Speech synthesis method for operator assistance telecommunications calls comprising a plurality of text-to-speech (TTS) devices
First Claim
1. In a telecommunications system comprising a database of text entries and a plurality of TTS devices, a method for synthesizing the text contained within the entries comprising the steps of:
- establishing a call from a user to a system telephony interface;
prompting the user for an entry identifier;
retrieving a text entry and a TTS identifier associated with said text entry, said text entry corresponding to said entry identifier, the TTS identifier identifying one of the plurality of TTS devices; and
transmitting text included within the retrieved entry to the one of the plurality of TTS devices identified by the TTS identifier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are described for providing automated operator services and in particular, a reverse directory assistance service. A calling customer is connected to an automated system that prompts the caller for a listing identifier which is used by the system to retrieve a textual listing corresponding to the listing identifier from a database of textual listings. The textual listing contains a TTS ID which identifies a particular one TTS device from a plurality of TTS devices and the listing is optionally preprocessed and parsed into a plurality of fields which define the listing. The listing text is then sent to the particular one TTS device for text to speech synthesis of the text contained within the listing. The method further includes teaching the system which one TTS device of the plurality of TTS devices, best synthesizes the text contained within the listing and then identifying that one TTS device within the listing so that subsequent synthesis will utilize that TTS device.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. In a telecommunications system comprising a database of text entries and a plurality of TTS devices, a method for synthesizing the text contained within the entries comprising the steps of:
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establishing a call from a user to a system telephony interface; prompting the user for an entry identifier; retrieving a text entry and a TTS identifier associated with said text entry, said text entry corresponding to said entry identifier, the TTS identifier identifying one of the plurality of TTS devices; and transmitting text included within the retrieved entry to the one of the plurality of TTS devices identified by the TTS identifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for synthesizing speech comprising:
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a plurality of text to speech (TTS) devices; a physical storage device including a database coupled to the plurality of TTS devices, the data base including a plurality of text entries and a plurality of TTS device identifiers, each TTS device identifier corresponding to one of the plurality of TTS devices, each one of the text entries having one of the TTS identifiers associated therewith. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification