Epson Develops ROM Emulation Tool for Voice Guidance Chips Enabling Natural-Sounding Voice Production on PCs

Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson") has developed a ROM emulation tool compatible with its S1V30300 series of voice guidance chips for embedded applications.

The tool is compatible with S1V30300 series voice guidance chips for built-in voice ROM, enabling audio data stored on a PC to be played back in almost the same environment as S1V30300 series ROM data. In response to host CPU commands using a message protocol based on a synchronous serial interface, the tool reads audio data in the PC's virtual ROM and transmits it to a S1V30300 series sample chip.

The tool enables users to embed S1V30300 series chips in their products prior to ordering ROM and check audio quality and playback before placing an order for mask ROM. By integrating the tool into their host program debugging environment, users can also debug their voice output chip using an S1V30300 series chip prior to ordering ROM.

Specifications and features

• Connection modes for host CPU and S1V30300 series chips
  
  • Sequencer mode
    Multiple items of voice data specified by commands from the host CPU are read from the virtual ROM, silent pauses are inserted between data items in accordance with commands, and data is compressed into a single item for sending to the S1V30300 series chip. This function emulates playback using the virtual ROM.
    
  • Sequencer without delay mode
    Multiple items of voice data specified by commands from the host CPU are read from the virtual ROM and successively transmitted to the S1V30300 series chip. The silent pauses specified in the commands are ignored. This function enables the enunciation of each word contained in the sequencer command to be checked.
  • Through mode
    All commands are sent directly from the host CPU to the S1V30300 series chip. ROM emulation is switched off.
• Connection with evaluation kit
  By connecting the S1V30300 series chip evaluation kit, users can employ the kit to evaluate audio data before developing their boards.
• Connections with host CPU
  5 in total: 4-line SPI synchronous serial interface + GND
• Connections with S1V30300 series chip
  5 in total: 4-line SPI synchronous serial interface + GND
  

Example of emulation

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