US4375058A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for reading a printed code and for converting this code into an audio signal
Assignee: USPHILIPS Corp A CORP OF
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Filing: 1980-06-06
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Granted: 1983-02-22
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Expires: 2000-06-06
Abstract
Abstract A carrier containing information which is suitable for visual perception, such as a text or a picture. By suitable positioning, a code also present on the carrier linked thereto. This code is visible to the user, but cannot be read directly. A device for reading the code having a scanner which can be moved into the area of the code by hand. The code is optically read, synchronization signals being obtained from the code itself. The information read is stored in an intermediate memory. The intermediate memory is subsequently read under the control of a clock. This data can either directly activate an acoustic generator for producing a sound signal, or can address an object memory which in its turn supplies data for controlling the acoustic generator. A sound signal is thus linked to the picture or the text. A device of this kind may form part of an educational system.
Inventors
- 👤 Herman Bouma
- 👤 Dominicus G. Bouwhuis
- 👤 Paulus M. Boers
- 👤 Josephus C. Jacobs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:46
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C8/00; G09; G09B; G09B5/00; G09B5/06; G09B5/062; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/0033; G10H1/0041; G11B; G11B7/00; G11B7/002; G11B7/0033; G10H2220/00; G10H2220/155; G10H2220/441; G10H2220/445
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
A device for generating audio signals on the basis of printed code representations that are present on a visually selectable zone of the surface of a carrier, said device comprising: (a) first means, suitable for manipulation, for the selective and optical scanning of said zone and for deriving code signals from the code representations present in said zone; (b) second means, including an intermediate memory having a data input which is connected to an output of the first means, for receiving and processing said code signals and for developing reproduction control signals therefrom; (c) within said second means a synchronization mechanism for deriving synchronization signals from the signals of the code representations and for controlling the storage of code signals in the intermediate memory by means of these synchronization signals; (d) clock means within said second means for controlling the reading of code signal information stored in the intermediate memory and for presenting these code signals on an output of the second means, (e) third means having an input connected to an output of the second means for receiving therefrom control signals, for the sequential actuation of acoustic generator means included in said third means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
195 words
A device for generating audio signals on the basis of printed code representations that are present on a visually selectable zone of the surface of a carrier, said device comprising: (a) first means, suitable for manipulation, for the selective and optical scanning of said zone and for deriving code signals from the code representations present in said zone; (b) second means, including an intermediate memory having a data input which is connected to an output of the first means, for receiving and processing said code signals and for developing reproduction control signals therefrom; (c) within said second means a synchronization mechanism for deriving synchronization signals from the signals of the code representations and for controlling the storage of code signals in the intermediate memory by means of these synchronization signals; (d) clock means within said second means for controlling the reading of code signal information stored in the intermediate memory and for presenting these code signals on an output of the second means, (e) third means having an input connected to an output of the second means for receiving therefrom control signals, for the sequential actuation of acoustic generator means included in said third means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
83 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said third means comprise an object memory having an address input which is connected to an output of said intermediate memory in order to receive information read therefrom as an address, a data output of said object memory being connected to a control input of said acoustic generator means for the addressing of a sound pattern to be selectively reproduced by the acoustic generator means for each memory location of the object memory.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the third means comprise synthesizer means which include an input for receiving a control signal derived from said code signals, and an output for activating said generator means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
107 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that for the scanning of a said zone, having at the most a predetermined dimension, said first means comprise: a1. a scanning device with an optical imaging device for imaging said zone on an optically sensitive element whose dimension is larger than the value corresponding to the image of said predetermined dimension; a2. a mirror device for visual detection of the correct positioning of said first means by coincidence of an image of said zone and a predetermined sector of said scanning device; a3. a scan sequence generator for controlling a scanning cycle of said optically sensitive element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
A device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that for the scanning of code representations on the carrier with a predetermined definition, said optically sensitive element comprises an array of optically sensitive sub-elements having a definition which is finer than said predetermined definition, outputs of the sub-elements being connected to inputs of a data reduction device for combining the information of successive sub-elements within said array and for supplying this combination to said second means as a shortened bit code.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that for the reading of code fields with a fixed number of representations in a scanning direction, said data reduction device comprises means for measuring the dimension of the code field in this direction and for forming a linear reduction factor which is proportional to the result of this measurement.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said predetermined definition is smaller than the value corresponding to a pair of black/white transitions within 0.2 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said first means are suitable for the instantaneous scanning of a rectangular zone of fixed dimension on the carrier, the long side of the rectangle extending in the line direction.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-02-21 | 1986-08-23 | 1987-02-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-02-21 | 1990-08-23 | 1991-02-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-02-21 | 1994-08-23 | 1995-02-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |