Patent ID: 7171364

Claim:
A key input-voice assistant apparatus comprising: a key for inputting; a voice information storage section which stores, as voice information, a content of execution of a function assigned to the key; a voice output mechanism which outputs the voice information; a mode switching key which switches an operation mode between a normal mode in which the function assigned to the key is performed when an inputting operation of the key is performed, and a voice guide mode in which the function assigned to the key is guided when the inputting operation of the key is performed; a key information storage section which stores key information indicating that it is detected that the inputting operation of the key is performed in the voice guide mode; a first determination section configured to determine whether the key information is stored in the key information storage section or not when the key is inputted in the voice guide mode; a second determination section configured to determine whether the voice output mechanism outputs the voice information or not, when the first determination section determines that the key information is stored in the key information storage section; a stopping control section configured to stop outputting of the voice information, when the second determination section determines that the voice output mechanism outputs the voice information; a voice information control section configured to make the voice output mechanism output the voice information stored in the voice information storage section, which is associated with the key information, when the stopping control section stops outputting of the voice information; and a function executing section configured to execute the function assigned to the key, when the voice information control section outputs the voice information, wherein, when the second determination section determines that the voice output mechanism does not output the voice information when the first determination section has determined that the key information is stored in the key information storage section, processing proceeds directly to the voice information control section, bypassing the stopping control section.