Speech synthesizer timepiece with minimal number of keys for time announcements

A speech synthesizer timepiece which is capable of providing a plurality of different kinds of time-related information such as updated time, timer information (remaining time), alarm information and so forth using speech synthesizing technology with the aid of a single voice key. The timepiece has a voice instruction key for activating the speech synthesizer and a detection circuit for detecting if the key is actuated continuously. The speech generation is enabled to provide a first item of information (for example, timer information) when the key is actuated temporarily and providing another item of information (for example, updated time) when the instruction key is continuously actuated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a speech synthesizer timepiece capable of 
providing a plurality of various kinds of audio messages using a single 
vioce key. 
For a speech synthesizer timepiece having a timer function, the necessity 
often arises that it provide in an audible form (e.g., synthesized human 
voices) a plurality of time-related information including remaining time 
of the timer and updated time of day. With the great demand for a minimum 
size of the timepiece, the number of keys should be reduced to a minimum. 
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a 
timepiece which is capable of providing a plurality of various kinds of 
time-related information through the use of a single key. 
For a timepiece having a timer function, the remaining time of the timer is 
audibly announced upon actuation of a single voice key and the updated 
time day is announced upon the lapse of a predetermined period of time 
after continuous actuation of the same voice key. 
If the timepiece has a calendar function, then the timepiece is designed to 
audibly announce the updated time of day upon actuation of the voice key 
and announce several pieces of calendar information (month, date and day 
of the week, etc) upon continuation of the key actuation over a 
predetermined period of time. In the case of the timepiece having the 
timer as described previously, the updated time of day may be announced 
upon depression of the key and the remaining time of the timer may be 
displayed in response to a voice start instruction. It is further 
preferable that the remaining time be audibly announced and the updated 
time of day be visually displayed upon depression of the voice key. 
Further, when the key is depressed continuously over a predetermined 
period of time, the updated time of day is announced and the remaining 
time of the timer is visually displayed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The following description will be directed to a speech synthesizer 
timepiece having a timer function constructed according to an embodiment 
of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the timepiece 
wherein there are provided within a main body A, a voice key VK, selection 
keys K.sub.1, K.sub.2 and K.sub.3 for mode selection, hours adjustment, 
and minutes adjustment, a visual display D, a loudspeaker SP, and so 
forth. 
In FIG. 2 illustrating a systematic block diagram of the timepiece, there 
are provided keys 1, a key interface 2 and a timekeeping circuit 3. The 
timekeeping circuit 3 includes a central processing unit (CPU), a random 
access memory (RAM) 4 for storing hours (H) information, minutes (M) 
information, seconds (S) information and remaining time (TM) information 
and a counter (CO) 11 contained in part of the RAM for storing a 
predetermined period of time. The remaining time of the timer is 
represented by a preset time loaded in TM via the keys while being counted 
down automatically every second. In other words, the remaining time shows 
minutes or seconds to go. The counter CO decides if the same key is 
actuated continuously over the predetermined period of time and stores a 
constant T as its initial value. The constant K is fixedly stored in a ROM 
as discussed hereinafter. A quartz oscillator 5 generates a standard 
frequency. There are further provided a visual display 6, an interface 7, 
a speech synthesizer 8, an amplifier 9 and a loudspeaker 10. An audible 
message is delivered from the loudspeaker. 
FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of various components. 
When the voice key VK in the keyboard 1 is depressed, key input 
information is sent to and encoded by the timekeeping circuit (CPU) 3 by 
way of the key interface 2. The count of the remaining time storing 
counter TM, that is, the keyed preset time minus countdowns taking place 
every second, is fed to the speech synthesizer (VS) 8 via the interface 7. 
The count of TM is synthesized and converted into a human voice and the 
resulting message "It is XXX minutes to go." is delivered through the 
amplifier 9 and the loudspeaker 10 (steps n.sub.1 .fwdarw.n.sub.2 
.fwdarw.n.sub.3). 
The remaining time TM of the timer is visually displayed until the key VK 
is depressed. At the moment where the key is actuated, the remaining time 
in the timekeeping circuit 3 is replaced by the updated time of day 
including hours (H) and minutes (M). This mode of display continues until 
the key is actuated again. Upon further actuation of the key the display 
switches to the remaining time display mode again (n.sub.2 and n.sub.8). 
In connection with the audible indication mode, on the other hand, the 
counter CO in the timekeeping circuit 3 decides if the key has been 
depressed continuously over the predetermined period of time (n.sub.5) 
and, if so, the count of the counter CO is counted down every second. If 
CO=0 or if the key has been kept depressed over the predetermined period 
of time, the updated time of day is transferred from the hours (H) and 
minutes (M) sections of the timekeeping counter 4 to the speech 
synthesizer 8. For example, an audible message "It is 2:35 am." is 
delivered (n.sub.5 .fwdarw.n.sub.9). It is already noted that the counter 
CO for detecting the time length of key depression contains as a constant, 
the initial value T fixedly stored in the memory ROM. 
In this manner, the timepiece embodying the present invention announces 
more than one piece of time-related information using the single key. It 
shall be understood that more than one piece of time-related information 
is not necessarily announced whenever the key is actuated, but the second 
piece of time-related information is announced only when the key is 
actuated continuously over the predetermined period of time. In the case 
where the first and second pieces of time-related information are recalled 
at different frequencies, the first priority is assigned to that with the 
higher frequency and the second with the lower frequencies of announcement 
so that the first piece of information may be announced upon normal 
actuation of the key and both the first and second pieces of information 
be announced when the key is actuated continuously over the predetermined 
period of time. 
In the case of the timepiece with the timer function, timer information or 
the remaining time of the timer is given the first priority with an 
adjective phrase "It is XXX minutes to go." during timer mode and the 
updated time of day such as "It is XXX (hours) XXX (minutes) AM (or PM)." 
is given the second priority. Therefore, the key must be depressed 
continuously over the predetermined period of time when it is desired to 
recall the updated time. It is of course obvious that the key may be kept 
depressed until delivery of the first piece of information is completed 
instead of being depressed continuously over the predetermined period of 
time. When this occurs, the updated time of day may be visually displayed 
while the key is being depressed. 
For the timepiece having a calendar function, the updated time of day is 
given the higher priority and calendar information is given the lower 
priority. In other words, calendar messages such as month, date and the 
day of week are audibly announced when the key is being continuously 
actuated. The updated time of day is announced upon momentary or 
noncontinuous actuation of the key. 
In the above-illustrated embodiment, the timepiece keeps on displaying the 
updated time of day while the key is kept in the depressed position, and 
displays the remaining time upon beginning of the updated time 
announcement which has been triggered by continued operation of the key. 
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be 
varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure 
from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications are 
intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.