I claim:
1. A method of fabricating a mailbox having side walls, a back wall, a floor, a roof and a door, comprising the steps of:
(a) obtaining an extruded metal bar having a generally L-shaped cross section defining an elevation flange and a base flange, wherein
(i) the length of the elevation flange is selected to correspond generally to a desired height of the side walls of the mailbox, and the length of the base flange is selected to correspond generally to one-half of a desired width of the floor,
(ii) the elevation flange has an outside face and an inside face, with the outside face having a substantial flat area and an area shaped as a decorative molding detail, and
(iii) the base flange having an inside and outside face and having an outboard edge opposite the elevation flange;
(b) cutting two equal-length billets from the extruded bar, the length of the billets corresponding to the desired length of the mailbox,
(c) positioned the billets to face each other and aligned such that outboard edges of the base flanges are pressed against each other to create a seam;
(d) joining the billets along the seam to create a open rectangular channel comprising the side walls and floor;
(e) joining a back plate to the billets to close one end of the open channel and form the back wall;
(f) attaching a hinged door to the billets at the end of the channel opposite the back wall; and,
(g) attaching an ornamental cast metal roof over the side walls and back plate.
2. A method of fabricating a mailbox as in claim 1, wherein with the inside face of the base flange includes a pattern of raised longitudinal ribs.
3. A method of fabricating a mailbox as in claim 2, wherein the pattern of raised longitudinal ribs is spaced across the base flange such that the base flange terminates at an end that is formed as one half of a raised rib.
4. A method of fabricating a mailbox as in claim 3, further comprising the base flanges’ outside face tapering toward its inside face at the outboard end of the base flange.
5. A method of fabricating a mailbox as in claim 1, wherein the back plate forming the back wall has an outside face that contains a decorative molding detail that conforms as a corner continuation of the molding detail on the elevation flanges
6. A mailbox fabricated by the steps of claim 1.
7. A mailbox fabricated by the steps of claim 2.
7. A mailbox fabricated by the steps of claim 4.
8. A mailbox fabricated by the steps of claim 5.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A synchronization control apparatus for synchronizing the output of a voice signal and the operation of a movable portion, comprising:
phoneme-information generating means for generating phoneme information formed of a plurality of phonemes by using language information;
calculation means for calculating a phoneme continuation duration according to the phoneme information generated by the phoneme-information generating means;
computing means for computing the operation period of the movable portion according to the phoneme information generated by the phoneme-information generating means;
adjusting means for adjusting the phoneme continuation duration calculated by the calculation means and the operation period computed by the computing means;
synthesized-voice-information generating means for generating synthesized-voice information according to the phoneme continuation duration adjusted by the adjusting means;
synthesizing means for synthesizing the voice signal according to the synthesized-voice information generated by the synthesized-voice-information generating means; and
operation control means for controlling the operation of the movable portion according to the operation period adjusted by the adjusting means.
2. A synchronization control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting means compares the phoneme continuation duration and the operation period corresponding to each of the phonemes and performs adjustment by substituting whichever is the longer for the shorter.
3. A synchronization control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting means performs adjustment by synchronizing at least one of the start timing and the end timing, of the phoneme continuation duration and the operation period corresponding to any of the phonemes.
4. A synchronization control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting means performs adjustment by substituting one of the phoneme continuation duration and the operation period corresponding to all of the phonemes, for the other.
5. A synchronization control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting means performs adjustment by synchronizing at least one of the start timing and the end timing, of the phoneme continuation duration and the operation period corresponding to each of the phonemes, and by placing no-process periods at lacking intervals.
6. A synchronization control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting means compares the phoneme continuation duration and the operation period corresponding to all of the phonemes and performs adjustment by extending whichever is the shorter in proportion.
7. A synchronization control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation control means controls the operation of the movable portion which imitates the operation of an organ of articulation of an animal.
8. A synchronization control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising detection means for detecting an external force operation applied to the movable portion.
9. A synchronization control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the synthesizing means and the operation control means changes a process currently being executed, in response to a detection result obtained by the detection means.
10. A synchronization control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization control apparatus is a robot.
11. A synchronization control method of synchronizing the output of a voice signal and the operation of a movable portion, comprising:
a phoneme-information generating step of generating phoneme information formed of a plurality of phonemes by using language information;
a calculation step of calculating a phoneme continuation duration according to the phoneme information generated in the phoneme-information generating step;
a computing step of computing the operation period of the movable portion according to the phoneme information generated in the phoneme-information generating step;
an adjusting step for adjusting the phoneme continuation duration calculated in the calculation step and the operation period computed in the computing step;
a synthesized-voice-information generating step of generating synthesized-voice information according to the phoneme continuation duration adjusted in the adjusting step;
a synthesizing step of synthesizing the voice signal according to the synthesized-voice information generated in the synthesized-voice-information generating step; and
an operation control step of controlling the operation of the movable portion according to the operation period adjusted in the adjusting step.
12. A recording medium storing a computer-readable program for synchronizing the output of a voice signal and the operation of a movable portion, the program comprising:
a phoneme-information generating step of generating phoneme information formed of a plurality of phonemes by using language information;
a calculation step of calculating a phoneme continuation duration according to the phoneme information generated in the phoneme-information generating step;
a computing step of computing the operation period of the movable portion according to the phoneme information generated in the phoneme-information generating step;
an adjusting step for adjusting the phoneme continuation duration calculated in the calculation step and the operation period computed in the computing step;
a synthesized-voice-information generating step of generating synthesized-voice information according to the phoneme continuation duration adjusted in the adjusting step;
a synthesizing step of synthesizing the voice signal according to the synthesized-voice information generated in the synthesized-voice-information generating step; and
an operation control step of controlling the operation of the movable portion according to the operation period adjusted in the adjusting step.