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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to a voice-recognition camera which operates upon
recognizing a voice input. With the advancement of voice-recognition
technology, a camera that performs specific operations upon recognizing an
input voice or a key word (vocal instruction/command) registered in
advance has been under consideration. The user of such a camera can
release the shutter by simply telling the camera, "Release." The user does
not have to worry about a blurred picture due to the movement of camera
caused by the manual releasing action, or he can remotely control the
camera.
The conventional voice-recognition camera, however, has problems: first,
the camera has no means for a user to check whether his/her voice is
registered or recognized by the camera. Consequently, the user cannot
determine if the cause of failures, such as a register error or a
malfunction of the camera upon voice input, is in the voice recognition
system or camera mechanism. It is true that there is no approach presented
to this problem so far; second, the vocal instructions for this type of
camera are registered conventionally by a recognition circuit system in
the register mode according to the sequence determined by the circuit
system. For example, multiple switch are installed on the camera; the
first switch is for registering an instruction voice for release operation
(for example, "release"); the second switch is for registering an
instruction voice for self-timer operation (for example, "self-timer"),
and so forth.
However, under the conventional registration system, the user must
understand the corresponding relations between individual input switches
and camera operations, and it makes the voice registration system
complicated. This often causes erroneous registration, for example, by
depressing the switch for the self-timer when the switch for the release
operation should be depressed instead. Moreover, changing a registered
instruction voice is similarly complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The basic concept of this invention should be a camera without the
aforementioned problems. The present invention aims to provide a camera
with a means of display to indicate registration or recognition of a vocal
instruction, in order to solve the aforementioned first problem of
function recognition of the vocal operation means.
Another object of this invention is to provide the camera with the simpler
configuration for voice registration in relation to the aforementioned
second problem. In the present invention, an embodiment, which enables the
camera to register a vocal instruction to operate the camera by depressing
an actual operation switch of the same camera function in the register
mode, is possible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the circuit configuration of an embodiment of
the voice-recognition camera according to the present invention,
FIG. 2 is an enlarged diagram showing the camera display section,
FIGS. 3(A) and (B) are mounting diagrams of a voice input microphone,
FIGS. 4(A) and (B) are mounting diagrams of a voice input microphone for a
camera with a zoom lens,
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the circuit configuration of an embodiment of
the voice-recognition camera according to this invention, and
FIG. 6 is a flowchart explaining the operation of above embodiments in the
recognition mode.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the circuit configuration of an embodiment of
the voice-recognition camera according to the present invention.
In FIG. 1, numeral 1 indicates a voice-input microphone to be mounted on
the back cover of a camera; numeral 2 indicates an amplifier which
amplifies inputted aural signals; numeral 3 indicates a voice-recognition
circuit which judges whether inputted aural signals match the registered
vocal commands; and if yes, it outputs signals according to the vocal
commands; numeral 4 indicates a microcomputer which controls individual
sections of a camera according to the output signals from
voice-recognition circuit 3; numeral 5 indicates a photometric circuit
which measures the brightness of a subject by using photodiode 6; numeral
7 indicates the shutter control circuit which turns magnet 8 on or off for
controling the shutter speed; numeral 9 indicates the automatic focusing
circuit which checks the focal point of the photographing lens and moves
it to a focusing position; numeral 10 indicates a drive circuit for
controling film feeder motor 11.
Concerning camera operation switches, numerals 12 and 13 respectively
indicate switch S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 ; if the release button is lightly
depressed for one stage, switch S.sub.1 (12) is turned on, and if the
release button is further depressed, both switches S.sub.1 (12) and
S.sub.2 (13) are turned on. In the photographing sequence of the camera,
if switch S.sub.1 (12) is turned on, the intensity of light and range are
measured in sequence and if switch S.sub.2 (13) is turned on, the lens and
shutter are driven and the film is wound up. Numeral 14 indicates the
self-timer operating switch; and numeral 15 indicates the rewind switch.
Numeral 16 is the vocal instruction register switch, which consists of
matrix switches and connects to voice-recognition circuit 3. Register
switch 16 comprises a switch for registering vocal instructions for
setting photographic modes and a switch for registering vocal instructions
for setting up photographic conditions under individual photograhic modes.
The former comprises switch E (16a) which registers vocal instructions for
correcting exposure, switch M (16b) which registers vocal instructions for
multiple exposure, and switch I (16c) which registers vocal instructions
for interval exposure; the latter comprises "+" switch 16d which registers
the vocal instruction for setting an over-exposure in the exposure
correction mode, "-" switch 16d which registers the vocal instruction for
setting an under-exposure, and numeral switch 16f which registers the
vocal instruction for setting the compensation for an iris diaphragm, the
number of frames for multiple exposure, and the interval time for interval
exposure.
For register switches, switch F (16g) registers the vocal instruction for
focus lock; switch ST (16h) registers the vocal instruction for the
self-timer, and switch R (16l) registers the vocal instruction for
rewinding film. Voice-recognition circuit 3 enters the voice register mode
if register switches 16 are operated wherein all camera driving is
inhibited except for display 18. If register switches 16 are not operated,
voice-recognition circuit 3 changes to the voice-recognition mode.
Using these register switches, the instruction voice as outlined in the
following table may be registered.
______________________________________
Register switch: Vocal instruction (examples)
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Switch E, 16a: "Exposure"
Switch M, 16b: "Multiple Exposure"
Switch T, 16c: "Interval"
+ Switch, 16d: "Over"
- Switch, 16e: "Under"
Switch F, 16g: "Focus Lock"
Switch S, 16h: "Release"
Switch ST, 16k: "Self-timer"
Switch R, 16l: "Rewind"
Numeral switch
16f:
0 "Zero"
to to
9 "Nine"
______________________________________
Numeral 17 indicates the display operation (drive) circuit which drives
display section 18 according to the output from voice-recognition circuit
3 or microcomputer 4.
Display section 18 is installed, for example, on the upper part of the
camera for easy recognition of its indication. It is configured with a
device such as liquid crystal display as shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 shows that numeral 18a indicates the "ES" part of the display which
functions if a vocal instruction for exposure compensation is registered
by the voice-recognition circuit during the register mode, or recognized
by the circuit during the recognition mode; numeral 18b indicates the "ME"
part of the display which functions if a vocal instruction for the
multiple exposure is registered or recognized; numeral 18c indicates the
"IT" part of the display which functions if a vocal instruction for the
interval exposure is registered or recognized; numeral 18d indicates the
numeral display part which indicates numbers if a vocal instruction for a
numeral is registered or recognized; numerals 18e, 18f, and 18g indicate
the time display parts which indicate the time if respective vocal
instruction for an interval time is recognized; these time display parts
indicate from left to right: hours, minutes, and seconds.
Numeral 18h indicates the display part for overexposure mode which
functions if a vocal instruction for overexposure setting is registered or
recognized; and numeral 18k indicates the display part for underexposure
mode which functions if a vocal instruction for underexposure setting is
registered or recognized.
Numeral 18l indicates the S.sub.1 mode display part which functions if a
vocal instruction for focus lock is registered or recognized; numeral 18m
indicates the S.sub.2 mode display part which functions together with
S.sub.1 mode display part 18l if a vocal instruction for shutter operation
is registered or recognized.
Numeral 18n indicates the self-timer mode display part which functions if a
vocal instruction for self-timer operation is registered or recognized;
and numeral 18p indicates the rewind mode display part which functions if
a vocal instruction for rewind operation is registered or recognized.
Moreover, numeral display part 18d indicates photographic conditions for
special photographing and the number of photographed frames of the film in
the camera. The registration by vocal instructions will be explained by
quoting the case of a special photographing.
If switch E (16a) is turned on, "ES" part of the display 18a starts
blinking.
If a command "Exposure" is inputted, voice-recognition circuit 3 registers
it as the vocal instruction to activate the exposure compensation mode.
Once it is registered, "ES" part of the display 18a stops blinking and
remains; it stops its indication if switch E (16a) is turned off
thereafter. Then, if switch M (16b) is turned on, "ME" part of the display
18b starts blinking. If a command "Multiple Exposure" is inputted, it is
registered as the instruction voice for setting the multiple exposure
mode.
Once it is registered, "ME" part of the display 18b stops blinking and
remains; it stops its indication if switch M (16b) is turned off
thereafter. Similarly from there onward, the vocal instructions (see the
aforementioned table) are registered in correspondence with the individual
switches that configure register switch 16. During the registration, "IT"
part of the display 18c, numeral display part 18d, overexposure mode and
underexposure mode display parts 18h and 18k all blink, remain and stop
their indications similarly to "ES" part of the display 18a and "ME" part
of the display 18b. In addition to those display parts, S.sub.1 mode
display part 18l and S.sub.2 mode display part 18m, self-timer mode
display part 18n and rewind mode display part 18p also operate in the same
way. By these indications, the user can recognize that individual vocal
instructions have been registered.
The recognition mode operation will now be explained. For the operation of
special modes, a vocal instruction is inputted through microphone 1 to set
up a photographing mode and its conditions.
Supposing now that an underexposure photography is to be taken with setting
the diaphragm two stops under, the photographing mode is first set up by
inputting a vocal instruction "Exposure" through microphone 1. If the
instruction "Exposure" is recognized, "ES" part of the display 18a
indicates the confirmation that recognition has been made by the camera.
Voice-recognition circuit 3, upon recognizing the mode, enters the state
for recognizing photographing condition, and if a vocal instructions
"Under" is then entered, underexposure mode display part 18k indicates
that the instruction "Under" has been recognized. Then, a vocal
instruction "Two" is entered through microphone 1.
If voice-recognition circuit 3 recognizes the instruction "Two", numeral
display part 18d displays "2". This completes the setting of the
photography mode and condition, and voice-recognition circuit 3 outputs
signals corresponding to the set mode and condition to microcomputer 4,
which controls individual sections of the camera to take a photograph with
an underexposure effect, once it has been started.
The same procedures apply to the multiple exposure mode: "ME" part of the
display 18b functions if a vocal instruction "Multiple Exposure" is
entered through microphone 1; if "Zero" and "Eight" are entered in
succession, numeral display 18d displays "08"; and voice-recognition
circuit 3 recognizes that a multiple exposure of eight frames is
instructed.
For the interval exposure mode, if a vocal instruction "Interval" is
entered, the "IT" part of the display 18c indicates for the confirmation
that the system is now in the interval exposure mode. The
voice-recognition circuit 3 becomes to a standby state for inputting
interval time instructions, and if "Zero", "One", "Five", "Zero", "Zero"
are entered in succession, the hour display part 18e displays "01", the
minute display part 18f displays "15", and the second display part 18g
displays "00", for the confirmation that an interval time of one hour and
fifteen minutes has been recognized. If "Zero" and "Three" are entered for
setting the number of frames to be photographed, the numeral display part
18d displays "03". The result of recognition by the voice-recognition
circuit 3 is turned out to the microcomputer 4, which controls the
individual sections of the camera accordingly, and the camera repeats
photographing operations for three frames with the interval time of one
hour and fifteen minutes.
The other displays function in the same way. In other words, if a vocal
instruction "Focus Lock" is recognized, S.sub.1 mode display part 181
functions, and if a vocal instruction "Release" is recognized, both
S.sub.1 mode display part 181 and S.sub.2 mode display part 18m function.
Moreover, if vocal instructions "Self-Timer" and "Rewind" are recognized,
self-timer mode display part 18n and rewind mode display part 18p function
respectively.
Each of the aforementioned display parts are turned off with the completion
of camera operation.
In the aforementioned embodiment of this invention, voice-recognition
circuit 3 has registration and recognition modes as its operation modes;
it is possible to add a checking mode to the operation modes. If a camera
is used after it has not been used for a long time, the user may wish to
check if the camera recognizes a registered vocal instruction, or if a
certain vocal instruction is already registered in it. For such a case,
the voice-recognition circuit should be set to the checking mode; the
camera may not operate even if an vocal instruction is inputted, but
display 18 should display the result of recognition accordingly.
FIG. 3(A) shows the installation position of microphones to a
voice-recognition camera in which first voice input microphone 20 is
installed to the lower section of the back cover of the camera. Microphone
20 may be installed at the bottom section of the camera or elsewhere from
where it can easily catch the user's vocal instructions while he/she views
a subject through finder 22.
Moreover, to catch a vocal instruction from the front of the camera (e.g.
group photographing), second microphone 23 is installed in front of the
camera as shown in FIG. 3(B). Switch 24 interchanges first microphone 20
to second microphone 23 and vice versa. However, if the camera is in
register mode or voice registration is enforced by the register switch 25,
the registration is accomplished with first microphone 20 while second
microphone 23 is turned off.
For second microphone 23, a type which has a forward directivity
corresponding to the photographing angle is used. That is, microphone 23
receives a voice input only if the vocal instruction is made within the
photographic angle of field.
For a camera with a zooming function, microphone directivity may be changed
according to the zooming position of lens.
For example, as FIG. 4(A) shows, microphone 27, which can move in the
direction of optical axis of the camera lens, is installed inside of
microphone hole 26a on main camera body 26.
Microphone 27 is connected to zoom lens 28 by lever 29. As FIG. 4(B) shows,
if zoom lens 28 zooms forward, microphone 27 moves to the reverse
direction, that is the direction to the bottom of microphone hole 26a.
This narrows down the directivity of microphone 27, and makes it
adjustable to the change of the photographic angle of field. As thus far
described, this invention has solved the first problem by displaying the
registration or recognition of vocal instructions; therefore, this
invention offers the following advantages: It is possible to check the
operating state of the voice-recognition means, thus preventing erroneous
registrations of vocal instructions, and allowing the user to determine
whether the voice-recognition system or the camera mechanism is the
problem when the camera fails to operate in response to a vocal
instruction.
The embodiment of the present invention, in which the camera operating
switches which are also configured to serve as input switches for
registration, will be explained. In this way, switch operations are
simplified as to acchieve the second aim of this invention.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the circuit configuration of the second
embodiment of a voice-recognition camera according to this invention. In
FIG. 5, the parts numbered identically to those in FIG. 1 have identical
functions.
In this embodiment, one of the terminals of camera operating switches 12 to
15 is grounded while the other terminal is connected via a diode to
microcomputer 4 and input terminals I.sub.0 to I.sub.3 of
voice-recognition circuit 3.
Switch 160 changes the recognition mode to registration mode and vice
versa; one of the terminals is connected to voice-recognition circuit 3.
If mode switch 160 is on, the camera system is in registration mode and if
it is off, the system is in recognition mode.
The operation of the present embodiment is described below.
To register a vocal instruction, while mode switch 160 is turned on, a
switch for a desired operation selected from switches 12 to 15 is to be
operated, so that the vocal instruction is inputted through microphone 1.
Voice-recognition circuit 3 turns out a signal to the SO terminal of
microcomputer 4 to make the computer inoperable; according to the signal
received from mode switch 160 and a selected operating switch, the circuit
registers a voice input as a vocal instruction to activate the same
function as the camera function which is also started by the
aforementioned switch. The following table outlines the signal levels of
input terminals I.sub.0 to I.sub.3 of voice-recognition circuit 3 and
gives examples of the vocal instructions when individual operating
switches 12 to 15 are turned on.
______________________________________
Operating switch
I.sub.0
I.sub.1
I.sub.2
I.sub.3
Vocal Instruction
D.sub.0
D.sub.1
______________________________________
S.sub.1 0 1 1 1 "Focus Lock"
0 0
Switch 12
S.sub.2 0 0 1 1 "Release" 0 1
Switch 13
Self-timer 1 1 0 1 "Self-Timer"
1 0
switch 14
Rewind 1 1 1 0 "Rewind" 1 1
switch 15
______________________________________
For example, the release button is lightly depressed to turn on switch
S.sub.1 (12), and the vocal instruction "Focus Lock" is inputted through
microphone 1 and the release button is further depressed to turn switch
S.sub.2 (13) on and the vocal instruction "Release" is inputted;
self-timer switch 14 is similarly turned on and the vocal instruction
"Self-Timer" is inputted; the vocal instruction "Rewind" is also able to
be inputted after turning on rewind switch 15.
This completes the registration of each voice input as the instruction for
the function which is identical to that of the corresponding switch.
The operation in the recognition mode is explained below. If mode switch
160 is turned off, the camera becomes to the recognition mode;
voice-recognition circuit 3 turns out a start signal to the SO terminals
of microcomputer 4 so that the computer becomes operable. Microcomputer 4
is now ready to be operated by the outputs from either voice-recognition
circuit 3 or operating switches 12 to 15.
The functions of this embodiment, according to the invention, are described
with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6.
If a voice input is inputted (F-1), voice-recognition circuit 3 judges
whether the inputted voice matches the registered vocal instruction (F-2);
and if yes, it turns out a corresponding signal (2-bit signal) to
terminals D.sub.0 and D.sub.1 of microcomputer 4 (F-3). An example of this
signal is indicated at the right-hand end of the above table. For example,
if the vocal instruction "Focus Lock" is recognized, "O" and "O" signals
are turned out to input terminals D.sub.0 and D.sub.1 of microcomputer 4
respectively.
According to the output signals from voice-recognition circuit 3,
microcomputer 4 operates the camera in response to the inputted voice
(F-4). In other words, if the vocal instruction "Focus Lock" is inputted,
photometry and range finding functions are done, and with the input of the
vocal instruction "Release", the lens and shutter drives are made followed
by film rewinding. If the vocal instruction "Self-Timer" is inputted, the
self-timer is into operation, and if the vocal instruction "Rewind" is
inputted, the camera starts rewinding film.
As thus far described, voice registration is done by using the actual
camera operating switches; therefore, registering procedures become much
simplified with less chance for erroneous registrations. Moreover, vocal
instructions can be re-registered easily.
Since the camera operating switches are shared as the input switches for
registration, no additional members are required thus contributing to the
low-cost equipment configuration.
Moreover, in the aforementioned description of the second embodiment of the
present invention, special photographing modes have been omitted and the
registration of vocal instructions, using the actual camera operating
switches, is realized for a simple configuration; however, the
registration of an individual vocal instruction in the special
photographing modes is possible by using specialized switches for special
modes in the same manner as described first embodiment.
Furthermore, in the second embodiment of this invention, checking systems
with a display for registration and recognition of vocal instructions have
not been mentioned; however, the above mentioned checking operation can be
naturally and easily performed by incorporating the display explained in
the description of the first embodiment into the second embodiment.
For the voice-recognition circuit of the above mentioned embodiments, a
voice-recognition IC is used; it is based on the so called specific
speaker voice-recognition which registers the voice spectrum of a specific
speaker. This invention is obviously applicable no matter what type of
voice-recognition system is used; and in the near future, if a
voice-recognition camera, that linguistically analyzes voice and operates
by understanding the meaning of such a voice, is developed, the present
invention may easily be applied to such a camera.
This invention can provide an easy voice registration with an extremely
simple configuration in an embodiment in which a vocal instruction is
registered in the register mode using actual camera operating switches.
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