Abstract: A voice actuated control system suitable for use on a computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine tool includes a pair of radio frequency transmitters and a pair of radio frequency receivers, one of the radio frequency receivers and one of the radio frequency transmitters being located at the machine tool site and the other radio frequency receiver and radio frequency transmitter being carried by the human machine tool operator. Operator-spoken commands are transmitted through the operator's transmitter to the machine tool receiver which outputs an audio signal to a voice interpreter that converts the received voice commands into digital signals which are transmitted to the CNC machine tool control system to control machine tool operation.

Abstract: A multipurpose electronic assembly for a headphone assembly used in connection with a stereophonic system, such system comprising detection and signal means to ascertain noises extraneous to the stereophonic output system. Such assembly comprises a pick-up microphone in one or more speaker assembly for such ambient sound pick-up. The pick-up microphone is connected to an automatically actuated switch which closes whenever the pick-up microphone detects certain ambient sounds extraneous to the system. The latter automated switch assembly is directly interconnected with a voice compressor assembly, and then directly to an amplifier to provide minimal amplification of such extraneous sounds.

Abstract: A power control circuit (22) for selectively supplying power from a constantly available power source (20) to an amplified speaker (12) by sensing the existence of an audio signal in a differential stage by determining the differential potential signal between leads (16, 18) to produce a ground reference signal which is amplified by a transistor (28) and thereafter rectified (52) to provide a direct current signal which operates a relay driver transistor (42) which, in turn, operates a relay switch (46) to supply power to the speaker amplifier (14). The discontinuance of power to the speaker amplifier is delayed for a period of time after the discontinuance of the audio signal to the differential stage (24) by placing a capacitor (58) between the rectifier and the relay driver transistor (42) to power the relay driver transistor for a period of time after the audio signal is no longer being provided.

Abstract: A voice-actuated switching system selectively connects multiple microphones to an audio line in accordance with the output signal levels from each of the microphones. The state of each microphone is determined by its use and can exit in one of three states: selected, mixed, or off. The microphone with the greatest output signal level at any given time is considered in the selected state and is selected for connecting to the audio line with no loss. Those microphones in the mixed state have their output signal levels attenuated before being connected to the audio line. And those microphones in the off state have their outputs essentially disconnected from the audio line. The user of a microphone while in the mixed state can be heard along with the user of a microphone while in the selected state although at a lower level.

Abstract: In a device for adjusting a movable electro-acoustic sound transducer, an optical duct is connected to the sound transducer which only allows an object, such as a display table or a data display unit, to be viewed completely in one specific position. This position is unambiguously reproducible and so is the position of the sound transducer or microphone relative to the mouth of the speaker. The optical duct may comprise diaphragms or a tube, possibly with intermediate walls, or a phase amplitude grating.The object may be a display unit and the device further comprises a device for generating variable data on the display. If used for speaker identification, the variable data generator projects consecutive instructions on the display so that, the speech recognition process is controlled automatically. The speaker to be identified is then required to keep his mouth in the correct position relative to the microphone.

Abstract: A music/speech filter is provided for automatically determining whether an audio signal is music or speech by obtaining a relative measure of the energy in a selective frequency range and, from this determination, controlling the passage or path of the audio signal. The filter can be attached to a radio receiver to selectively pass either music or speech at the option of the user.

Abstract: In order to reduce the noise signal of an acoustic origin contained in an input signal coming from a microphone located in a noisy environment, a noise reducing arrangement includes a filter (6) which receives the input signal and eliminates a frequency band of some hundreds of Hertz, centered around the average frequency of the first formant of the speech signal, a detector circuit (7) detecting the output signal of the filter (6) with a time constant to the order of some tenths of a second, finally a variable-threshold circuit (9) which uses the detected signal as the threshold signal and which is arranged for transmitting the variations of the input signal when the latter has an absolute value which is higher than the threshold signal.

Abstract: A timepiece having a speech synthesizer output device is disclosed herein. The speech synthesizer is responsive to sound input such as human voices (e.g., what time is it?) or the sound of clapping of hands to provide an audible indication of time information. The intensity of the audible indication is varied with the intensity of the sound input.