U.S. patent application number 10/063784 was filed with the patent office on 2002-10-31 for voice control module for controlling a game controller.
Invention is credited to Wang, Jong-Ding.
Application Number | 20020161586 10/063784 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 21631673 |
Filed Date | 2002-10-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020161586 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang, Jong-Ding |
October 31, 2002 |
Voice control module for controlling a game controller
Abstract
The present invention provides a voice control module for
controlling a game controller comprising: a microphone for
inputting voice signals, a first voice recognition device of
command mode for converting the voice signals inputted from the
microphone within a time period into a corresponding game command,
and a second voice recognition device of continuous mode for
converting the voice signals continuously inputted from the
microphone into a corresponding switch command. Wherein after the
switch command is converted, the second voice recognition device
initiates the first voice recognition device to convert the voice
signals inputted from the microphone within the time period into a
corresponding game command to control the game controller.
Inventors: |
Wang, Jong-Ding; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NAIPO (NORTH AMERICA INTERNATIONAL PATENT OFFICE)
P.O. BOX 506
MERRIFIELD
VA
22116
US
|
Family ID: |
21631673 |
Appl. No.: |
10/063784 |
Filed: |
May 13, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10063784 |
May 13, 2002 |
|
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09231711 |
Jan 13, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
704/275 ; 463/36;
704/E15.045 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 13/06 20130101;
G10L 15/26 20130101; A63F 13/215 20140902; A63F 2300/1081 20130101;
A63F 13/424 20140902; A63F 13/25 20140902; A63H 30/04 20130101;
G10L 2015/223 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
704/275 ;
463/36 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24; G06F
017/00; G10L 021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 15, 1998 |
TW |
87117150 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A voice control module for controlling a game controller
comprising: a microphone for inputting voice signals; a first voice
recognition device for converting the voice signals inputted from
the microphone within a time period into a corresponding game
command; and a second voice recognition device for converting the
voice signals continuously inputted from the microphone into a
corresponding switch command; wherein after the switch command is
converted, the second voice recognition device initiates the first
voice recognition device to convert the voice signals inputted from
the microphone within the time period into a corresponding game
command to control the game controller.
2. The voice control module of claim 1 further comprising a switch
for delivering the voice signals inputted from the microphone to
the first or second voice recognition device wherein after the
switch command is converted, the second voice recognition device
controls the switch to deliver the voice signals inputted from the
microphone to the first voice recognition device so as to enable
the first voice recognition device to convert the voice signals
into the corresponding game command.
3. The voice control module of claim 1 further comprising an output
device for acknowledging the result of each conversion made by the
first or second voice recognition device.
4. The voice control module of claim 4 wherein the output device is
a speaker.
5. The voice control module of claim 1 wherein the first and second
voice recognition devices are installed in a computer joystick
which is used for generating pointing and key command signals to
control the game controller.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a division of application Ser. No. 9/231,711 filed,
Jan. 13, 1999
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a voice control module, and
more particularly, to a voice control module for controlling a game
controller.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] The user interface of a computer game such as a computer
joystick commonly comprises a movable control handle and a
plurality of control buttons. The advantage of the control handle
and control buttons is ease of operation. However, the various
setup and functions of the control buttons vary from game to game.
This is obviously not user-friendly as it requires the user to
remember different functions for each control button depending on
which program is being used. Also, while engrossed in game play, a
user may inadvertently press the wrong button as he is unable to
watch the keypad and the screen at the same time. This disrupts
game play and causes user frustration.
[0006] With the advent of voice recognition technology, it can be
applied to solve the above mentioned problem. There are currently
several voice recognition modules on the market including
continuous mode voice recognition and command mode voice
recognition devices. As the names imply, the continuous mode voice
recognition device recognizes voice input continuously and the
command mode voice recognition device does so only
intermittently.
[0007] In continuous mode, any time voice signals are inputted
through the microphone, recognition signal processing occurs
immediately. In this process, the input voice signals are compared
with pre-existent commands stored in the memory. If an input voice
signal is identical to one of the stored commands, the
corresponding command will be executed. If there are too many
pre-existent commands, it will take too long to compare each one
individually. If the time interval between two input voice signals
is not long enough, the commands will not be executed at once.
[0008] In command mode, a specific button should be pressed first
before each voice command is inputted. This alerts the controller
to expect an input voice signal. If the input voice command is
identical to one of the pre-existent commands, it will be executed.
Here, recognition occurs only when a button is pressed so the
storage capacity of commands is high. However, it is not convenient
for users.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0009] It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention
to provide a voice control module for controlling a game
controller, which combines continuous mode and command mode in
voice recognition to solve the above mentioned problem.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a
voice control module for controlling a game controller
comprising:
[0011] a microphone for inputting voice signals;
[0012] a first voice recognition device for converting the voice
signals inputted from the microphone within a time period into a
corresponding game command; and
[0013] a second voice recognition device for converting the voice
signals continuously inputted from the microphone into a
corresponding switch command;
[0014] wherein after the switch command is converted, the second
voice recognition device initiates the first voice recognition
device to convert the voice signals inputted from the microphone
within the time period into a corresponding game command to control
the game controller.
[0015] It is an advantage of the present invention that the voice
control module will distinguish each voice signal automatically
without the need for pressing any button, hence it is very easy to
use and game play is more fluent.
[0016] This and other objectives of the present invention will no
doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after
having read the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiment which is illustrated in the various figures and
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the voice control module
used in a computer game system in the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the computer
joystick shown in FIG. 1.
[0019] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the voice control
module shown in FIG. 2.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the continuous mode voice
recognition device.
[0021] FIG. 5 is a preferred embodiment of the various command
files showed in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic
diagram a voice control module 12 used in a computer game system 10
in the present invention. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of
the computer joystick 18 shown in FIG. 1 . The computer game system
10 comprises a game controller 16, a voice control module 12 for
controlling the input voice signals for controlling the game
controller 16, a display device 14 used for displaying a screen of
images, and a computer joystick 18 used for producing cursor
signals as well as input signals from the keyboard for controlling
the game controller 16. The game controller 16 may be a PC or a PC
game box. The voice control module 12 comprises a microphone 28
used for inputting voice signals and a speaker used for indicating
the result of each conversion made by voice recognition devices to
the user.
[0023] The computer joystick 18 comprises a housing 22, a control
circuit 20 installed inside the housing 22 for controlling the game
controller 16, a movable handle 24 installed on the housing 22 and
connected to the control circuit 20 for producing displacement
signals for controlling the displacement of the object of the game,
a plurality of function keys 26 installed upon the housing 22 and
connected to the control circuit 20 for producing a plurality of
key-pressed signals, and a voice control module 12 electrically
connected to the control circuit 20 for processing the input voice
signals.
[0024] Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram
of the voice control module 12 shown in FIG. 2. The voice control
module 12 comprises a command mode voice recognition device 32 for
performing recognition in command mode, a continuous mode voice
recognition device 34 for performing recognition in continuous
mode, i.e. continuously, and a switch 36 used for sending the voice
signals inputted from the microphone 28 to the continuous mode
voice recognition device 34 or command mode voice recognition
device 32. The continuous mode voice recognition device 34
comprises a memory 35 for storing a control command file 38 which
will be executed if the input voice signal is identical to the
predetermined command stored in the control command file 38. The
predetermined commands stored in the control command file 38 can be
divided into two categories, either execution commands for direct
execution or switch commands for switching recognition modes. The
command mode voice recognition device 32 also comprises a memory 33
for storing a plurality of game command files 40 each corresponding
to a switch command of the control command file 38. The continuous
mode voice recognition device 34 converts the voice signals
inputted through the microphone 28 into a corresponding switch
command according to the control command file 38, then triggers the
command mode voice recognition device 32 to convert the voice
signals into a corresponding game command according to the game
command file 40 corresponding to the converted switch command of
the control command file 38 so as to control the game controller
16.
[0025] As depicted in FIG. 3, the control line used by the
continuous mode voice recognition device 34 to control the switch
36 is indicated by the connecting line 44 in the voice control
module 12, the control line used by the command mode voice
recognition device 32 to control the switch 36 is indicated by the
connecting line 46, the voice carrying line between the continuous
mode voice recognition device 34 and the switch 36 is indicated by
the connecting line 41, the voice carrying line between the command
mode voice recognition device 32 and the switch 36 is indicated by
the connecting line 42, and the control line used by the continuous
mode voice recognition device 34 to control the command mode voice
recognition device 32 is indicated by the connecting line 48.
[0026] During recognition of the voice control module 12, the
switch 36 is first directed to deliver the voice signals inputted
from the microphone 28 to the continuous mode voice recognition
device 34. If this voice signal is identical to one of the execute
commands in the control command file 38, then the continuous mode
voice recognition device 34 will transmit this execute command to
the game controller 16 to be executed directly via the control
circuit 20. If the voice signal received by the continuous mode
voice recognition device 34 is identical to one of the switch
commands in the control command file 38, then the continuous mode
voice recognition device 34 will initiate the command mode voice
recognition device 32 and at the same time control the switch 36
via control line 44 to deliver the voice signals inputted from the
microphone 28 to the command mode voice recognition device 32 for 3
seconds.
[0027] When the command mode voice recognition device 32 is
initiated, it will choose a corresponding game command file 40
according to the switch command converted by the continuous mode
voice recognition device 34, and then convert the voice signals
into a corresponding game command according to the chosen game
command file 40.
[0028] After 3 seconds, the command mode voice recognition device
32 will direct the switch 36 to deliver the voice signals back to
the continuous mode voice recognition device 34 via the control
line 46. When the voice signal of the user is successfully
converted into a command, the voice control module 12 sends a
signal such as two high beeps to the user through the speaker 30
that input was successful. When the voice signals cannot be
converted into any command, the control module 12 emits a signal
such as a low beep through the speaker 30 to the user that the
input was unsuccessful.
[0029] Please refer to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the
continuous mode voice recognition device 34. It comprises the
following steps:
[0030] Step 52:
[0031] Receive voice signals delivered from switch 36;
[0032] Step 54:
[0033] Recognize whether the voice signal is a control command or
not according to the control command file 38; if not, go back to
step 52 and wait for a new input;
[0034] Step 56:
[0035] Covert the inputted voice signal into a corresponding
control command and determine whether or not it is a switch
command; if it is, go to step 60;
[0036] Step 58:
[0037] Deliver the command to the game controller 16 via control
circuit 20 to enable the game controller 16 to execute this
command, also inform the user that input is correct by using
speaker 30, then go back to step 52 and wait for a new input;
[0038] Step 60:
[0039] Initiate the command mode voice recognition device 32 by use
of the control line 46, and control the switch 36 to deliver the
voice signals inputted from the microphone 28 within 3 seconds to
the command mode voice recognition device 32; after 3 seconds, go
back to step 52 and wait for a new input.
[0040] Please refer to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a preferred embodiment of
the various command files shown in FIG. 3. The control command file
62 comprises two execute commands and two switch commands. "Start"
and "quit" are execute commands and "change weapon" and "change
vehicle" are switch commands 64, 66. Each switch command
corresponds to a game command file. For example, switch command 64
"change weapon" corresponds to the game command file 68 which
contains game commands such as "rocket" and "machine gun", and the
switch command 66 "change vehicle" corresponds to a game command
file 70 which contains game commands such as "motorboat" and
"helicopter". Once voice signal "change weapon" is input, it will
be successfully converted into a switch command 64 via the
continuous mode voice recognition device 34. If voice signal
"rocket" is input within 3 seconds, the command mode voice
recognition device 32 will covert it into a game command according
to the game command file 68. This game command will then be sent to
the game controller 16 to be directly executed. However, if
"motorboat" is input after "change weapon", the command mode voice
recognition device 32 will cause a low beep signal to be emitted
from the speaker 30 because "motorboat" is not in the game command
file 68. This signal informs the user to re-input the voice
command.
[0041] In the present invention, the voice control module 12
controls the game controller via the voice commands inputted from
the microphone 28. The continuous mode voice recognition device 34
recognizes whether or not the voice is a switch command. If it is,
then after the switch command is converted, the continuous mode
voice recognition device 34 will initiate the command mode voice
recognition device 32 to convert the voice signals inputted from
the microphone within a specified time period into a corresponding
game command to control the game controller. Hence, no buttons need
to be pressed and the voice control module 12 automatically
distinguishes signals. This makes usage of the voice control module
12 easy and game play more fluent.
[0042] Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous
modifications and alterations of the device may be made while
retaining the teaching of the invention. Accordingly, the above
disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and
bounds of the appended claims.
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