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US5751906A
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Method for synthesizing speech from text and for spelling all or portions of the text by analogy
Assignee: Google LLC
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Filing: 1997-01-29
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Granted: 1998-05-12
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Expires: 2017-01-29
Abstract
Abstract Improved automated synthesis of human audible speech from text is disclosed. Performance enhancement of the underlying text comprehensibility is obtained through prosodic treatment of the synthesized material, improved speaking rate treatment, and improved methods of spelling words or terms for the sysstem user. Prosodic shaping of text sequences appropriate for the discourse in large groupings of text segments, with prosodic boundaries developed to indicate conceptual units within the text groupings, is implemented in a preferred embodiment.
Inventors
- 👤 Kim Ernest Alexander Silverman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 19:32
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10L; G10L13/00; G10L13/08; G10L13/10; G10L13/02; G10L13/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of synthesizing human audible speech from a multi-word string of text, the method comprising the steps of: treating the multi-word string as a single prosodic paragraph by performing the steps of: assigning a pitch to the beginning of the multi-word string that is higher than at the end of the multi-word string; and assigning a pitch to a final end point of the string that is lower than the pitch at any point within the string; including, in the multi-word string, following at least one of the individual words in the multi-word string, the corresponding spelling of the individual word; treating each individual word in the multi-word string as a single word declarative sentence; treating the spelling of each individual word included in the multi-word string as a single word declarative sentence; grouping each individual word and the corresponding spelling of the individual word into a prosodic group within the single prosodic paragraph, the prosodic group having a higher pitch at the beginning of the prosodic group than at the end of said prosodic group; and generating speech from the multi-word string as a function of the prosodic groupings and assigned pitch.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of synthesizing human audible speech from a multi-word string of text, the method comprising the steps of: treating the multi-word string as a single prosodic paragraph by performing the steps of: assigning a pitch to the beginning of the multi-word string that is higher than at the end of the multi-word string; and assigning a pitch to a final end point of the string that is lower than the pitch at any point within the string; including, in the multi-word string, following at least one of the individual words in the multi-word string, the corresponding spelling of the individual word; treating each individual word in the multi-word string as a single word declarative sentence; treating the spelling of each individual word included in the multi-word string as a single word declarative sentence; grouping each individual word and the corresponding spelling of the individual word into a prosodic group within the single prosodic paragraph, the prosodic group having a higher pitch at the beginning of the prosodic group than at the end of said prosodic group; and generating speech from the multi-word string as a function of the prosodic groupings and assigned pitch.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: treating each individual word in the multi-word string as a single word declarative sentence; treating the spelling of each individual word included in the multi-word string as a single word declarative sentence.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the spelling of an individual word includes each letter of the individual word.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of: inserting, after each letter which is part of the spelling of a word, an additional word beginning with said letter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of: categorizing each letter used to spell an individual word as to whether or not it is to be analogized with another word.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of: inserting, after each letter categorized to be analogized to another word which is part of the spelling of a word, an additional word beginning with said letter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of selecting the additional word to be inserted following each letter such that it is different from the word being spelled.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the step of selecting the word to be inserted following each letter involves the step of selecting the word to be inserted from only non-monosyllabic words.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the step of categorizing each letter as to whether or not it is to be analogized to another word includes the step of: examining the left and right contexts in which the letter occurs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 9, wherein word boundaries are considered when letter contexts are examined.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of: arranging successive letters used for the spelling of a word which have been categorized so as not to be analogized with another word into groups; and inserting a short pause between the groups of letters.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
44 words
A method of synthesizing speech from a segment of text including a first word, comprising the step of: inserting after the first word, the spelling of the first word; and generating speech corresponding to the first word and the spelling of the first word.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
44 words
A method of synthesizing speech from a segment of text including a first word, comprising the step of: inserting after the first word, the spelling of the first word; and generating speech corresponding to the first word and the spelling of the first word.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the spelling of the first word includes each letter of the first word; and wherein the method further includes the step of inserting after each letter, an additional word beginning with the same letter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of: categorizing each letter used to spell the first word as to whether or not it is to be analogized with another word.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of: inserting, after each letter categorized to be analogized to another word, an additional word beginning with said letter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of selecting the additional word to be inserted following each letter such that it is different from the word being spelled.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the step of selecting the word to be inserted following each letter involves the step of selecting the word to be inserted from only non-monosyllabic words.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the step of categorizing each letter as to whether or not it is to be analogized to another word includes the step of: examining the left and right contexts in which the letter occurs.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 18, wherein word boundaries are considered when letter contexts are examined.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of: arranging successive letters used for the spelling of a word which have been categorized so as not to be analogized with another word into groups; and inserting a short pause between the groups of letters.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of: grouping the first word and the spelling of the first word into a prosodic group having a higher pitch at the beginning of the prosodic group than at the end of said prosodic group.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 21, wherein the segment of text further includes a second word, the method further comprising the additional step of: treating the first word, spelling of the first word, and the second word, as a single prosodic paragraph by performing the steps of: assigning a pitch to the beginning of the first word that is higher than at the end of the second word.
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