DE3300053A1 - LANGUAGE-RELATED MOBILE STATUS UNIT - Google Patents

Description

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Speech responsive mobile status unit

The invention relates generally to radio transceivers and particularly relates to transceivers or radio transceivers, that respond to language.

Radio transceiver / which receive and transmit radio news directly depending on human voice or language can belong to the state of the art. The known radio transceivers are used in a wide range of applications, including the use by the police, doctors, fire brigade or other emergency personnel belongs. When used by these emergency personnel it is often desirable for a base station or another central point to be constantly informed about the status of the emergency personnel e.g. answering a call, being on the spot, etc. Known mobile status units that perform this function must be located close to the vehicle user. However, installation is difficult because the units are a bit bulky and require space in the immediate vicinity of the user or the driver in the driving area. The ideal location is in the center of the user's line of sight. However, this is seldom possible because the user usually has other functions such as driving the vehicle.

Known mobile status units require the user to push buttons presses and watches gauges and switches to make the correct operations. Panel displays with LED components are difficult to see in the daytime, especially in direct sunlight. With liquid crystal displays Equipped displays are difficult to see at night and have difficulty in the required temperature range to work. The panel switches can be backlit or located next to the appropriate display and must be encapsulated which reduces the cost of the mobile status unit

be raised. The button and the space between the switches must be such that a person with a large gloved hand can easily operate the switches. Because of these conflicting needs, known mobile status units are usually the result of engineering compromise solutions.

The problem of properly arranging radio transceivers has already been recognized. In this regard, an example is to the See U.S. Patent 4,032,844. There a combination of microphone, loudspeaker and control unit is described, which is carried out by a cable comprising many conductors connected to a radio transceiver that can send and receive multiple RF signals. The cable comprising many conductors is on a housing attached to the unit and can electrically connect the unit to the radio transceiver. The control unit provides the necessary Control functions so that the radio transceiver on a suitable place, even places outside the chamber of the user, can be arranged.

US-PS 4,153,877 describes a mobile CB radio in which the circuit arrangement is divided so that the chassis, the receiver circuit, the transmitter circuit and the frequency synthesizer circuit can be installed in a remote location in a motor vehicle, such as behind the dashboard, under the seat or in the trunk, so as to reduce the possibility of theft and / or the likelihood of theft to reduce the possibility of the chassis injuring the occupants of the vehicle in the event of an accident or a sudden stop. The whole Control circuitry is housed in a combination of microphone and control unit that is in the user's hand Vehicle held and operated by the same hand that holds the combo unit.

Another known solution is to remove some of the control functions controllable by spoken phrases, eliminating the need for manual adjustments. Of the-

like well-known radio transceivers, some of which respond to voice commands, respond, usually take care of switching the transceiver between sending and receiving. Regarding this See, for example, U.S. Patents 3,169,221, 4,103,105, 4,166,978, and 4,178,548.

A type of transceiver that is completely in its modes of operation controlled by voice commands is / is in a later application by the same applicant (attorney's reference 9O24-45-MR-344) specified. A voice-controlled radio transceiver that enters into dialogue with the user is specified there, which controls several control operations can perform, such as switching the transceiver on and off, switching the transceiver from sending to receiving, changing the operating frequency of the transceiver, etc., depending on voice commands, whereby the

the "need for manual manipulation by / operator is eliminated

A sound control of machines other than radio transceivers is also known. U.S. Patent 4,275,266 describes a device for controlling machines by voice, which device is responsive to a plurality of predetermined musical tones in a sequence to produce digital control output signals. In an article entitled "Experimental Telephone Lets Disabled Dial By Vioce", Bell Lab (USA), Volume 51, No. 9 is described an experimental telephone for the physically handicapped who are unable to hold the handset of a telephone or to choose with a conventional telephone. The phone responds to any sound, even whistling, blowing or knocking, which is above a certain threshold value. The user must then turn on the telephone circuit by providing an access code before entering the phone number.

In an essay entitled "Voice Data Entry Computer Terminal Allows User To Select 900-Word Vocabulary "in Digital Technology Review (USA) Volume 17, No. 6, is an intelligent speech terminal that enables users to import data directly into a

Enter computer using the familiar English language, by speaking into a microphone or the handset of a microphone. The system can be expanded so that delivers an audio frequency response through a speech synthesizer unit. The heart of the intelligent voice terminal is a sound pattern classifier that generates a digital code in response to a received utterance. An action facility that assigns an appropriate system action to each command that is recognized is also available. The actions can be taken by one simple outputting of a code assigned to a recognized word up to the execution of a complex computer program that has a Function of several entered commands is enough. Another essay that describes entering data by voice, found in EDN May 27, 1981, pages 101-113, by Edward R. Teja.

The present invention is for a voice responsive mobile status unit for operation in a communication system having at least one mobile transceiver and one stationary transceiver. It is a voice recognition circuit arranged to receive and convert each of a plurality of predetermined spoken phrases into a corresponding one coded digital output signal. The speech recognition circuit responds to a password and is activated by this. The password is then followed by a phrase that represents the status of the operator. The coded, digital output signal is then entered into the mobile transceiver for a transmission to the stationary transceiver.

A speech synthesizer circuit is provided so that the mobile status unit can also be used to transmit information in the opposite direction. The mobile transceiver receives encoded digital input signals input to the speech synthesizer. The speech synthesizer circuit converts the encoded input signal into electrical impulses that represent speech.

The invention will now be described with further features and advantages on the basis of the description and drawings of exemplary embodiments explained in more detail.

Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a communication system using a mobile status unit.

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile status unit according to the invention.

Figure 3 is an electrical circuit diagram illustrating the speech recognizer according to Figure 2.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the interface unit shown in FIG. 1 in detail.

Figures 5 and 6 are flow diagrams and represent a programmed one Operational sequence for the mobile status unit shown in Figure 2.

In Figure 1 is a communication or message system 10 with a transceiver 12 at a base station and a mobile transceiver 14 shown. The transceiver 12 at the base station sends and receives information at predetermined RF frequencies via a tower 16 or the like. The mobile transceiver 14 can also receive information transmit or receive predetermined RF frequencies via an antenna 18 or the like. The transceiver located at the base station 12 and the mobile transceiver 14 can be set to be on the same predetermined frequency work, making the connections between them easier. The messaging system can also have multiple mobile transceivers 14 include.

The device located at the mobile station comprises, in addition to the mobile receiver 14, a mobile status unit 20 and an interface unit 22. The mobile status unit 20 is there

Information and receives information from the mobile transceiver 14 via the interface unit 22. A speaker 24 responds to information provided by the at the base station located transceiver 12 and sent by the mobile Transceiver 14 are received. A microphone 25 is provided so that the user can transmit information to the mobile transceiver 14, which are provided for the stationary transceiver 12. The information becomes digital Form between the stationary transceiver 12 and the mobile Transceiver 14 transmitted. Since digital transmissions take less time than voice transmissions, there is a time compression or shortening achieved. The mobile status unit 20 is designed to operate in response to verbal commands. the end for this reason, no hand or eye contact is required to operate the mobile status unit and receive status information or to send messages to the stationary transceiver 12. Since the mobile status unit 20 is not used by the operator or the user needs to be seen or touched, it can be removed from a location outside the operator's compartment or the user.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the mobile status unit 20. The heart of the mobile status unit 20 is a common one Data processing system 27, which can be a Motorola 6802 or an Intel 8085. The data processing system 27 is working according to predetermined instructions which are stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 29 in the usual manner. A memory with Random access (RAM) 30 is provided to provide memory for temporary storage. The read-only memory 29 can be any commercially available memory with a storage capacity of about 4K bytes, while memory random access can be any commercially available memory having a storage capacity of about 2K bytes. Of the Random access memory 30 and read only memory 29 are conventionally connected to the data processing system by bus 31 27 connected. Bus 31 usually includes one

Data bus, an address bus and a control bus.

A speech recognizer 33 such as a Model Auricle 1 available from Threshold Technology at 20823 Steven Creek Boulevard Cupertine, California 9 5014 is manufactured using the data processing system 27 connected by bus 31. The speech recognizer 33 can alternatively be a speech recognition chip with associated Components such as a model VRCOO8, a speech recognition chip set such as a model VRC1OO-1 or a speech recognition module, such as a model VRQ4OO, all made by Interstate Electronics Corporation, Vioce Product Operations, PO Box 3117, Anaheim, California. Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of the

daring
Speech recognizer 33 / comprising the aforementioned model VRCOO8 and associated components. The speech recognizer 33 responds to electrical impulses that are received by the microphone 25. The microphone 25 is a conventional transducer which generates electrical impulses from spoken words.

The speech recognizer 33 is controlled by the data processing system. The speech recognizer 33 can be programmed so that it responds to certain passwords, such as: status, message, call, request, following, hello, etc. The speech recognizer 33 must recognize a predetermined password in order to verify that the following spoken phrases are valid. The phrases that the speech recognizer 33 as valid messages after receiving a predetermined password, can include, for example, the following phrases: base, controller, Data, clear, on instruction, on the spot, in operation, yard, absent, break, noon, etc. In addition, this can be programmed of the speech recognizer 33 can be simplified by assigning a predetermined code word to each phrase. It will It is clear that the speech recognizer 33 works with only a very limited vocabulary of about 20 to 40 words or phrases can to exercise a full status unit function. These words and phrases are easily decoded into one of eight Bit existing group (byte) by the microprocessor, which the

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Word or phrase for the digital data transmission between the mobile transceiver 14 and the stationary transceiver 12 represents.

The mobile status unit 20 has a speech synthesizer 34, such as a Speech 1000 Synthesizer ^ board, the Delivered by Telesensory Speech Systems at 3408 Hill View Avenue, PO Box 10099, PaIo Alto, California, 94304, which is also connected to the data processing system 27 via the bus. The speech synthesizer 34 can alternatively be an on Language-responsive module model no. VTM150, which was developed by the vori * v named Interstate Electronics Corporation, a TMS51OO four-bit synthesizer, a TMS52OO eight-bit synthesizer or any other commercially available speech synthesizer chips. The speech synthesizer 34 generates electrical signals, which are input to the loudspeaker 24. The speaker 24 is a common speaker, the audible spoken one Phrases generated upon application of electrical signals generated by the speech synthesizer 34. The speech synthesizer 34 can be programmed to generate the following spoken phrases: receive, call, base, controller, Request, Status, Repeat, Message, etc. A digital transmission received by the mobile transceiver 14 that is a Representing information from an eight bit group can easily be decoded to the required spoken word To generate phrases. The mobile status unit 20 additionally has a conventional input / output opening 36 for forming an interface with the interface unit 22.

During operation, the mobile status unit according to FIG. 1 responds to certain predetermined spoken passwords. When the speech recognizer 34 recognizes a predetermined password, the microprocessor 27 is ready to receive a valid message. the Message is encoded into a digital outgoing communication signal that goes from mobile transceiver 14 to transceiver 12 of the base station is transmitted. The transceiver 12 located at the base station receives the encoded

transmitted communication signal and generates a responsive Analog signal. This analog signal contains the message information indicating the status of the operator. on this way the status of the operator is transmitted to the transceiver at the base station with a minimum communication time is used, and the operator does not perform any manual functions or even on the mobile Transceiver 14 needs to look.

Similarly, the base station transceiver 12 generates encoded digital data input signals. Of the mobile transceiver 14 receives the coded, digital data input signals, which are entered into the mobile status unit 20. The voice synthesizer 34 of the mobile status unit 20 produces an audible output signal that is responsive to the encoded digital data input signal. Thus, the operator can Receive information without performing any manual functions or even on the mobile transceiver 14 to have to look.

The interface unit 22 according to FIG. 1 is shown in detail in FIG. Encoded digital data input signals that are received by the mobile transceiver 14, are input into a filter 38 that the signal-to-noise ratio of the received signal improved. The filtered signal is then input to a demodulator 40. The demodulator inputs received data signal and a received clock signal to the mobile status unit 20.

So that information flows in the opposite direction, receive a modulator 42 the data to be transmitted and also a data identification signal. The modulator 42 additionally receives a reference clock signal from a reference clock 43 and generates the encoded, outgoing, digital data signal that is in the mobile Transceiver 14 is entered for transmission to base station 12. The modulator 42 also provides a transmission clock signal to the mobile status unit 20. In addition, a

button to be pressed to speak and a transmission light on the mobile Transceiver 14 activated by a radio identification signal and a transmission light signal is activated by the mobile status unit 20 generated and in the mobile transceiver 14 via amplifier 45 or 46 entered.

Additional functions from the interface unit 22

(Muting) include the attenuation / of the loudspeaker of the mobile transceiver 14 by inputting a loudspeaker attenuation signal into the mobile transceiver 14 via an amplifier 47 and inputting a carrier blocking signal (squelch) into the mobile status unit 20 via an amplifier 48 coupling the interface unit 22 data signals and control signals which are generated by the mobile status unit 20, in the corresponding circuitry of the mobile transceiver 14 and couples data signals and which are generated by the mobile transceiver 14 control signals _/, in the mobile status unit 20. the operation of the mobile Status unit 20 is explained in more detail below in connection with FIGS.

FIG. 5 shows a flow chart with the associated programmed operation of the speech recognizer 33. That shown in FIG The flow chart indicates the program instructions which are stored in the read-only memory 29 by the microprocessor 27 Program to be executed. After commissioning, the microprocessor 27 determines in a decision step 51 whether a Password has been recognized. If no password has been recognized, the microprocessor 27 determines in a decision step 53 whether a radio frequency message has been received. If no such message is received, the Processor 27 returns to decision step 51. The processor 27 remains in this loop until either a password is recognized or a radio frequency message has been received. Determined by decision step 51 after the recognition of a password the processor 27 as to whether a phrase / l & n command at decision step 55 has been received. When the information received neither a recognized command nor a phrase is / waits

Processor 27 for a predetermined time, e.g. three Seconds, as illustrated by decision step 27. Decision step 57 gives the user or operator three seconds to give a command or phrase after saying a password. When a command or If a phrase is not given after three seconds, processor 27 returns to decision step 51. In this case must the user or operator speak a new password or repeat the previous password to the mobile status unit 20 to activate.

After an instruction or phrase is recognized, the processor determines 27 in a decision step 59 whether the command or the phrase is compatible with the recognized password. Unless, the processor 27 returns to decision step 51. If the command or phrase is compatible with the password, converts the processor 27 converts the information into a digital byte. At decision step 63, the processor 27 determines whether a Request has been made from memory. If no request has been made from memory, processor 27 generates at step 65 an address and check word added to the digital byte to form an encoded outgoing digital data signal to create. If processor 27 has determined at decision step 67 that the communication channel is open, then cause the processor 27 the mobile transceiver 14, the coded, Send outgoing digital data signal at step 68. At the end of the transmission of the coded, outgoing data signal the processor 27 returns to decision step 51. When a high frequency signal has been received like it is determined by decision step 53, processor 27 proceeds to step 70 shown in FIG. Figure 6 generally illustrates the programmed operation of speech synthesizer 34. At step 70, the processor decodes 27 the received, encoded, incoming, digital data signal. The decoded signal is at decision steps 72 and checked to see if an intelligible message was sent to the correct address. When one of the exams

fails, the processor returns to decision step 51. If both tests are passed, processor 27 proceeds to step 75 where those are received and decoded Data to the speech synthesizer 34 are sent. Processor 27 may also arrive at step 75 if at decision step 63 a query has been made from memory. In this If so, the processor 27 acquires the necessary data from the memory, as indicated by step 77, and sends them Data to the speech synthesizer at step 75. The speech synthesizer 34 synthesizes or sets the required output words at step 7.9 ■ together when the data has been sent by the processor 27. After the composition of the Processor 27 returns output words to decision step 51. This concludes the description of the FIG and 6 from the program flow diagram shown.

In summary, a mobile status unit is specified that is digitally encoded in response to recognized passwords or phrases can generate outgoing data signals. This information is stored in a digital format at a base station Transceiver transmitted via a mobile transceiver, so that the status of the user or the operator is recorded at the base station without the user or operator having to perform any manual functions must perform. The mobile status unit can also use spoken words and phrases upon receipt of encoded, incoming, digital Generate data signals, so that the user or the operator the status of his message or other information is made aware that is being sent by the base station transceiver.

Of course, there are also other exemplary embodiments in Possible within the framework of the teaching given here. It should be noted that appropriate address and error checking data are assigned to the various data transfers can be added as required when using the mobile status unit.

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Claims (17)

Expectations ( 1 .J Voice-controlled mobile status unit for operation in a communication system with at least one mobile transceiver and a stationary transceiver, characterized by voice recognition means (33) for receiving and converting each of several predetermined spoken phrases into corresponding coded, digital output data, which are stored in the mobile Transceiver (14) are inputted for digital transmission to the stationary transceiver (12), and speech synthesizer means (34) for receiving the encoded incoming digital data sent by the stationary transceiver (12) and received by the mobile transceiver (14), said speech synthesizer means (34) converting the incoming digital data into electrical signals representative of speech. 2. Voice-controlled mobile status unit according to claim 1, characterized in that data processing means (27) are provided for controlling the operation of both the speech recognition means (33) and the Speech synthesizer means (34). 3. Voice-controlled mobile status unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the a plurality of predetermined spoken phrases received and converted by the speech recognition means (33), each contain both a password and a message phrase. 4. Voice-controlled mobile status unit according to claim 3, characterized in that means are provided for storing predetermined message phrases and the digital output data are one of the predetermined Contain message phrases with a predetermined password. 5. Voice-controlled mobile status unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the digital output data contain identification information. 6. Speech-controlled mobile status unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the incoming digital data is identification information contain. 7. Voice-controlled mobile status unit according to claim 1, characterized in that means are provided for generating speech in dependence on electrical signals representing the speech. 8. Voice-controlled mobile status unit according to claim 1, characterized in that means is provided for generating electrical pulses that represent speech, the electrical signals in the Speech recognition means (33) are entered. 9. Voice-controlled mobile status unit for operation in a messaging system with at least one mobile transceiver and a transceiver located at a base station, characterized by speech recognition means (33) for receiving and recognizing each ** ■ of a plurality of predetermined spoken phrases, processing means (27) responsive to the speech recognition means (33) for converting each of the recognized spoken phrases into digitally coded output signals which are input to the mobile transceiver for transmission to the stationary transceiver, the processing means further responsive to the mobile transceiver for receiving the encoded incoming digital signals transmitted by the stationary transceiver and speech synthesizer means for generating spoken phrases in response to the encoded incoming digital signals. 10. Method for voice-controlled operation of a mobile Status unit in a message system with at least one mobile transceiver and one stationary transceiver, characterized in that each of a plurality of predetermined spoken phrases is received and converted into corresponding coded, digital output signals, which in a mobile transceiver are entered for a digital broadcast or transmission to a stationary transceiver, and that the encoded, incoming digital data sent by the stationary base receiver and by the mobile transceiver received, received and converted into electrical signals representing speech. 11. The method according to claim 10, characterized that the plurality of predetermined spoken phrases that are received and converted, respectively contain both a password and a message phrase. 12. The method according to claim 11, characterized that predetermined message phrases are stored and the digital output data one of the contain predetermined message phrases generated in response to a predetermined password. 13. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the digital output data a Contains identification information. 14. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the incoming digital data contain identification information. 15. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that that speech is generated as a function of the electrical signals representing speech. 16. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that electrical, speech performing Pulses are generated, the electrical signals being input into a speech recognition device. 17. Method for voice-controlled operation of a mobile "status unit" in a message system with at least a mobile transceiver and a transceiver located at a base station, characterized that each of a plurality of predetermined spoken phrases is received and recognized, each of the recognized spoken phrases encoded into digital Output signals are converted into the mobile transceiver for a transmission to the transceiver located at the base station, the coded, incoming digital signals sent by the transceiver located at the base station and spoken phrases are generated in response to the encoded incoming digital signals.