Abstract: An operation apparatus detects a finger using a sensor disposed on an operation plane and further determines a movement distance of the finger so as to change an operation of a controlled device, such as an in-vehicle air conditioner. A finger touching or approaching the operation plane is detected by an electrostatic sensor. An air volume of the air conditioner which is the controlled device is changed by a movement of the detected finger in an X1 or X2 direction. When the finger is moved by a first distance from a first detected position, the air volume is changed in a predetermined range. Thereafter, every time the finger is moved by a second distance which is different than the first distance, the air volume is changed in a range equivalent to a range in the case of the movement by the first distance.

Abstract: An operation apparatus detects a finger using a sensor disposed on an operation plane and further determines a movement distance of the finger so as to change an operation of a controlled device, such as an in-vehicle air conditioner. A finger touching or approaching the operation plane is detected by an electrostatic sensor. An air volume of the air conditioner which is the controlled device is changed by a movement of the detected finger in an X1 or X2 direction. When the finger is moved by a first distance from a first detected position, the air volume is changed in a predetermined range. Thereafter, every time the finger is moved by a second distance which is different than the first distance, the air volume is changed in a range equivalent to a range in the case of the movement by the first distance.

Abstract: A candidate selection apparatus utilizing voice recognition includes an association unit that associates target candidates with candidate numbers so that numerals of the target candidates coincide with numerals of the candidate numbers when the target candidates to be displayed in list form are character strings representing the numerals of the candidate numbers, and a display control unit that displays the target candidates and the candidate numbers in list form in accordance with the associations made between the target candidates and the candidate numbers.

Abstract: A candidate selection apparatus utilizing voice recognition includes an association unit that associates target candidates with candidate numbers so that numerals of the target candidates coincide with numerals of the candidate numbers when the target candidates to be displayed in list form are character strings representing the numerals of the candidate numbers, and a display control unit that displays the target candidates and the candidate numbers in list form in accordance with the associations made between the target candidates and the candidate numbers.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus for playing back data includes an oral reading unit, a storage unit storing text templates for responses to questions from a user and text template conversion rules, an input unit for inputting a question from a user, and a control unit for retrieving data and items of information associated with the data. The control unit analyzes a question about a data from a user, for example, a question about a tune, to select a text template for a response to the question and detects the characters in items of tune information of the tune. The characters are designated to replace replacement symbols included in the text template. The control unit also converts the text template based on whether the characters can be read aloud, generates a text to be read aloud using the converted text template, and causes the oral reading unit to read the text aloud.

Abstract: An address character-string structure analyzer analyzes an address character-string structure with respect to address data selected from input data for speech conversion, in accordance with data stored in the address speech-conversion application-rule data storage section. A street speech-conversion structure data element divider divides the address data into structure elements. A street-name speech-conversion pronunciation symbol dictionary is provided. When the structure elements contain a street name, an address speech-conversion data-storage-section selector/reader searches the dictionary and reads pronunciation symbols for the street name. For another structure element, a general dictionary, an individually-created general dictionary, individually-created phonetic-symbol dictionary, or the like is searched and pronunciation symbols are read. When the processing for all elements is completed, speech data is created and reproduced in accordance with general speech data.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus for playing back data includes an oral reading unit, a storage unit storing text templates for responses to questions from a user and text template conversion rules, an input unit for inputting a question from a user, and a control unit for retrieving data and items of information associated with the data. The control unit analyzes a question about a data from a user, for example, a question about a tune, to select a text template for a response to the question and detects the characters in items of tune information of the tune. The characters are designated to replace replacement symbols included in the text template. The control unit also converts the text template based on whether the characters can be read aloud, generates a text to be read aloud using the converted text template, and causes the oral reading unit to read the text aloud.

Abstract: A main controller feeds a spelling translator with a text item representing a place name stored in a map database. The spelling translator translates the spelling of the text item according to rules described in a translation rule table. The spelling translator translates, e.g., a French character or string included in the text item and not included in the English alphabet into an English alphabet character or string having a pronunciation equivalent or similar to the pronunciation of the French character or string. The translated text item is fed into a TTS engine for English. The TTS engine converts the text item into voice, which is output from a speaker.

Abstract: An address character-string structure analyzer analyzes an address character-string structure with respect to address data selected from input data for speech conversion, in accordance with data stored in the address speech-conversion application-rule data storage section. A street speech-conversion structure data element divider divides the address data into structure elements. A street-name speech-conversion pronunciation symbol dictionary is provided. When the structure elements contain a street name, an address speech-conversion data-storage-section selector/reader searches the dictionary and reads pronunciation symbols for the street name. For another structure element, a general dictionary, an individually-created general dictionary, individually-created phonetic-symbol dictionary, or the like is searched and pronunciation symbols are read. When the processing for all elements is completed, speech data is created and reproduced in accordance with general speech data.

Abstract: A main controller feeds a spelling translator with a text item representing a place name stored in a map database. The spelling translator translates the spelling of the text item according to rules described in a translation rule table. The spelling translator translates, e.g., a French character or string included in the text item and not included in the English alphabet into an English alphabet character or string having a pronunciation equivalent or similar to the pronunciation of the French character or string. The translated text item is fed into a TTS engine for English. The TTS engine converts the text item into voice, which is output from a speaker.