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 Title: |
US5878393:
High quality concatenative reading system
[ Derwent Title ]
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| Country: |
US United States of America
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| Inventor: |
Hata, Kazue; Santa Barbara, CA
Kibre, Nicholas; Lompoc, CA
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| Assignee: |
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
other patents from MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. (358975) (approx. 19,828)
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| Published / Filed: |
1999-03-02
/ 1996-09-09
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| Application Number: |
US1996000709581
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| IPC Code: |
Advanced:
G06F 3/16;
G10L 13/06;
G10L 13/08;
Core:
G10L 13/00;
more...
IPC-7:
G10L 5/02;
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| ECLA Code: |
G10L13/06C;
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| U.S. Class: |
Current:
704/260;
704/266;
704/E13.01;
Original:
704/260;
704/266;
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| Field of Search: |
704/260,258,267,257,266,275,270
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| Priority Number: |
| 1996-09-09 |
US1996000709581 |
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| Abstract: |
Computer-stored text, such as numerical information, is processed by a word list generator to develop a word list corresponding to those words that are to be spoken by the system. The word list generator assigns a prosodic environment state or token to each entry in the list. The prosodic environment identifies how the word functions in its current prosodic context. Different intonations are applied based on the prosodic environment. Next, the preceding and adjacent words are examined to determine how each word may need to be pronounced differently, based on the ending phoneme of the preceding word and the beginning phoneme of the following word. Using this phonological information along with the prosodic information, a sample list is generated by accessing a dictionary of stored samples. The sample list is then serially played through suitable digital-to-analog conversion circuitry to generate the text-to-speech output. The result is a natural, human-like reading, complete with appropriate intonation changes suitable to the context of the text material.
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| Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C. ;
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| Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Dorvil, Richemond;
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| INPADOC Legal Status: |
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Family Legal Status Report
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| Family: |
Show 2 known family members
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First Claim:
Show all 12 claims |
What is claimed is:
1. A high quality concatenative reading system for converting an input string into a sequence for audible synthesis, comprising:
- a dictionary of complete word speech samples corresponding to entire words stored in a computer-readable medium;
- a word list generator receptive of said input string for building and storing word list tokens in a word list, the word list generator building said word list from words stored in said dictionary that correspond to the input string;
- said word list generator further having a list of prosodic environment tokens representing a plurality of intonation types, said word list generator assigning at least one of said prosodic environment tokens to at least some of the word list tokens;
- phonological feature analyzer that analyzes said word list tokens and said assigned prosodic environment tokens and selects said complete word speech samples from said dictionary to build a sample list based on (a) the word list tokens, (b) the prosodic environment tokens and (c) the phonological features of adjacent words; and
- output for concatenatively supplying said sample list to an analog conversion unit to produce an audible text-to-speech signal.
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| Background / Summary: |
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| Drawing Descriptions: |
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| Description: |
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| Forward References: |
Show 12 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one
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