JPH0140374B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to a portable electronic translation machine.

In this specification, translation refers not only to converting the language of one country into the language of another country, but also to converting letters and symbols into sounds, and sounds into letters and symbols in the language of the same country. say. Therefore, translation also includes converting dialects into standard language and vice versa, translating and explaining words, and converting codes, even if the language is from the same country.

Further, the source language refers to the language, numbers, symbols, formulas, etc. before translation, and the translated language refers to the language, numbers, symbols, formulas, etc. after translation. For example, on a translator set to translate Japanese to English, ``Good Morning'' is translated into the original language, and ``Good Morning.''
is the translation language.

Conventional electronic translators, as proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 53-35434 and U.S. Patent No. 4,159,536, both input the source language using keys and display the translated language in text. It was of the output type. Using something like this, amateurs can accurately key in the source language in front of foreigners while traveling abroad, and can also read the output small font display of the translated language to the other foreigner. As a practical matter, it was extremely difficult to obtain one.

Therefore, conventional electronic translation machines have the disadvantage of being used only as personal learning machines and lacking in practicality.

In addition, there are calculators with synthesized voice output, such as those disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 52-135020, No. 52-52433, and No. 53-107442, but all of them are key input type calculators. It was hot.

The present invention eliminates such drawbacks,
The present invention provides a portable electronic translator that is highly practical and has a wide range of uses.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows the external appearance of a portable electronic translation machine (hereinafter referred to as TLRD) which is an embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1A being a plan view thereof, and FIG. 1B being a side view thereof.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of the aircraft.

Reference numeral 1 in the figure is a housing of the TLRD main body (hereinafter referred to as CASE), and CASE 1 is composed of an upper case 1a, a lower case 1b, and a battery storage lid 1c.

Also, on the top of CASE 1 are a cassette tape loading section 3, a group of tape recorder operation buttons 5, a microphone (hereinafter referred to as MIC) 6, and a speaker (hereinafter referred to as SP).
4. A character display section 7, a group of keys for character input 2, a power switch knob 11 for the electronic translator, a switch knob 10 for switching between key input and voice input, and a switch knob 9 for the speaker are arranged, and a volume adjustment knob is provided on the side of CASE 1. A volume 8 for use is provided. Also
The MIC 6 is connected to a speech analysis circuit (hereinafter referred to as SA) 17.

Here, SA refers to a circuit that analyzes the spectrum of audio input, recognizes the audio using the DP matching method, and converts it into character symbols.
Publication No. 62746, Publication No. 52-55413, Publication No. 53-77403
Publication No. 52-144205, and Publication No. 54-
This has already been proposed in Publication No. 91006. Reference numeral 13 denotes a character signal generation circuit (hereinafter referred to as KEY) that generates character signals in accordance with the operation of the key group 2. KEY13
The SA 17 is connected to an electronic translation circuit (hereinafter referred to as TLR) 14 via a switch (hereinafter referred to as SW) S1 operated by a switch knob 10. 15 is a character display circuit (hereinafter referred to as LCD)
, and displays characters in the source language and translated language. Reference numeral 16 denotes a speech synthesis circuit (hereinafter referred to as SM), which converts character symbols of the translation language into speech signals. In addition, in this example, TI
We used a Percoll-based speech synthesizer similar to that used in the educational toy "Speak &Spll" released by Texas Instruments.

This audio signal is sent to the amplifier 19 via SWS3.
After being amplified, the SP 4 outputs the speech in the translated language via the SWS 20 according to the operation of the knob 9.

Furthermore, by operating knob 11, SWS8, S7,
S3 is switched in conjunction. 21 is a recording/playback head (hereinafter referred to as R/PH). S6, S5, S
4, S2 is a recording/playback switching switch (hereinafter referred to as SW). In conjunction with the operation of the button group 5, a tape recorder power switch (SW) S18 and a switch (SW) S19 are opened and closed. Erase head (EH)
A switch (SW) S6 for supplying an erasing current to 22 is connected to SWS5, S4, and S2, and is configured to be conductive only during recording. Reference numeral 12 denotes a battery (hereinafter referred to as BATT) that supplies current to both the electronic translator section and the tape recorder section.
A pair of BATT12s housed in CASE1 share the power supply for both parts. The audio input circuit having the MIC 6 and the audio output circuit including the SP 4 and the amplifier 19 are shared by both parts as described above. 2
3 is a magnetic tape drive motor of the tape recorder.

Next, the operation of this device will be explained separately for each case.

(1) When translating key input: Operate knob 11 to connect SWS8, S7, and S3 to contact a, respectively, and operate knob 10.
Make SWS1 conductive to contact a. SP translation language
If you want to listen from 4, operate knob 9.
Turn on SWS20. Next, by operating the key group 2, the characters and symbols of the original language are applied from the KEY 13 to the TLR 14 via the SWS 1. The applied character content is displayed on the character display section 7 through the LCD 15.
will be displayed. The translated language character signal from the TLR 14 is sent to the SM 16. After SM16 converts this character signal into an audio signal of the translated language,
It is applied to the amplifier 19 via the SWS3, the amplifier 19 amplifies this synthesized audio signal, and the SWS20
Send to SP4 via.

Note that SM refers to a circuit that converts character signals into audio signals.

In this embodiment, the TLR 14 uses a Japanese-English TLR, so if you input "Ohayo" from the KEY 13, the LCD 15 will display "Ohayo".
After the translation, the display changes to "GOOD MORNING" and then you can hear the pronunciation of "Gutsdomorninge" from SP4.

(2) When translating microphone input: Operate knob 11 to connect SWS8, S7, and S3 to contact a, respectively. Operate knob 10
Make SWS1 conductive to contact b. SP translation language
If you want to listen from 4, operate knob 9 and select SWS.
Set 20 to “on”. Next, when the original language audio is applied to the MIC 6, the SA 17 analyzes this original language audio signal and converts it into a corresponding character signal. This character signal is sent via SWS1.
Applied to TLR14. Further, the character display section 7 displays characters corresponding to this character signal via the LCD 15. The TLR 14 translates the character signal in the original language into Japanese and English, and outputs the character symbol in the translated language. This output displays the characters of the translated language on the character display section 7 via the LCD 15, and is applied to the speech synthesis circuit (SM) 16, and after being converted into a corresponding audio signal, the SWS 3, amplifier 19,
It is sent to SP4 via SWS20.

Therefore, for example, for MIC6, "This is
If you say "This is a pen," the character display section 7 will initially display "Cholewa pendesu," and then when the translation operation is executed, "THIS IS A PEN." will be displayed, and SP4 will display "This is A PEN."
It is pronounced "A-pen".

(3) When recording audio signals in the translated language while translating: Operate knob 11 and select SWS8, S7, S3.
are made conductive to contact a, respectively. Operate button group 5
While switching SWS18 and S19 to "on",
SWS2, S4, S5, and S6 are connected to the recording side, that is, contact b, respectively. In addition, when applying the audio signal of the original language via MIC6, SWS
1 to contact b, and when applying a character signal of the original language from the character input key group 2, connect SWS1 to contact a. Furthermore, turn on SWS20.
If you do this, you can monitor the recorded content from SP4.

Now, the case where SWS1 is electrically connected to contact b will be described below.

When a voice signal of the original language, for example "This is a book" is applied from MIC6, SA17, SWS
1. "COREWA HONDES" is displayed on the character display section 7 via TLR 14 and LCD 15, and after the translation is executed, the display changes to "THIS IS A BOOK". Next, the character signal of the translated language sent from TLR 14 is sent to SM 16. , SWS3, Amplifier 1
9. R/PH21 via SWS4 and SWS5
is applied to The R/PH21 is now working as a recording head. A magnetic tape (not shown) in the cassette tape mounting section 3 is driven by a motor 23. Also, EH22 (SWS6
DC current is supplied through the
After unnecessary signals already recorded on the magnetic tape are erased, audio signals of the translated language are recorded on the magnetic tape via the R/PH 21. Also,
Since the SWS 20 is in a conductive state from SP4, it is possible to monitor the recorded content, that is, the voice of the translated language.

Further, when inputting the original language using the key group 2, by making the SWS 1 conductive to the contact a, the audio signal of the translated language can be easily recorded on the magnetic tape through the same operation as described above.

Of course, operate knob 11 to select SWS8, S7,
By connecting S3 to contact b, respectively,
The sound applied from the MIC 6 can be directly recorded and monitored without passing through the TLR 14, and can be used as a normal tape recorder.

(4) When performing translation as the original language using the magnetic tape playback output: Operate knob 11 to select SWS8, S7, S3
conduct to contact a, respectively, and operate button group 5 to turn on SWS18 and S19, and turn on SWS.
2. Make S4, S5, and S6 conductive to the reproduction side, that is, to the contact a, respectively. The SA 17 is configured so that when there is a reproduction output from the R/PH 21, the input from the MIC 6 is cut off, and the reproduction output is applied to the TLR 14 with priority. Make SWS1 conductive to contact b and turn on SWS20.
Since the magnetic tape in the mounting section 3 is driven by the motor 23, the R/PH 21 is operated as a playback head to play back the audio signal in the original language already recorded on the magnetic tape, such as "Who is he?"
SA17, SWS1, TLR14, and LCD1
5, the character display section 7 displays "Karewa Daredesuka", and the text signal of the translated language from the TLR 14 changes the display to "WHO IS HE?". Next, this character signal is SM16,
SP4 via SWS3, amplifier 19, SWS20
is applied, causing SP4 to say "Feeds Hee".

Of course, operate knob 11 to select SWS8, S7,
By connecting S3 to contact b, respectively,
The reproduction output from the R/PH 21 can be reproduced via the amplifier 19, SWS 20, and SP 4 without being translated. That is, it can also be used as a normal tape recorder.

In this way, in this embodiment, the amplifier 19 and the SP4
The audio output section and the power supply circuit section can be shared by both the tape recorder section and the electronic translator section.

As described above, according to the present invention, voice recognition means,
Since it is possible to realize a voice input/output type portable electronic translator having a translation means, a speech synthesis means, and a power supply means, it can be carried with you when traveling abroad, etc.
It can be used by laymen as an interpreter at the required place and time, allows for natural communication with foreigners through voice, and can be used while walking at night (in dark places where keys cannot be seen). You can enjoy conversation even while doing it.

The present invention also addresses the problem that voice input/output type portable electronic translators cannot be used in places where there is a lot of ambient noise (such as car noise), such as on the street, and that erroneous translations may occur due to erroneous recognition. This problem is solved by the technical concept of providing an input mode selection means for selecting between voice input and key input.In such a case, it is possible to immediately switch to key input and input (correct) correctly. Correct translation (interpretation) can be performed easily and reliably.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a plan view of an electronic translator according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a right side view of the same, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the same. 6...Microphone (MIC), 4...Speaker (SP), 1
2...Battery (BATT), 13...Character signal generation circuit (KEY), 14...Electronic translation circuit (TLR), 15...
Character display circuit (LCD), 16...speech synthesis circuit (SM), 17...speech analysis circuit (SA), 19...amplifier, 21...recording/playback head (R/PH), 22...erasing head (EH), 23... motor.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Speech information input means for inputting speech information regarding a source language to be translated; speech recognition means for recognizing speech information regarding the source language inputted to the speech information input means; and a source language to be translated. a key input type character information input means for inputting character information related to a language; and either character information related to the original language recognized and converted by the voice recognition means or character information input to the key input type character information input means. an input mode selection means for selecting one; and a memory in which words, phrases, sentences, symbols, etc. related to the translation language that have correspondences with words, phrases, sentences, symbols, etc. related to the source language are recorded in advance, and Based on the character information regarding the source language which is the output of the voice recognition means selected by the input mode selection means or the output of the key input type character information input means, character information regarding the corresponding translation language is extracted from the memory. a translation means for reading out; a speech synthesis means for synthesizing speech information regarding the translation language corresponding to character information about the translation language translated by the translation means; and speech information output means for outputting speech information synthesized by the speech synthesis means. and character information regarding the original language, which is the output of the voice recognition means selected by the input mode selection means or the output of the key input type character information input means,
and a character display means for visually displaying character information regarding the translated language translated by the translation means, and a power supply means for driving the voice recognition means, the translation means, and the speech synthesis means. A portable electronic translator with special features.