Personal speech font

• US 20040098266A1
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hughes, Nathan Raymond, Uretsky, Michelle Ann, Rao, Nishant Srinath
• Application Number:
  US10/294,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098266A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/277
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/06 Elementary speech units used in speech synthesisers; Concatenation rules

Abstract

A method and implementing computer system are provided for enabling personal speech synthesis from non-verbal user input. In an exemplary embodiment, a user is prompted to input predetermined sounds in the user'"'"'s own voice and those sounds are stored, along with corresponding vowel/consonant combinations, in a personal speech font file. The user is then enabled to provide text input to an electronic device and the text input is converted into verbalized speech by accessing the user'"'"'s personal speech font file. The synthesized speech or greeting is stored in an audio file and transmitted to an output device. The synthesized greeting may then be played in response to a predetermined condition. Portions of the recorded greeting may be easily changed by changing the appropriate user'"'"'s text file. Thus, typed text may be used to provide the basis to generate a synthesized message in a user'"'"'s own voice. Passwords and other devices may be implemented to provide additional system security.

Claims

1. A method for processing creating personal speech font files, said method comprising:

prompting a user to audibly input sounds corresponding to prompting text presented to said user;

receiving said input sounds from said user;

associating said input sounds with said prompting text presented to said user; and

creating a personal speech font file containing said prompting text and said corresponding input sounds whereby said corresponding input sounds are selectively output in response to an input of associated prompting text.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including storing said personal speech font file.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including associating said personal speech font file with said user.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 and further including enabling only said user to access said personal speech font file.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 and further including assigning a selected password for access to said personal speech font file, whereby access to said personal speech font file is obtained through use of said selected password.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 and further including prompting said user to create and input said selected password.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said prompting is accomplished by visually presenting said prompting text on a display device to said user.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said prompting is accomplished by audibly presenting said prompting text to said user for response.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said prompting text contains individual vowels and consonants.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said prompting text further contains individual words.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said input sounds are received at a local computer terminal from said user through a microphone device.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said input sounds are received at a site remote from said user, said input sounds being transmitted from a user site to said remote site through a voice transmission system over a network.

13. A storage medium including machine readable coded indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being selectively coupled to processing circuitry within a computer system, said reading device being selectively operable to read said machine readable coded indicia and provide program signals representative thereof, said program signals being effective to enable a creation of a personal speech font file, said program signals being selectively operable to accomplish the steps of:

prompting a user to audibly input sounds corresponding to prompting text presented to said user;

receiving said input sounds from said user;

associating said input sounds with said prompting text presented to said user; and

creating a personal speech font file containing said prompting text and said corresponding input sounds whereby said corresponding input sounds are selectively output in response to an input of associated prompting text.

14. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein said program signals are further effective to enable storing said personal speech font file.

15. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein said program signals are further effective to enable associating said personal speech font file with said user.

16. The medium as set forth in claim 15 wherein said program signals are further effective to enable only said user to access said personal speech font file.

17. The medium as set forth in claim 16 wherein said program signals are further effective to enable assigning a selected password for access to said personal speech font file, whereby access to said personal speech font file is obtained through use of said selected password.

18. The medium as set forth in claim 17 wherein said program signals are further effective to enable prompting said user to create and input said selected password.

19. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein said prompting is accomplished by visually presenting said prompting text on a display device to said user.

20. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein said prompting is accomplished by audibly presenting said prompting text to said user for response.

21. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein said prompting text contains individual vowels and consonants.

22. The medium as set forth in claim 21 wherein said prompting text further contains individual words.

23. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein said input sounds are received at a local computer terminal from said user through a voice receiving device.

24. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein said input sounds are received at a site remote from said user, said input sounds being transmitted from a user site to said remote site through a voice transmission system over a network.

25. A computer system comprising:

a system bus;

a CPU device connected to said system bus;

a memory device connected to said system bus;

a user input device connected to said system bus, said user input device being enabled to receive voice input from said user; and

a display device connected to said system bus, said computer system being selectively operable for creating personal speech font files by prompting a user to audibly input sounds corresponding to prompting text presented to said user on said display device, and receiving said input sounds from said user, said computer system being further selectively operable for associating said input sounds with said prompting text presented to said user and creating a personal speech font file containing said prompting text and said corresponding input sounds whereby said corresponding input sounds are selectively output in response to an input of associated prompting text.

26. A method for creating a synthesized audio message in a user'"'"'s own voice from text input received from said user, said method comprising:

receiving user identification information;

receiving text input from said user;

fetching a personal speech font file associated with said user;

reading said input text; and

using said personal speech font file for said user in synthesizing said user'"'"'s voice in creating an output in which said input text may be audibly presented in said user'"'"'s voice.

27. The method as set forth in claim 26 wherein said output is transmitted to a playing device, said playing device being enabled for receiving said output and, in response thereto, playing said input text in said user'"'"'s voice.

28. The method as set forth in claim 27 wherein said playing device is remote from said user, said output being transmitted over a network to said playing device.

29. The method as set forth in claim 28 wherein said playing device is a telephone answering device, said input text comprising a message to be audibly played in response to a call received by a selected telephone unit.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein said input text is input by said user to wireless communication device.

31. The method as set forth in claim 30 wherein said wireless communication device is a wireless telephone device.

32. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein said input text is input by said user to a personal computer device.

33. The method as set forth in claim 32 wherein said personal computer device is a laptop computer.