Voice-generating/document making apparatus voice-generating/document making method and computer-readable medium for storing therein a program having a computer execute voice-generating/document making sequence

• US 5,875,427 A
• Filed: 03/28/1997
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Justsystems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Justsystems Corporation
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Nobuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Opsasnick, Michael N.
• Application Number:
  US08/828,942
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 704/258, 704/270, 704/276, 704/278
• US Class Current: 704/258
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/06 Transformation of speech into a non-audible representation, e.g. speech visualisation or speech processing for tactile aids G10L15/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A voice-generating information making apparatus comprises: a talking way data storing section for storing therein talking way data comprising character string information grouped according to the character string information, a character string input unit for inputting a character string (consisting of a control section, an application storing section, a key entry section, and a display section), a retrieving unit for retrieving a group having the same character string information as the inputted character string, a voice tone data storing section for storing therein a plurality of voice tone data, a voice synthesizing section for synthesizing a voice, a voice selecting unit for selecting a desired voice from the synthesized voice, and a voice-generating document storing section for storing therein talking way data corresponding to the selected voice as a voice-generating document in correlation to the inputted character string.

Claims

1. A voice-generating document making apparatus comprising:

a talking way data storing means for storing therein talking way data comprising character string information comprising words, clauses, or sentences;

phoneme string information comprising of phonemes each corresponding to a character in said character string information;

a length of duration of each phoneme in said phoneme string information;

pitch information for specifying a relative pitch of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time; and

velocity information for specifying a volume of each phoneme in said phoneme string information for each group of talking way data having the same character string information according to character string information in said talking way information;

a character string input means for inputting character strings each comprising one of a word, a clause, or a sentence;

a retrieving means for retrieving groups, each having the same character string information as said character string from said talking way storing means, by using a character string inputted from said character string input means;

a voice tone data storing means for storing therein a plurality of voice tone data each for adding a voice tone to a voice to be synthesized;

a voice synthesizing means for successively reading out talking way data in the groups retrieved by said retrieving means and synthesizing a voice by using the phoneme string information, duration length, pitch information, and velocity information in the talking way data read out as well as one of said plurality of voice tone data stored in said voice tone data storing means;

a voice selecting means for selecting a desired voice from voices synthesized by said voice synthesizing means; and

a voice-generating document storing means for storing therein the talking way data corresponding to the voice selected by said voice selecting means as a voice-generating document in correlation to the character string inputted from said character string input means.

2. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a regeneration specifying means for specifying regeneration of the voice-generating document stored in said voice-generating document storing means;

wherein, when regeneration of said voice-generating document is specified, said voice synthesizing means successively reads out talking way data in said voice-generating document to synthesize a voice.

3. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said regeneration specifying means is operative to specify arbitrary units of character string, units of sentence, units of page in said voice-generating document, or the entire voice-generating document as an area in which said voice-generating document is to be regenerated.

4. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of voice tone data comprises voice tone data each of which can be identified respectively through a human sense and comprises at least one of a male'"'"'s voice, a female'"'"'s voice, a child'"'"'s voice, an old person'"'"'s voice, a husky voice, a clear voice, a deep voice, a thin voice, a strong voice, a gentle voice, and a mechanical voice.

5. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said character string input means has a kana (Japanese character)--kanji (Chinese character) converting function, and a character string inputted by said character string input means is a text with kanji and kana mixed therein having been converted by using said kana-kanji converting function.

6. A voice-generating document making apparatus comprising:

a talking way data storing means for storing therein talking way data comprising character string information comprising words, clauses, or sentences;

phoneme string information comprising phonemes each corresponding to a character in said character string information;

a length of duration of each phoneme in said phoneme string information;

pitch information for specifying a relative pitch of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time; and

velocity information for specifying a relative volume of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time for each group of talking way data having the same character string information according to character string information in said talking way data;

a character string input means for inputting character strings each comprising one of a word, a clause, or a sentence;

a retrieving means for retrieving groups, each having the same character string information as said character string from said talking way data storing means, by using a character string inputted from said character string input means;

a voice tone data storing means for storing therein a plurality of voice tone data each for adding a voice tone to a voice to be synthesized;

a voice synthesizing means for successively reading out talking way data in the groups retrieved by said retrieving means and synthesizing a voice by using the phoneme string information, duration length, and pitch information and velocity information in the talking way data read out as well as one of said plurality of voice tone data stored in said voice tone data storing means;

a voice selecting means for selecting a desired voice from voices synthesized by said voice synthesizing means; and

a voice-generating document storing means for storing therein the talking way data corresponding to the voice selected by said voice selecting means as a voice-generating document as a voice-generating document in correlation to the character string inputted from said character string input means.

7. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising:

a regeneration specifying means for specifying regeneration of the voice-generating document stored in said voice-generating document storing means;

wherein, when regeneration of said voice-generating document is specified, said voice synthesizing means successively reads out talking way data in said voice-generating document to synthesize a voice.

8. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said regeneration specifying means is operative to specify arbitrary units of character string, units of sentence, units of page in said voice-generating document, or the entire voice-generating document as an area in which said voice-generating document is to be regenerated.

9. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of voice tone data comprises voice tone data each of which can be identified respectively through a human sense and comprises at least one of a male'"'"'s voice, a female'"'"'s voice, a child'"'"'s voice, an old person'"'"'s voice, a husky voice, a clear voice, a deep voice, a thin voice, a strong voice, a gentle voice, and a mechanical voice.

10. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said character string input means has a kana (Japanese character)--kanji (Chinese character) converting function, and a character string inputted by said character string input means is a text with kanji and kana mixed therein having been converted by using said kana-kanji converting function.

11. A voice-generating document making apparatus comprising:

a talking way data storing means for storing therein talking way data comprising character string information comprising words, clauses, or sentences;

phoneme string information comprising of phonemes each corresponding to a character in said character string information;

a length of duration of each phoneme in said phoneme string information, pitch information for specifying a relative pitch of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time; and

velocity information for specifying a volume of each phoneme in said phoneme string information for each group of talking way data having the same character string information according to character string information in said talking way data;

a character string input means for inputting character strings each comprising one of a word, a clause, or a sentence;

a retrieving means for retrieving groups, each having the same character string information as said character string from said talking way data storing means, by using a character string inputted from said character string input means;

a voice tone data storing means for storing therein a plurality of voice tone data each for adding a voice tone to a voice to be synthesized;

a voice tone data specifying means for specifying one of the voice tone data stored in said voice tone data storing means;

a voice synthesizing means for successively reading out talking way data in the groups retrieved by said retrieving means and synthesizing a voice by using the phoneme string information, duration length, and pitch information and velocity information in the talking way data read out as well as voice tone data specified by said voice tone data specifying means;

a voice selecting means for selecting a desired voice from voices synthesized by said voice synthesizing means; and

a voice-generating document storing means for storing therein the talking way data and the voice tone data as a voice-generating document each corresponding to the voice selected by said voice selecting means in correlation to the character string inputted from said character string input means.

12. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising:

a talking way data making/registering means for making said talking way data and registering the information in said talking way data storing means.

13. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said talking way data making/registering means comprises:

a voice waveform data input means for receiving voice waveform data previously recorded or a natural voice pronounced by a user, and displaying the voice waveform data;

a duration length setting means for analyzing phonemes each obtained by receiving the voice from the user or of said voice waveform data and setting a duration length of each phoneme for displaying it;

a phoneme string information adding means for adding phoneme string information corresponding to said set duration length;

a pitch curve displaying means for analyzing a pitch of said voice waveform data and displaying a pitch curve;

a pitch information generating means for generating pitch information by adjusting or adding thereto a relative pitch value of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time according to said displayed pitch curve and phoneme string information;

a velocity information generating means for adjusting a volume of each phoneme in said phoneme string information and generating velocity information;

a character string information setting means for receiving a character string corresponding to said voice waveform data and setting character string information; and

a registering means for registering said character string information, phoneme string information, duration length, and pitch information and velocity information as talking way data in appropriate groups in said talking way data storing means according to said character string information.

14. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising:

a regeneration specifying means for specifying regeneration of the voice-generating document stored in said voice-generating document storing means;

wherein, when regeneration of said voice-generating document is specified, said voice synthesizing means successively reads out talking way data as well as voice tone data in said voice-generating document for synthesizing a voice.

15. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said regeneration specifying means is operative to specify arbitrary units of character string, units of sentence, units of page in said voice-generating document, or the entire voice-generating document as an area in which said voice-generating document is to be regenerated.

16. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said apparatus comprises a display means to display the voice-generating document stored in said voice-generating document storing means, specify an arbitrary character string of said displayed voice-generating document, and change or input again said specified character string by using said character string input means;

and further, wherein said apparatus comprises means to change talking way data and voice tone data corresponding to said specified character string by retrieving the information with said retrieving means, specifying voice tone data with said voice tone data specifying means, and synthesizing a voice with said voice synthesizing means as well as selecting a voice with said voice selecting means by using said changed or re-inputted character string.

17. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of voice tone data comprises voice tone data each of which can be identified respectively through a human sense and comprises at least one of a male'"'"'s voice, a female'"'"'s voice, a child'"'"'s voice, an old person'"'"'s voice, a husky voice, a clear voice, a deep voice, a thin voice, a strong voice, a gentle voice, and a mechanical voice.

18. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said character string input means has a kana (Japanese character)--kanji (Chinese character) converting function, and a character string inputted by said character string input means is a text with kanji and kana mixed therein having been converted by using said kana-kanji converting function.

19. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising:

a classified type specifying means for specifying a classified type of said talking way data;

wherein said talking way data has type information indicating classified types of talking way data respectively in addition to said character string information, phoneme string information, duration length, and pitch information and velocity information;

said retrieving means retrieves talking way data which is a group having the same character string information as said character string and has the same type information as said specified classified type from said talking way data storing means by using the character string inputted by said character string input means as well as the classified type specified by said classified type specifying means, when a classified type is specified through said classified type specifying means; and

said voice synthesizing means reads out talking way data retrieved by said retrieving means and synthesizes a voice by using phoneme string information, a duration length, pitch information, and velocity information in said read out talking way data as well as voice tone data specified by said voice tone data specifying means.

20. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said classified types indicate types in which voices, each corresponding to talking way data, respectively, are classified according to pronunciation types each specific to a particular geographic area.

21. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said classified types indicate types in which voices, each corresponding to talking way data, respectively, are classified according to pronunciation types each specific to a person'"'"'s age group.

22. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said character string input means comprises a display section which is operative to change a font or a decorative method of a character string to be displayed, and is operative to display the character string on said display section according to voice tone data specified for each character string of said voice-generating document.

23. A voice-generating document making apparatus comprising:

a talking way data storing means for storing therein talking way data comprising character string information consisting of words, clauses, or sentences;

phoneme string information comprising phonemes each corresponding to a character in said character string information;

a length of duration of each phoneme in said phoneme string information;

pitch information for specifying a relative pitch of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time; and

velocity information for specifying a relative volume of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time for each group of talking way data having the same character string information according to character string information in said talking way data;

a character string input means for inputting character strings each comprising one of a word, a clause, or a sentence;

a retrieving means for retrieving groups, each having the same character string information as said character string from said talking way data storing means, by using a character string inputted from said character string input means;

a voice tone data storing means for storing therein a plurality of voice tone data each for adding a voice tone to a voice to be synthesized;

a voice tone data specifying means for specifying one of the voice tone data stored in said voice tone data storing means;

a voice synthesizing means for successively reading out talking way data in the groups retrieved by said retrieving means and synthesizing a voice by using the phoneme string information, duration length, and pitch information and velocity information in the talking way data read out as well as voice tone data specified by said voice tone data specifying means;

a voice selecting means for selecting a desired voice from voices synthesized by said voice synthesizing means; and

a voice-generating document storing means for storing therein the talking way data and the voice tone data as a voice-generating document each corresponding to the voice selected by said voice selecting means in correlation to the character string inputted from said character string input means.

24. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 23 further comprising:

a talking way data making/registering means for making said talking way data and registering the information in said talking way data storing means.

25. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said talking way data making/registering means comprises:

a voice waveform data input means for receiving voice waveform data previously recorded or a natural voice pronounced by a user, and displaying the voice waveform data;

a duration length setting means for analyzing phonemes each obtained by receiving the voice from the user or of said voice waveform data and setting a duration length of each phoneme for displaying it;

a phoneme string information adding means for adding phoneme string information corresponding to said set duration length;

a pitch curve displaying means for analyzing a pitch of said voice waveform data and displaying a pitch curve;

a pitch information generating means for generating pitch information by adjusting or adding thereto a relative pitch value of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time according to said displayed pitch curve and phoneme string information;

a velocity information generating means for adjusting a volume of each phoneme in said phoneme string information and generating velocity information;

a character string information setting means for receiving a character string corresponding to said voice waveform data and setting character string information; and

a registering means for registering said character string information, phoneme string information, duration length, and pitch information and velocity information as talking way data in appropriate groups in said talking way data storing means according to said character string information.

26. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 23 further comprising:

a regeneration specifying means for specifying regeneration of the voice-generating document stored in said voice-generating document storing means;

wherein, when regeneration of said voice-generating document is specified, said voice synthesizing means successively reads out talking way data as well as voice tone data in said voice-generating document for synthesizing a voice.

27. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said regeneration specifying means can specify arbitrary units of character string, units of sentence, units of page in said voice-generating document, or the entire voice-generating document as an area in which said voice-generating document is to be regenerated.

28. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said apparatus comprises a display means to display the voice-generating document stored in said voice-generating document storing means, specify an arbitrary character string of said displayed voice-generating document, and change or input again said specified character string by using said character string input means;

and further, wherein said apparatus comprises means to change talking way data and voice tone data corresponding to said specified character string by retrieving the information with said retrieving means, specifying voice tone data with said voice tone data specifying means, and synthesizing a voice with said voice synthesizing means as well as selecting a voice with said voice selecting means by using said changed or re-inputted character string.

29. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said pluralities of voice tone data are voice tone data each of which can be identified respectively through a human sense.

30. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said character string input means has a kana (Japanese character)--kanji (Chinese character) converting function, and a character string inputted by said character string input means is a text with kanji and kana mixed therein having been converted by using said kana-kanji converting function.

31. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 23 further comprising:

a classified type specifying means for specifying a classified type of said talking way data;

wherein said talking way data has type information indicating classified types of talking way data respectively in addition to said character string information, phoneme string information, duration length, and pitch information and velocity information;

said retrieving means retrieves talking way data which is a group having the same character string information as said character string and has the same type information as said specified classified type from said talking way data storing means by using the character string inputted by said character string input means as well as the classified type specified by said classified type specifying means, when a classified type is specified through said classified type specifying means; and

said voice synthesizing means reads out talking way data retrieved by said retrieving means and synthesizes a voice by using phoneme string information, a duration length, pitch information, and velocity information in said read out talking way data as well as voice tone data specified by said voice tone data specifying means.

32. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said classified types indicate types in which voices each corresponding to talking way data, respectively, are classified according to pronunciation types each specific to a particular geographic area.

33. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said classified types indicate types in which voices each corresponding to talking way data, respectively, are classified according to pronunciation types each specific to a person'"'"'s age group.

34. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said character string input means comprises display section, change and is operative to a font or a decorative method of a character string to be displayed, and to display the character string on said display section according to voice tone data specified for each character string of said voice-generating document.

35. A voice-generating document making method comprising:

inputting character strings each constituting a word, a clause, or a sentence;

retrieving a group having the same character string information as the character string inputted in said inputting activity by consulting a database storing therein talking way data comprising character string information consisting of words, clauses, or sentences, phoneme string information consisting of phonemes each corresponding to a character in said character string information, a length of duration of each phoneme in said phoneme string information, pitch information for specifying a relative pitch of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time, and velocity information for specifying a volume of each phoneme in said phoneme string information for each group of talking way data having the same character string information according to character string information in said talking way data;

specifying voice tone data for adding a voice tone to a voice to be synthesized;

successively reading out talking way data in the groups retrieved in said retrieving activity and synthesizing a voice by using the phoneme string information, a duration length, pitch information, and velocity information in the talking way data read out as well as voice tone data specified in said specifying activity;

selecting a desired voice from voices synthesized in said reading out activity; and

storing the talking way data corresponding to the voice selected in said selecting activity as a voice-generating document in correlation to the character string inputted by said inputting activity.

36. A voice-generating document making method according to claim 35 further comprising:

specifying regeneration of the voice-generating document stored in said storing activity; and

successively reading out talking way data and voice tone data in said voice-generating document when regeneration of said voice-generating document is specified and synthesizing a voice.

37. A voice-generating document making method according to claim 36, wherein, in said specifying regeneration activity, arbitrary units of character string, units of sentence, units of page in said voice-generating document, or the entire voice-generating document can be specified as an area in which said voice-generating document is to be regenerated.

38. A voice-generating document making method according to claim 35 further comprising:

displaying the voice-generating document stored in said storing activity, specifying an arbitrary character string of said displayed voice-generating document, and changing or inputting again said specified character string;

wherein said voice-generating document can be changed by executing again said retrieving activity, voice specifying activity, reading out activity, voice selecting activity, and storing activity with the character string changed or re-inputted in said inputting again activity.

39. A voice-generating document making method comprising:

a first step of inputting character strings each constituting a word, a clause, or a sentence;

a second step of retrieving a group having the same character string information as the character string inputted in said first step by referring to a database storing therein talking way data comprising character string information consisting of words, clauses, or sentences, phoneme string information consisting of phonemes each corresponding to a character in said character string information, a length of duration of each phoneme in said phoneme string information, pitch information for specifying a relative pitch of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time; and

velocity information for specifying a relative volume of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time for each group of talking way data having the same character string information according to character string information in said talking way data;

a third step of specifying voice tone data for adding a voice tone to a voice to be synthesized;

a fourth step of successively reading out talking way data in the groups retrieved in said second step and synthesizing a voice by using the phoneme string information, duration length, and pitch information and velocity information in the talking way data read out as well as voice tone data specified in said third step;

a fifth step of selecting a desired voice from voices synthesized in said fourth step; and

a sixth step of storing therein the talking way data corresponding to the voice selected in said fifth step as a voice-generating document in correlation to the character string inputted in said first step.

40. A voice-generating document making method according to claim 39 further comprising:

a seventh step of specifying regeneration of the voice-generating document stored in said sixth step; and

an eighth step of successively reading out talking way data and voice tone data in said voice-generating document when regeneration of said voice-generating document is specified and synthesizing a voice.

41. A voice-generating document making method according to claim 40, wherein, in said seventh step, arbitrary units of character string, units of sentence, units of page in said voice-generating document, or the entire voice-generating document can be specified as an area in which said voice-generating document is to be regenerated.

42. A voice-generating document making method according to claim 39 further comprising:

a ninth step of displaying the voice-generating document stored in said sixth step, specifying an arbitrary character string of said displayed voice-generating document, and changing or inputting again said specified character string;

wherein said voice-generating document can be changed by executing again said second step, third step, fourth step, fifth step, and sixth step with the character string changed or re-inputted in said ninth step.

43. A computer-readable medium from which a computer can read out a program enabling execution by the program of a sequence for making a voice-generating document used in the computer-readable medium;

wherein said storage medium stores therein a program comprising;

a first sequence for inputting character strings each constituting a word, a clause, or a sentence;

a second sequence for retrieving a group having the same character string information as the character string inputted in said first sequence by referring to a database storing therein talking way data comprising character string information consisting of words, clauses, or sentences, phoneme string information consisting of phonemes each corresponding to a character in said character string information, a length of duration of each phoneme in said phoneme string information, pitch information for specifying a relative pitch of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time; and

velocity information for specifying a volume of each phoneme in said phoneme string information for each group of talking way data having the same character string information according to character string information in said talking way data;

a third sequence for specifying voice tone data for adding a voice tone to a voice to be synthesized;

a fourth sequence for successively reading out talking way data in the groups retrieved in said second sequence and synthesizing a voice by using the phoneme string information, duration length, pitch information, and velocity information in the talking way data read out as well as voice tone data specified in said third sequence;

a fifth sequence for selecting a desired voice from voices synthesized in said fourth sequence; and

a sixth sequence for storing therein the talking way data corresponding to the voice selected in said fifth sequence as a voice-generating document in correlation to the character string inputted in said first sequence.

44. A computer-readable medium from which a computer can read out a program enabling execution by the program of a sequence for making voice-generating documents used in the computer-readable medium according to claim 43;

wherein said storage medium stores therein a program further comprising;

a seventh sequence for specifying regeneration of the voice-generating document stored in said sixth sequence; and

an eighth sequence for successively reading out talking way data and voice tone data in said voice-generating document when regeneration of said voice-generating document is specified, and synthesizing a voice.

45. A computer-readable medium from which a computer can read out a program enabling execution by the program of a sequence for making voice-generating documents used in the computer-readable medium according to claim 44;

wherein, in said seventh sequence, arbitrary units of character string, units of sentence, units of page in said voice-generating document, or the entire voice-generating document can be specified as an area in which said voice-generating document is to be regenerated.

46. A computer-readable medium from which a computer can read out a program enabling execution by the program of a sequence for making voice-generating documents used in the computer-readable medium according to claim 43;

wherein said storage medium stores therein a program further comprising;

a ninth sequence for displaying the voice-generating document stored in said sixth sequence, specifying an arbitrary character string of said displayed voice-generating document, and changing or inputting again said specified character string;

wherein said voice-generating document can be changed by executing again said second sequence, third sequence, fourth sequence, fifth sequence, and sixth sequence with the character string changed or re-inputted in said ninth sequence.

47. A computer-readable medium from which a computer can read out a program enabling execution by the program of a sequence for making voice-generating documents used in the storage medium;

wherein said computer-readable medium stores therein a program comprising;

a first sequence for inputting character strings each constituting a word, a clause, or a sentence;

a second sequence for retrieving a group having the same character string information as the character string inputted in said first sequence by referring to a database storing therein talking way data comprising character string information consisting of words, clauses, or sentences, phoneme string information consisting of phonemes each corresponding to a character in said character string information, a length of duration of each phoneme in said phoneme string information, pitch information for specifying a relative pitch of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time; and

velocity information for specifying a relative volume of said phoneme string information at an arbitrary point of time for each group of talking way data having the same character string information according to character string information in said talking way data;

a third sequence for specifying voice tone data for adding a voice tone to a voice to be synthesized;

a fourth sequence for successively reading out talking way data in the groups retrieved in said second sequence and synthesizing a voice by using the phoneme string information, duration length, pitch information, and velocity information in the talking way data read out as well as voice tone data specified in said third sequence;

a fifth sequence for selecting a desired voice from voices synthesized in said fourth sequence; and

a sixth sequence for storing therein the talking way data corresponding to the voice selected in said fifth sequence as a voice-generating document in correlation to the character string inputted in said first sequence.

48. A computer-readable medium from which a computer can read out a program enabling execution by the program of a sequence for making voice-generating documents used in the computer-readable medium according to claim 47;

wherein said storage medium stores therein a program further comprising;

a seventh sequence for specifying regeneration of the voice-generating document stored in said sixth sequence; and

an eighth sequence for successively reading out talking way data and voice tone data in said voice-generating document when regeneration of said voice-generating document is specified, and synthesizing a voice.

49. A computer-readable medium from which a computer can read out a program enabling execution by the program of a sequence for making voice-generating documents used in the computer-readable medium according to claim 48;

wherein, in said seventh sequence, arbitrary units of character string, units of sentence, units of page in said voice-generating document, or the entire voice-generating document can be specified as an area in which said voice-generating document is to be regenerated.

50. A computer-readable medium from which a computer can read out a program enabling execution by the program of a sequence for making voice-generating documents used in the computer-readable medium according to claim 47;

wherein said storage medium stores therein a program further comprising;

a ninth sequence for displaying the voice-generating document stored in said sixth sequence, specifying an arbitrary character string of said displayed voice-generating document, and changing or inputting again said specified character string;

wherein said voice-generating document can be changed by executing again said second sequence, third sequence, fourth sequence, fifth sequence, and sixth sequence with the character string changed or re-inputted in said ninth sequence.

51. A voice-generating document-making apparatus comprising:

a display means to display a voice-generating document stored in a memory,

means for specifying an arbitrary character string of said displayed voice-generating document, said character string having corresponding talking way data and voice tone data stored in said memory;

means for changing said specified character string by changing said talking way data and voice tone data in cooperation with said display, said means for changing further comprising means individually for specifying voice tone data, duration length data, phoneme string data, pitch data and velocity information;

means for selecting a voice by using said changed character string; and

means for synthesizing with data from said memory said selected voice.

52. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 51 further comprising:

a classified type specifying means for specifying a classified type of said talking way data;

wherein said talking way data has type information indicating classified types of talking way data respectively in addition to said character string information, phoneme string information, duration length, and pitch information and velocity information;

retrieving means for retrieving talking way data which is a group having the same character string information as said character string and has the same type information as said specified classified type from said memory by using the character string inputted by said character string input means as well as the classified type specified by said classified type specifying means, when a classified type is specified through said classified type specifying means; and

said voice synthesizing means reads out talking way data retrieved by said retrieving means and synthesizes a voice by using phoneme string information, a duration length, pitch information, and velocity information in said read out talking way data as well as voice tone data specified by said specifying means.

53. A voice-generating document-making apparatus comprising:

a display means to display a voice-generating document stored in a memory,

means for specifying an arbitrary character string of said displayed voice-generating document, said character string having corresponding talking way data and voice tone data stored in said memory;

means for reinputting said specified character string for changing said talking way data and voice tone data in cooperation with said display, said means for reinputting further comprising means for individually specifying voice tone data, duration length data, phoneme string data, pitch data and velocity information;

means for selecting a voice by using said reinputted character string; and

means for synthesizing said selected voice.

54. A voice-generating document making apparatus according to claim 53 further comprising:

a classified type specifying means for specifying a classified type of said talking way data;

wherein said talking way data has type information indicating classified types of talking way data respectively in addition to said character string information, phoneme string information, duration length, and pitch information and velocity information;

retrieving means for retrieving talking way data which is a group having the same character string information as said character string and has the same type information as said specified classified type from said memory by using the character string inputted by said character string input means as well as the classified type specified by said classified type specifying means, when a classified type is specified through said classified type specifying means; and

said voice synthesizing means reads out talking way data retrieved by said retrieving means and synthesizes a voice by using phoneme string information, a duration length, pitch information, and velocity information in said read out talking way data as well as voice tone data specified by said specifying means.