GB2248371A

GB2248371A - Electronic voice databank

Info

Publication number: GB2248371A
Application number: GB9021046A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sidney Kwok-On Fung
Original assignee: FUNG SIDNEY KWOK ON
Current assignee: FUNG SIDNEY KWOK ON
Priority date: 1990-09-27
Filing date: 1990-09-27
Publication date: 1992-04-01
Also published as: GB9021046D0

Abstract

An electronic voice databank includes integrated-circuit chips 6 to store digitized voice data, memory chips 4 to store data input through a keyboard. a system clock 7, a Central Processing Unit or Controller 1 and a Visual Display Unit 9 connected together by circuits so that every voice message is identifiable on the screen by linking the voice message to a unique time stamp or to the remarks entered through the keyboard. Alteration of the message content is done by marking the voice data by segments with the above-mentioned identifying methods and then by erasing. editing or replaying the altered segments. An endless recording means is provided by using the 'First-in-First-out" method in that all the incoming voice data will replace the oldest ones when all the memory spaces have been used up. <IMAGE>

Description

HANDHELD VOICE DATABANK This invention relates to an electronic handheld databank which, in addition to such conventional functions as telephone number and memo storage and retrieval, works together with a voice controller that allows audio messages to be recorded, either endlessly or when terminated by the user, labelled or manipulated without using magnetic cassette tapes.

Electronic databanks are devices which can store and retrieve data input through a keyboard or other means. There has not been a databank which has a built-in function that can entertain audio messages. Even if there is such a gadget, the voice controller and the databank are separate and independent features which, unlike this invention, are not functionally linked together by electronic circuits and computer programs. Moreover, there has not been a visual identifiable means to distinguish messages when they are recorded or replayed.

According to the present invention there is provided an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) and a voice controller which comprises a voice integrated-circuit chip and a separate group of memory chips which are solely used for the storage of voice data (Voice RAM). The ASIC and the voice controller are connected to the databank's Central Processing Unit (CPU), Random Access Memories (RAM), the system clock and, most important of all, the visual display unit. Software programs required to coordinate the function of the invention are stored permanently in the Read Only Memory (ROM) and the latter is also connected to the same CPU.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 shows the block-type diagram of the invention's electronic circuit; Referring to Figure 1 the ASIC (2) is a specifically designed integrated-circuit chip used to minimize the amount of power consumption for the whole device and to allow the functions of the voice chip to be fully tapped by the CPU (1).

To further lessen power consumption, a buzzer (8) is to replace the speaker and a low-power voice chip (5) is used.

When a message is recorded, the contents of it is digitized and saved in a set of Serial Register chips (6), which forms the Voice RAM. Simultaneously a data record containing the date and time the message is recorded and whatever remarks the user may want to add through the keyboard will be automatically created in the RAM (4) in Figure 1. In this accompanying data record, there is also stored the memory address of the associated voice data in the Serial Register (6). Through the use of the keyboard and the visual display (9), this accompanying record is therefore a unique identifiable means to distinguish audio messages. Because the voice controller shares the same CPU (1) with the other data records and is arranged under similar data management method, audio messages can therefore be easily attached to any other such records as schedules, telephones and memo.Moreover, audio messages can be linked together and replayed in whatever sequence a user may prefer.

Just as different separate messages can be identified and played back in different sequences, the contents of an audio message can likewise be segmented, labelled or replayed in a different sequence from the original order.

The manipulation is achieved firstly by marking segments by the touch of a key at the user's discretion when the message is being replayed. All the marked segments will then be given a similar identifying record and a user can choose via the visual display (9) the segments to be erased, removed from the original message or replayed in the preferred order.

In order to enable audio messages to be endlessly recorded, messages are saved in a "holding area" (buffer) in the Serial Register (6). The size of the buffer determines the length of time a message can be held in this area and that depends solely on the availability of memory in the Serial Register (6). When the buffer is full, all the subsequent messages will still be recorded into it except that the new message data will be "pushed" into the rear of the area and, to make way for the incoming message, the old message data at the front of the area will be "pulled" and discarded. In computer jargon, this is called the #First-in-flrst-out" (FIFO) method. This distinctive function can be terminated by a key in the device and all the subsequent message data will be protected from erasure and can be safely stored until the exhaustion of memory in the buffer.

Claims

1. An electronic voice databank comprising integrated-circuit chips to store digitized voice data (Voice RAM), memory chips to store data input through a keyboard, a system clock chip, a Central Processing Unit or Controller, a visual display unit, means for identifying voice messages on screen, for altering the contents of a recorded message and for recording endlessly even when all the usable voice memory spaces have been used up.

2. An electronic voice databank as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a voice data identification means is provided by reading the timing from the system clock whenever a voice message is recorded and the time stamp, capable of being shown on the screen of the visual display unit, is then related to and stored together with the memory address of the voice message in the Voice RAM.

3. An electronic voice databank as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein a voice data identification means is provided by accepting remarks or comments input from the keyboard and by relating this data record, which is capable of being shown on the screen, to the memory address of the message in the Voice RAM.

4. An electronic databank as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein alteration to a voice message is made possible by marking the content of the voice data by segments with the methods mentioned in Claim 2 or Claim 3 above and then by erasing, editing or replaying the altered segments.

5. An electronic voice databank as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 2, Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein an endless recording means is provided by using the "First-in-First-out" method in that all the subsequent messages will still be stored in the Voice RAM even when all the voice memory spaces have been used up except that new data will be "pushed" into the rear of the Voice RAM and, to make way for the incoming data, the oldest message at the front of the area will be "pulled" and discarded.

6. An electronic voice databank substantially as described herein with reference to figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.