Intonation transformation for speech therapy and the like
First Claim
1. A method for generating an output audio signal from an input audio signal having a number of pitch cycles, each input pitch cycle represented by a plurality of data points, the method comprising a combination of resampling and harmonic scaling, wherein:
- the resampling comprises changing the number of data points in an audio signal; and
the harmonic scaling comprises changing the number of pitch cycles in an audio signal, wherein the output audio signal has a pitch that is different from the pitch of the input audio signal.
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Abstract
The intonation of speech is modified by an appropriate combination of resampling and time-domain harmonic scaling. Resampling increases (upsampling) or decreases (downsampling) the number of data points in a signal. Harmonic scaling adds or removes pitch cycles to or from a signal. The pitch of a speech signal can be increased by combining downsampling with harmonic scaling that adds an appropriate number of pitch cycles. Alternatively, pitch can be decreased by combining upsampling with harmonic scaling that removes an appropriate number of pitch cycles. The present invention can be implemented in an automated speech-therapy tool that is able to modify the intonation of prerecorded reference speech signals for playback to a user to emphasize the correct pronunciation by increasing the pitch of selected portions of words or phrases that the user had previously mispronounced.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for generating an output audio signal from an input audio signal having a number of pitch cycles, each input pitch cycle represented by a plurality of data points, the method comprising a combination of resampling and harmonic scaling, wherein:
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the resampling comprises changing the number of data points in an audio signal; and
the harmonic scaling comprises changing the number of pitch cycles in an audio signal, wherein the output audio signal has a pitch that is different from the pitch of the input audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A machine-readable medium, having encoded thereon program code, wherein, when the program code is executed by a machine, the machine implements a method for generating an output audio signal from an input audio signal having a number of pitch cycles, each input pitch cycle represented by a plurality of data points, the method comprising a combination of resampling and harmonic scaling, wherein:
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the resampling comprises changing the number of data points in an audio signal; and
the harmonic scaling comprises changing the number of pitch cycles in an audio signal, wherein the output audio signal has a pitch that is different from the pitch of the input audio signal.
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12. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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comparing a user speech signal to a reference speech signal to select one or more parts of the reference speech signal to emphasize;
processing the one or more selected parts of the reference speech signal to generate an intonation-transformed speech signal; and
playing the intonation-transformed speech signal to the user. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A machine-readable medium, having encoded thereon program code, wherein, when the program code is executed by a machine, the machine implements a method comprising:
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comparing a user speech signal to a reference speech signal to select one or more parts of the reference speech signal to emphasize;
processing the one or more selected parts of the reference speech signal to generate an intonation-transformed speech signal; and
playing the intonation-transformed speech signal to the user.
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Specification