.
patent: 4766529 (1988-08-01), Nakano et al.
patent: 5790279 (1998-08-01), Sakellaropoulos
patent: 5802220 (1998-09-01), Black et al.
patent: 6041200 (2000-03-01), Glass et al.
Braun John F.
Eghtesadi Khosrow
Gifford Nathaniel M.
Kaye Michael M.
O'Hare Michael
Melton Michael E.
Pitney Bowes Inc.
Reichman Ronald
Wieland Susan
{haeck over (S)}mits Tãlivaldis I.
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