EP0036797A1 - Appliance for the animation of objects in reply to acoustical signals - Google Patents

Abstract

Any sounds whatever are transliterated, particularly by a micro- amplifier assembly 2, into modulated electrical signals, available at a source 1 such as a socket connector of known type. A cable 6 connects the source 1 to a modulator 8. The power of a source 5 intended to move a drive element 4 is modulated as a function of the signals received at the input 7 of the modulator 8. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a device for animating objects in response to acoustic signals.

One of the aims of the present invention is to produce objects which are animated in a simple and inexpensive manner, in response to acoustic signals and more particularly, in response to music.

We know that one of the most delicate problems we face. collides when we want to animate objects, is to ensure synchronization between the movements of these objects and sounds emitted simultaneously, especially when it comes to words that are supposed to be spoken by the animated object.

Naturally, such synchronization is much easier to achieve when a person animates a puppet, because this person can, quite naturally, adapt the movements of the puppet, and in particular those of his mouth, to the words spoken or to the noises caused.

But, then, the animation can only be done with the hand and despite the remarkable skill of some puppeteers, the movements of the mouth remain very schematic and those of the feet or legs practically impossible realistically.

The present invention provides a solution to this problem by making it possible to adapt as exactly as desired the movements of a figurative object or not to noises or sounds emitted simultaneously.

Furthermore, we can only animate several characters in a synchronized manner by practically invariable and relatively primitive means such as cams, pulleys and rods driven cyclically and repetitively from electric motors.

The present invention provides a new solution to this problem by making it possible to move objects in synchronism with noises, sounds or music, attenuating or even completely eliminating the cyclic repetition of the positions of objects, thanks to which we can obtain a real realistic and variable staging leading to a particularly realistic and attractive spectacle.

By providing a miniaturization made accessible thanks to the latest developments in technology, it is possible, according to the invention, to reproduce very detailed movements so that one can animate the face of a mannequin in full size according to the words. issued either by a patient or by an educator such as a speech therapist, a doctor, etc.

The invention also provides other advantages which will appear later.

A device for animating objects in response to acoustic signals according to the invention, is characterized in that it comprises on the one hand an origin of modulated electrical signals subjected to an acoustic signal transformer, on the other hand share a possibly figurative object having at least one movable part associated with at least one electric motor element and thirdly a source of electrical energy, the origin of modulated electrical signals having a connection with an input of an interposed modulator between the source of electrical energy and the motor element so that the supply of electric motor element or elements is modulated according to the signals.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the transformer of acoustic signals is associated with at least one loudspeaker.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the device comprises at least one specific loudspeaker which is placed in the object or in the immediate vicinity thereof and which is connected to the link which extends from the origin modulated signals up to the modulator input.

According to a variant, the transformer of acoustic signals is a microphone.

According to another variant, the transformer of acoustic signals is a reproducer of recorded sounds such as tape or cassette recorder, electrophone and the like.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the connection with the modulator is constituted by a line connected to a speaker output called "H P" with which the sound reproducer is equipped.

According to an alternative embodiment, the device comprises a housing constituting a base for the object to be animated and which may contain a sound reproducer, a modulator, a source of electrical energy such as a battery, a motor element such as a electromagnet or the like.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the device comprises at least two objects, each motor element of which is connected to the modulator and, where appropriate, the specific loudspeaker of which is connected to a loudspeaker output of the reproducer of sounds.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the device comprises two modulators which are each connected to a channel of a stereophonic sound reproducer and which each correspond to different motor elements possibly associated with the same object.

• Les figures 1 à 3 sont des vues schématiques montrant trois modes de réalisation différents de l'invention prévoyant une liaison directe avec un objet à animer.
• La figure 4 est une vue schématique montrant un mode de réalisation de l'invention selon lequel la liaison avec un objet à animer se fait par messages radio.
• La figure 5 montre, en élévation partiellement en coupe, un sujet animé selon l'invention.
• La figure 6 montre une variante de réalisation de l'invention.
• La figure 7 montre, en plan, le socle du sujet animé de la figure 6.
• Les figures 8 et 9 montrent une troisième réalisation de l'invention.
• La figure 10 montre la réalisation du socle du sujet animé selon les figures 8 et 9.

Other characteristics of the invention will emerge from the detailed description below given with reference, gu attached drawing. Of course, the description and the drawing are given only by way of an indicative and nonlimiting example.

• Figures 1 to 3 are schematic views showing three different embodiments of the invention providing a direct connection with an object to be animated.
• Figure 4 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of the invention according to which the connection with an object to be animated is by radio messages.
• FIG. 5 shows, in elevation partially in section, an animated subject according to the invention.
• Figure 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 7 shows, in plan, the base of the animated subject of FIG. 6.
• Figures 8 and 9 show a third embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 10 shows the construction of the base of the animated subject according to FIGS. 8 and 9.

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that a device according to the invention comprises on the one hand an origin of modulated electrical signals 1 subjected to an acoustic design transformer 2, on the other hand an object 3 here affecting the shape a puppet, having at least one movable part associated with at least one electric motor element 4 and, thirdly, a source of electric energy 5, the origin 1 having a connection 6 with an input 7 of a modulator 8 interposed between the source of electrical energy 5 and the motor element 4.

The acoustic signal transformer 2 can, for example, be constituted by a micro-amplifier assembly so that the modulator 8 receives electrical signals modulated as a function of the noises received by the microphone and very particularly by the human voice.

Furthermore, the modulator 8 receives by a link 9 an electric current supplied by the source 5 and is connected by a line 10 to the supply of a motor element 4. With this arrangement, the motor element 4 is supplied with electric current in a variable manner according to the modulated current received by the line 6 so that the movable part of the object 3 which is subjected to the motor element 4 also moves in a variable manner and according to the modulated signals picked up by line 6 originally 1.

Thus, depending on whether the person who speaks or sings emits more or less jerky or continuous, strong or weak articulated or continuous sounds, the mobile part of the object 3 moves correlatively.

According to a particularly interesting embodiment, the movable part can be located at the location of the lower jaw of the object 3 when it represents a character, so that the latter opens and closes the mouth of a very realistically and seems to articulate the words or sounds spoken, in reality, by the user.

The power of the modulated electrical signals available at the origin 1 is completely independent of that which is implemented by the source of electrical energy 5 because the latter can be as powerful as desired. It can be one or more batteries or even a power outlet on the mains itself.

With this embodiment, it is possible to choose as movable part of the object 3 no longer the lower jaw but the whole head relative to the body, or the two arms or the two legs, etc ... other words, it is possible to provide several elements .motors 4 corresponding each leaves a movable part, or all applied to ₄ no same part to be animated by complex and combined movements.

We can, for example, realize the object 3 in a very flexible elastic material in which are housed the driving elements and application members of any known type such as cam, rod, cable, etc. to cause movements that one could qualify as "flexible", very close to physiological reality, to avoid the jerky, mechanical and artificial gestures of certain automata.

The assembly 2 can include its own speaker so that the sound is emitted near the user and, in this case, it is advantageous to provide that the object 3 reacts so that it seems to respond to the sounds.

However, it is also possible, as shown in dotted lines, to provide a specific loudspeaker 11 connected by a line 2 to the link 6.

The loudspeaker 11 can thus be placed in the object itself or in the immediate vicinity of it so that the sounds emitted by the user seem to be emitted by the object 3 itself.

Here, we obtain a particularly attractive effect since the voice can be identified with that of a familiar or a famous person depending on whether the user speaks naturally or imitates another person.

As the object 3 can be located relatively far from the assembly 2, it is possible to dissociate the device and give the object 3 an appearance of complete autonomy.

Referring to FIG. 2, we see another embodiment of the invention according to which the acoustic signal transformer 2 is a reproducer of recorded sounds and, here, a record player.

It is shown with two sets of speakers 2a and 2b respectively for stereophonic reproduction and the origin of modulated electrical signals 1 is constituted by a female socket of a type known per se and which is intended to receive a standardized male plug either for an additional speaker (in which case this socket is commonly called "HP") or for headphones etc ...

According to this embodiment, the cable 6 is adapted by a plug 6a to a pre-existing listening installation of any known type.

Depending on the disc which is explored by the reading head of the electrophone 2, the modulator 8 has an action on the electric current coming from the source 5 and the motor element 4 reacts accordingly.

Given that this device does not have a specific microphone unlike the previous embodiment, it is interesting to provide that the object 3 reacts to the sounds emitted by the speakers 2a. And 2b so that here it doesn ' is not particularly interesting to make movable the lower jaw of the character but rather its legs and / or its arms in such a way that the character seems to dance according to the rhythm and the intensity of the music when it is a musical disc which is placed on the recorder 2.

Here again, the character 3 can be placed far enough from the rest of the device so that it seems to have complete autonomy, which increases the spectacular and attractive effect of the whole.

Naturally, the object 3 can be placed on a base which gives it stability and when the legs must be animated, it may be useful to connect the body itself of the object 3 to the base by a rod or a support. preferably this concealed.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the acoustic signal transformer 2 is constituted by a stereophonic cassette player whose speaker sockets 2c and 2d respectively receive male plugs for corresponding connection cables 6c and 6d leading to 8c and 8d modulators independent but connected both by respectively lines 9c and _9d to the line. 9, itself connected to the energy source 5.

The modulator 8c corresponds to the modulator 8 of Figures 1 and 2 and is connected by a line 10c to a motor element 4c.

On line 6c is connected a line 12c leading to a speaker llc placed inside the object 3.

The modulator 8d comprises an output line 8e which terminates by a line 8f at a motor element 4d.

We see that with these arrangements only one of the channels of the stereophonic player 2 is used to reproduce sounds by the line 12c and the speaker llc; of course, according to another variant, it is also possible to provide another loudspeaker to use the second channel.

However, the assembly of FIG. 3 is particularly interesting because it is possible to record on cassette a relatively complex program since on the channel corresponding to line 6c one can record a text and music which are exploited on the one hand by the speaker llc and on the other hand by the modulator 8c to animate the driving element 4c while on the other channel we record random signals or established according to the signals of the other channel, so that the motor element 4d is supplied according to the action of modulator 8d in a manner different from motor element 4c.

A line 8g has been shown in dotted lines leading to a device 8h which may be either another object of type 3, or any mechanism actuated in addition to the motor element 4d or in place of the latter.

It is then possible to use only one channel (via line 6c) for text and / or music while the other channel is only used for non-audible signals which are used to control either element 4d, that is the 8h element so that, finally, we can create real staging.

It is, in fact, within the reach of a person skilled in the art to establish the magnetic signals on the track of the cassette corresponding to the output 2d so that they can be decoded selectively by several driving elements such as 4d, 8am and others.

An interesting application of this device is the animation of a shop window with several characters associated with mobile objects (which the element 8h symbolizes here).

Referring now to FIG. 4, we see another embodiment of the invention according to which the device comprises, in the example shown, an electrophone 2 and loudspeakers 2a and 2b as already described opposite. of FIG. 2 but, here, the cable 6 leads not to a modulator 8 but to a transcoder 13 of the electrical signals into corresponding radio signals, this transcoder being associated with a transmitter 14 provided with a transmitting antenna 15.

Object 3, relatively distant from the preceding elements, comprises a receiving antenna 16 for a radio receiver 17 tuned to the transmitter 14 and associated with a transcoder 18 connected to a modulator 8, itself connected on the one hand by a link 9 to an electric source 5 and on the other hand to motor elements 4e, 4f and 4g by connections 20, 21 and 22.

Object 3 is shown here as being non-figurative and made up of a kind of flexible and elastic envelope which is placed over the elements just described and which is subject to a base 23.

The moving parts have been shown schematically in the form of eccentric cams 24, 25 and 26 which maintain the envelope under a certain tension and which affect the shape of rounded volumes.

The operation of this device is as follows:

The electric phone emits modulated electrical signals. As already described, these modulated signals are transformed into sounds, for example musical, at the level of the loudspeakers 2a and 2b while they are transmitted from the female socket 1 by the line 6 to the transcoder 13 which transforms them into signals radio transmitted by transmitter 14 and antenna 15.

These radio signals are received by the antenna 16 and the receiver 17 and the latter transmits them to the transcoder 18 which transforms them into modulated electrical signals identical to those originating from the origin 1.

Then, these electrical signals are sent to the modulator 8, which acts on the electric current which it receives via the link 9 from the source 5 so that the motor elements 4e, 4f and 4g drive the moving parts 24, 25 and 26 in rotation according to speeds, directions or rhythms which are a function of the music or the sounds recorded on the disc placed on the electrophone 2.

Naturally, it is possible to provide a plurality of transducers 13 and a plurality of transducers 18 so that each moving part or group of moving parts reacts differently.

Object 3 can be associated with different lighting systems, the supply of which can be direct and constant or itself modulated.

A very attractive assembly is thus obtained which deforms according to the sounds emitted by the speakers 2a and 2b.

One could of course combine the elements which have been described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 differently, that is to say that one could provide a non-figurative object with the embodiment of FIG. 2 or a figurative element with the embodiment of Figure 4 etc ...

In FIG. 5, a figure 30 is shown comprising a body 31, a head 32, a spout 33, articulated on an axis 34 and a wing 35 articulated on an axis 36.

The figure is provided with a tab 37 supported by a foot 38 mounted on a base 39.

The body 31 is hollow and internally comprises a modulator 40, a loudspeaker 41 and two electromagnets 42 and 43.

The base 39 constitutes a box for receiving electric batteries 44 which are connected by a circuit suitable for the modulator 40.

The housing 39 is provided with a female connector 45 intended to be connected, by a flexible cord and a male plug. corresponding, to the output of a loudspeaker of an electrophone or a tape recorder.

The socket 45 is connected by a suitable circuit to the modulator 40 and to the loudspeaker 41.

The electromagnets 42 and 43 are of the plunger core type. The core 46 of the electromagnet 42 is connected to the spout 33 which is associated with a return spring 47. The electromagnet 43 comprises a plunger core 48 connected to the wing 35, a return spring 49 being provided to return the wing 35 to its initial position.

When a tape recorder or an electrophone is in operation, the sound is emitted by the loudspeaker 41, while the modulator 40, in response to the electrical signals g regulates the supply of the electromagnets 42 and 43 which thus, control the movements the spout 33 and the wing 35 by means of the cores 46 and 48 from the energy of the batteries 44.

In Figures 6 and 7, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the character 30 is supported by a lug 37 integral with the base 39 which constitutes a housing in which are housed a battery 50, a device for reading magnetic tapes 51 and a modulator 52, these latter two devices being powered by battery 50.

The base 39 is provided with two female sockets 53 and 54 connected to the output of the modulator 40 and intended to receive male plugs connected to the electromagnets 42 and 43.

The output "H P" of the device 51 is connected to a female socket 55 intended to receive a male plug connected to the loudspeaker 41.

In the housing 39, sockets 56 and 57 are provided which optionally make it possible to connect the modulator 40 and the output "H P" of the device 51 to a second character arranged in a manner identical to that of the character 30.

Figures 8 and 9 show yet another embodiment of the invention according to which the housing 39 contains the battery 50, the modulator 52 and two electromagnets 58 and 59, the core 60 of the electromagnet 59 being integral with a piston 61 movable in a cylinder 62 and connected by a cable 63 to the wing 35, a compression spring 64 inserted between the bottom of the cylinder 62 and the piston 61 ensuring cable tension 63.

The electromagnet 58 is connected in the same way as the electromagnet 59 to a cable 65 controlling the tilting of the spout 33.

As in the previous embodiment, the box 39 can be provided with sockets 56 and 57 for connecting the modulator 52 as well as the output "H P" of the device 51 to another character of the same type as the character 30.

It emerges from the above description that the invention makes it possible to produce objects of all kinds set in motion from direct or indirect, natural or recorded sounds.

Modern technology makes it possible to obtain extremely small motors or very compact electromagnets so that it is possible to place several moving parts in a single object of reasonable size.

We can therefore foresee many movements for the different parts of the same object or for the same complex part as is the case of the movements of the human face during articulated language.

One of the applications of the invention can therefore be the production, as an object, of a human head (or at least of its face) very realistic and equipped with a number of motor elements sufficient to actuate an elastic and flexible envelope imitating a human face in its parts representing those which move during the articulation of words.

In this case, the acoustic signal transformer 2 can be constituted by an assembly comprising a microphone as shown in FIG. 1 so that a patient such as a disabled child, a deaf-mute, etc. can observe the object and instantly perceive the movements caused by its own movements.

We can also provide for the representation of a human head no longer for medical and therapeutic purposes but for recreational, advertising, etc.

The invention can also be used to perform voice transducers from recorded texts. It is also possible for a person to speak in front of a microphone and to hear through speaker 11 its own distorted channel.

Another interesting application of the invention consists in connecting the sound of a television to the object representing a human character or an animal, so that the text actually coming from the television seems to come from the object. It is also possible to provide a transducer which can be switched off and transforming the voice of the character who appears on the screen into a different voice adapted to the appearance of the object (nasal voice for a duck-shaped object, etc ...).

It may be advantageous to provide a timer to obtain a delay between the emission of sounds (in particular those picked up by a microphone) and the movements of the object 3. Such a timer is inserted between the source 1 and the modulator 8. De thus, the user has time to visualize the reactions of the animated object.

It is also possible to provide one or more motor elements which enter into action selectively, depending on the intensity or the sound volume. In this case, certain words can be underlined by a gesture of the supposedly figurative object. For example, a cry is a punch on the table; a sigh corresponds to the raising of the eyebrows and / or the lowering of the eyelids etc.

The invention is therefore not limited to the embodiments described and shown but embraces, on the contrary, all variants.

Claims (12)

1 - Device for animating objects in response to acoustic signals, characterized in that it comprises on the one hand at least one origin of modulated electrical signals (1) subjected (s) to a transformer of acoustic signals ( 2), on the other hand at least one object (3) possibly figurative having at least one movable part associated with at least one electric motor element (4) and thirdly a source of electric energy (5), l origin, respectively each origin of modulated electrical signals (1) having a connection (6) with an input (7) of a modulator (8) interposed between the source of electrical energy (5) and the motor element ( 4) so that the supply of the driving element or elements (4) with electrical energy is modulated as a function of the signals. 2 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the acoustic signal transformer (2) is a microphone. 3 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transformer of acoustic signals is associated with at least one speaker (2a-2b). 4 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one specific loudspeaker (11) which is placed in the object (3) or in the immediate vicinity thereof and which is connected to the link (6) which extends from the origin of the modulated signals (1) to the input of the modulator (8). 5 - Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the transformer of acoustic signals (2) is a reproducer of recorded sounds such as tape or cassette tape recorder, electrophone and the like. 6 - Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the connection with the modulator (8) is constituted by a line connected to a speaker output called "H P" with which the sound reproducer (2) is equipped. 7 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the motor elements (4, 4c-4d) is housed in the object to be animated (3). 8 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a housing constituting a base (39) for the object to be animated (30) and may contain a sound reproducer (2), a modultator (40), a electric power source such as a battery (50), a motor element such as an electromagnet or the like (58-59), a kinematic link (61-62-63-64-65) being interposed between said motor element (58-59) and at least one movable part (33-35) of the animated object (30). 9 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two objects (30) each motor element of which is connected to a modulator (40) and, where appropriate, whose specific loudspeaker is connected to a speaker output from a sound reproducer (51). 10 - Device according to claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the housing (39) comprises at least one socket (53-54) for a connection cable with another object (30) so that the latter is connected to the modulator ( 40) and, where appropriate, to the sound reproducer (51). 11 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two modulators (8c and 8d) which are each connected to a channel (2c - 2d) of a stereophonic sound reproducer (2) and which each correspond to different driving elements (4c and 4d) possibly associated with the same object (3). 12 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one transcoder (13) of the electrical signals modulated into corresponding radio signals and at least one transmitter of the radio signals (14), while the object (3) itself or a base (23) to which it is subject comprises a radio receiver (17) tuned to the transmitter (14) and associated with a transcoder (18) connected to a modulator (8) itself connected to a part to a source of electrical energy (5) and secondly to at least one motor element (4e-4f-4g).

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