US 4,378,569 A · Sound pattern generator

Abstract

An apparatus for providing an audible representation of any data which can be represented in a format of M.times.N individual datum. Each datum can have individually specified properties. One application of this technique is to provide an audible representation of a visual scene. Since these data can readily be assimilated by the brain, they can provide either an aid to the visually handicapped or supplementary information to the normally sighted. A matrix of M.times.N pixels is generated in which distance along one spatial axis is represented by discrete sound frequencies and distance along the orthogonal axis is represented by the time lapse following a reference sound pulse. The light intensity of a pixel is represented by the amplitude of the sound at both a particular frequency and a particular time after the reference sound pulse is generated.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A system for producing a sound pattern representative of the image produced by a field of electromagnetic radiation, said system comprising:

receiver means comprising a two dimensional array of data elements for receiving a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation and outputting information signals in response to said radiation;
transformation means for accepting said information signals and outputting said information signals on a plurality of parallel channels;
audio signal generator means for producing a plurality of discrete frequency carrier signals in the audible range;
modulator means for modulating each of said discrete carrier signals with a separate one of said plurality of channels outputted from said transformation means;
and
transducer means connected to said modulator means for converting said modulated carrier signals to audible signals.

3 more elements

A system for transforming frames of information stored in a two-dimensional matrix array into audible data frames in which signals having a plurality of audible frequencies are used to transmit said stored information and in which the frequencies represent one axis of the array and the time duration of the audible data frames represents the other axis of the array, said system comprising information frame generation means comprising a plurality of discrete points arranged in a two-dimensional matrix array for receiving electromagnetic waves and generating information in response thereto;

scanning means for scanning the elements of said matrix and outputting the information contained therein in serial form;
frame reference signal generation means for generating a signal indicative of the time duration of an audible data frame thereby defining said other axis of the array;
serial to parallel convertor means for receiving said serial information and transforming it into a plurality of parallel channels of information;
and utilization circuitry means for receiving said parallel channels and said frame reference signal and including transducer means for outputting an audible signal in response to said frame reference signal and a multiple frequency signal in response to said parallel channels.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sound pattern generator

Life of this patent

Sound pattern generator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17