EP1441282A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Information service with text-to-speech conversion
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 2004-01-23
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2024-01-23
Abstract
Abstract An information output method switching unit (105) checks whether or not an audio output device (103) is connected to an audio output device connection unit (104). When the audio output device (103) is connected to an information service apparatus, the information output method switching unit (105) sends text information stored in an information holding unit (102) to a text-to-speech synthesis unit (106), which generates synthetic speech using a known text-to-speech synthesis technique, and sends the generated synthetic speech to the audio output device connection unit (104). On the other hand, when the audio output device (103) is not connected to the information service apparatus, the information output method switching unit (105) sends text information stored in the information holding unit (102) to an information display output unit (107), which displays the received text information.
Inventors
- 👤 Hideo Kuboyama
- 👤 Kazuko Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 21:05
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10L; G10L13/00; H; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/72; H04M1/724; H04M1/72403; H04M1/72409; H04M1/72412; H04M1/7243; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/16; H04M1/60; H04M1/6033; H04M1/6041; H04M1/72445; H04M2250/00; H04M2250/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
An information service apparatus which comprises
display means for displaying text information, and can
be connected to an audio output device that can output
speech information corresponding to the text
information, characterized by comprising: determination means for determining if the audio
output device is connected; and switching control means for making output
destination switching control that outputs the speech
information corresponding to the text information to
the audio output device when said determination means
determines that the audio output device is connected,
and outputs the text information to the display means
when said determination means determines that the audio
output device is not connected.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized
by further comprising: exchange means for exchanging information with an
external apparatus via a network, and in that the text information is information which
is received by the exchange means from the external
apparatus via the network, and the information includes
mail information and Web information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by further comprising: text-to-speech synthesis means for executing a
text-to-speech synthesis process on the basis of the
text information to generate synthetic speech as the
speech information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized
by further comprising: notification means for, when the synthetic speech
generated by said text-to-speech synthesis means is to
be output to the audio output device or when the text
information is to be output to the display means,
notifying the user of an output in a corresponding case.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized
by further comprising: superposing means for superposing the synthetic
speech generated by said text-to-speech synthesis means
and a sound different from the synthetic speech, and in that when the audio output device has already
output a sound, said superposing means superposes the
synthetic speech with the sound, and the audio output
device outputs the sound superposed with the synthetic
speech.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized
in that when said switching control means makes control
that outputs the synthetic speech generated by said
text-to-speech synthesis means to the audio output
device, said switching control means further makes
control that outputs the text information to the
display means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
122 words
An information service apparatus which comprises
display means for displaying text information,
text-to-speech synthesis means for executing a
text-to-speech synthesis process on the basis of the
text information to generate synthetic speech, and
audio output means that can output the synthetic speech, characterized by comprising: reception means for receiving information
indicating a type of space; determination means for determining a type of
space indicated by the information with reference to
the information received by said reception means; and switching control means for making output
destination switching control that outputs the
synthetic speech generated by the text-to-speech
synthesis means to the audio output means, or outputs
the text information to the display means, in
accordance with a determination result of said
determination means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
82 words
The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized
in that said determination means determines whether the
type of space indicated by the information is a private
or public space, and said switching control means makes the output
destination switching control that outputs the
synthetic speech generated by the text-to-speech
synthesis means to the audio output means when the type
of space is a private space, and outputs the text
information to the display means when the type of space
is a public space.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
126 words
An information service apparatus which comprises
display means for displaying text information,
text-to-speech synthesis means for executing a
text-to-speech synthesis process on the basis of the
text information to generate synthetic, and audio
output means that can output the synthetic speech, characterized by comprising: reception means for receiving information used to
specify an external apparatus; holding means for holding a list of information
used to specify the external apparatus present in a
predetermined space, and switching control means for making output
destination switching control that outputs the
synthetic speech generated by the text-to-speech
synthesis means to the audio output means, or outputs
the text information to the display means, depending on
whether or not the information received by said
reception means is included in the list.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
120 words
An information service method to be executed by
an information service apparatus which comprises
display means for displaying text information, and can
be connected to an audio output device that can output
speech information corresponding to the text
information, characterized by comprising: a determination step of determining if the audio
output device is connected; and a switching control step of making output
destination switching control that outputs the speech
information corresponding to the text information to
the audio output device when it is determined in the
determination step that the audio output device is
connected, and outputs the text information to the
display means when it is determined in the
determination step that the audio output device is not
connected.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
133 words
An information service method to be executed by
an information service apparatus which comprises
display means for displaying text information,
text-to-speech synthesis means for executing a
text-to-speech synthesis process on the basis of the
text information to generate synthetic speech, and
audio output means that can output the synthetic speech, characterized by comprising: a reception step of receiving information
indicating a type of space; a determination step of determining a type of
space indicated by the information with reference to
the information received in the reception step; and a switching control step of making output
destination switching control that outputs the
synthetic speech generated by the text-to-speech
synthesis means to the audio output means, or outputs
the text information to the display means, in
accordance with a determination result in the
determination step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
138 words
An information service method to be executed by
an information service apparatus which comprises
display means for displaying text information,
text-to-speech synthesis means for executing a
text-to-speech synthesis process on the basis of the
text information to generate synthetic speech, and
audio output means that can output the synthetic speech, characterized by comprising: a reception step of receiving information used to
specify an external apparatus; a holding step of holding a list of information
used to specify the external apparatus present in a
predetermined space, and a switching control step of making output
destination switching control that outputs the
synthetic speech generated by the text-to-speech
synthesis means to the audio output means, or outputs
the text information to the display means, depending on
whether or not the information received in the
reception step is included in the list.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A program characterized by making a computer
function as an information service apparatus of any one
of claims 1 to 9.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A program characterized by making a computer
execute an information service method of any one of
claims 10 to 12.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
A computer readable storage medium storing a
program of claim 13 or 14.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.