SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SELECTION AND USE OF MULTIPLE CHARACTERS FOR DOCUMENT NARRATION

• US 20100318364A1
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T Play Holdings LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: K-NFB Reading Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Albrecht, Paul, Kurzweil, Raymond C., Chapman, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,498,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices. Further disclosed are techniques and systems for generating an audible output in which different portions of a text are narrated using voice models associated with different characters.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

displaying a sequence of words on a user interface rendered on a display device;

displaying on the user interface rendered on the display device a menu for selection of a character from a plurality of characters;

receiving, by one or more computers, a user-based selection of a first portion of words in the sequence of words,

receiving, by the one or more computers, a user-based selection of a first character to associate with the first portion of words,

receiving, by the one or more computers, a user-based selection of a second portion of words in the sequence of words,

receiving, by the one or more computers, a user-based selection of a second character to associate with the second portion of words, and

generating, by the one or more computers, an audible output corresponding to the first and second portions of words with the audible output of the first portion of words being generated using a first voice model associated with the first character and the audible output of the second portion of words being generated using a second voice model associated with the second character, the second voice model being different from the first voice model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu for selection of a character from a plurality of characters comprises a drop down menu.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu for selection of a character from a plurality of characters comprises an image of the character.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first voice model comprises a first text-to-speech voice model;

and the second voice model comprises a second text-to-speech voice model that is different from the first text-to-speech voice model.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first voice model is configured to generate an audible output in a first language and the second voice model is configured to generate an audible output in a second language that is different from the first language.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first voice model is configured to generate an audible output in a female voice and the second voice model is configured to generate an audible output in a male voice.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first voice model is configured to generate an audible output representing a voice of an individual in a first age group and the second voice model is configured to generate an audible output representing a voice of an individual in a second age group that is different from the first age group.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first voice model is configured to generate an audible output at a first reading speed and the second voice model is configured to generate an audible output at a second reading speed that is different from the first reading speed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first voice model is configured to generate an audible output at a first volume and the second voice model is configured to generate an audible output at a second volume that is different from the first volume.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying one or both of the first and second voice models by at least one of modifying a reading speed associated with the voice model, modifying a volume associated with the voice model, modifying the gender of the character associated with the voice model, modifying the age of the character and modifying a language of the voice model.

11. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a processor to:

display a sequence of words on a user interface rendered on a display device;

display on the user interface rendered on the display device a menu for selection of a character from a plurality of characters;

receive a user-based selection of a first portion of words in the sequence of words,

receive a user-based selection of a first character to associate with the first portion of words,

receive a user-based selection of a second portion of words in the sequence of words,

receive a user-based selection of a second character to associate with the second portion of words, and

generate an audible output corresponding to the first and second portions of words with the audible output of the first portion of words being generated using a first voice model associated with the first character and the audible output of the second portion of words being generated using a second voice model associated with the second character, the second voice model being different from the first voice model.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the first and second voice models differ in one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of language, gender, age, reading speed, and volume.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising instructions to cause the processor to:

modify one or both of the first and second voice models by at least one of modifying a reading speed associated with the voice model, modifying a volume associated with the voice model, modifying the gender of the character associated with the voice model, modifying the age of the character and modifying a language of the voice model.

14. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a computing device configured to;

display a sequence of words on a user interface rendered on a display device;

display on the user interface rendered on the display device a menu for selection of a character from a plurality of characters;

receive a user-based selection of a first portion of words in the sequence of words,

receive a user-based selection of a first character to associate with the first portion of words,

receive a user-based selection of a second portion of words in the sequence of words,

receive a user-based selection of a second character to associate with the second portion of words, and

generate an audible output corresponding to the first and second portions of words with the audible output of the first portion of words being generated using a first voice model associated with the first character and the audible output of the second portion of words being generated using a second voice model associated with the second character, the second voice model being different from the first voice model.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first and second voice models differ in one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of language, gender, age, reading speed, and volume.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the computing device is further configured to

modify one or both of the first and second voice models by at least one of modifying a reading speed associated with the voice model, modifying a volume associated with the voice model, modifying the gender of the character associated with the voice model, modifying the age of the character and modifying a language of the voice model.