Adaptive linear prediction speech synthesizer

• US 4,022,974 A
• Filed: 06/03/1976
• Issued: 05/10/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Olive, Joseph Philip, Kohut, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Claffy, Kathleen H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kemeny, E. S.
• Application Number:
  US05/692,425
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 179/1.5 A, 179/1.5 M
• US Class Current: 704/262
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/04 Details of speech synthesis systems, e.g. synthesiser structure or memory management

Abstract

A real-time predictive speech synthesizer produces an artificial speech signal from pitch period segmented codes. Responsive to the predictive parameters of the currently occurring pitch period, preceding speech samples, and the adjusted excitation signal of the current pitch period, a prescribed set of current pitch period speech samples are generated in regularly spaced time periods. In the intervals between spaced time periods, prescribed components of the excitation level adjustment signal of the next successive pitch period are formed from the prediction parameters of the next successive pitch period, the preceding speech samples, and the next successive pitch period excitation signal. After the current pitch period final spaced time period, the formed components are combined with the next successive pitch period energy signal to produce the next successive pitch period excitation level adjustment signal.

Claims

1. A synthesizer for producing a speech signal from segmented parametric description signals, and preceding speech samples of said speech signal comprising means for storing an excitation level adjustment signal for the currently occurring speech segment, means operative in spaced time periods of the currently occurring speech segment responsive to the parametric description signals of said current speech segment, said preceding speech samples, and said excitation level adjustment signal for generating the speech samples of said current speech segment at a predetermined rate;

means operative in intervals between said spaced time periods responsive to the parametric description signals of the next successive speech segment and said preceding speech samples for forming signals representative of prescribed component codes of the excitation level adjustment signal of the next successive speech segment; and

means operative after termination of the final spaced time period of the current speech segment responsive to said component code signals and said next successive speech segment parametric description signals for producing the excitation level adjustment signal of said next successive speech segment.

2. A synthesizer for producing a speech signal from segmented parametric description signals, and preceding speech samples of said speech signal according to claim 1 wherein parametric description signals are segmented into pitch periods of said speech signal.

3. A snythesizer for producing a speech signal from segmented parametric description signals and preceding speech samples of said speech signal according to claim 2 wherein said parametric description signals include signals representative of pitch period segment prediction parameters, a signal representative of pitch period segment speech energy, and a signal representative of the pitch period segment excitation;

said speech sample generating means comprises first means responsive to the current pitch period segment prediction parameter signals, said preceding speech samples, the current pitch period segment excitation signal and the current pitch period segment excitation level adjustment signal for generating said current pitch period speech samples;

said component code signal forming means comprises second means jointly responsive to the next successive pitch period segment prediction parameter signals, the next successive pitch period segment excitation signal, and the preceding speech samples for producing said set of prescribed component code signals; and

said excitation level adjustment signal producing means comprises means jointly responsive to said set of prescribed component code signals and said next successive pitch period segment energy signal for producing the excitation level adjustment signal of the next successive pitch period segment.

4. A synthesizer for producing a speech signal from pitch period segmented parametric description signals and preceding speech samples of said speech signal according to claim 3 wherein said first means comprises means operative in each spaced time period for arithmetically combining said current pitch period segment prediction parameter signals, said preceding speech samples, said current pitch period segment excitation signal and said current pitch period segment excitation level adjustment signal to form a speech sample of the current pitch period segment.

5. A synthesizer for producing a speech signal from segmented parametric description signals and preceding speech samples of said speech signal according to claim 4 wherein said arithmetically combining means comprises means for multiplying the current pitch period segment excitation signal and said current pitch period segment excitation level adjustment signal to form a first signal;

means for arithmetically combining said current pitch period segment prediction parameter signals with a first prescribed set of preceding speech samples to form a second signal; and

means for summing said first and second signals to generate said speech sample.

6. A synthesizer for producing a speech signal from segmented parametric description signals and preceding speech samples of said speech signal according to claim 5 wherein said second means comprises means for arithmetically combining said next successive pitch period segment prediction parameter signals, a second prescribed set of preceding speech samples and the next successive pitch period segment excitation signal to form the signals representative of said set of component codes of the next successive pitch period segment excitation level adjustment signal.

7. A snythesizer for producing a speech signal from segmented parametric description signals and preceding speech samples of said speech signal according to claim 6 wherein said third means comprises means for arithmetically combining said component code signals with said next successive pitch period segment energy signal to form the excitation level adjustment signal of the next successive pitch period segment.

8. A synthesizer for producing a prescribed speech signal from concatenated pitch period descriptive parameter codes comprising means for storing first signals representative of predictive parameters of a pitch period speech signal segment, means for storing second signals representative of predictive parameters of the next successive pitch period speech signal segment, means for storing a third signal representative of the energy of said next successive pitch period speech signal segment, means for storing a first set of preceding speech samples, means for storing a second set of preceding speech samples, means for storing an excitation adjustment signal, an excitation signal source, means operative at predetermined spaced time periods responsive to said first signals, said first set of preceding speech samples, the excitation signal of said pitch period from said excitation signal source, and said excitation adjustment signal for generating the speech samples of said pitch period segment, means operative in selected intervals between said spaced time periods responsive to said second signals, said second set of preceding speech samples and the excitation signal of said next successive pitch period from said excitation signal source for forming a plurality of coded signals representative of prescribed components of the next successive pitch period excitation adjustment signal, and means operative after the final spaced time period of said pitch period responsive to said coded signals and said third signal for generating the excitation adjustment signal of said next successive pitch period speech signal.

9. A synthesizer for producing a prescribed speech signal from concatenated pitch period descriptive parameter codes according to claim 8 wherein said speech sample generating means comprises first means operative in each spaced time period for arithmetically combining said first signals, said first set of preceding speech samples, said pitch period excitation signal, and said excitation adjustment signal to produce a speech sample of said pitch period, and said coded signal forming means operative in selected intervals between said spaced time periods comprises second means for arithmetically combining said second signals, said second set of preceding speech samples and said next successive pitch period excitation signal to cumulatively form a plurality of said coded component signals.

10. A synthesizer for producing a prescribed speech signal from concatenated pitch period descriptive parameter codes according to claim 9 wherein said second means is operative to produce one set of component signals from each sample of the next successive pitch period, and further comprising means for storing a signal representative of the number of samples in said next successive pitch period, means for counting the number of operations of said second means, and means responsive to said sample number signal of said storing means being equal to the operation count of said counting means for disabling said second means for the remainder of said pitch period.

11. A synthesizer for producing a prescribed speech signal from concatenated pitch period descriptive parameter codes according to claim 10 further comprising means for storing a signal representative of the number of speech samples of the current pitch period, means for counting the number of speech samples produced by said first means, and means responsive to said number of samples of said current pitch period equaling the counted number of speech samples of said pitch period for disabling said speech sample generating means.

12. Apparatus for synthesizing a speech signal from pitch period segmented linear prediction parameter signals, excitation signals, pitch period speech segment energy signals, and preceding samples of said speech signal comprising means for storing a current pitch period excitation level adjustment signal, first means operative in regularly spaced time periods of the current pitch period responsive to the current pitch period prediction parameter signals, a first group of preceding speech samples, the current pitch period excitation signal, and the current pitch period excitation level adjustment signal for generating speech samples of said current pitch period, second means operative in intervals between said spaced time periods responsive to the next successive pitch period prediction parameter signals, a second group of preceding speech samples and the next successive pitch period excitation signal for forming signals representative of a prescribed set of components of the excitation level adjustment signal of the next successive pitch period, and third means operative upon termination of the final spaced time period of said current pitch period responsive to said next successive pitch period speech energy signal and the prescribed set of component signals for producing the excitation level adjustment signal of the next successive pitch period.

13. A method for synthesizing a speech signal from pitch period segmented parametric description signals, pitch period segmented excitation signals, and preceding speech samples of said speech signal comprising the steps of generating speech samples of the currently occurring pitch period in regularly spaced time periods responsive to the current pitch period parametric description signals, said preceding speech samples and the current pitch period adjusted excitation signal;

forming signals representative of a prescribed set of components of the excitation adjustment signal of the next successive pitch period in intervals between said spaced time periods responsive to the parametric description signals of the next successive pitch period, the preceding speech samples, and the excitation signal of the next successive pitch period; and

producing the excitation adjustment signal of the next successive pitch period upon termination of the last spaced time period of said current pitch period responsive to the next successive pitch period parametric description signals and said component signals.

14. A method for synthesizing an artificial speech signal from segmented parametric description signals and preceding speech samples of the artificial speech signal comprising the steps of receiving parametric description signals of the currently occurring speech segment, parametric description signals of the next successive speech segment, a signal representative of the energy of the next successive speech segment, and a signal representative of the excitation of the currently occurring and next successive speech segments;

storing an excitation level adjustment signal of the currently occurring speech segment;

generating speech samples of the current speech signal segment in regularly spaced time periods responsive to the current speech segment parametric description signals, the preceding speech samples, the current speech segment excitation signal, and the current speech segment excitation level adjustment signal;

forming signals representative of prescribed components of the next successive speech segment excitation level adjustment signal in intervals between said spaced time periods responsive to the next successive speech segment parametric description signals, the preceding speech samples, and the next successive speech segment excitation signal; and

producing the next successive speech segment excitation level adjustment signal upon termination of the final spaced time period responsive to the next successive speech segment energy signal and the formed component signals.

15. A method of synthesizing an artificial speech signal from segmented parametric description signals and preceding speech samples of artificial speech signals according to claim 14 wherein the speech sample generating step comprises arithmetically combining the current speech segment parametric description signals, the preceding speech samples, the current speech segment excitation signal, and the current speech segment excitation level adjustment signal in each of said spaced time periods to generate one speech sample of said current speech segment.

16. A method of synthesizing an artificial speech signal from segmented parametric description signals and preceding speech samples of artificial speech signals according to claim 15 wherein the component signal forming step comprises arithmetically combining the next successive speech segment parametric description signals, the preceding speech samples, and the next successive speech segment excitation signal in selective intervals between said spaced time periods.

17. A method of synthesizing an artificial speech signal from segmented parametric description signals and preceding speech samples of artificial speech signals according to claim 16 wherein the next successive speech segment excitation level adjustment signal producing step comprises arithmetically combining the formed component signals with the next successive speech segment energy signal upon termination of the final spaced time period.

18. A method of synthesizing an artificial speech signal from segmented parametric description signals and preceding speech samples of artificial speech signals according to claim 17 wherein each speech segment comprises a pitch period of said artificial speech signal.

19. A linear prediction synthesizer for producing an artificial speech signal at a real-time pitch period rate comprising means for receiving pitch period segmented predictive parameter signals, pitch period segmented speech signal energy signals, pitch period segmented excitation signals, and signals representative of the number of samples in each pitch period;

means for storing first and second groups of preceding samples of said speech signal;

means for storing the currently occurring pitch period excitation level adjustment signal;

means operative in regularly spaced time periods of the currently occurring pitch period for generating speech samples of said current pitch period comprising first means for arithmetically combining the current pitch period predictive parameter signals with said first group of preceding speech signal samples, means for multiplying the current pitch period excitation signal with the stored excitation level adjustment signal of said current pitch period, means for summing the output of said first means and the output of said second means to form a speech sample of said current pitch period, and means responsive to the current pitch period sample number signal for disabling said speech generating means when the number of speech samples generated equals said current pitch period sample number signal;

means operative in selected intervals occurring between said spaced time periods for cumulatively forming a group of signals representative of a set of components of the next successive pitch period excitation level adjustment signal comprising third means for arithmetically combining said second group of preceding speech samples with said next succeeding pitch period predictive parameter signals for each speech sample of the next successive pitch period, fourth means responsive to said arithmetically combined signals from said third means for forming a prescribed set of said next succeeding pitch period excitation level adjustment signal components for each speech sample of said next successive pitch period, means for cumulatively combining each excitation level, adjustment signal component with the corresponding excitation level adjustment signal component formed for the preceding speech samples of said next successive pitch period, a plurality of sets of speech sample excitation level adjustment component signals being formed in each selected interval, and means responsive to the next successive pitch period sample number signal equaling the number of operations of said fourth means for disabling said component signal forming means; and

means operative upon the disabling of said sample generating means for producing the next successive pitch period excitation level adjustment signal comprising means for arithmetically combining said formed group of component signals with said next successive pitch period speech energy signal; and

means for applying the produced excitation level adjustment signal to said excitation level adjustment signal storing means.

20. A synthesizer for producing an artificial speech signal from pitch period segmented descriptive codes comprising means operating at the beginning of the currently occurring speech signal pitch period for receiving predictive parameter signals of the next succeeding pitch period, a signal representative of the next succeeding pitch period speech energy, a signal representative of the next successive pitch period excitation;

means for storing first and second groups of preceding samples of said speech signal;

means for storing an excitation adjustment signal for the current pitch period;

means operative at regularly spaced times in the currently occurring pitch period for generating the current pitch period speech samples comprising first means for combining the previously received predictive parameter signals of the current pitch period, the first group of preceding samples, the previously received excitation signal of the current pitch period, and the stored excitation adjustment signal of the current pitch period;

means operative in intervals between said regularly spaced times for cumulatively forming signals representative of a prescribed set of component codes of the next successive pitch period excitation adjustment signal comprising second means for combining the next successive pitch period predictive parameter signals, the second group of preceding samples and the next successive pitch period excitation signal; and

means operative after the final spaced time of the current pitch period for producing the next successive pitch period excitation adjustment signal comprising third means for combining said component code signals with the next succeeding pitch period speech energy signal.

21. A synthesizer for producing an artificial speech signal from pitch period segmented descriptive codes according to claim 20 wherein said first group of samples comprises a first prescribed set of the immediately preceding samples of said speech signal generated by said sample generating means.

22. A synthesizer for producing an artificial speech signal from pitch period segmented descriptive codes according to claim 21 wherein said second group of samples comprises a second prescribed set of immediately preceding outputs produced by said second combining means.

23. A synthesizer for producing an artificial speech signal from pitch period segmented descriptive codes according to claim 22 further comprising means for receiving a first signal corresponding to the number of speech samples of the next succeeding pitch period;

means for storing said first signal;

means for counting the number of operations of said second combining means; and

means responsive to the first signal equaling the counting means number for disabling said component code signal forming means.

24. A synthesizer for producing an artificial speech signal from pitch period segmented descriptive codes according to claim 23 wherein a plurality of component code signal formations occur in each interval until said component code signal forming means is disabled.

25. A synthesizer for producing an artificial speech signal from pitch period segmented descriptive codes according to claim 24 further comprising means for storing a second signal representative of the number of samples of the current pitch period;

means for counting the number of samples generated in the current pitch period; and

means responsive to said second signal equaling the counted number of generated samples for disabling said sample generating means and for enabling said excitation adjustment signal producing means.

26. An artificial speech synthesizer for producing a speech signal from pitch period segmented parametric description signals comprising means for storing a pitch period speech corrective signal;

means operative in regularly spaced time periods of the currently occurring pitch period responsive to the parametric description signals of said current pitch period and said pitch period corrective signal for generating samples of said pitch period speech segment, means operative in intervals between said spaced time periods responsive to the parametric description signals of the next successive pitch period for forming signals representative of a prescribed set of component codes of the speech corrective signal of the next successive pitch period; and

means operative upon termination of the last spaced time period responsive to said component code signals for producing the corrective signal of the next successive pitch period.