Speech synthesis system

• US 6,098,041 A
• Filed: 04/30/1997
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Tatsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Opsasnick, Michael N.
• Application Number:
  US08/841,608
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 704/258, 704/270, 704/272, 704/275, 704/276, 704/277, 705/3, 705/2, 705/8, 705/260
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/02 Methods for producing synthetic speech; Speech synthesisers
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/047 Architecture of speech synthesisers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

The data control unit in the voice synthesizing server of the present invention receives from a client data to be processed to synthesize voice, and determines the type of the received data. If the received data are text data, they are outputted to the pronunciation symbol generating unit to generate pronunciation symbols. If the received data are pronunciation symbols, they are outputted to the acoustic parameter generating unit to generate acoustic parameters. If the received data are acoustic parameters, they are outputted to the waveform generating unit to generate voice waveforms, and the generated voice waveforms are sent from the data sending unit to the client. The client receives the voice waveforms from the voice generating server, and outputs the received voice waveforms as voice from the voice output unit.

Claims

1. A speech synthesis system comprising:

a schedule managing server comprising;

schedule data base for storing schedule information of a plurality of users, schedule retrieving means for retrieving from said schedule data base schedule information meeting predetermined condition, and

schedule sending means for sending the retrieved schedule information, and a voice synthesizing server comprising;

text receiving means for receiving schedule information from said schedule managing server,

waveform generating means for generating voice waveforms corresponding to schedule information received by said text receiving means, and

waveform sending means for sending said voice waveforms to either of said client or said schedule managing server;

a client comprising;

schedule/waveform receiving means for receiving said schedule information and said voice waveforms corresponding to said schedule information, and

voice output means for vocally outputting said voice waveforms received by said schedule/waveform receiving means,

wherein pronunciation symbols are generated based on the schedule information, and acoustic parameters are generated based on the pronunciation symbols.

2. A speech synthesis system, comprising:

a service providing server connected to a communications line;

a voice synthesizing server, which is connected to said service providing server via the communications line, including;

receiving means for receiving information transmitted from the service providing server via the communications line;

voice waveform generating means for generating a voice waveform based on the information received by said receiving means, and

transmitting means for transmitting the voice waveform via the communications line; and

a client, which is connected to said service providing server and the voice synthesizing server via the communications line, including;

receiving means for receiving the voice waveform transmitted via the communications line and

voice outputting means for outputting the voice waveform as a voice.

3. The speech synthesis system according to claim 2, wherein

said transmitting means in said voice synthesizing server sends generated voice waveforms to a schedule managing service, and

schedule sending means in said schedule managing server receives voice waves forms from said voice synthesizing server and sends to said client received voice waveforms and schedule information retrieved by said schedule retrieving means.

4. The speech synthesis system according to claim 2, wherein said voice synthesizing server comprises:

pronunciation symbol generating means for generating a pronunciation symbol based on the information received by said receiving means; and

acoustic parameter generating means for generating an acoustic parameter based on the pronunciation symbol, and wherein said waveform generating means generates a voice waveform based on the acoustic parameter.

5. The speech synthesis system according to claim 2, wherein:

said service providing server manages schedule information of a user; and

the schedule information that said service providing server manages is allowed to be changed from the client side.

6. The speech synthesis system, according to claim 2, wherein:

said client includes a displaying means for displaying the information transmitted from said service providing server.

7. The speech synthesis system according to claim 2, wherein:

information that said service providing server manages is allowed to be changed from the client side.

8. A speech synthesis method, comprising the:

receiving information transmitted from a service providing server via a communications line to a voice synthesizing server;

generating a voice waveform by the voice synthesizing server, based on the received information;

transmitting the voice waveform from the voice synthesizing server to a client via the communications line;

receiving the transmitted voice waveform at the client, which is connected to said service providing server and the voice synthesizing server via the communications line; and

outputting the voice waveform as a voice.

9. The speech synthesis method according to claim 8, wherein:

information that said service providing server manages is allowed to be changed from the client side.