Speech synthesis apparatus and speech synthesis method
First Claim
1. A speech synthesis apparatus which synthesizes a speech using speech elements so as to transform a voice characteristic of the speech, said apparatus comprising:
- an element storing unit in which speech elements are stored;
a function storing unit in which transformation functions for respectively transforming voice characteristics of the speech elements are stored;
a similarity deriving unit operable to derive a degree of similarity by comparing an acoustic characteristic of one of the speech elements stored in said element storing unit with an acoustic characteristic of a speech element used for generating one of the transformation functions stored in said function storing unit; and
a transforming unit operable to apply, based on the degree of similarity derived by said similarity deriving unit, one of the transformation functions stored in said function storing unit to a respective one of the speech elements stored in said element storing unit, and to transform the voice characteristic of the speech element.
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Abstract
A speech synthesis apparatus which can appropriately transform a voice characteristic of a speech is provided. The speech synthesis apparatus includes an element storing unit in which speech elements are stored, a function storing unit in which transformation functions are stored, an adaptability judging unit which derives a degree of similarity by comparing a speech element stored in the element storing unit with an acoustic characteristic of the speech element used for generating a transformation function stored in the function storing unit, and a selecting unit and voice characteristic transforming unit which transforms, for each speech element stored in the element storing unit, based on the degree of similarity derived by the adaptability judging unit, a voice characteristic of the speech element by applying one of the transformation functions stored in the function storing unit.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A speech synthesis apparatus which synthesizes a speech using speech elements so as to transform a voice characteristic of the speech, said apparatus comprising:
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an element storing unit in which speech elements are stored;
a function storing unit in which transformation functions for respectively transforming voice characteristics of the speech elements are stored;
a similarity deriving unit operable to derive a degree of similarity by comparing an acoustic characteristic of one of the speech elements stored in said element storing unit with an acoustic characteristic of a speech element used for generating one of the transformation functions stored in said function storing unit; and
a transforming unit operable to apply, based on the degree of similarity derived by said similarity deriving unit, one of the transformation functions stored in said function storing unit to a respective one of the speech elements stored in said element storing unit, and to transform the voice characteristic of the speech element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A speech synthesizing method for synthesizing a speech using speech elements so as to transform a voice characteristic of the speech,
wherein in the element storing unit, speech elements are stored, and in the function storing unit, transformation functions for transforming voice characteristics of the respective speech elements are stored, said speech synthesizing method comprises: -
deriving a degree of similarity by comparing an acoustic characteristic of one of the speech elements stored in said element storing unit with an acoustic characteristic of a speech element used for generating one of the transformation functions stored in said function storing unit; and
applying, based on the degree of similarity derived in said deriving, one of the transformation functions stored in said function storing unit to a respective one of the speech elements stored in said element storing unit, and transforming the voice characteristic of the speech element.
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18. A program for synthesizing a speech using speech elements so as to transform a voice characteristic of the speech,
wherein in the element storing unit, speech elements are stored, and in the function storing unit, transformation functions for transforming voice characteristics of the respective speech elements are stored, said program causing a computer to execute: -
deriving a degree of similarity by comparing an acoustic characteristic of one of the speech elements stored in said element storing unit with an acoustic characteristic of a speech element used for generating one of the transformation functions stored in said function storing unit; and
applying, based on the degree of similarity derived in said deriving, one of the transformation functions stored in said function storing unit to a respective one of the elements stored in said element storing unit, and transforming the voice characteristic of the speech element.
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Specification