PROOFREADING WITH TEXT TO SPEECH FEEDBACK

• US 20010044724A1
• Filed: 08/17/1998
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: LI, DONG, JU, YUN-CHEN, ZHANG, XIANGHUI SEAN, HUANG, XUEDONG, HON, HSIAO-WUEN
• Granted Patent: US 6,490,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/216 using statistical methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/53 Processing of non-Latin text kana-to-kanji conversion G06F40/129; vowelisation G06F40/232

Abstract

A computer implemented system and method of proofreading text in a computer system includes receiving text from a user into a text editing module. At least a portion of the text is converted to an audio signal. The audio signal is played through a speaker to the user to provide feedback.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of proofreading text in a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving text from a user into a text editing module;

converting the text to an audio signal; and

playing the audio signal through a speaker to the user.

2. The method of

claim 1

wherein the step of receiving includes detecting an indicator and the step of playing includes playing the audio signal when the indicator is detected.

3. The method of

claim 2

wherein the step of receiving includes receiving input speech from the user with a microphone, and the method further comprises converting the input speech to the input text.

4. The method of

claim 2

wherein the indicator comprises an audio indicator provided by the user.

5. The method of

claim 4

wherein the indicator comprises a silent period.

6. The method of

claim 4

wherein the indicator comprises a selected audio utterance.

7. The method of

claim 2

wherein the indicator is provided as a function of operation of an input device, and wherein the step of detecting comprises detecting operation of the input device.

8. The method of

claim 7

wherein the input device comprises a keyboard.

9. The method of

claim 7

wherein the input device comprises a handwriting device.

10. The method of

claim 2

wherein the step of detecting an indicator includes selecting a portion of the text using a visual display.

11. The method of

claim 1

wherein the step of receiving text includes receiving phonetic symbols related to the text, and the method further comprises converting the phonetic symbols to the text.

12. The method of

claim 11

wherein the phonetic symbols represented a language from the group consisting of Japanese, Chinese, Hindu and Korean.

13. The method of

claim 1

wherein the step of receiving text includes Wu-Bi symbols.

14. A proofreading system operable on a computer for processing text, the computer having an input device and a speaker, the proofreading system comprising:

a text editing module receiving an input signal from the input device indicative of selected text; and

a text to speech module receiving the selected text and converting the selected text to an output signal providable to the speaker.

15. The proofreading system of

claim 14

wherein the text module comprises a word processor.

16. The proofreading system of

claim 14

wherein the input device comprises a microphone and the text module comprises a dictation system.

17. The proofreading system of

claim 16

wherein the selected text is bounded by indicators.

18. The proofreading system of

claim 17

wherein the indicators are a function of audio indicators provided by the user.

19. The proofreading system of

claim 18

wherein the indicators are a function of a silent period.

20. The proofreading system of

claim 18

wherein the indicators are a function of a selected audio utterance.

21. The proofreading system of

claim 18

wherein the computer includes a second input device and wherein the indicators are a function of operation of the second input device.

22. The proofreading system of

claim 14

wherein the input device comprises a handwriting device and the text module comprises a handwriting recognition module.

23. A dictation system operable on a computer the computer having a microphone and a speaker, the dictation system comprising:

a speech recognition module receiving an input signal from the microphone and converting the input signal to text; and

a text-to-speech module receiving the text and converting the selected text to an output signal providable to the speaker.

24. The dictation system of

claim 23

wherein the selected text is bounded by indicators.

25. The dictation system of

claim 24

wherein the indicators are a function of audio indicators provided by the user.

26. The dictation system of

claim 25

wherein the indicators are a function of a silent period.

27. The dictation system of

claim 25

wherein the indicators are a function of a selected audio utterance.

28. The dictation system of

claim 24

wherein the computer includes a second input device and wherein the indicators are a function of operation of the second input device.

29. A proofreading system operable on a computer for processing text, the computer having an input device and a speaker, the proofreading system comprising:

a dictionary of symbols and corresponding text;

a text converter coupled to the dictionary and adapted to receive symbols from the input device and to convert the symbols to text using the dictionary; and

a text to speech module receiving the text and converting the text to an output signal providable to the speaker.

30. The proofreading system of

claim 29

wherein the symbols comprise phonetic symbols representing a language from the group consisting of Japanese, Chinese, Hindu and Korean.

31. The proofreading system of

claim 29

wherein the symbols comprise Wu-Bi symbols.

32. A handwriting recognition system operable on a computer, the computer having a handwriting device and a speaker, the dictation system comprising:

a handwriting recognition module receiving an input signal from the handwriting device and converting the input signal to text; and

a text-to-speech module receiving the text and converting the selected text to an output signal providable to the speaker.