Text-to-speech (TTS) for hand-held devices

• US 20030212559A1
• Filed: 05/09/2002
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Xie, Jianlei
• Granted Patent: US 7,299,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/04 Details of speech synthesis systems, e.g. synthesiser structure or memory management

Abstract

There is provided an Ebook. The Ebook includes a memory device, a text-to-speech (TTS) module, and at least one speaker. The memory device stores files. The files include text. The TTS module synthesizes speech corresponding to the text. The at least one speaker outputs the speech.

Claims

1. An Ebook, comprising:

a memory device for storing files, the files including text;

a text-to-speech (TTS) module for synthesizing speech corresponding to the text; and

at least one speaker for outputting the speech.

2. The Ebook of claim 1, further comprising a display for displaying the text, and wherein a choice is provided to a user of the Ebook to select between a strictly visual mode where the text is displayed on the display, a strictly audio mode where the text is synthesized by said TTS module and output by said speaker, and a combined visual-audio mode where the text is displayed on the display and simultaneously synthesized by said TTS module and output by said speaker.

3. The Ebook of claim 1, wherein said TTS module has a capability of switching between any one of a plurality of voices in synthesizing the speech, based on at least one of a random basis, user-specified selections, and parameters of a current one of the files.

4. The Ebook of claim 3, wherein the plurality of voices include at least one of a male voice, a female voice, an adolescent voice, and an intentionally funny sounding voice.

5. The Ebook of claim 1, wherein said TTS module has a capability of adjusting a speed at which the speech is output there from, based on at least one of a random basis, user-specified selections, and parameters of a current one of the files.

6. The Ebook of claim 1, wherein said TTS module has a capability of synthesizing the speech in accordance with at least one of a pre-designated start time and a pre-designated end time.

7. The Ebook of claim 1, further comprising a processor, and wherein said Ebook is employed as a wake-up alarm such that said TTS module commences synthesis of the speech at a pre-designated start time and said processor adjusts a volume of the speech output from the speaker to increase over time until a stop input has been received.

8. The Ebook of claim 1, further comprising a processor, and wherein said Ebook is employed as a bedtime story teller such that at least one of said TTS module reduces over time a speed at which the speech is output from said TTS module and said processor reduces over time a volume of the speech output from the speaker.

9. The Ebook of claim 8, wherein said Ebook commences operations as the bedtime reader based on a pre-designated start time or a receipt of a start input.

10. The Ebook of claim 8, wherein said Ebook terminates operations as the bedtime reader based on a pre-designated end time or a receipt of an end input.

11. The Ebook of claim 1, wherein said Ebook has a calendar function capability, and said TTS module synthesizes the speech to include information corresponding to a daily reminder schedule.

12. A method for using an Ebook, comprising the steps of:

storing at least one file in the Ebook, the at least one file including text;

synthesizing speech corresponding to the text; and

outputting the speech.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the Ebook comprises a display and a speaker, and said method further comprises the steps of:

providing to a user of the Ebook a choice between a strictly visual mode where the text is displayed on the display, a strictly audio mode where the text is synthesized and output by the speaker, and a combined visual-audio mode where the text is displayed on the display and simultaneously synthesized and output by the speaker; and

operating the Ebook in accordance with the choice of the user.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of switching between any one of a plurality of voices in synthesizing the speech, based on at least one of a random basis, user-specified selections, and parameters of a current one of the files.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of voices include at least one of a male voice, a female voice, an adolescent voice, and an intentionally funny sounding voice.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of adjusting a speed at which the speech is output, based on at least one of a random basis, user-specified selections, and parameters of a current one of the files.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said synthesizing step is performed in accordance with at least one of a pre-designated start time and a pre-designated end time.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said Ebook is employed as a wake-up alarm such that said synthesizing step synthesizes the speech at a pre-designated start time and said method further comprises the step of adjusting a volume of the speech to increase over time until a stop input has been received.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said Ebook is employed as a bedtime story teller such that at least one of said synthesizing step reduces over time a speed at which the speech is output and said method further comprises the step of reducing over time a volume of the speech.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said Ebook commences operations as the bedtime reader based on a pre-designated start time or a receipt of a start input.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said Ebook terminates operations as the bedtime reader based on a pre-designated end time or a receipt of an end input.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein said Ebook has a calendar function capability, and said synthesizing step synthesizes the speech to include information corresponding to a daily reminder schedule.

23. A hand-held device, comprising:

a memory device for storing files, the files including text;

a text-to-speech (TTS) module for synthesizing speech corresponding to the text; and

at least one speaker for outputting the speech.

24. The hand-held device of claim 23, further comprising a display for displaying the text, and wherein a choice is provided to a user of the hand-held device to select between a strictly visual mode where the text is displayed on the display, a strictly audio mode where the text is synthesized by said TTS module and output by said speaker, and a combined visual-audio mode where the text is displayed on the display and simultaneously synthesized by said TTS module and output by said speaker.

25. The hand-held device of claim 23, wherein said TTS module has a capability of switching between any one of a plurality of voices in synthesizing the speech, based on at least one of a random basis, user-specified selections, and parameters of a current one of the files.

26. The hand-held device of claim 23, wherein said TTS module has a capability of adjusting a speed at which the speech is output there from, based on at least one of a random basis, user-specified selections, and parameters of a current one of the files.

27. The hand-held device of claim 23, wherein said hand-held device has a calendar function capability, and said TTS module synthesizes the speech to include information corresponding to a daily reminder schedule.