Abstract:
This invention is a system that enables handicapped and disabled individuals to control and use office photocopiers. The foregoing is accomplished by coupling a interface to a diagnostic communication port on the photocopier. The diagnostic port may be used to simulate the pressing of keys on the photocopier control panel. A software program running on a personal computer is coupled to the interface so that the interface may duplicate the actions of the photocopier control panel. A voice, keyboard and touch screen interface is added to the software program to permit several keys to be issued with a single phrase or touch. The user may use voice or the keyboard or the touch screen or any combination of the above to operate the photocopier. The addition of wireless audio may also be utilized to allow hands-free operation of the photocopier. An audio voice feedback provides information about what command was exactly executed. The system audibly reports the status of the photocopier.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the field of photocopiers and more particularly to the field of controlling photocopiers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Persons with any of a variety of physical problems may be classified as handicapped or disabled individuals. The social importance of restoring handicapped or disabled persons to usefulness is, of course, widely accepted and the economic value which this represents has come to be recognized as having great significance for society. It has been estimated that a disabled person who has been provided with vocational rehabilitation services and has been placed in employment will, in the course of his/her working life, pay back in taxes ten times the amount of money spent for his/her rehabilitation. 
     Many handicapped and disabled individuals are unable to obtain employment because they cannot use the machines and equipment normally found in an office or factory. For instance, typical office photocopiers present usability problems to wheel chair users, vision impaired users and blind users. The foregoing classes of people find it difficult to control and use office photocopiers. Thus, often times they are denied gainful employment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a system that enables handicapped and disabled individuals to control and use office photocopiers. The foregoing is accomplished by coupling an interface to a diagnostic communication port on the photocopier. The diagnostic port may be used to simulate the pressing of keys on the photocopier control panel. A software program running on a personal computer is coupled to the interface so that the interface may duplicate the actions of the photocopier control panel. A voice, keyboard and touch screen interface is added to the software program to permit several keys to be used with a single phrase or touch. The user may use voice, the keyboard or the touch screen, or any combination of the above, to operate the photocopier. The addition of wireless audio may also be utilized to allow hands-free operation of the photocopier. An audio voice feedback provides information about exactly what command was executed. 
     The apparatus of this invention utilizes a speaker-dependent speech recognition engine. Thus, the photocopier may be operated by the speakers of many different languages. The reason for this is that the user of the photocopier trains the speech recognition engine of the photocopier to recognize commands in the user&#39;s language. 
     Furthermore, information regarding photocopier malfunctions or problems may be indicated by a photocopier voice output, i.e., location of paper jams, lack of toner, etc. The above information may also be displayed on a user interface. 
     The apparatus of this invention may also execute a plurality of commands by the user, enunciated by a single phrase, i.e., “one sided to two sided”. The foregoing means that the photocopier will take the one sided paper being input or copied and have the photocopier copy the information on both sides of the paper being output. The user may also access by voice command any function from any screen. 
     The photocopier also has a help menu which uses the photocopier voice output to inform the user of specific information about different photocopier functions. For example, the user says “finishing options” and the photocopier says “sorting off, sorting on, sort and staple, batch, etc.” The photocopier simultaneously displays the above finishing screen options on the touch screen. Then the user selects the option he/she desires. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of this invention; 
     FIGS. 2-7 are drawings of various photocopier  18  command instructions that are displayed on screen  16  and may be executed by touching the proper area of screen  16 ; 
     FIG. 8 is a drawing showing the functions of the user interface program of computer  11 ; 
     FIGS. 9A and 9B are a table of voice commands and corresponding keyboard entries; and 
     FIG. 10 is a table of help voice commands that correspond to keyboard  15  instructions by indicating a particular voice response that is heard through speaker  19 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly to FIG. 1, the reference character  11  represents an International Business Machine-compatible personal computer. Computer  11  contains: a speech recognition Digital Signal Processor (DSP) board  12 ; a RS-232 to RS-422 converter board  13 ; and a sound card  14 . Computer  11  also contains a user interface program, which is more fully described in the description of FIG.  8 . Speech recognition DSP processor board  12  is manufactured by Verbex Voice System Inc. of Edison, N.J. RS-232 to RS-422 converter board  13  is manufactured by Real Time Control, Inc. of Gainesville, Fla. Keyboard  15  and touch screen  16  that contains a touch screen controller board (not shown) are coupled to computer  11 . Touch screen  16  is the ELO 7870 17-inch monitor manufactured by Elo Touch Systems, Inc. of Oak Ridge, Tenn. 
     The diagnostic port  17  of photocopier  18  is coupled to converter board  13 . Photocopier  18  may be the models C235, C285 or C355 photocopiers manufactured by Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Conn. Speaker  19  is coupled to sound card  14  and microphone  20  is coupled to speech recognition processor board  12 . 
     The user or operator of photocopier machine  18  may operate photocopier machine  18  by speaking into microphone  20 . Microphone  20  will convert the speech input into an electrical signal that is transmitted to the input of speech recognition board  12 . Board  12  compares the speech pattern of the operator of photocopier  18  with the previously entered training files of the operator of photocopier  20  and recognizes particular voice commands. Then board  20  transmits the above command information to computer  11 . Computer  11  translates the aforementioned information into a key stroke that is associated with the particular entered command. After the user of photocopier  18  selects all of his/her choices, the user of photocopier  18  gives the final command, i.e., “print now”. All of the information previously spoken by the user of photocopier  18  will be transmitted to converter aboard  13 . Converter board  13  will convert this information into the proper format and transmit this information to diagnostic port  17  of photocopier  18 . 
     At this point photocopier  18  will copy the material to be copied in accordance with the user&#39;s spoken command instructions that have been input via microphone  20 . The keystroke that activated screen  16  will transmit a particular voice file through sound card  18  to speaker  19  as audio feedback. The forgoing is performed as confirmation of the user&#39;s commands or for audio help information. 
     The user may also instruct photocopier  18  by entering commands via touch screen  16 . When the user enters the final command on screen  16  by touching that portion of screen  16  that represents the print command, then all of the entered command information is transmitted from computer  11  through board  13  to port  17  and photocopier  18 . 
     The user may also instruct photocopier  18  by entering commands via keyboard  15 . When the user enters the final command on keyboard  15  by pressing the key on keyboard  15  that represents the print command, i.e., the key “p”, then al of the entered command information is transmitted from computer  11  through board  13  to port  17  and photocopier  18 . 
     Thus, users of photocopier  18  may operate photocopier  18  by entering information from keyboard  15 , or touching screen  16  or speaking into microphone  20 . 
     FIGS. 2-7 are drawings of various photocopier  18  command instructions that are displayed on screen  16  and may be executed by touching the proper area of screen  16 . FIG. 2 shows the main menu that is used for entering the number of copies that will be made by photocopier  18 . Areas  21 - 30  are used to enter the number of copies that will be made by photocopier  18 . The number of copies that were entered is displayed in areas  31  and  33 . If the user of photocopier  18  wants photocopier  18  to print the number of copies displayed in areas  31  and  33 , the user touches area  32  and photocopier  18  prints the copies. If the user of photocopier  18  wants to stop the previously entered number of copies to be printed, or stop the copier in the middle of the job he/she touches area  35 . If the user wants to clear the previously entered number, he/she touches area  34 . If the user wants to reset photocopier  18 , he/she touches area  36 . 
     When the user of photocopier  18  wants to enter the finishing menu he/she touches area  37 . The finishing menu is described in the description of FIG.  3 . If the user of photocopier  18  wants to enter the duplexing menu, he/she touches area  38 . The duplexing menu is described in the description of FIG.  4 . To select the size of paper, the user of photocopier  18  enters the paper select menu by touching area  39 . The paper select menu is described in the description of FIG.  5 . When the user of photocopier  18  wants to reduce or enlarge the copies, he/she enters the zoom menu by touching area  40 . The zoom menu is described in the description of FIG.  6 . When the user of photocopier  18  wants to enter the exposure menu, he/she touches area  41 . The exposure menu is described in the description of FIG.  7 . When the user wants to enter the copy menu from a different screen, he/she touches area  9 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the sorting menu. Area  42  is used to turn the sorting function on and area  43  is used to turn the sorting function off. Area  44  is used to sort and staple and area  45  is used for batch jobs. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the duplexing menu. Area  46  is touched when the paper to be copied is one sided and area  47  is touched when the paper to be copied is two sided. Area  48  is touched when the material to be copied is in a book. Area  49  is touched when the user wants the copies to be one sided and area  50  is touched when the user wants the copies to be two sided. Area  51  is touched when the user wants a two sided copy to be made on one sheet of paper. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates the paper selection menu. Area  52  is touched when the user wants photocopier  18  to be in the automatic mode and area  53  is touched when the user wants photocopier  18  to be in the bypass mode. Area  54  is touched when letter size (8½″×11″) copies are desired and area  55  is touched when ledger size (11″×17″) copies are desired. Area  56  is touched for legal size (8½″×14″) copies. Area  57  shows where the different sizes of paper are located in photocopier  18 . 
     FIG. 6 illustrates the zoom menu. The user touches area  57  if the material to be copied is ledger size and the user touches area  58  if the material to be copied is legal size. The user touches area  59  if the material to be copied is letter size and the user touches area  60  if the material to be copied is invoice (5½″×8½″) size. The user touches area  61  if the copied material is desired to be ledger size and the user touches area  62  if the copied material is desired to be legal size. The user touches area  63  if the copied material is desired to be letter size and the user touches area  64  if the copied material is desired to be invoice size. Area  65  represents the percentage of enlargement (50%-200%) or reduction (50%-200%) of the copy to be made. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates the exposure menu. Areas  66 - 77  are used to set the degree of darkness of the copy. Area  67  is touched for light copies and area  72  is touched for dark copies. Thus, the higher the number of the area touched, the darker will be the copy. 
     FIG. 8 is a drawing showing the functions of the user interface program of computer  11 . The program begins in block  80  options. The user of computer  11  may select the following main functions: block  81  print; block  82  copies; block  83 , type of finishing desired; block  84  duplexing; block  85  type of paper selected; block  86  zoom; block  87  exposure; block  88  reset and block  89  stop. 
     If copies are selected, the user enters the number of copies desired in block  90 . If a mistake was made in block  90 , the program goes to block  91  to allow the user to clear the number previously entered in block  90 . When block  83  finishing is selected, the user may turn the sorter on block  92 , turn the sorter off block  93 , sort and staple block  94  and batch block  95 . If duplexing was selected: block  96  would represent one sided sheets that are going to be photocopied; block  97  would represent two sided sheets that are going to be photocopied and block  98  would indicate that a book was going to be photocopied; block  99  would represent that the copy was going to be made on one side of the paper; block  100  would represent that the copy was to be made on both sides of the paper; and block  101  would represent that a two sided copy would be made on two sheets of paper. If paper select was selected, block  102  would indicate bypass; block  103  would indicate letter size paper; block  104  would indicate ledger size paper; block  105  would indicate legal size paper and block  106  would be the automatic mode where the photocopier selects the size of the paper. If zoom was selected: block  107  would represent that ledger sheets are going to be photocopied; block  108  would represent that legal sheets are going to be photocopied; block  109  would represent that letter sheets are going to be photocopied; block  110  would represent that invoices are going to be photocopied; block  111  would represent that the copy was going to be made on ledger size paper; block  112  would represent that the copy was going to be made on legal size paper; block  113  would represent that the copy was going to be made on letter size paper; block  114  would represent that the copy was going to be made on invoice paper; block  115  would enable the user to indicate how much larger than the original the copy should be and block  116  would enable the user to indicate how much smaller than the original the copy should be. If block  87  was selected: block  119  would indicate the lightest copy; block  118  would indicate a lighter copy; block  119  would indicate a light copy; block  120  would indicate a automatic copy; block  121  would indicate a dark copy; block  122  would indicate a darker copy; and block  123  would indicate the darkest copy. Block  88  would reset the main functions and block  89  would cancel the previously entered functions. Block  81  would print the copy in accordance with the previously entered functions. 
     FIGS. 9A and 9B are tables of voice commands and corresponding keyboard entries. The voice commands are shown in column  200  and the corresponding keyboard entry is shown in column  201 . 
     The following will illustrate how this table is used. When the operator of photocopier  18  wants to make four copies on letter size paper, he/she would speak into microphone  20  and say “four copies, letter, print now”. Microphone  20  would transmit the above commands to speech recognition board  12  and board  12  would process these commands by converting them to their corresponding keystroke commands, i.e., the commands used by keyboard  15 . The keystroke commands would then be sent to computer  11 . The keystroke commands for the abovementioned voice command would be O, 4, Sl, p. After computer  11  recognized the above command, it would cause sound card  14  to repeat, in a previously digitized format, the command sent by the operator of photocopier  18 . Thus, after each voice command, speaker  19  would output the current command, i.e., “four copies, letter, print now”. 
     Execution of the above command would take place simultaneously when speaker  19  outputted “print now” and photocopier  18  began printing. 
     FIG. 10 is a table of help voice commands that correspond to keyboard  15  instructions by indicating a particular voice response that is heard through speaker  19 . The voice commands are shown in column  205 , the corresponding keyboard entry is shown in column  206  and the voice response is shown in column  207 . 
     The following will illustrate how this table is used. When the operator of photocopier  18  wants to know the photocopier  18  options, he/she would speak into microphone  20  and say “copier options”. Microphone  20  would transmit the above commands to speech recognition board  12  and board  12  would process these commands by converting them to their corresponding keystroke commands, i.e., the commands used by keyboard  15 . The keystroke commands would then be sent to computer  11 . The keystroke commands for the abovementioned voice command would be O]. After computer  11  recognized the above command, it would cause sound card  14  to repeat, in a previously digitized format, the command sent by the operator of photocopier  18 . Thus, speaker  19  would output, for example, “4 copies, letter, print”. 
     All error messages or messages concerning the status of photocopier  18  outputted by photocopier  18  will also be converted to voice messages, i.e., paper jam, lack of toner, etc. For example, if a paper jam occurred, the diagnostic port  17  of photocopier  18  (FIG. 1) would transmit a signal to computer  11  via converter board  13 . Computer  11  would identify the status of photocopier  18 , i.e., jam and display an error message on screen  16 . Simultaneously, computer  11  would transmit the error message to sound card  14 . Sound card  14  will cause speaker  19  to broadcast an audio message of the same text that appears on screen  16 , i.e., “paper jam, area  3 ”. After the paper jam is cleared, screen  16  will return to its normal state. 
     The above specification describes a new and improved system for controlling and operating photocopier machines. It is realized that the above description may indicate to those skilled in the art additional ways in which the principles of this invention may be used without departing from the spirit. It is, therefore, intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.