US 5,687,221 A · Information processing apparatus having speech and non-speech communication functions · patentgrep

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Abstract

An information processing apparatus having speech and non-speech communication functions for communicating with another party in a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred and communicating with another party in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred. The information processing apparatus includes a speech and non-speech communication detecting apparatus for detecting whether the other party communicates with the information processing apparatus in a speech mode or a non-speech mode and transferring speech and non-speech data between the information processing apparatus and the other party, a non-speech communication unit for receiving non-speech data from the speech and non-speech communication detecting apparatus and supplying non-speech data to the speech and non-speech communication detecting apparatus when the non-speech mode has been detected, and a voice recognizing unit for converting voice information included in speech data from the speech and non-speech communication detecting apparatus into data information when the speech mode has been detected. The invention further includes a voice synthesizing unit for converting data information into speech data including voice information and supplying the speech data to the speech and non-speech communication detecting apparatus when the speech mode has been detected.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for transferring data information other than voice information;
input apparatus for entering the data information;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice recognizing apparatus for converting voice information coming from said another party into data information;
voice synthesizing apparatus for converting said data information entered from said input apparatus into voice information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice recognizing apparatus and said voice synthesizing apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in non-speech mode;
and
wherein said input apparatus comprises a handwritten character input apparatus for entering handwritten character information and a handwritten character recognizing apparatus for converting the handwritten character information entered from said handwritten character input apparatus into character code information;
additional information detecting apparatus for detecting additional information attached when handwritten character information is entered from said handwritten character input apparatus;
wherein said voice synthesizing apparatus changes an attribute of voice information to be synthesized according to contents of the additional information detected by said additional information detecting apparatus;
wherein the additional information to be detected by said additional information detecting apparatus is at least a handwriting pressure applied to said handwritten character input apparatus and the voice information attribute to be changed by said voice synthesizing apparatus is at least one of volume, tonal quality and tune of voice.

9 more elements

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for transferring data information other than voice information;
input apparatus for entering the data information;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice recognizing apparatus for converting voice information coming from said another party into data information;
voice synthesizing apparatus for converting said data information entered from said input apparatus into voice information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice recognizing apparatus and said voice synthesizing apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in non-speech mode;
communication information storage apparatus for storing any of voice information and data information;
wherein said voice recognizing apparatus performs one of operation of storing at least part of voice information coming from said another party in said communication information storage apparatus based on an external instruction to convert the voice information stored in said communication information storage apparatus into data information and stores at least part of the converted data information in said communication information storage apparatus based on an external instruction to output the data information stored in said communication information storage apparatus onto said display apparatus;
and
wherein said input apparatus comprises handwritten character input apparatus for entering handwritten character information and handwritten character recognizing apparatus for converting the handwritten character information entered from said handwritten character input apparatus into character code information;
additional information detecting apparatus for detecting additional information attached when handwritten character information is entered from said handwritten character input apparatus;
wherein said voice synthesizing apparatus changes an attribute of voice information to be synthesized according to contents of the additional information detected by said additional information detecting apparatus;
wherein the additional information to be detected by said additional information detecting apparatus is at least a handwriting pressure applied to said handwritten character input apparatus and the voice information attribute to be changed by said voice synthesizing apparatus is at least one of volume, tonal quality and tune of voice.

11 more elements

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for communicating in said non-speech mode in which data information other than voice information is transferred;
input apparatus for entering the data information;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice reproducing apparatus for reproducing voice information coming from said another party;
voice synthesizing apparatus for converting the data information entered from said input apparatus into voice information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice synthesizing apparatus and connecting said communication network control apparatus with said voice reproducing apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in non-speech mode;
wherein said input apparatus comprises handwritten character input apparatus for entering handwritten character information and handwritten character recognizing apparatus for converting the handwritten character information entered from said handwritten character input apparatus into character code information;
additional information detecting apparatus for detecting additional information attached when handwritten character information is entered from said handwritten character input apparatus;
wherein said voice synthesizing apparatus changes an attribute of voice information to be synthesized according to contents of the additional information detected by said additional information detecting apparatus;
wherein the additional information to be detected by said additional information detecting apparatus is at least a handwriting pressure applied to said handwritten character input apparatus and the voice information attribute to be changed by said voice synthesizing apparatus is at least one of volume, tonal quality and tune of voice.

8 more elements

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for communicating in said non-speech mode in which data information other than voice information is transferred;
input apparatus for entering the data information;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice reproducing apparatus for reproducing voice information coming from said another party;
voice synthesizing apparatus for converting the data information entered from said input apparatus into voice information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice synthesizing apparatus and connecting said communication network control apparatus with said voice reproducing apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in non-speech mode;
communication information storage apparatus for storing any of voice information and data information;
wherein said voice reproducing apparatus stores at least part of voice information coming from said another party in said communication information storage apparatus based on an external instruction to reproduce the voice information stored in said communication information storage apparatus;
wherein said input apparatus comprises handwritten character input apparatus for entering handwritten character information and handwritten character recognizing apparatus for converting the handwritten character information entered from said handwritten character input apparatus into character code information;
additional information detecting apparatus for detecting additional information attached when handwritten character information is entered from said handwritten character input apparatus;
wherein said voice synthesizing apparatus changes an attribute of voice information to be synthesized according to contents of the additional information detected by said additional information detecting apparatus;
wherein the additional information to be detected by said additional information detecting apparatus is at least a handwriting pressure applied to said handwritten character input apparatus and the voice information attribute to be changed by said voice synthesizing apparatus is at least one of volume, tonal quality and tune of voice.

10 more elements

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for transferring data information other than voice information;
input apparatus for entering the data information;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice recognizing apparatus for converting voice information coming from said another party into data information;
voice synthesizing apparatus for converting said data information entered from said input apparatus into voice information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice recognizing apparatus and said voice synthesizing apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in non-speech mode;
speech communication apparatus for making communication in said speech mode in which voice information is transferred;
mode storage apparatus for storing any one of speech mode and non-speech mode;
mode setting apparatus for setting any one of speech mode and non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said speech communication apparatus if speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus if non-speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus;
schedule data storage apparatus for storing schedule data entered from said input apparatus;
and
timer apparatus for measuring time;
wherein, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, said mode setting apparatus determines a utilizing situation of said another party based on a time measured by said timer apparatus and the schedule data stored in said schedule data storage apparatus and, according to the determined utilization situation, sets one of said speech mode and said non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus, and, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode, said mode setting apparatus sets non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus.

12 more elements

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for transferring data information other than voice information;
input apparatus for entering the data information;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice recognizing apparatus for converting voice information coming from said another party into data information;
voice synthesizing apparatus for converting said data information entered from said input apparatus into voice information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice recognizing apparatus in said voice synthesizing apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in a non-speech mode;
communication information storage apparatus for storing any of voice information and data information;
wherein said voice recognizing performs one of operations of storing at least part of voice information coming from said another party in said communication information storage apparatus based on an external instruction to convert the voice information stored in said communication information storage apparatus into data information and stores at least part of the converted data information in said communication information storage apparatus based on an external instruction to output the data information stored in said communication information storage apparatus onto said display apparatus;
speech communication apparatus for making communication in said speech mode in which voice information is transferred;
mode storage apparatus for storing any one of speech mode and non-speech mode;
mode setting apparatus for setting any one of speech mode and non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said speech communication apparatus if speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus if non-speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus;
schedule data storage apparatus for storing schedule data entered from said input apparatus;
and
timer apparatus for measuring time;
wherein, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, said mode setting apparatus determines a utilizing situation of said another party based on a time measured by said timer apparatus and the schedule data stored in said schedule data storage apparatus and, according to the determined utilization situation, sets one of said speech mode and said non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus, and, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode, said mode setting apparatus sets non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus.

14 more elements

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for communicating in said non-speech mode in which data information other than voice information is transferred;
input apparatus for entering the data information;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice reproducing apparatus for reproducing voice information coming from said another party;
voice synthesizing apparatus for converting said data information entered from said input apparatus into voice information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice synthesizing apparatus and connecting said communication network control apparatus with said voice reproducing apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in non-speech mode;
speech communication apparatus for making communication in said speech mode in which voice information is transferred;
mode storage apparatus for storing any one of speech mode and non-speech mode;
mode setting apparatus for setting any one of speech mode and non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said speech communication apparatus if speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus if non-speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus;
schedule data storage apparatus for storing schedule data entered from said input apparatus;
and
timer apparatus for measuring time;
wherein, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, said mode setting apparatus determines a utilizing situation of said another party based on a time measured by said timer apparatus and the schedule data stored in said schedule data storage apparatus and, according to the determined utilization situation, sets one of said speech mode and said non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus, and, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode, said mode setting apparatus sets non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus.

12 more elements

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for communicating in said non-speech mode in which data information other than voice information is transferred;
input apparatus for entering the data information;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice reproducing apparatus for reproducing voice information coming from said another party;
voice synthesizing apparatus for converting said data information entered from said input apparatus into voice information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice synthesizing apparatus and connecting said communication network control apparatus with said voice reproducing apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in non-speech mode;
communication information storage apparatus for storing any of voice information and data information;
wherein said voice reproducing apparatus stores at least part of voice information coming from said another party in said communication information storage apparatus based on an external instruction to reproduce the voice information stored in said communication information storage apparatus;
speech communication apparatus for making communication in said speech mode in which voice information is transferred;
mode storage apparatus for storing any one of speech mode and non-speech mode;
mode setting apparatus for setting any one of speech mode and non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said speech communication apparatus if speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus if non-speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus;
schedule data storage apparatus for storing schedule data entered from said input apparatus;
and
timer apparatus for measuring time;
wherein, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, said mode setting apparatus determines a utilizing situation of said another party based on a time measured by said timer apparatus and the schedule data stored in said schedule data storage apparatus and, according to the determined utilization situation, sets one of said speech mode and said non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus, and, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode, said mode setting apparatus sets non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus.

14 more elements

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for communicating in said non-speech mode in which data information other than voice information is transferred;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice input apparatus for entering a voice;
voice recognizing apparatus for converting voice information coming from said another party into data information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice recognizing apparatus and connecting said communication network control apparatus with said voice input apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode;
speech communication apparatus for making communication in said speech mode in which voice information is transferred;
mode storage apparatus for storing any one of speech mode and non-speech mode;
mode setting apparatus for setting any one of speech mode and non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said speech communication apparatus if speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus if non-speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus;
schedule data storage apparatus for storing schedule data entered from said input apparatus;
and
timer apparatus for measuring time;
wherein, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, said mode setting apparatus determines a utilizing situation of said another party based on a time measured by said timer apparatus and the schedule data stored in said schedule data storage apparatus and, according to the determined utilization situation, sets one of said speech mode and said non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus, and, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode, said mode setting apparatus sets non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus.

11 more elements

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for communicating in said non-speech mode in which data information other than voice information is transferred;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice input apparatus for entering a voice;
voice recognizing apparatus for converting voice information coming from said another party into data information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice recognizing apparatus and connecting said communication network control apparatus with said voice input apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode;
communication information storage apparatus for storing any of voice information and data information,
wherein said voice recognizing apparatus performs one of operations of storing at least part of voice information coming from said another party in said communication information storage apparatus based on an external instruction to convert the voice information stored in said communication information storage apparatus into data information and stores at least part of the converted data information in said communication information storage apparatus based on an external instruction to output the data information stored in said communication information storage apparatus onto said display apparatus;
speech communication apparatus for making communication in said speech mode in which voice information is transferred;
mode storage apparatus for storing any one of speech mode and non-speech mode;
mode setting apparatus for setting any one of speech mode and non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said speech communication apparatus if speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus if non-speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus;
schedule data storage apparatus for storing schedule data entered from said input apparatus;
and
timer apparatus for measuring time;
wherein, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, said mode setting apparatus determines a utilizing situation of said another party based on a time measured by said timer apparatus and the schedule data stored in said schedule data storage apparatus and, according to the determined utilization situation, sets one of said speech mode and said non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus, and, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode, said mode setting apparatus sets non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus.

13 more elements

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for transferring data information other than voice information;
input apparatus for entering the data information;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice recognizing apparatus for converting voice information coming from said another party into data information;
voice synthesizing apparatus for converting said data information entered from said input apparatus into voice information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice recognizing apparatus and connecting said communication network control apparatus with said voice input apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode;
wherein said input apparatus comprises handwritten character apparatus for entering handwritten character information and handwritten character recognizing apparatus for converting the handwritten character information entered from said handwritten character input apparatus into character code information;
speech communication apparatus for making communication in said speech mode in which voice information is transferred;
mode storage apparatus for storing any one of speech mode and non-speech mode;
mode setting apparatus for setting any one of speech mode and non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said speech communication apparatus if speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus if non-speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus;
schedule data storage apparatus for storing schedule data entered from said input apparatus;
and
timer apparatus for measuring time;
wherein, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, said mode setting apparatus determines a utilizing situation of said another party based on a time measured by said timer apparatus and the schedule data stored in said schedule data storage apparatus and, according to the determined utilization situation, sets one of said speech mode and said non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus, and, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode, said mode setting apparatus sets non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus.

13 more elements

An information processing apparatus comprising:

communication network control apparatus for controlling connection with another party, said communication network control apparatus determining, based on information received after establishing a connection with said another party, whether said another party is communicating in a speech mode in which voice information is transferred or a non-speech mode in which data information is transferred;
non-speech communication apparatus for transferring data information other than voice information;
input apparatus for entering the data information;
display apparatus for displaying data information;
voice recognizing apparatus for converting voice information coming from said another party into data information;
voice synthesizing apparatus for converting said data information entered from said input apparatus into voice information;
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus via said voice recognizing apparatus and connecting said communication network control apparatus with said voice input apparatus if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus directly if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode;
wherein said input apparatus comprises handwritten character input apparatus for entering handwritten character information and handwritten character recognizing apparatus for converting the handwritten character information entered from said handwritten character input apparatus into character code information;
additional information detecting apparatus for detecting additional information attached when handwritten character information is entered from said handwritten character input apparatus,
wherein said voice synthesizing apparatus changes an attribute of voice information to be synthesized according to contents of the additional information detected by said additional information detecting apparatus;
speech communication apparatus for making communication in said speech mode in which voice information is transferred;
mode storage apparatus for storing any one of speech mode and non-speech mode;
mode setting apparatus for setting any one of speech mode and non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus,
connection switching apparatus for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said speech communication apparatus if speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus and for connecting said communication network control apparatus with said non-speech communication apparatus if non-speech mode is set to said mode storage apparatus;
schedule data storage apparatus for storing schedule data entered from said input apparatus;
and
timer apparatus for measuring time;
wherein, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said speech mode, said mode setting apparatus determines a utilizing situation of said another party based on a time measured by said timer apparatus and the schedule data stored in said schedule data storage apparatus and, according to the determined utilization situation, sets one of said speech mode and said non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus, and, if said communication network control apparatus determines that said another party is communicating in said non-speech mode, said mode setting apparatus sets non-speech mode to said mode storage apparatus.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.