Synchronization control apparatus and method, and recording medium

• US 6,865,535 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2000
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Keiichi, Kobayashi, Erika, Shimakawa, Masato, Akabane, Makoto, Kobayashi, Kenichiro, Nitta, Tomoaki, Yamazaki, Nobuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Azad, Abul K.
• Application Number:
  US09/749,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20010007096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 704/258, 704/260, 704/261, 704/263, 704/270, 704/275, 704/276
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/105 Synthesis of the lips movements from speech, e.g. for talking heads

Abstract

In a synchronization control apparatus, a voice-language-information generating section generates the voice language information of a word which a robot utters. A voice synthesizing section calculates phoneme information and a phoneme continuation duration according to the voice language information, and also generates synthesized-voice data according to an adjusted phoneme continuation duration. An articulation-operation generating section calculates an articulation-operation period according to the phoneme information. A voice-operation adjusting section adjusts the phoneme continuation duration and the articulation-operation period. An articulation-operation executing section operates an organ of articulation according to the adjusted articulation-operation period.

Claims

1. A synchronization control apparatus for synchronizing the output of a voice signal and the operation of a movable portion, comprising:

phoneme-information generating means for generating phoneme information formed of plurality of phonemes by using language information;

calculation means for calculating a phoneme continuation duration according to the phoneme information generated by the phoneme-information generating means;

computing means for computing the operation period of the movable portion, according to the phoneme information generated by the phoneme-information generating means;

adjusting means for adjusting the phoneme continuation duration calculated by the calculation means and the operation period computed by the computing means;

synthesized-voice-information generating means for generating synthesized-voice information according to the phoneme continuation duration adjusted by the adjusting means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing the voice signal according to the synthesized-voice information generated by the synthesized-voice-information generating means; and

operation control means for controlling the operation of the movable portion according to the operation period adjusted by the adjusting means;

wherein the adjusting means compares a phoneme continuation duration and an operation period corresponding to each of the phonemes and performs adjustment by substituting whichever is the longer for the shorter.

2. A synchronization control apparatus for synchronizing the output of a voice signal and the operation of a movable portion, comprising:

phoneme-information generating means for generating phoneme information formed of plurality of phonemes by using language information;

calculation means for calculating a phoneme continuation duration according to the phoneme information generated by the phoneme-information generating means;

computing means for computing the operation period of the movable portion, according to the phoneme information generated by the phoneme-information generating means;

adjusting means for adjusting the phoneme continuation duration calculated by the calculation means and the operation period computed by the computing means;

synthesized-voice-information generating means for generating synthesized-voice information according to the phoneme continuation duration adjusted by the adjusting means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing the voice signal according to the synthesized-voice information generated by the synthesized-voice-information generating means; and

operation control means for controlling the operation of the movable portion according to the operation period adjusted by the adjusting means;

wherein the adjusting means compares the phoneme continuation duration and the operation period corresponding to all of the phonemes and performs adjustment by extending whichever is the shorter in proportion.