Consumer products that speak for themselves can now achieve new levels of sophistication without costing more. Three new speech-processing devices from TI introduce true microprocessor flexibility to the low end of the market while expanding the capabilities available to designers at the high end.
The new devices extend the TSP50Cxx family of Linear Predictive Coding (LPC 12) speech-processing technology. Now they offer designers the opportunity to add differentiating features at extremely competitive prices.
Two of the devices, the TSP50C04 and the TSP50C06, offer 8-bit microprocessor solutions for the most cost-sensitive segments of the consumer market. Especially well suited for toys, games, educational talking book and similar applications, they are cost-effective alternatives to the non-processor based speech synthesizers often used today.
The 'C04 provides up to 14 seconds of speech or sound effects, while the 'C06 provides up to 28 seconds. Innovatively repeating sounds or phrases in various combinations allow either device to produce sequences that seem to be several times the rated duration of the chip.
Texas Instruments has developed a speech processor, the TSP50C19, for the upper end of the TSP50Cxx family that includes 32K bytes of ROM and is capable of up to three minutes of speech. As with all members of the family, the 'C19 integrates an 8-bit microprocessor with a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter, random access memory and
input/output (I/O) capabilities. These system-level products make our speech processors well suited for non-speech uses such as sophisticated embedded-control applications.
As part of the TSP50Cxx family of speech processors, the new devices are supported by a full range of tools. These reduce the time needed to develop in-circuit emulation and prototyping, custom speech patterns, microprocessor programs, and unique I/O or D/A configurations.
The 'C04, 'C06, and 'C19 are available now from Texas Instruments and authorized distributors. Like the other members of the TSP50Cxx family, the three devices are all mask-programmable. The minimum quantity is 50,000 units.
Vol 9, Summer, 1994