A voice controlled foreign language translator implemented in a device such that a user can speak a phrase in the user's native language and the translator will repeat the phrase in the foreign language. The user is provided a collection of predetermined foreign phrases. The phrases are stored in a device memory. Each individual phrase is accessible by the user. If speaker dependent voice recognition is implemented, the user must train the device to correlate the native language phrase with the foreign language phrase prior to using the translation feature. Voice recognition software operating on a digital processor within the device processes the user voice input. Once the user has trained the device it can be used in translation mode. In translation mode the user speaks one of the pre-trained native language phrases and the device, using voice recognition, outputs the corresponding foreign phrase. The output is typically played on a loudspeaker in the device.

A method for automatically confirming verbal commands issued by a user and received by an automatic speech recognition system. Each verbal command is associated with a command operator set in which one or more command operators are stored. After the user vocalizes a recognized verbal command, the automatic speech recognition system awaits vocalization of a valid command operator from an associated stored command operator set for a pre-determined period of time. During this waiting period a non-intrusive indicator such as a light or a low volume tone notifies the user that the automatic speech recognition system is awaiting or ready to receive an appropriate command operator. If the user vocalizes a valid and recognized command operator during the waiting period, then the automatic speech recognition system executes the verbal command using the command operator and issues a confirmation to the user that the verbal command has been executed. Otherwise, the automatic speech recognition system returns to its idle state awaiting a further verbal command.

A speech registration/recognition processing section is responsive to a speech input signal to be registered or recognized from a microphone to selectively subject the speech input signal to a registration or a recognition processing, in which upon the registration processing the speech input signal is allowed to be stored as recognition data and upon the recognition processing the speech input signal is compared to the recognition data stored. A speech record/reproduction processing section is responsive to the speech input signal from the microphone to subject the speech input signal to a record/reproduction processing, in which upon the record processing the speech input signal is recorded as a record signal and upon the reproduction processing the record signal is delivered as a reproduction signal. A speaker is supplied with the reproduction signal. A control section is provided, in accordance with a registration or a recognition mode designation signal, for setting the the speech registration/recognition processing section to the registration or the recognition processing and for setting the speech record/reproduction processing section to the record or the reproduction processing corresponding to the registration or the recognition processing at which the speech registration/recognition processing section is placed.

A speech registration/recognition processing section is responsive to a speech input signal to be registered or recognized from a microphone to selectively subject the speech input signal to a registration or a recognition processing, in which upon the registration processing the speech input signal is allowed to be stored as recognition data and upon the recognition processing the speech input signal is compared to the recognition data stored. A speech record/reproduction processing section is responsive to the speech input signal from the microphone to subject the speech input signal to a record/reproduction processing, in which upon the record processing the speech input signal is recorded as a record signal and upon the reproduction processing the record signal is delivered as a reproduction signal. A speaker is supplied with the reproduction signal. A control section is provided, in accordance with a registration or a recognition mode designation signal, for setting the speech registration/recognition processing section to the registration or the recognition processing and for setting the speech record/reproduction processing section to the record or the reproduction processing corresponding to the registration or the recognition processing at which the speech registration/recognition processing section is placed.

A speech registration/recognition processing section is responsive to a speech input signal to be registered or recognized from a microphone to selectively subject the speech input signal to a registration or a recognition processing, in which upon the registration processing the speech input signal is allowed to be stored as recognition data and upon the recognition processing the speech input signal is compared to the recognition data stored. A speech record/reproduction processing section is responsive to the speech input signal from the microphone to subject the speech input signal to a record/reproduction processing, in which upon the record processing the speech input signal is recorded as a record signal and upon the reproduction processing the record signal is delivered as a reproduction signal. A speaker is supplied with the reproduction signal and the recognized information is provided to the user through this speaker. A control section is provided, in accordance with a registration or a recognition mode designation signal, for setting the speech registration/recognition processing section to the registration or the recognition processing and for setting the speech record/reproduction processing section to the record or the reproduction processing corresponding to the registration or the recognition processing at which the speech registration/recognition processing section is placed.