Digital audio output device

{
  "publication_number": "US4000565A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Digital audio output device",
  "abstract": "An apparatus is disclosed for converting silent digital visual display characters into sequentially enunciated audible tones which are digitally coded in serial form. Blind or visually handicapped persons can recognize the audio tone codes to comprehend the visual characters in the optical display.",
  "claims": [
    "1. Apparatus for converting silently displayed visual data characters into serially sequenced, tone coded audible data signals, at a rate of presentation between and duration of said serially sequenced tones to be auditorially intelligible to humans, comprising: a source of first electrical drive signals of the type for operating a visual data display means; converting means connected to said source of first electrical drive signals for converting said first electrical drive signals into serially sequenced and tone coded second electrical drive signals; tone signal rate control means and tone signal duration control means connected to said converting means for controlling the rate and duration of said second electrical drive signals to produce a rate of presentation and duration of said signals to be auditorially intelligible to humans; and transducer means connected to said converting means to receive said serially sequenced and tone coded second electrical drive signals for audibly and serially producing tones corresponding in frequency, rate and duration to said sequenced and tone coded second electrical drive signals.",
    "2. Apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein: said source of said first electrical drive signal comprises an optical data display means wherein said first electrical signals are the optical data display control signals therefor; and said means for converting said first electrical drive signals into said serially sequenced and tone coded second electrical drive signals comprises a readable memory device connected to have its memory addressed by said first electrical drive signals and which has said serially sequenced and tone second electrical drive signals stored at locations which correspond to said first electrical drive signals.",
    "3. Apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein: said optical data display means is a segmented, selectively illuminable array of visible areas which are selected to form segmented data characters in correspondence with said first electrical drive signals; and said means for converting said first electrical drive signals into said serially sequenced and tone coded second drive signals further comprises means for sequentially outputting serial elements of said memory location contents addressed by said first electrical drive signals.",
    "4. Apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein: said means for converting said first electrical drive signals into said serially sequenced and tone coded second electrical drive signals further comprises means for sequentially applying said first electrical drive signals to said memory device in sequence by character from said data display means.",
    "5. Apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein: said optical data display means comprises at least one, seven-segment, selectively illuminable character display means; and said means for converting said first electrical drive signals into said serially sequenced and tone coded second electrical drive signals contains BCD coded memory location contents."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "G09B 21/006",
    "A61F 9/08",
    "G06F 15/0225"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "IBM"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1975-05-05",
  "publication_date": "1977-01-04",
  "grant_date": "1977-01-04",
  "priority_date": "1975-05-05",
  "application_number": "US-57482875-A",
  "family_id": "24297819",
  "citations": [
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  ]
}