Voice response service apparatus

• US 5,949,854 A
• Filed: 07/28/1997
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Atsuko
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US08/901,452
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/271, 704/272, 704/273, 704/274, 704/275, 704/258, 704/278, 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/201, 379/67.1, 379/88.05, 379/88.06, 379/88.16, 379/88.21, 379/88.22
• US Class Current: 379/88.16
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/04 Details of speech synthesis systems, e.g. synthesiser structure or memory management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/651 with speech synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/40 Applications of speech amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A voice response service apparatus interacting with users through voice responses. An attribute storage stores an age of each user. A voice volume controller sets a volume level of a voice response for a user to a level corresponding to the user'"'"'s age, as stored in the attribute storage. A voice synthesizer synthesizes voices for the voice responses at the volume level set by the voice volume controller. A sex of the user can also be stored and used by a tone controller to select a tone of the voice responses for the user from among a male voice and a female voice based on the user'"'"'s sex. The voice synthesizer then synthesizes voices with the tone selected by the tone controller.

Claims

1. A voice response service apparatus interacting with users through voice responses, said apparatus comprising:

a storage storing an age of each user;

a voice volume controller setting a volume level of a voice response for a user to a level corresponding to the user'"'"'s age stored in the storage; and

a voice synthesizer synthesizing voices for the voice responses at the volume level set by the voice volume controller.

2. A voice response service apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a status rule table for setting a voice volume and a voice speed in accordance with a status of an input operation of the user and wherein said voice synthesizer varies the volume and a speed of the synthesized voice in accordance with the status rule table.

3. A voice response service apparatus according to claim 2, further comprsing:

a voice attribute setting means for setting a voice attribute with reference to said status rule table.

4. A voice response service apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

voice synthesization processing means for synthesizing voice data suited to a user'"'"'s voice attribute set by said voice attribute setting means.

5. A voice response service apparatus interacting with users through voice responses, said apparatus comprising:

a attribute storage storing a sex of each user;

a tone controller selecting a tone of the voice responses for a user from among a male voice and a female voice based on the user'"'"'s sex stored in the attribute storage; and

a voice synthesizer synthesizing voices for the voice responses with the tone selected by the tone controller.

6. A voice response service apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said attribute storage includes:

a sex rule table for storing one of male voice and female voice according to a sex of the user.

7. A voice response service apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a voice attribute setting means for setting a voice attribute with reference to said sex rule table.

8. A voice response service apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said voice synthesizer synthesizes voice data suited to a user'"'"'s voice attribute set by said voice attribute setting means.