Text To Speech Synthesis for Texts with Foreign Language Inclusions
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method employing at least one hardware implemented computer processor for converting an input text with words containing at least one word in a first language and at least one word in at least one further language into a speech waveform comprising the steps of:
- providing a phoneme symbol resource of the first language;
generating a sequence of language dependent phoneme symbols including the steps of;
identifying at least one specific further language for words which do not belong to the first language,adding at least one phoneme symbol resource of the at least one specific further language,applying the phoneme symbol resource of the first language for words in the first language, andapplying the at least one phoneme symbol resource of the at least one specific further language for words in the at least one specific further language;
replacing language dependent phoneme symbols generated for the at least one word of the at least one further language with language dependent phoneme symbols of the first language, including the steps of;
assigning to each language dependent phoneme symbol of the at least one specific further language a language independent target phoneme symbol,mapping to each language independent target phoneme symbol a language independent substitute phoneme symbol assignable to a language dependent substitute phoneme symbol of the first language, andsubstituting the language dependent phoneme symbols of the at least one specific further language by the language dependent substitute phoneme symbols of the first language which are assignable to the language independent substitute phoneme symbols;
deriving at least one target unit sequence corresponding to a sequence of phoneme symbols including language dependent phoneme symbols of the first language;
selecting from a waveform unit database of the first language a waveform unit sequence approximating the at least one target unit sequence; and
concatenating the waveform unit sequence to the speech waveform.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A speech output is generated from a text input written in a first language and containing inclusions in a second language. Words in the native language are pronounced with a native pronunciation and words in the foreign language are pronounced with a proficient foreign pronunciation. Language dependent phoneme symbols generated for words of the second language are replaced with language dependent phoneme symbols of the first language, where said replacing includes the steps of assigning to each language dependent phoneme symbol of the second language a language independent target phoneme symbol, mapping to each one language independent target phoneme symbol a language independent substitute phoneme symbol assignable to a language dependent substitute phoneme symbol of the first language, substituting the language dependent phoneme symbols of the second language by the language dependent substitute phoneme symbols of the first language.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method employing at least one hardware implemented computer processor for converting an input text with words containing at least one word in a first language and at least one word in at least one further language into a speech waveform comprising the steps of:
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providing a phoneme symbol resource of the first language; generating a sequence of language dependent phoneme symbols including the steps of; identifying at least one specific further language for words which do not belong to the first language, adding at least one phoneme symbol resource of the at least one specific further language, applying the phoneme symbol resource of the first language for words in the first language, and applying the at least one phoneme symbol resource of the at least one specific further language for words in the at least one specific further language; replacing language dependent phoneme symbols generated for the at least one word of the at least one further language with language dependent phoneme symbols of the first language, including the steps of; assigning to each language dependent phoneme symbol of the at least one specific further language a language independent target phoneme symbol, mapping to each language independent target phoneme symbol a language independent substitute phoneme symbol assignable to a language dependent substitute phoneme symbol of the first language, and substituting the language dependent phoneme symbols of the at least one specific further language by the language dependent substitute phoneme symbols of the first language which are assignable to the language independent substitute phoneme symbols; deriving at least one target unit sequence corresponding to a sequence of phoneme symbols including language dependent phoneme symbols of the first language; selecting from a waveform unit database of the first language a waveform unit sequence approximating the at least one target unit sequence; and concatenating the waveform unit sequence to the speech waveform. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product encoded in a non-transitory computer-readable medium for converting an input text with words containing at least one word in a first language and at least one word in at least one further language into a speech waveform, the product comprising:
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program code for providing a phoneme symbol resource of the first language; program code for generating a sequence of language dependent phoneme symbols including program code for; identifying at least one specific further language for words which do not belong to the first language, adding at least one phoneme symbol resource of the at least one specific further language, applying the phoneme symbol resource of the first language for words in the first language, and applying the at least one phoneme symbol resource of the at least one specific further language for words in the at least one specific further language; program code for replacing language dependent phoneme symbols generated for the at least one word of the at least one further language with language dependent phoneme symbols of the first language, including program code for; assigning to each language dependent phoneme symbol of the at least one specific further language a language independent target phoneme symbol, mapping to each language independent target phoneme symbol a language independent substitute phoneme symbol assignable to a language dependent substitute phoneme symbol of the first language, and substituting the language dependent phoneme symbols of the at least one specific further language by the language dependent substitute phoneme symbols of the first language which are assignable to the language independent substitute phoneme symbols; program code for deriving at least one target unit sequence corresponding to a sequence of phoneme symbols including language dependent phoneme symbols of the first language; program code for selecting from a waveform unit database of the first language a waveform unit sequence approximating the at least one target unit sequence; and program code for concatenating the waveform unit sequence to the speech waveform.
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12. A text processor for converting an input text with words containing at least one word in a first language and at least one word in at least one further language into a speech waveform, said processor comprising means for:
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providing a phoneme symbol resource of the first language; generating a sequence of language dependent phoneme symbols including means for; identifying at least one specific further language for words which do not belong to the first language, adding at least one phoneme symbol resource of the at least one specific further language, applying the phoneme symbol resource of the first language for words in the first language, and applying the at least one phoneme symbol resource of the at least one specific further language for words in the at least one specific further language; replacing language dependent phoneme symbols generated for the at least one word of the at least one further language with language dependent phoneme symbols of the first language, including means for; assigning to each language dependent phoneme symbol of the at least one specific further language a language independent target phoneme symbol, mapping to each language independent target phoneme symbol a language independent substitute phoneme symbol assignable to a language dependent substitute phoneme symbol of the first language, and substituting the language dependent phoneme symbols of the at least one specific further language by the language dependent substitute phoneme symbols of the first language which are assignable to the language independent substitute phoneme symbols; deriving at least one target unit sequence corresponding to a sequence of phoneme symbols including language dependent phoneme symbols of the first language; selecting from a waveform unit database of the first language a waveform unit sequence approximating the at least one target unit sequence; and concatenating the waveform unit sequence to the speech waveform.
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Specification