KR100698194B1 - A mobile terminal and a method for providing a TIS function in the mobile terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal for providing a user function in a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal for guiding a user by converting a text required for the user to use the mobile terminal such as searching and executing a menu in the mobile terminal. According to the present invention, there is provided a memory in which fixed text for each event and variable text for each event are stored; A voice conversion unit converting the text corresponding to the event into voice when an event occurs; A controller configured to control the type of speech based on whether the text is fixed text or variable text; And a voice output unit for outputting a voice according to the type of the voice. According to the present invention, in outputting a voice guidance required for the operation of a mobile terminal through a text to speech (TTS) function, the fixed text and the variable text are divided and displayed according to the type of voice (male voice, female voice). By doing so, the user may help determine whether the information is to be skipped during the voice guidance. In addition, according to the present invention, in outputting the voice guidance for hierarchical menu navigation through the TTS function, it is indicated whether the level of the menu is rising or falling, or where the level of the current menu is. can do.

Description

A MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL, AND A METHOD FOR PERFORMING TTS (TEXT TO SPEECH) FUNCTION}

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 illustrates respective examples of fixed text and variable text.

3 is a flowchart of a method for providing a TTS function according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a type relationship between text and voice for each event according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a configuration diagram of a mobile terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram illustrating a hierarchical structure of menus for each level.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a TTS function according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a diagram showing a relationship between voice speeds for each level according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

10 is a flowchart of a method for providing a TTS function according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a view showing the relationship between the vibration drive for each level change according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a method for providing a TS function in a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to convert a text necessary for a user to use the mobile terminal, such as a menu search and execution, to a voice by the user. The present invention relates to a mobile terminal for providing a TTS function in the mobile terminal.

In general, a text to speech (TTS) function is a technology for converting textual information into a human voice through a computer, which is necessary for a blind person who cannot see text. It is also used for voice guidance or to make voice calls with normal people by converting texts typed by speech-impaired or deaf people into speech.

Nowadays, in addition to using these functions for the purpose of the handicapped, the display of the mobile phone is narrow so that it is difficult to display a lot of contents, or to allow the user to check the necessary content without looking at the display, The TS function may be employed in the mobile terminal.

According to this general TS function, the time required for the user to check the necessary information through the voice output to the speaker is much longer than the time required to check the same information through the characters displayed on the display. Since the time required to listen to the voice is so long, the user needs to skip and listen to all the information that the user does not need to hear, such as memorizing the guided voice or predicting it based on what he has already heard. You have a desire to hear only what you have. In spite of the user's request to select only the necessary contents as described above, the contents provided through TTS are so flat that it is difficult for the user to select whether they are necessary or new. Therefore, a problem arises in that the user wastes time while continuously listening to the contents that the user already knows, or skips the necessary contents.

On the other hand, through the TS function, it is often provided to navigate the menu of the mobile terminal or to provide a guide for running the menu, such a menu is generally composed of a hierarchical structure by level, such as the top menu, sub-menu, bottom menu, etc. . This hierarchical structure by level is understood as a three-dimensional spatial structure, which is also visual, so it is extremely difficult to understand the spatial structure for people with disabilities who have lost their visual ability since birth, and their visual ability was normal. Even if a normal person is present, it may be difficult to recall the spatial structure using only voice without viewing the display through vision. In other words, it is not only difficult to guess whether the user is in a level up state or a level down state in a menu structure composed of three-dimensional hierarchical hierarchies only by voice guidance on menu selection according to a conventional TTS function. There is a problem that it is difficult to guess which level it is at.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, in outputting the voice guidance required for the operation of the mobile terminal through the TTS (Text to Speech) function, fixed text and variable text to the type of speech ( It is to provide a mobile terminal that can help the user determine whether the information to skip during the voice guidance, and the method of providing the TIS function in the mobile terminal by displaying the information divided into male voice, female voice) have.

Still another object of the present invention is to output voice guidance required for hierarchical menu navigation through the TTS function, and to indicate whether the level of the menu is up or down, or where the level of the current menu is. The present invention provides a mobile terminal and a method for providing a TS function in the mobile terminal.

In order to achieve the above object, a mobile terminal according to the present invention includes a memory in which fixed text for each event and variable text for each event are stored; A voice conversion unit converting the text corresponding to the event into voice when an event occurs; A controller configured to control the type of speech based on whether the text is fixed text or variable text; And a voice output unit for outputting a voice according to the type of the voice.

According to the present invention, the event may include command input, text data input, text message reception, command processing completion.

According to the present invention, the controller may determine whether the text is fixed text or variable text based on the header included in the text.

According to the present invention, the fixed text is data previously stored in the memory, and includes a header indicating that the fixed text is fixed. The variable text includes data input through an input unit or data received through wireless communication. Is stored in the memory and may include a header indicating that the variable is variable.

According to another aspect of the invention, (a) detecting the occurrence of the event; (b) inquiring on a text corresponding to the event when an event occurs; (c) determining whether the text is fixed or variable; (d) determining the type of speech according to whether it is fixed or variable; And (e) converting the text into the voice of the type and outputting the text.

According to the present invention, step (c) may be a step of determining whether the text is fixed or variable based on the header included in the text.

According to the present invention, step (d) may include determining the type of the voice as a male voice when the text is fixed, and determining the type of the voice as a female voice when the text is variable. connect.

According to another aspect of the invention, the input unit for inputting a command for menu selection; A memory in which text regarding the guidance of the menu for each level is stored; A voice converter for converting the text corresponding to the command into voice; A voice output unit to output the voice; When the command changes the level of the menu, a mobile terminal including a control unit for controlling the speed of the voice according to the changed current level is provided.

According to the present invention, the command for selecting a menu may include a menu list display command, a menu list moving command, a menu selection command, and a menu execution command.

According to the present invention, the text regarding the menu guide for each level may include a guide regarding the selected menu and a guide regarding a lower menu list belonging to the selected menu.

According to the present invention, the controller may be to speed up the voice as the changed current level is lower.

According to another aspect of the invention, (a) a command for menu selection is input; (b) querying the current level if the command changes the level of the menu; (c) determining a speed of speech based on the current level; And (d) inquiring a text corresponding to the command, and converting the text into a voice of the speed and outputting the text.

According to the present invention, step (c) may be a step of determining that the speed of the voice is higher as the current level is lower.

According to another aspect of the invention, the input unit for inputting a command for menu selection; A memory in which text regarding the guidance of the menu for each level is stored; A voice converter for converting the text corresponding to the command into voice; A voice output unit to output the voice; A vibration driver for driving two or more types of vibrations; And a control unit for controlling the driving of the vibration when the command changes the level of the menu, and controlling the type of vibration based on whether the command is a level rising command or a level falling command. .

According to another aspect of the invention, (a) a command for menu selection is input; (b) determining a type of vibration based on whether the command is a level rising command or a level falling command; (c) driving a vibration corresponding to the type; And (d) inquiring a text corresponding to the command, and then converting the inquired text into voice and outputting the voice.

According to the present invention, the step (c) may be a step of driving the vibration corresponding to the type for 0.5-2 seconds.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, terms or words used in the specification and claims should not be construed as having a conventional or dictionary meaning, and the inventors should properly explain the concept of terms in order to best explain their invention in the best way possible. Based on the principle that can be defined, it should be interpreted as meaning and concept corresponding to the technical idea of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described in the specification and the drawings shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiment of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical idea of the present invention, various modifications that can be replaced at the time of the present application It should be understood that there may be equivalents and variations.

In particular, it should be understood that the mobile terminal in the present invention includes not only a mobile communication terminal such as a mobile phone, but also all terminals having portableness such as MP3 player, mobile phone multimedia player (PMP).

1 is a view showing the configuration of a mobile terminal according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the drawings, the mobile terminal 110 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a control unit 111, an input unit 112, a memory 113, a voice conversion unit 114, and a voice output unit 115. do.

The controller 111 controls the type of speech based on whether the text is fixed text or variable text. Specifically, it is determined whether the text is fixed or variable based on the header included in the text. Here, the fixed text refers to text that is repeatedly played without changing its contents, and refers to text that the user skips to the next without generally listening to the contents. On the other hand, the variable text refers to text that is generally new content or text that changes depending on a state, and the user generally needs to pay attention to the content. For example, the fixed text includes a menu list guide, a command processing guide, or a data storage status guide. The variable text includes a selected menu guide, text message data, phonebook data, current time information, and input information. And text data. Examples of fixed text and variable text are shown in FIG. 2.

On the other hand, the fixed text includes a header (eg, "<f> text </ f>") indicating that the text is fixed. In addition, the fixed text cannot be erased by the user and is stored in the memory 113 in advance. On the other hand, variable text includes a header (eg, "<v> text </ v>") indicating that it is variable. The variable text may generally be data input through the input unit 112, or data received through wireless communication, but may be data stored in the memory 113, except for those already stored in the memory 11. The addition of a header indicating that it is variable (eg, "<v> text </ v>") is also treated as variable text.

On the other hand, the type of voice is according to the frequency of the voice signal, the voice type may be a male voice or a female voice.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, the remaining components will be described.

The input unit 112 is an input device for inputting a command or inputting text data.

The memory 113 is a storage device that stores fixed text for each event and variable text for each event. The event may include text input, text message reception, command processing completion, as well as command input.

When the event occurs, the voice converter 114 converts the text corresponding to the event into voice. For example, when an event called the menu list display command occurs, the text corresponding to this event ("Menu is selected. 1 is the phone book, 2 is the organizer, 3 is ...") is converted to voice. will be. The process of converting the text to speech by the voice converter 114 may be implemented as a general text to speech (TTS) technology, and the present invention is not limited to a specific technology. In the case of the fixed text, the text is pre-stored in the memory 113. Therefore, in converting the fixed text into the voice, a voice recording file previously stored for each text can be read without the need for a voice synthesis process. It may be.

The voice output unit 115 is an output device that outputs the voice converted by the voice converter 114 and may be a speaker.

3 is a flowchart of a method for providing a TTS function according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, first, it is detected whether an event occurs in a mobile terminal (S110). Here, the event may be a case in which a user inputs a specific command, a user inputs text data, or a case in which a text message is received or command processing is completed (for example, phonebook registration is completed).

If it is detected that an event has occurred in step S110 (YES in step S110), in particular, when the event is text data input or text message reception, it is variable to data input through an input unit or data received through wireless communication. Add a header indicating that the message is stored (step not shown).

Then, the text corresponding to the event detected in step S110 is inquired (step S120). 4 is a view showing an example of the type relationship between text and voice for each event according to the first embodiment of the present invention. For example, when the event is a menu list display command, the corresponding text is " number 1 is a telephone. "Book number, number 2 is the organizer, number 3 is ...". Referring to FIG. 3 again, the remaining steps will be described.

Then, the header is inquired to the text inquired in step S120 (step S130). Here, the header may be a header indicating that the text is fixed (e.g. "<f> text </ f>") or a header indicating that the text is variable (e.g. "<v> text </ v>"). have.

If the header queried in step S130 is a header indicating that it is fixed, that is, if the text queried in step S130 includes fixed text or contains fixed text (YES in step S140), the type of voice suitable for the fixed text is determined. (Step S150). Here, the type of voice suitable for the fixed text is preferably relatively unattractable, and may be a low frequency male voice, but the present invention is not limited thereto. After determining the type of the voice in step S150, and converts the text inquired in step S130 to the voice of the type determined in step S150 (if the entire text is fixed text) (step S155). If only a part of the text inquired in step S130 is fixed text, only the portion corresponding to the fixed text is converted into a voice of the type determined in step S150 and outputted, and the rest is treated as a new event to proceed to step S110 and after. Let's do it.

On the contrary, when it is determined in step S140 that the text queried in step S130 is not fixed text (that is, in the case of variable text) (No in step S140), a type of voice suitable for the variable text is determined (step S160). . In this case, the type of voice suitable for the variable text is relatively attracting attention, and may be a high frequency female voice, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Then, the text retrieved in step S130 is converted into the type of voice determined in step S160 and output (step S165).

The step S110 to step S160 is a process of converting text into voice for one event, and steps S110 to S160 are repeatedly performed unless the event is terminated.

5 is a configuration diagram of a mobile terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the mobile terminal 120 according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a control unit 121, an input unit 122, a memory 123, a voice conversion unit 124, and a voice output unit 125. Include.

When the command received from the input unit 122 changes the level of the menu, the controller 121 controls the speed of the voice according to the changed current level. The command may be a command regarding menu selection, and the command regarding menu selection may include a menu list display command, a menu list moving command, a menu selection command, and a menu execution command. Here, the menu is a hierarchical structure divided into two or more levels, and may be divided into three or more levels. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hierarchical structure of menus for each level. The remaining components will be described with reference to FIG. 5 again.

The controller 121 may speed up the voice as the changed current level is lower. For example, the lower the current level changed, the faster the voice can be 20% faster. The user may recognize that the level of the menu is lowered by feeling that the voice speeds up.

The input unit 122 is an input device for inputting a command regarding menu selection. In general, a number key button and a direction movement button may be included, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The memory 123 is a storage device in which text regarding the guidance of the menu for each level is stored. The text about the guide of the menu for each level includes a guide about the selected menu and a guide about a submenu list belonging to the selected menu. For example, if the command is a menu list display command, "1 is a phone book, 2 is an organizer, 3 is ...", and the command is a menu selection command, "You have selected phone book 1." Can be

The voice converter 124 is a component that converts text corresponding to a command input from the input unit 122 into voice. The process of converting the text into the speech by the voice converter 124 may be implemented as a general text to speech (TTS) technology, and the present invention is not limited to the specific technology. In addition, since the text is partially or totally stored in the memory 123 in advance, the text recording file may be read out for each text without the need for a voice synthesis process.

The voice output unit 125 is an output device for outputting the voice converted by the voice converter 124 and may be implemented as a speaker.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a TTS function according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, as a user inputs a command through an input unit, a command regarding menu selection is input (S210). Then, the mobile terminal determines whether the command input in step S210 changes the level of the menu (step S220). For example, it is determined whether the command is a command for selecting a specific menu from among a plurality of menu lists or a command for returning to the upper menu or the upper menu by pressing the erase key.

As a result of the determination in step S220, if the command input in step S210 does not change the level of the menu (NO in step S220), the process returns to the start step again and waits for a command regarding menu selection.

On the contrary, as a result of the determination in step S220, when the command input in step S210 changes the level of the menu (YES in step S220), it is inquired what level the changed current level is (step S230). If the command input in step S210 is a menu list display command (ie, a main menu selection command), the current level of the changed menu is the first level, and the command input in step S210 is a specific menu selection command of the main menu. In this case, the current level of the changed menu becomes the second level.

If the current level is inquired in step S230, the speed of the voice is determined based on the current level (step S240). The lower the current level, the higher the speed of speech can be determined. The relationship between the voice speeds for each level according to the second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. For example, when the current level of the menu is the second level, the speed of the voice may be determined to be 120% faster than the first level. The remaining steps will be described with reference to FIG. 7 again.

Then, the text corresponding to the command input in step S210 is inquired (step S250). For example, when the command input in step S210 is a menu list display command, the inquired text is " 1 " The organizer, number 3 is ... ". On the other hand, step S240, may be made before the step S220 to S230, or at the same time as the step S220 to S230.

Then, the text inquired in step S240 is converted into voice of the speed determined in step S240 and output (step S260). In the process of navigating and executing the menu, the user can feel the change in the speed of the guide voice and the speed of the guide voice, so as to determine what level the menu is at.

The step S210 to step S260 is a process of converting text into voice for one command, and steps S210 to S260 are repeatedly performed unless an event ends.

9 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 9, the mobile terminal 130 according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes a control unit 131, an input unit 132, a memory 133, a voice converter 134, a vibration driver 135, and a voice. And an output unit 136.

The controller 131 controls the driving of the vibration of the true driving unit 134 when the command input to the input unit 132 changes the level of the menu, and whether the command input to the input unit 132 is a level rising command. Controls the type of vibration based on whether it is a command. Here, the menu is also a hierarchical structure divided into two or more levels. The hierarchical structure of the menu is as shown in FIG. The controller 131 causes the vibration driver 134 to drive the vibration for about 0.5-2 seconds whenever the command input from the input unit 132 changes the level of the menu. Here, the type of vibration may be various according to the intensity of the vibration, the frequency of the vibration, or the pattern of the vibration. The controller 131 determines the type of the vibration according to whether the level rises or falls.

The input unit 132 is an input device for inputting a command regarding menu selection. In general, a number key button and a direction movement button may be included, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The memory 133 stores text about guiding of the menu for each level.

The voice conversion unit 134 is a component that inquires the text corresponding to the command input through the input unit 132 from the memory 133 and converts the retrieved text into voice. The technique may be applied, but the present invention is not limited to the specific technique. In addition, since the text is partially or totally stored in the memory 133 in advance, the text may be read in advance for each text, without having to perform a voice synthesis process.

The vibration driving unit 135 is a component for driving two or more types of vibrations. The type of vibration depends on the strength of the vibration, the frequency of the vibration, or the pattern of vibration. For example, there may be a strong vibration, a medium vibration, or a weak vibration according to the intensity of the vibration, and there may be a high frequency vibration and a low frequency vibration according to the frequency of the vibration. Depending on the pattern of vibration, there may be a strong vibration, a weak vibration, a high frequency and then a low vibration. In the present invention, two cases (level rising, level falling) should be shown, and therefore, at least two types of vibrations are required.

The voice output unit 136 is an output device that outputs the voice converted by the voice converter 134 and may be implemented as a speaker.

10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a TTS function according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 10, first, a user inputs a command related to menu selection through an input unit in operation S310. Here, the command for menu selection may include a menu list display command, a menu list moving command, a menu selection command, and a menu execution command.

Then, the mobile communication terminal determines whether the command input in step S310 is a command for changing the level of the menu (step S320). If the command does not change the level of the menu (NO in step S320), the process returns to step S310 to wait for input of the command.

As a result of the determination in step S320, if the command input in step S310 changes the level of the menu (YES in step S320), whether the command input in step S310 raises the level of the menu or lowers the level. It is determined whether (S330).

As a result of the determination in step S330, if the level is increased (YES in step S330), the type of vibration corresponding to the level rise is determined (step S340). For example, the type of vibration corresponding to the level rise may be a vibration in which the strength of the vibration is weak. The relationship between the vibration driving for each level change according to the third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. Referring to the drawings, when the input command is a menu list display command, since the level is lowered, a type of vibration (weak vibration) corresponding to the level lowering is driven. If the input command is a command that raises one level, such as a cancel selection, it drives a type of vibration (strong vibration) corresponding to the level increase.

The remaining steps will be described with reference to FIG. 11 again.

As a result of the determination in step S330, if the level is lowered (No in step S330), the type of vibration corresponding to the level lowering is determined (step S350). For example, the type of vibration corresponding to the level increase may be a vibration whose strength of vibration is strong.

Then, after inquiring the text corresponding to the command input in step S310 (step S360), the searched text is converted into voice and output (step S370). Of course, the steps S360 to S370 may be performed before the steps S320 to S355 or at the same time.

The step S310 to step S370 is a process of converting text into voice for one command, and steps S310 to S370 are repeatedly performed unless the event is terminated.

As described above, although the present invention has been described by way of limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto and is intended by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Of course, various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of equivalents of the claims to be described.

According to an aspect of the present invention, in outputting the voice guidance required for the operation of the mobile terminal through the text to speech (TTS) function, the fixed text and the variable text as a voice type (male voice, female voice) Since the display is divided, the user can easily determine whether the information to be skipped during the voice guidance.

According to another aspect of the present invention, since only the information of interest to the user is guided by a well-attracted female voice, the user can concentrate more on the necessary information, so there is little risk of missing the necessary part. .

According to another aspect of the present invention, in outputting the voice guidance for hierarchical menu navigation through the TS function, by grasping the speed of the voice, it is easy to determine where the level of the current menu is. I can find out.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in outputting the voice guidance required for menu navigation in a hierarchical structure through the TTS function, since the vibration is generated whenever the level of the menu changes, the user can easily change the level. In addition to being able to recognize, since the type of vibration when the level is raised and when the level is lowered, the user can easily recognize whether the current level is rising or falling by perceiving the type of vibration.

Claims (15)

A memory storing fixed text for each event and variable text for each event; A voice conversion unit converting the text corresponding to the event into voice when an event occurs; A controller configured to control the type of speech based on whether the text is fixed text or variable text; And, Voice output unit for outputting the voice according to the type of the voice A mobile terminal comprising a. The method of claim 1, The event includes a command input, text data input, text message reception, command processing completion. The method of claim 1, The controller determines whether the text is fixed text or variable text based on a header included in the text. The method of claim 1, The fixed text is data previously stored in the memory and includes a header indicating that the fixed text is fixed. The variable text includes a header indicating that data input through an input unit or data received through wireless communication are stored in the memory and are variable. (a) detecting an event occurrence; (b) inquiring on a text corresponding to the event when an event occurs; (c) determining whether the text is fixed or variable; (d) determining the type of speech according to whether it is fixed or variable; And, (e) converting the text into the speech of the type and outputting the text; Method of providing a TS function in a mobile terminal comprising a. The method of claim 5, The step (c) is a step of determining whether the text is fixed or variable based on the header included in the text. The method of claim 5, In the step (d), if the text is fixed, the voice type is determined as a male voice, and if the text is variable, the mobile communication terminal is characterized in that the type of the voice is determined as a female voice. How to provide TIS function in. An input unit for inputting a command relating to menu selection; A memory in which text regarding the guidance of the menu for each level is stored; A voice converter for converting the text corresponding to the command into voice; A voice output unit to output the voice; Control unit for controlling the speed of the voice according to the changed current level when the command changes the level of the menu A mobile terminal comprising a. The method of claim 8, The menu selection command includes a menu list display command, a menu list moving command, a menu selection command, and a menu execution command. The method of claim 8, The text regarding the menu guide for each level includes a guide regarding the selected menu and a guide regarding a list of submenus belonging to the selected menu. The method of claim 8, The controller is characterized in that the speed of the voice is faster as the changed current level is lower. (a) inputting a command regarding menu selection; (b) querying the current level if the command changes the level of the menu; (c) determining a speed of speech based on the current level; And, (d) querying the text corresponding to the command, and converting the text into voice of the speed and outputting the text; Method of providing a TS function in a mobile terminal comprising a. The method of claim 12, In the step (c), the lower the current level, the higher the speed of the voice. An input unit for inputting a command relating to menu selection; A memory in which text regarding the guidance of the menu for each level is stored; A voice converter for converting the text corresponding to the command into voice; A voice output unit to output the voice; A vibration driver for driving two or more types of vibrations; And, Control unit for controlling the driving of the vibration when the command changes the level of the menu, and controls the type of vibration based on whether the command is a level rising command or a level falling command A mobile terminal comprising a. (a) inputting a command regarding menu selection; (b) determining a type of vibration based on whether the command is a level rising command or a level falling command; (c) driving a vibration corresponding to the type; And, (d) inquiring the text corresponding to the command, and converting the inquired text into voice and outputting the voice Method of providing a TS function in a mobile terminal comprising a.

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