Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Speech signal processing – Synthesis
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-21
2001-01-30
Zele, Krista (Department: 2748)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Speech signal processing
Synthesis
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182040
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a voice-synthesizer system for various types of industrial equipment of the type that display visual information to operating personnel.
Various types of industrial process equipment have been designed with panel-type alpha-numeric character displays that utilize standardized character display protocols to display individual characters on, for example, a liquid crystal display, with groups of individual characters defining words or multi-word messages.
In addition to the use of displays that are intended to be read by operating personnel, it is not uncommon for the equipment to also include audio alarm-annunciators to sound an alarm to warn the operating personnel of a selected number of undesired operating conditions. In those types of equipment that utilize audio alarm-annunciators and multi-character displays, the audio alarm annunciates an alarm condition after which the operator(s) read the displayed message. Typically, the audio alarm annunciator will sound a warning for high-priority conditions that require immediate corrective action(s) and also sound for lower-priority conditions that do not require an immediate response from operating personnel. In this situation, it is not uncommon for operating personnel to spend a considerable amount of time addressing lower-priority alarm conditions that do not require immediate attention. Accordingly, system operators must often interrupt the task at hand to address all alarm conditions, including relatively rare high-priority alarms and the many lower-priority alarm conditions that arise. This situation can lead to occasions during which alarms are ignored because of an assumption on the part of the operating personnel that a particular alarm is a lower-priority alarm for which a response can be deferred.
It would be desirable for those industrial control systems that utilize character displays and audio-alarm annunciators to also incorporate a voice synthesizer to announce the alarm conditions in spoken words. In general, existing systems include complex internal computer control systems in which retro-fitting voice-synthesizer devices can be problematic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention, among others, to provide a voice-synthesizer annunciator for industrial control systems of the type that include message displays defined by alpha-numeric character displays.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a voice-synthesizer annunciator retrofit system for industrial control systems driven by character-by-character displays.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a voice-synthesizer system for industrial control systems driven by the signals that drive the matrix-type display(s) of the system.
In accordance with the present invention, a voice-synthesizer operates in response to the signals used to drive visual character displays. Thus, an audio message that corresponds to a visually displayed message can be articulated, prefereably in response to a pre-selected alarm condition. In this way, the system operator(s) can assess the priority of an alarm condition and determine whether an alarm condition is a high-priority alarm requiring immediate attention or a lower-priority alarm for which a responsive action on the part of the operator can be deferred. In accordance with the present invention, the voice-synthesizer and its related drive circuits are enabled only upon detection of an alarm condition so that only alarm messages are synthesized into spoken words.
In one embodiment of the invention, all or part of the signals that drive the column and row lines of a matrix-type display are used to address a look-up table that outputs a sequence of word-selection signals for a particular message to a voice-synthesizer that articulates audio messages in response to the word-selection signals. In addition to being implemented by discrete logic devices, the invention may likewise be implemented by stored-program processor-controlled devices or a combination thereof.
The present invention advantageously provides a voice-synthesizer driven by the drive signals that also drive the alpha-numeric character displays. The system is well-suited for retrofitting to existing equipment that utilize matrix-type panel displays.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like reference characters.
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Kananen Ronald P.
Opsasnick Michael N.
Rader Fishman & Grauer
Sony Corporation
Zele Krista
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