Text-to-speech synthesis system

• US 20030023442A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yano, Hajime, Yamada, Keiichi, Tange, Akira, Akabane, Makoto, Shiraishi, Goro, Kudo, Junichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,099,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/08 Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination

Abstract

The present invention is intended to provide a text-to-speech synthesis apparatus, including a storage for storing phoneme data of a plurality of speakers; a selector for selecting one of the plurality of speakers in accordance with an operation performed by a user; a searcher for searching the storage for phoneme data of the speaker selected by the selector; a text-to-speech synthesis processor for linking the phoneme data of the speaker retrieved by the searcher to convert input data into a synthetic speech; and a fee-charge controller for controlling a fee-charge operation for the user in accordance with the phoneme data selected by the selector. Consequently, the user can perform text-to-speech synthesis on the desired input data such as drama data by use of the obtained phoneme data.

Claims

1. A text-to-speech synthesis apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing phoneme data of a plurality of speakers;

selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of speakers in accordance with an operation performed by a user;

searching means for searching said storage means for phoneme data of the speaker selected by said selecting means;

text-to-speech synthesis processing means for linking said phoneme data of said speaker retrieved by said searching means to convert input data into a synthetic speech; and

fee-charge control means for controlling a fee-charge operation for the said user in accordance with said phoneme data selected by said selecting means.

2. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fee-charge control means sends, to an external settlement center, fee-charge data corresponding to said phoneme data selected by said selecting means.

3. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

prepaid card loading means for accommodating a prepaid card, wherein said fee-charge control means updates fee-charge information in said prepaid card on the basis of fee-charge data corresponding to said phoneme data selected by said selecting means.

4. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storage means stores prosody data for each of said plurality of speakers, said searching means searches for said prosody data along with said phoneme data of the speaker selected by said selecting means, and said text-to-speech synthesis processing means converts said input data into a synthetic speech on the basis of said searched phoneme data and said prosody data.

5. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input data are at least one of voice data and text data.

6. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising input means for directly inputting said input data.

7. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising communication means for receiving said input data via a network.

8. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storage means stores drama data and said text-to-speech synthesis processing means links said phoneme data of said speaker searched by said searching means to convert said drama data into a synthetic speech.

9. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said storage means stores said drama data in a classified manner and said selecting means selects said drama data along with said speaker.

10. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said drama data are at least one of voice data and text data.

11. A communication apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing phoneme data of a plurality of speakers;

receiving means for receiving speaker identification data for identifying any one of said plurality of speakers, said speaker identification data being selected by a user on another apparatus and supplied therefrom to said communication apparatus;

searching means for searching said storage means for phoneme data which correspond to said speaker identification data received by said receiving means;

transmitting means for transmitting said phoneme data retrieved by said searching means to said another apparatus; and

fee-charge control means for controlling a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said phoneme data transmitted from said transmitting means.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said fee-charge control means sends, to an external settlement center, fee-charge data corresponding to said phoneme data transmitted from said transmitting means.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said storage means stores prosody data for each of said plurality of speakers, said searching means searches for said prosody data along with said phoneme data retrieved by said searching means, and said transmitting means transmits said prosody data along with said phoneme data to said another apparatus.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising text-to-speech synthesis processing means for linking said phoneme data of said speaker retrieved by said searching means to convert input data into a synthetic speech, wherein said transmitting means transmits said synthetic speech instead of said phoneme data to said another apparatus and said fee-charge control means controls control a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said synthetic speech transmitted by said transmitting means.

15. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said input data are at least one of voice data and text data.

16. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said storage means stores drama data;

said receiving means receives drama identification data for identifying said drama data selected by a user on said another apparatus and transmitted therefrom;

said searching means searches said storage means for said drama data corresponding to said drama identification data received by said receiving means;

said transmitting means transmits said drama data along with said phoneme data retrieved by said searching means to said another apparatus; and

said fee-charge control means controls a fee-charge operation for said user on the basis of said phoneme data and said drama data transmitted from said transmitting means.

17. The communication apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said storage means stores said drama data in a classified manner.

18. The communication apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

text-to-speech synthesis processing means for linking said phoneme data of said speaker retrieved by said searching means to convert said drama data corresponding to said drama identification data into a synthetic speech;

wherein said transmitting means transmits said synthetic speech instead of said phoneme data to said another apparatus and said fee-charge control means controls a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said synthetic speech transmitted by said transmitting means.

19. The communication apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said drama data are at least one of voice data and text data.

20. A text-to-speech synthesis apparatus comprising:

selecting means for selecting a speaker as specified by a user;

transmitting means for transmitting speaker identification data for identifying said speaker selected by said selecting means to another apparatus;

receiving means for receiving phoneme data of said speaker corresponding to said speaker identification data transmitted from said transmitting means;

text-to-speech synthesis processing means for linking said phoneme data of said speaker received by said receiving means to convert input data into a synthetic speech; and

fee-charge control means for controlling a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said phoneme data received by said receiving means.

21. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said fee-charge control means sends, to an external settlement center, fee-charge data corresponding to said phoneme data to be received by said receiving means.

22. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

prepaid card loading means for accommodating a prepaid card, wherein said fee-charge control means updates fee-charge information in said prepaid card on the basis of fee-charge data corresponding to said phoneme data to be received by said receiving means.

23. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said input data are at least one of voice data and text data.

24. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising input means for directly inputting said input data.

25. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising communication means for receiving said input data via a network.

26. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said selecting means selects drama data as specified by said user;

said transmitting means transmits, to another apparatus, drama identification data for identifying said drama data selected by said selecting means;

said receiving means receives phoneme data of a speaker corresponding to said speaker identification data transmitted by said transmitting means and said drama data corresponding to said drama identification data;

said text-to-speech synthesis processing means links said phoneme data of said speaker received by said receiving means to convert said drama data into a synthetic speech; and

said fee-charge control means controls a fee-charge operation for said user on the basis of said phoneme data of said speaker received by said receiving means and said drama data.

27. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said receiving means receives said synthetic speech of said drama data obtained on said another apparatus on the basis of said speaker identification data and said drama identification data transmitted by said transmitting means and said fee-charge control means controls a fee-charge control operation for said user in accordance with said synthetic speech received by said receiving means.

28. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said drama data are at least one of voice data and text data.

29. A communication system comprising:

accumulating means for accumulating synthetic speeches generated by linking a plurality of pieces of phoneme data corresponding to a speaker on the basis of drama data;

requesting means for requesting a user-specified synthetic speech from the synthetic speeches accumulated in said accumulating means;

transmitting means for transmitting said user-specified synthetic speech from said accumulating means in response to the request from said requesting means;

receiving means for receiving said synthetic speech transmitted by said transmitting means; and

fee-charge control means for controlling a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said synthetic speech transmitted by said transmitting means.

30. The communication system according to claim 29, wherein said fee-charge control means transmits, to an external settlement center, fee-charge data corresponding to said synthetic speech transmitted by said transmitting means.

31. The communication system according to claim 29, further comprising prepaid card loading means for accommodating a prepaid card, wherein said fee-charge control means updates fee-charge information in said prepaid card on the basis of fee-charge data corresponding to said synthetic speech transmitted by said transmitting means.

32. The communication system according to claim 29, wherein said accumulating means accumulates synthetic speeches generated by said plurality of pieces of phoneme data and prosody data corresponding to said speaker on the basis of drama data.

33. The communication system according to claim 29, further comprising:

storage means for storing phoneme data of a plurality of speakers;

searching means for searching said storage means for the phoneme data of a user-specified speaker; and

text-to-speech synthesis processing means for linking the phoneme data of said user-specified speaker retrieved by said searching means to convert said drama data into a synthetic speech;

wherein said accumulating means accumulates said synthetic speech obtained by said text-to-speech synthesis processing means.

34. The communication system according to claim 33, wherein said storage means further stores drama data and said text-to-speech synthesis processing means links the phoneme data of said speaker retrieved by said searching means to convert said drama data stored in said storage means into a synthetic speech.

35. The communication system according to claim 33, wherein said storage means stores said drama data in a classified manner;

said searching means searches said storage means for user-specified drama data; and

said text-to-speech synthesis processing means links the phoneme data of said speaker retrieved by said searching means to convert said user-specified drama data into a synthetic speech.

36. The communication system according to claim 29, further comprising input means for directly inputting said drama data.

37. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising communication means for receiving said drama data via a network.

38. The communication system according to claim 29, wherein said drama data are at least one of voice data and text data.

39. A communication apparatus comprising:

accumulating means for accumulating synthetic speeches generated by linking a plurality of pieces of phoneme data corresponding to a speaker on the basis of drama data;

receiving means for receiving synthetic speech identification data for identifying synthetic speech specified by a user and received from another apparatus and stored in said storage means;

transmitting means for searching said storage means for a synthetic speech on the basis of said synthetic speech identification data received by said receiving means and transmitting the retrieved synthetic speech to another apparatus; and

fee-charge control means for controlling a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said synthetic speech transmitting from said transmitting means.

40. The communication apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said fee-charge control means transmits, to an external settlement center, fee-charge data corresponding to the synthetic speech transmitted by said transmitting means.

41. The communication apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said accumulating means accumulates synthetic speeches generated by a plurality of pieces of phoneme data and prosody data corresponding to said speaker on the basis of said drama data.

42. The communication apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising:

storage means for storing phoneme data of a plurality of speakers;

searching means for searching said storage means for the phoneme data of a user-specified speaker; and

text-to-speech synthesis processing means for linking the phoneme data of said user-specified speaker retrieved by said searching means to convert said drama data into a synthetic speech;

wherein said accumulating means accumulates said synthetic speech obtained by said text-to-speech synthesis processing means.

43. The communication apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said storage means further stores drama data and said text-to-speech synthesis processing means links the phoneme data of said speaker retrieved by said searching means to convert said drama data stored in said storage means into a synthetic speech.

44. The communication apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said storage means stores said drama data in a classified manner, said searching means searches said storage means for user-specified drama data, and said text-to-speech synthesis processing means links said phoneme data of said speaker retrieved by said searching means to convert said retrieved drama data into a synthetic speech.

45. The communication apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising communication means for receiving said drama data via a network.

46. The communication apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said drama data are at least one of voice data and text data.

47. A text-to-speech synthesis apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing phoneme data of a plurality of speakers;

a selecting section for selecting any one of said plurality of speakers as specified by a user;

a search section for searching said memory for the phoneme data of the speaker selected by said selecting section;

a text-to-speech synthesis processing section for linking said phoneme data of said speaker retrieved by said search section to convert drama data into a synthetic speech;

a fee-charge control section for controlling a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said phoneme data selected by said selecting section;

a storage for accumulating said synthetic speech converted from said drama data on the basis of the phoneme data of said plurality of speakers; and

a reproducing section for retrieving said synthetic speech of said speaker selected by said selecting section and reproducing said synthetic speech.

48. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said fee-charge control section sends, to an external settlement center, fee-charge data corresponding to the phoneme data selected by said selecting section.

49. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 47, further comprising a prepaid card loading section for accommodating a prepaid card, wherein said fee-charge control section updates fee-charge information in said prepaid card on the basis of fee-charge data corresponding to said phoneme data selected by said selecting section.

50. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said memory stores prosody data for each of said plurality of speakers, said search section searches for said prosody data along with said phoneme data of said speaker selected by said selecting section;

and said text-to-speech synthesis processing section converts said drama data into a synthetic speech on the basis of said retrieved phoneme data and prosody data.

51. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said drama data are at least one of voice data and text data.

52. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 47, further comprising an input section for directly inputting said drama data.

53. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 47, further comprising a communication section for receiving said drama data via a network.

54. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said memory stores said drama data and said text-to-speech synthesis processing section links said phoneme data of said speaker retrieved by said search section to convert said drama data into a synthetic speech.

55. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said memory stores said drama data in a classified manner and said selecting section selects said drama data along with said speaker.

56. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said drama data are at least one of voice data and text data.

57. A communication apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing phoneme data of a plurality of speakers;

a storage for accumulating synthetic speeches converted from drama data on the basis of said phoneme data of said plurality of speakers;

a receiving section for receiving speaker identification data for identifying any one of said plurality of speakers selected by a user on another apparatus and supplied therefrom;

a search section for searching said memory for phoneme data corresponding to said speaker identification data received by said receiving section and searching said storage for the synthetic speech corresponding to said speaker identification data;

a transmitting section for transmitting, to said another apparatus, said phoneme data and synthetic speech retrieved by said search section; and

a fee-charge control section for controlling a fee-charge control operation for said user in accordance with said phoneme data transmitted by said transmitting section.

58. The communication apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said fee-charge control section sends, to an external settlement center, fee-charge data corresponding to said phoneme data transmitted by said transmitting section.

59. The communication apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said memory stores prosody data for each of said plurality of speakers;

said search section searches for said prosody data along with said phoneme data; and

said transmitting section transmits, to said another apparatus, said prosody data along with said phoneme data.

60. The communication apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said memory stores drama data;

said receiving section receives drama identification data for identifying drama data selected by a user on said another apparatus and transmitted therefrom;

said search section searches said memory for drama data corresponding to said drama identification data received by said receiving section;

said transmitting section transmits, to said another apparatus, said drama data along with said phoneme data and said synthetic speech retrieved from said search section; and

said fee-charge control section controls a fee-charge control operation for said user on the basis of said phoneme data, said synthetic speech, and said drama data transmitted from said transmitting section.

61. The communication apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said memory stores said drama data in a classified manner.

62. The communication apparatus according to claim 60, further comprising a text-to-speech synthesis processing section for linking said phoneme data of said speaker retrieved by said search section to convert said drama data corresponding to said drama identification data into a synthetic speech;

wherein said transmitting section transmits, to said another apparatus, said synthetic speech converted by said text-to-speech synthesis processing section.

63. The communication apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said drama data are at least one of voice data and text data.

64. A text-to-speech synthesis apparatus comprising:

a selecting selection for selecting a speaker as specified by user;

a transmitting section for transmitting, to another apparatus, speaker identification data for identifying said speaker selected by said selecting means;

a receiving section for receiving phoneme data of the speaker corresponding to said speaker identification data transmitted by said transmitting section and a synthetic speech of said speaker;

a text-to-speech synthesis processing section for linking said phoneme data of said speaker received by said receiving section to convert drama data into a synthetic speech;

a reproducing section for reproducing said synthetic speech received by said receiving means; and

a fee-charge control section for controlling a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said phoneme data received by said receiving section.

65. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 64, wherein said fee-charge control section sends, to an external settlement center, fee-charge data corresponding to said phoneme data received by said receiving section.

66. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 64, further comprising a prepaid card loading section for accommodating a prepaid card, wherein said fee-charge control section updates fee-charge information in said prepaid card on the basis of fee-charge data corresponding to said phoneme data received by said receiving section.

67. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 64, wherein said drama data are at least one of voice data and text data.

68. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 64, further comprising an input section for directly inputting said drama data.

69. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 64, further comprising a communication section for receiving said drama data via a network.

70. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 64, wherein said selecting section selects drama data as specified by a user;

said transmitting section transmits, to another apparatus, drama identification data for identifying drama data selected by said selecting section;

said receiving section receives phoneme data of a speaker corresponding to said speaker identification data transmitted by said transmitting section and said drama data corresponding to said drama identification data;

said text-to-speech synthesis processing section links said phoneme data of said speaker received by said receiving section to convert said drama data into a synthetic speech; and

said fee-charge control section controls a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said phoneme data of said speaker received by said receiving section and said drama data.

71. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 70, wherein said receiving section receives the synthetic speech of said drama data generated on said another apparatus on the basis of said speaker identification data and said drama identification data transmitted by said transmitting section and said fee-charge control section controls a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said synthetic speech received by said receiving section.

72. The text-to-speech synthesis apparatus according to claim 70, wherein said drama data are at least one of voice data and text data.

73. A text-to-speech synthesis method comprising the steps of:

selecting one of plurality of speakers in accordance with an operation performed by a user;

searching phoneme data of said plurality of speakers for phoneme data of any one of said plurality of speakers specified by a user;

for linking said phoneme data of said speaker retrieved in said searching step to convert input data into a synthetic speech; and

controlling a fee-charge operation for the said user in accordance with said phoneme data selected in said selecting step.

74. A recording medium storing a text-to-speech synthesis program comprising the steps of:

selecting one of plurality of speakers in accordance with an operation performed by a user;

searching phoneme data of said plurality of speakers for phoneme data of any one of said plurality of speakers specified by a user;

for linking said phoneme data of said speaker retrieved in said searching step to convert input data into a synthetic speech; and

controlling a fee-charge operation for the said user in accordance with said phoneme data selected in said selecting step.

75. A communication method comprising the steps of:

receiving speaker identification data for identifying any one of a plurality of speakers, said speaker identification data being selected by a user on another apparatus and supplied therefrom;

searching previously stored phoneme data of said plurality of speakers for phoneme data which correspond to said speaker identification data received in said receiving step;

transmitting said phoneme data retrieved in said searching step to said another apparatus; and

controlling a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said phoneme data transmitted.

76. A recording medium storing a communication program comprising the steps of:

receiving speaker identification data for identifying any one of a plurality of speakers, said speaker identification data being selected by a user on another apparatus and supplied therefrom;

searching previously stored phoneme data of said plurality of speakers for phoneme data which correspond to said speaker identification data received in said receiving step;

transmitting said phoneme data retrieved in said searching step to said another apparatus; and

controlling a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said phoneme data transmitted.

77. A text-to-speech synthesis method comprising the steps of:

selecting a speaker as specified by a user;

transmitting speaker identification data for identifying said speaker selected in said selecting step to another apparatus;

receiving phoneme data of said speaker corresponding to said speaker identification data transmitted in said transmitting step;

linking said phoneme data of said speaker received in said receiving step to convert input data into a synthetic speech; and

controlling a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said phoneme data received in said receiving step.

78. A recording medium storing a text-to-speech synthesis program comprising:

selecting a speaker as specified by a user;

transmitting speaker identification data for identifying said speaker selected in said selecting step to another apparatus;

receiving phoneme data of said speaker corresponding to said speaker identification data transmitted in said transmitting step;

linking said phoneme data of said speaker received in said receiving step to convert input data into a synthetic speech; and

controlling a fee-charge operation for said user in accordance with said phoneme data received in said receiving step.