Method, apparatus, and program for certifying a voice profile when transmitting text messages for synthesized speech

• US 9,418,673 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cerence Operating Company (Cerence Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Cabezas, Rafael Graniello, Moore, Jason Eric, Silvia, Elizabeth
• Primary Examiner(s): Opsasnick, Michael N
• Application Number:
  US13/734,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20130132092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 705/260
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/033 Voice editing, e.g. manipulating the voice of the synthesiser
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/00 Speech or voice signal processing techniques to produce another audible or non-audible signal, e.g. visual or tactile, in order to modify its quality or its intelligibility G10L19/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for authenticating and using a personal voice profile. The voice profile may be issued by a trusted third party, such as a certification authority. The personal voice profile may include information for generating a digest or digital signature for text messages. A speech synthesis system may speak the text message using the voice characteristics, such as prosodic characteristics, only if the voice profile is authenticated and the text message is valid and free of tampering.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one processor configured to perform;

generating a text message having content, from an individual, to be synthesized at a remote location;

encrypting a voice profile to form an encrypted voice profile based, at least in part on the content of the text message, wherein the voice profile comprises personal prosodic voice characteristic information obtained from the individual sending the text message, the personal prosodic voice characteristic information capable of being used to synthesize speech of the content of the text message, at the remote location, that sounds like the individual;

transmitting the encrypted voice profile to the remote location; and

synthesizing, at the remote location, speech of the content of the text message that sounds like the individual by using the personal prosodic voice characteristic information obtained by decrypting the encrypted voice profile.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform:

encrypting a message digest of a text message using a private key associated with a public key to form an encrypted message digest; and

outputting the text message and the encrypted message digest.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform:

generating the message digest using an algorithm for signing messages.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the voice profile further comprises at least one of a unique identifier, an expiration for the voice profile, and personal information regarding the individual.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the outputting comprises one of storing the encrypted voice profile on a computer-readable medium and sending the encrypted voice profile to a recipient over a network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the voice profile is digitally signed by a trusted third party.

7. At least one non-transitory computer-readable recordable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:

generating a text message having content, from an individual, to be synthesized at a remote location;

encrypting a voice profile to form an encrypted voice profile based, at least in part on the content of the text message, wherein the voice profile comprises personal prosodic voice characteristic information obtained from the individual sending the text message, the personal prosodic voice characteristic information capable of being used to synthesize speech of the content of the text message, at the remote location, that sounds like the individual;

transmitting the encrypted voice profile to the remote location; and

synthesizing, at the remote location, speech of the content of the text message that sounds like the individual by using the personal prosodic voice characteristic information obtained by decrypting the encrypted voice profile.

8. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable recordable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

encrypting a message digest of a text message using a private key associated with a public key to form an encrypted message digest; and

outputting the text message and the encrypted message digest.

9. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable recordable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

generating the message digest using an algorithm for signing messages.

10. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable recordable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the voice profile further comprises at least one of a unique identifier, an expiration for the voice profile, and personal information regarding the individual.

11. The at least one computer-readable recordable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the outputting comprises one of storing the encrypted voice profile on a computer-readable medium and sending the encrypted voice profile to a recipient over a network.

12. The at least one computer-readable recordable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the voice profile is digitally signed by a trusted third party.

13. A method comprising:

generating a text message having content, from an individual, to be synthesized at a remote location;

encrypting a voice profile to form an encrypted voice profile based, at least in part on the content of the text message, wherein the voice profile comprises personal prosodic voice characteristic information obtained from the individual sending the text message, the personal prosodic voice characteristic information capable of being used to synthesize speech of the content of the text message, at the remote location, that sounds like the individual;

transmitting the encrypted voice profile to the remote location; and

synthesizing, at the remote location, speech of the content of the text message that sounds like the individual by using the personal prosodic voice characteristic information obtained by decrypting the encrypted voice profile.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

encrypting a message digest of a text message using a private key associated with a public key to form an encrypted message digest; and

outputting the text message and the encrypted message digest.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

generating the message digest using an algorithm for signing messages.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the voice profile further comprises at least one of a unique identifier, an expiration for the voice profile, and personal information regarding the individual.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the outputting comprises one of storing the encrypted voice profile on a computer-readable medium and sending the encrypted voice profile to a recipient over a network.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the voice profile is digitally signed by a trusted third party.