System and Method for producing voice files for an automated concatenated voice system

Claim 1

A method for producing a natural sounding voice file for an automated concatenation voice system comprising: identifying new words to be entered into the voice file; scripting a staged script in which the new words are formulated into sentences; recording the staged script as read by a voice talent to generate digital voice data; adjusting the amplitude of the digital voice data such that the amplitude of the words are substantially the same; editing the adjusted digital voice data to identify each of the new words; and storing the new words into the voice file for use in the automated concatenation system.

Claim 2

A method for producing a natural sounding voice file for an automated concatenation voice system comprising: identifying new words to be entered into the voice file; scripting a staged script in which the new words are formulated into sentences; recording the staged script as read by a voice talent to generate digital voice data; adjusting the amplitude of the digital voice data such that the amplitude of the words are substantially the same; editing the adjusted digital voice data to identify each of the new words; and storing the new words into the voice file for use in the automated concatenation system.

Claim 11

A method for producing natural sounding voice files for an automated concatenation voice system comprising: identifying new words or phrases to be entered into the voice file; scripting a staged script in which the new words and phrases are formulated into real sentences; recording the staged script as read by a voice talent to generate a composite recording; processing the composite recording to increase clarity and to match words and phrases that are currently stored in the voice file; precision editing of the composite recording to isolate and to assign an identification number to each of the new words and phrases; and storing the new words and phrases into the voice file for use in the automated concatenation system; wherein said step of processing comprises the step of compressing words and phrases in the composite recording such that the amplitude of the words and phrases are substantially the same.

Claim 12

A method for producing natural sounding voice files for an automated concatenation voice system comprising: identifying new words or phrases to be entered into the voice file; scripting a staged script in which the new words and phrases are formulated into real sentences; recording the staged script as read by a voice talent to generate a composite recording; processing the composite recording to increase clarity and to match words and phrases that are currently stored in the voice file; precision editing of the composite recording to isolate and to assign an identification number to each of the new words and phrases; and storing the new words and phrases into the voice file for use in the automated concatenation system; wherein said step of processing comprises the step of compressing words and phrases in the composite recording such that the amplitude of the words and phrases are substantially the same.

Claim 14

A method for producing natural sounding voice files for an automated concatenation voice system comprising: identifying new words or phrases to be entered into the voice file; scripting a staged script in which the new words and phrases are formulated into real sentences; recording the staged script as read by a voice talent to generate a composite recording: processing the composite recording to increase clarity and to match words and phrases that are currently stored in the voice file; precision editing of the composite recording to isolate and to assign an identification number to each of the new words and phrases; and storing the new words and phrases into the voice file for use in the automated concatenation system; wherein said step of editing includes the step of editing in accordance with a predetermined set of rules; and wherein said predetermined set of rules comprises: a) reducing by 12 dB a breath sound of an isolated phrase when the isolated phrase is long enough for the voice talent to take a breath in the middle of the recording; b) editing is to be made in the least conspicuous place; c) editing is to be made as close as possible to a zero crossing of the sounding; d) editing is to be made outside the word or phrase being edited; e) editing from the end of one word or phrase to the beginning of the next word or phrase should attempt to keep a normal continuation of the velocity of the sound; f) editing should be made approximately 0.02±0.005 seconds before the start of an isolated word or phrase; and g) editing should be made approximately 0.02±0.005 seconds after the end of a word or phrase.

Claim 15

A method for producing natural sounding voice files for an automated concatenation voice system comprising: identifying new words or phrases to be entered into the voice file; scripting a staged script in which the new words and phrases are formulated into real sentences; recording the staged script as read by a voice talent to generate a composite recording: processing the composite recording to increase clarity and to match words and phrases that are currently stored in the voice file; precision editing of the composite recording to isolate and to assign an identification number to each of the new words and phrases; and storing the new words and phrases into the voice file for use in the automated concatenation system; wherein said step of editing includes the step of editing in accordance with a predetermined set of rules; and wherein said predetermined set of rules comprises: a) reducing by 12 dB a breath sound of an isolated phrase when the isolated phrase is long enough for the voice talent to take a breath in the middle of the recording; b) editing is to be made in the least conspicuous place; c) editing is to be made as close as possible to a zero crossing of the sounding; d) editing is to be made outside the word or phrase being edited; e) editing from the end of one word or phrase to the beginning of the next word or phrase should attempt to keep a normal continuation of the velocity of the sound; f) editing should be made approximately 0.02±0.005 seconds before the start of an isolated word or phrase; and g) editing should be made approximately 0.02±0.005 seconds after the end of a word or phrase.

Claim 18

A system for producing natural sounding concatented voice files for an automated concatenation system comprising: means for converting a voiced sound to digital voice data; a digital data storage for storing the digital voice data; a generator for generating an average amplitude map of said digital voice data stored in the digital data storage; a peak amplitude clamping processor to adjust the amplitude of the digital voice data to a predetermined target level using said average amplitude map such that each word and syllable has approximately the same amplitude; a word and phrase editor for identifying words or phrases in said digital voice data and assigning them individual identification numbers; a voice file for storing the words and phrases identified by the word and phrase editor.

Claim 19

A system for producing natural sounding concatented voice files for an automated concatenation system comprising: means for converting a voiced sound to digital voice data; a digital data storage for storing the digital voice data; a generator for generating an average amplitude map of said digital voice data stored in the digital data storage; a peak amplitude clamping processor to adjust the amplitude of the digital voice data to a predetermined target level using said average amplitude map such that each word and syllable has approximately the same amplitude; a word and phrase editor for identifying words or phrases in said digital voice data and assigning them individual identification numbers; a voice file for storing the words and phrases identified by the word and phrase editor.