U.S. patent application number 08/352518 was filed with the patent office on 2002-03-14 for method and apparatus for displaying sign language images corresponding to text or speech.
Invention is credited to HORII, HIROYUKI.
Application Number | 20020032702 08/352518 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18077251 |
Filed Date | 2002-03-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020032702 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HORII, HIROYUKI |
March 14, 2002 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING SIGN LANGUAGE IMAGES
CORRESPONDING TO TEXT OR SPEECH
Abstract
In order to provide an image display method and apparatus
capable of displaying images corresponding to document data or
speech data, image data (such as sign language images) are stored
in an image dictionary in motion picture form. Document data is
read out from a character information storage device (or speech
data is received), and a sign language image corresponding to a
character string of the document data (or the speech) is selected
from the image dictionary and displayed on a display.
Inventors: |
HORII, HIROYUKI;
(HIRATSUKA-SHI, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FITZPATRICK CELLA HARPER & SCINTO
30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA
NEW YORK
NY
10112
US
|
Family ID: |
18077251 |
Appl. No.: |
08/352518 |
Filed: |
December 9, 1994 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
715/203 ;
375/E7.083; 704/E15.045 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G10L 15/26 20130101;
H04N 19/20 20141101; G06F 40/45 20200101; G09B 21/009 20130101;
G06F 40/55 20200101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/515 |
International
Class: |
G06F 015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 16, 1993 |
JP |
316452/1993 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An image display apparatus, comprising: image storage means for
storing image data corresponding to sign language information;
document storage means for storing document data; readout means for
reading out document data from said document storage means, and for
reading out from said image storage means image data corresponding
to a character string of the document data read out from said
document storage means; and display means for displaying the image
data read out by said readout means.
2. An image display apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising: control means for causing said display means to display
the document data read out by said readout means in a character
pattern together with the image data read out by said readout
means, wherein the image data comprises sign language image data
corresponding to a word or a phrase.
3. An image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
display means displays image data comprising a motion picture.
4. An image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
display means includes expansion means for expanding the image data
read out by said readout means.
5. An image display apparatus, comprising: image storage means for
storing image data; speech input means for inputting speech; speech
recognizing means for recognizing speech inputted by said speech
input means, and for generating a character code string
corresponding to the recognized speech; readout means for reading
out from said image storage means image data corresponding to the
character code string generated by said speech recognizing means;
and display means for displaying the image data read out by said
readout means.
6. An image display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said
display means displays image data comprising sign language image
data corresponding to a word or a phrase.
7. An image display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said
display means displays image data comprising a motion picture.
8. An image display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said
display means includes expansion means for expanding the image data
read out by said readout means.
9. An image display method, comprising the steps of: receiving and
recognizing speech; and displaying an image corresponding to the
recognized speech, the displayed image corresponding to sign
language information.
10. An image display method according to claim 9, further
comprising the steps of: receiving image information together with
the received speech; and displaying the received image information
in a character pattern with the sign language information.
11. An image display method according to claim 9, wherein the
displayed image comprises sign language picture information.
12. An image display method according to claim 9, wherein the
displayed image comprises sign language motion picture
information.
13. An image display method according to claim 9, further
comprising the steps of: storing image data corresponding to
speech; reading out the stored image data in accordance with the
recognized speech; and expanding the read-out image data prior to
displaying the image.
14. An image display method according to claim 13, further
comprising the steps of: receiving a video signal together with the
speech; and displaying together an image of the video signal and
the sign language information image.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an image display method and
apparatus for displaying images (e.g. motion pictures)
corresponding to voice data or document data, and more
particularly, to an image display method and apparatus capable of
displaying sign language images corresponding to speech.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] The addition of voice data (such as a voice, music and the
like) to video images has been long performed, and an apparatus
which not only reproduces video images but generates sounds related
to the images is well known.
[0005] However, there has been provided no apparatus which
generates and displays images corresponding to input document data,
voice signals and the like. For example, the contents of a
television program are, as is well known, given to deaf persons by
superimposing a caption on the screen or displaying the contents of
speech in sign language on a part of the screen. However, since
such caption and sign language displays incur much trouble and cost
in editing, they are, as matters now stand, difficult to carry
out.
[0006] Furthermore, the provision of information in characters,
such as a caption, requires the deaf persons to make efforts toward
understanding the information and to concentrate their attention on
reading the characters.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide an image
display method and apparatus capable of displaying images
corresponding to document data or voice data.
[0008] In order to achieve the above object, according to one
aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image display
apparatus comprising image storage means for storing image data,
storage means for storing document data, readout means for reading
out document data stored in the storage means and reading out image
data corresponding to a character string of the document data from
the image storage means, and display means for displaying the image
data read out by the readout means.
[0009] The above structure makes it possible to display images
corresponding to document data.
[0010] Since document data is displayed in a character pattern
together with image data, the character pattern and the image data
can be ascertained in correspondence.
[0011] Since image data to be displayed may be sign language image
data corresponding to a word or a phrase, an easily recognizable
image can be provided.
[0012] Since image data to be displayed may be a motion picture, an
easily recognizable image can be provided. The addition of an
expansion means for expanding image data allows display image data
to be stored under compression, thereby taking less memory.
[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided an image display apparatus comprising image storage
means for storing image data, speech input means for inputting
speech therefrom, speech recognizing means for recognizing the
speech inputted from the speech input means and generating a
character code string corresponding to the recognized speech,
readout means for reading out image data corresponding to the
character code string from the image storage means, and display
means for displaying the image data read out by the readout
means.
[0014] Therefore, it is possible to generate images corresponding
to speech.
[0015] According to still another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided an image display method comprising the steps of
inputting speech and recognizing the speech, and displaying an
image corresponding to the speech based on the result of the speech
recognition.
[0016] Therefore, it is possible to display images corresponding to
speech.
[0017] Steps may be added for inputting a video signal together
with speech, and compositely displaying an image corresponding to
the video signal and the image corresponding to the recognized
speech.
[0018] Other objects and features of the present invention will
become clear upon reading the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the general structure of
an image display apparatus according to a first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a flow chart explaining processing of the image
display apparatus according to the first embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the general structure of
an image display apparatus according to a second embodiment of the
preset invention;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the general structure of
an image display apparatus according to a third embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0023] FIG. 5 is a display example of the image display apparatus
according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be
described with reference to the drawings.
[0025] [Embodiment 1]
[0026] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the general structure of
an image display apparatus according to a first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, a CPU 1 controls the whole apparatus,
and a ROM/RAM 2 comprises a ROM in which a control program of the
CPU 1 and various kinds of data are stored, and a RAM which is used
as a work area of the CPU 1 and temporarily stores various kinds of
data therein. A direct memory access (DMA) controller (DMAC) 3 is
used to input and output data by DMA in the ROM/RAM 2, between the
ROM/RAM 2 and an input-output 4, or among a character information
storage device 5, an image dictionary storage device 6 and an image
expansion device 7. The input-output 4 controls the interface
between a keyboard 10 (which is operated by an operator to input
document data, commands and the like therein) and unillustrated
peripheral devices. Text inputted through the input-output 4 is
stored in the character information storage device 5 which stores
text data in character codes and the like. The image dictionary
storage device 6 stores compressed image information corresponding
to character information (words, phrases and so on). The image
information includes, for example, sign language images (motion
pictures) corresponding to words, phrases and so on. The image
expansion device 7 expands and outputs the image information
compressed and stored in the image dictionary storage device 6. An
image output signal processor 8 outputs the expanded image
information to a display 9, such as a CRT display. Numeral 10
denotes a CPU bus.
[0028] In the above structure, character information (character
codes) stored in the character information storage device 5 is read
out under the control of the CPU 1, and image data stored in the
image dictionary storage device 6 is accessed corresponding to the
character codes. In this case, the image dictionary storage device
6 stores sign language images corresponding to the character
information; that is, words read out from the character information
storage device 5. The sign language images may be obtained, for
example, by adding motion to images produced by computer graphics
or actually photographing persons.
[0029] The image data stored in the image dictionary storage device
6 is generally compressed because of its massive amount. In order
to compress the image data, for example, the standard of Comite
Consultatif Internationale Tlgraphique et Tlphonique H. 261, Moving
Picture Image Coding Experts Group and the like for compressing
motion pictures may be used. The image data corresponding to the
character information is transmitted to the image expansion device
7 by the DMAC 3. The compressed image data is expanded by the image
expansion device 7, converted into video signals by the image
output signal processor 8 and displayed on the display 9.
[0030] A flow chart of FIG. 2 explains the above process. A control
program for carrying out the process is stored in the ROM/RAM
2.
[0031] Document data or various phrases are stored in the character
information storage device 5, and the process is started, for
example, in response to input of a command to read out the document
data from the character information storage device 5 through the
keyboard 10. First, the document data is read out from the
character information storage device 5 in Step S1, image data
corresponding to the read document data, such as character strings,
words, phrases and the like, are read out from the image dictionary
storage device 6 in Step S2, and the read image data (compressed
data) is outputted to the image expansion device 7 in Step S3. The
correspondence between the document data and the image data is
determined, for example, by reading out storage addresses of the
image data corresponding to the document data with reference to a
table or the like stored in the ROM/RAM 2. In Step S4, the expanded
image data is displayed on the display 9.
[0032] The steps S1 to S4 are sequentially carried out for
character strings, words or phrases constituting the text stored in
the character information storage device 5, and obtained images
(motion pictures) are sequentially displayed on the display 9,
thereby allowing understanding of the text in successive sign
language images.
[0033] As described above, according to the first embodiment, image
data corresponding to document data (for example, sign language
images corresponding to speech) can be outputted and displayed.
[0034] Furthermore, if a character pattern generator for generating
a character pattern corresponding to a character code is coupled to
bus 10, it is possible to display in a part of the display 9 the
text stored in the character information storage device 5 in
character patterns while displaying sign language images
corresponding to the character patterns. This configuration makes
it possible to practice sign language and ascertain which part of
the text is being displayed in sign language.
[Embodiment 2]
[0035] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the general structure of
an image display apparatus according to a second embodiment of the
present invention. Components common to FIG. 1 are denoted by like
numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 3, a voice signal inputted from a
microphone input terminal 11 is amplified by an amplifier 12,
inputted to a speech recognizer 13 to be recognized, and converted
into a character code with reference to a speech dictionary 14. A
storage device 15 stores the voice data recognized in the speech
recognizer 13.
[0037] According to the above structure, the voice signal inputted
from the microphone input terminal 11 is amplified by the amplifier
12, and recognized by the speech recognizer 13. The recognized
voice data is converted into character data and stored in the
storage device 15. The character data stored in the storage device
15 is read out by a CPU 1a, and image data stored in an image
dictionary 6 is accessed in correspondence with the read-out
character (data. The image data related to the character data is
transmitted to an image expansion device 7 by DMA under the control
of a DMAC 3 in the same manner as described above. The compressed
image data is expanded by the image expansion device 7, converted
into video signals by an image output signal processor 8, and
displayed on a display 9.
[0038] In this case, character data is sequentially read out from
the storage device 15 and image data corresponding to the read-out
character data is displayed on the display 9 in the same manner as
in the above flow chart of FIG. 2.
[0039] As described above, according to the second embodiment,
after an input voice signal is subjected to speech recognition, an
image dictionary related to the recognized voice signal (for
example, a sign language image) is read out and displayed on the
display, thereby making it possible to convert and display voice
data into sign language images in real time.
[Embodiment 3]
[0040] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the general structure of
an image display apparatus according to a third embodiment of the
present invention. Components common to FIGS. 1 and 3 are denoted
by like numerals and the description thereof is omitted. Referring
to FIG. 4, an input terminal 21 for inputting a video signal, a
video input signal processor 22, an image composer 23 and a video
output signal processor 24 are added to the structure shown in FIG.
3.
[0041] As described in the above second embodiment, a voice signal
inputted from a microphone input terminal 11 is recognized and
stored in a storage device 15. After that, a compressed image
related to the recognized voice signal is read out from an image
dictionary storage device 6. The compressed image is further
expanded by an image expansion device 7, and then transmitted to
the image composer 23 through the video output signal processor
24.
[0042] On the other hand, separately from the image corresponding
to the voice signal, a video signal inputted from the video input
terminal 21 is transmitted to the image composer 23 through the
video signal input processor 22. The image composer 23 composes the
inputted video signal and the image read out from the image
dictionary storage device 6 (expanded), and outputs a composite on
a display 9.
[0043] If speech inputted from the microphone input terminal 11 and
a video signal inputted from the video input terminal 21 are in
synchronization with each other in the structure shown in FIG. 4
(for example, a television program with video), since an image
outputted from the video output signal processor 24 may lag behind
a video signal outputted from the video input signal processor 22,
a delay circuit (not shown) may be provided for delaying the video
signal inputted from the video signal input terminal 21.
[0044] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a composite image obtained
in the third embodiment. Video signals inputted from the video
input terminal 21 and sign language images read out from the image
dictionary storage device 6 (expanded) are displayed as a composite
picture on a main screen 501 and a subscreen 502 of the display
9.
[0045] As described above, according to the third embodiment of the
present invention, a sign language image corresponding to speech
inputted from, for example, a microphone and video signals inputted
from the video input terminal 21 are displayed in composite form,
and a television program or the like is displayed on the main
screen 501 while displaying sign language images corresponding to
the sound of the television program on the subscreen 502.
Therefore, deaf persons can also enjoy the television program,
[0046] In the above embodiments, a speech synthesis device may be
added for synthesizing speech inputted from the microphone input
terminal 11 with information stored in the storage devices 5 and
15. In addition, a speaker or the like may be added in order to
output speech as well as images at the display 9.
[0047] The present invention may be applied to a system constituted
by a plurality of input and output devices, or one apparatus
comprising one such device. Needless to say, the present invention
may be applied to a case in which the system or the apparatus is
provided with a program for carrying out the present invention.
[0048] The individual components shown in outline or designated by
blocks in the Drawings are all well-known in the image display
arts, and their specific construction and operation are not
critical to the operation or best mode for carrying out the
invention.
[0049] While the present invention has been described with respect
to what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiments, it
is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the
disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, the invention is intended
to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included
within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The scope of
the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation
so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures
and functions.
* * * * *