Speech synthesizing method and apparatus for combining natural speech segments and synthesized speech segments
US5864812A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 30, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jan 26, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 30, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG10L25/15
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for synthesizing speech. According to one variation of the method and apparatus, a plurality of speech segment data units is prepared for all desired speech waveforms. Speech is then synthesized by reading out from memory the appropriate speech segment data units, and a desired pitch is obtained by overlapping the appropriate speech segment data units according to a pitch period interval. According to a second variation of the method and apparatus, speech segment data units are prepared for only initial speech waveforms and first pitch waveforms, and differential waveforms. With this variation, subsequent pitch waveforms for speech synthesis are generated by combining the first pitch waveform with the corresponding differential waveform. According to a third variation of the method and apparatus, a natural speech segment channel produces natural speech segment data units in the same manner as the first variation, and a synthesized speech segment channel produces speech segment data units according to a parameter method, such as a formant method. The natural speech segments and synthesized speech segments are then mixed to produce synthesized speech.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.