Text-to-speech system for generating information announcements

• US 20040215461A1
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Whikehart, J. William
• Application Number:
  US10/814,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215461A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for generating an information announcement. The system includes a receiver to receive transmission information and a text-to-speech generator to create an audio message based on the transmission information. The text-to-speech generator utilizes a plurality of predefined templates stored in memory and inserts portions of the transmission information into one of the templates to create the message. The text-to-speech generator may randomly select the template, index through the templates based on a counter, or select a template based on some portion of the transmission information, such as, the artist'"'"'s name.

Claims

1. A system for generating an information announcement, the system comprising:

a receiver to receive transmission information;

a text-to-speech generator in communication with the receiver, the text-to-speech generator being configured to receive transmission information from the receiver, select a template from a plurality of predefined templates, and insert portions of the transmission information into the template creating a message.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the text-to-speech generator is configured to randomly select a template from the plurality of predetermined templates.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the text-to-speech generator is configured to select a template from the plurality of predetermined templates based on a counter.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the text-to-speech generator is configured to select a template from the plurality of predefined templates based on the transmission information.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the text-to-speech generator is configured to select a template from the plurality of predefined templates based on artist information in the transmission information.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the text-to-speech generator is configured to determine if artist information is in the transmission information and to determine if the artist information is plural.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission information includes next up information, and the text-to-speech generator selects the template based on the next up information.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the text-to-speech generator is configured to add phrases to the template, where the phrases are associated with the transmission information.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the phrases are associated with artist information in the transmission information.

10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising an input device, wherein the phrases are user definable via the input device.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an audio summer configured to combine the message with a music signal.

12. A method for generating an information announcement, the method comprising:

receiving transmission information;

selecting a template from a plurality of predefined templates;

creating a message by inserting portions of the transmission information into the templates; and

audibly communicating the message to a user.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the template is selected randomly.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the template is selected from the plurality of predefined templates based on a counter.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the template is selected from the plurality of predefined templates based on the transmission information.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the template is selected from the plurality of predefined templates based on an artist associated with the transmission.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising determining if artist information contained within the transmission information is plural.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the transmission information includes next up information and the template is selected based on the next up information.

19. The method according to claim 12, further comprising adding phrases to the template, where the phrases are associated with the transmission information.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the phrases are associated with artist information contained within the transmission information.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising entering the phrases to be added to the template.

22. The method according to claim 12, further comprising summing the message with a corresponding music signal.