Epson Develops Melody/Voice Chip Capable of Generating Five Channel Melodies

Seiko Epson Corporation (“Epson”) has developed the S1V30080 melody/voice chip for embedded applications.

The S1V30080 melody/voice chip features a 5-channel melody synthesizer function capable of simultaneous playback of five-octave melodies on five channels. The chip is also equipped with built-in voice ROM (approx. 30 sec. for 8 kHz sampling and 15 sec. for 16 kHz sampling) capable of two-channel playback. The melody synthesizer function and the function for reading data from the built-in ROM are completely independent, making it possible to mix both sounds together and set volumes individually.

Since the S1V30080 supports stand-alone mode, it is capable of operation without a host. When used with a host, melody and voice playback can be carried out with only a minimal number of control codes. In addition to stand-alone mode, the chip supports clock synchronous serial and I2C interfaces, making it possible to easily build a system for use in combination with host devices or microcontrollers.

When creating melodies, special tools provided by Epson can be used for easy evaluation of melodies. In addition, users can create high-quality voice data without having to use studio recording by utilizing Epson’s natural-sounding voice data creation tool, a comprehensive tool with features that facilitate the implementation of voice guidance sentence analysis as well as pronunciation, phrase editing, and ROM image creation on a single computer.

Target applications include a wide range of systems requiring product guidance such as those embedded in home appliances, buildings, and office equipment.

Epson will continue to launch products such as voice chips in order to support the design of superior human interfaces that meet market demands.
Features of S1V30080

* Melody/Buzzer Sound/Tone Sound Synthesizer Function
o Capable of five-channel melody playback, with musical note code input (5 octaves)
o Capable of buzzer sound and tone sound playback, with playback frequency designation (5 channels available)
* Voice playback (Epson’s original voice compression format)
o Capable of simultaneous readout on 2 channels
o Sampling rate: supports 4, 8, 12, 16 kHz
* Sequencer function (phrase interval settings)
o Capable of sequence setting for max. 128 phrases (no limitation on combinations)
o Possible time settings for delay between phrases: 0 to 1,000 ms (in 10 ms increments)
* Mixing function
o Capable of mixing sounds from the melody synthesizer with sounds from the ROM (volume can be set individually)
* Built-in voice data ROM
o 8 kHz: approx. 30 sec, 16 kHz: approx. 15 sec.
* Host interfaces (control commands)
o Synchronous serial
o I2C
* Stand-alone mode
o Capable of melody and voice playback by specifying information (playback numbers) stored in the ROM on a terminal
* Built-in D/A converter
* Clock (external clock input/crystal oscillator/ceramic oscillator)
o Voice sampling frequency for 8 kHz: 8.192 MHz, Voice sampling frequency for 16 kHz: 16.384 MHz
* Package
o 16-pin SSOP (4.4 mm x 6.6 mm, 0.8-mm pitch)
o 48-pin QFP (7 mm x 7 mm, 0.5-mm pitch) with external serial flash access function
* Supply voltage
o 5.5 V to 2.2 V (single power supply)

About Epson
Epson is a global leader in imaging products including printers, 3LCD projectors and small- and medium-sized LCDs. With an innovative and creative culture, Epson is dedicated to exceeding the vision and expectations of customers worldwide with products known for their superior quality, functionality, compactness and energy efficiency.
Epson is a network of 88,925 employees in 109 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and to the communities in which it is located. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corp., the Group had consolidated sales of 1,347 billion yen in fiscal 2007.