Accent detection and correction system
First Claim
1. An accent detection and correction system comprising:
- (a) means for inputting unwanted speech patterns such that said speech patterns are digitalized, analyzed and stored in a digital memory library of unwanted speech patterns;
(b) means for inputting desired speech patterns corresponding to said unwanted speech patterns such that said desired speech patterns are digitalized, analyzed and stored in a digital memory library of desired speech patterns;
(c) means for actively detecting incoming speech patterns, comparing said detected incoming speech patterns with said unwanted speech patterns stored in said digital memory of unwanted speech patterns such that the unwanted speech patterns found in said incoming speech patterns are removed and queued for replacement;
(d) means for analyzing said unwanted speech patterns in incoming speech patterns and determining positively corresponding desired speech patterns; and
(e) means for replacing said unwanted speech patterns found in said incoming speech patterns with said desired speech patterns which are determined to be positively corresponding to said unwanted speech patterns, thereby producing an output speech pattern in which said unwanted speech patterns have been removed and replaced with said desired speech patterns.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A concept, method and apparatus for detecting and correcting an accent by means of sound morphing is provided. The input audio signal is analyzed for finding pre-specified unwanted speech patterns, i.e. phonemes or groups of phonemes that are to be corrected, for instance because they represent a foreign accent. These unwanted sounds are then modified or completely replaced by the pre-stored replacement audio patterns, adjusted to the current pitch and voice timbre of the user. The degree of speech modification, i.e. the set of phonemes to be modified, can be set at a desired level. The system works in two modes: first, learning, i.e. storing the unwanted and the replacement phoneme patterns, and second, the correction mode which performs phoneme modification based on the stored information. The implementation is both in software and hardware. The hardware apparatus is based on parallel signal processing and therefore allows for real-time accent correcting of variable complexity, up to multiple-user multiple-accent super-complex systems based on mesh architecture of multiple chips and boards, possibly as a part of a telephone or another networking system.
47 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An accent detection and correction system comprising:
-
(a) means for inputting unwanted speech patterns such that said speech patterns are digitalized, analyzed and stored in a digital memory library of unwanted speech patterns;
(b) means for inputting desired speech patterns corresponding to said unwanted speech patterns such that said desired speech patterns are digitalized, analyzed and stored in a digital memory library of desired speech patterns;
(c) means for actively detecting incoming speech patterns, comparing said detected incoming speech patterns with said unwanted speech patterns stored in said digital memory of unwanted speech patterns such that the unwanted speech patterns found in said incoming speech patterns are removed and queued for replacement;
(d) means for analyzing said unwanted speech patterns in incoming speech patterns and determining positively corresponding desired speech patterns; and
(e) means for replacing said unwanted speech patterns found in said incoming speech patterns with said desired speech patterns which are determined to be positively corresponding to said unwanted speech patterns, thereby producing an output speech pattern in which said unwanted speech patterns have been removed and replaced with said desired speech patterns. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method for modifying speech patterns, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) inputting unwanted speech patterns such that said speech patterns are digitalized, analyzed and stored in a digital memory library of unwanted speech patterns;
(b) inputting desired speech patterns corresponding to said unwanted speech patterns such that said desired speech patterns are digitalized, analyzed and stored in a digital memory library of desired speech patterns;
(c) actively detecting incoming speech patterns, comparing said detected incoming speech patterns with said unwanted speech patterns stored in said digital memory of unwanted speech patterns such that the unwanted speech patterns found in said incoming speech patterns are removed and queued for replacement;
(d) analyzing said unwanted speech patterns in incoming speech patterns and determining positively corresponding desired speech patterns; and
(e) replacing said unwanted speech patterns found in said incoming speech patterns with said desired speech patterns which are determined to be positively corresponding to said unwanted speech patterns, thereby producing an output speech pattern in which said unwanted speech patterns have been removed and replaced with said desired speech patterns. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification