Method and apparatus for predicting word prominence in speech synthesis
First Claim
1. A method for assigning word prominence in synthetic speech comprising:
- determining, through a processor, whether an information in a current sentence is new or previously given based on a semantic relationship in a vector space between the current sentence and a number of preceding sentences;
assigning, through the processor, a word prominence for the synthetic speech to a word in the current sentence in accordance with the information determination; and
generating, through an output device, a speech representative of the current sentence.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for generating speech that sounds more natural. Determining whether information in a current sentence is new or previously given is performed based on a semantic relationship between the current sentence and a number of preceding sentences. A word prominence for the synthetic speech to a word in the current sentence is assigned in accordance with the information determination. A speech representative of the current sentence can be generated. In one embodiment, word prominence and latent semantic analysis are used to generate more natural sounding speech. A method for generating speech that sounds more natural may comprise generating synthesized speech having certain word prominence characteristics and applying a semantically-driven word prominence assignment model to specify word prominence consistent with the way humans assign word prominence.
30 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for assigning word prominence in synthetic speech comprising:
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determining, through a processor, whether an information in a current sentence is new or previously given based on a semantic relationship in a vector space between the current sentence and a number of preceding sentences; assigning, through the processor, a word prominence for the synthetic speech to a word in the current sentence in accordance with the information determination; and generating, through an output device, a speech representative of the current sentence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An article of manufacture comprising:
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a machine accessible medium storing executable instructions that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to determine, through a processor, whether an information in a current sentence is new or previously given in accordance with a semantic relationship in a vector space between the current sentence and a number of preceding sentences; assign, through the processor, a word prominence, for synthetic speech, to a word in the current sentence in accordance with the information determination; and generate, through an output device, a speech representative of the current sentence. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification