Apparatus for text-to-speech delivery and method therefor

• US 9,076,435 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2013
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Jones, Rory, Jurgens, Sven-Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS
• Application Number:
  US13/739,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/260
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining the manner in which a processor-enabled device should produce sounds from data is described. The device ideally synthesizes sounds digitally, and reproduces pre-recorded sounds, together with an audible delivery thereof, a memory in which is stored a database of a plurality data at least some of which is in the form of text-based indicators, and one or more pre-recorded sounds. The device is further capable of repeatedly determining one or more physical conditions, e.g. current GPS location, which is compared with one or more reference values provided in memory such that a positive result of the comparison gives rise to an event requiring a sound to be produced by the device.

Claims

1. A navigation device capable of providing an audible notification of events, comprising:

a processor;

a memory storage, including a database having at least some data being in the form of one or more text-based indicators and in the form of one or more pre-recorded human sounds; and

an audio output component for providing an audible notification of one or more events as computer generated speech and as a pre-recorded human voice;

wherein the processor is operable to determine one or more physical conditions, associate one or more events with the one or more physical conditions, and determine whether the audible notification of the one or more events is output by the audio output component as computer generated speech or as a pre-recorded human voice.

2. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more events is associated with an event type.

3. The navigation device of claim 2, wherein the event type is one of:

a Route instruction, a Point of Interest (POI), Toll charge, Traffic condition, Short Message Service (SMS), Flash message, Weather, Tutorial, Warning, Tip and Signpost notification.

4. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the audible notification for each of the one or more events is based on the event type associated with each of the one or more events.

5. The navigation device of claim 2, wherein the event type is associated with a priority, and wherein the processor is further operable to provide the audible notification of the one or more events by order of the priority associated with each of the one or more events.

6. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the audible notification for the one or more events is based on input received from a displayable set of event types which can be selected or de-selected, depending on user preference.

7. The navigation device of claim 1 further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) device for providing direction instructions when the one or more events are associated with a predetermined or pre-programmed route.

8. The navigation device of claim 7, wherein the predetermined or pre-programmed route is based on map data representative of one or more maps of a thoroughfare network.

9. The navigation device of claim 8, wherein the map data further comprises:

street names, building numbers, road numbers, points of interest (POI) and signpost information.

10. The navigation device claim 1 further comprising a radio-telecommunication device for determining traffic conditions along particular sections of a thoroughfare network and to receive messages and other information through said radio-telecommunication device.

11. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the human sounds is associated with a human voice profile, wherein the human voice profile is selected by a user from a plurality of pre-recorded human voice profiles.

12. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the audio output component provides an audible notification associated with a first set of events when there is a determination that the one or more events is to be output as computer generated speech and provides an audible notification associated with a second set of events when there is a determination that the one or more events is to be output as a pre-recorded human voice.

13. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to provide a warning to a user that certain events will not be audibly identified to said user when the user selects audible notifications using the pre-recorded human voice.

14. The navigation device of claim 1 further comprising a text to speech software component for digitally synthesizing one or more text-based indicators retrieved from the database into computer generated speech.

15. A method for providing an audible notification of events related to a route navigated by a user, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a notification type selection from the user indicating a user preference for an audible notification of events, wherein the notification type selection is one of computer generated speech and a pre-recorded human voice;

determining, by the processor, one or more physical conditions associated with the navigated route;

associating, by the processor, one or more events with the one or more physical conditions; and

providing, by a speaker, an audible notification for the one or more events based on the received notification type selection.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising associating each of the one or more events with an event type and providing an audible notification for each of the one or more events based on the event type associated with each of the one or more events.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising associating a priority to the event type and providing an audible notification for the one or more events by order of the associated priority.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the audible notification of the one or more events is based on input received from a displayable set of event types which can be selected or de-selected, depending on user preference.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing direction instructions associated with the route using a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for providing an audible notification of events related to a route navigated by a user, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

receiving a notification type selection from the user indicating a user preference for an audible notification of events, wherein the notification type selection is one of computer generated speech and a pre-recorded human voice;

determining one or more physical conditions associated with the navigated route;

associating one or more events with the one or more physical conditions; and

providing an audible notification for the one or more events based on the received notification type selection.