System and method for personalized text-to-voice synthesis

• US 7,974,392 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Ng, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US12/716,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20100159968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8813- 8814, 455/414.4
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72481 for visually impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00

Abstract

A communication device and method are provided for audibly outputting a received text message to a user, the text message being received from a sender. A text message to present audibly is received. An output voice to present the text message is retrieved, wherein the output voice is synthesized using predefined voice characteristic information to represent the sender'"'"'s voice. The output voice is used to audibly present the text message to the user.

Claims

1. A communication device for sending a text message, the communication device comprising:

a memory to store voice characteristics information associated with a user;

a processor to monitor speech of the user during use of the communication device and to dynamically adjust the voice characteristic information stored in memory based on the speech that is monitored; and

a transmitter to transmit the text message and the dynamically adjusted voice characteristic information to a recipient communication device for audibly outputting the text message utilizing the dynamically adjusted voice characteristic information that is transmitted.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the processor monitors speed during a cellular telephone call utilizing the communication device.

3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the processor monitors speech during voice recording utilizing the communication device.

4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the adjusted voice characteristic information includes a set of voice deltas, each of the voice deltas representing a difference between a voice characteristic of the user and a corresponding voice characteristic of a standard voice.

5. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein the standard voice is a reference voice for use by a plurality of communication devices.

6. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the text message comprises an electronic mail message.

7. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the text message comprises an instant message.

8. A method of transmitting a text message from a communication device, the method comprising:

storing voice characteristic information associated with a user;

monitoring speech of the user when the communication device is in use and dynamically adjusting voice characteristic information that is stored based on the speech that is monitored; and

transmitting the text message and the dynamically adjusted voice characteristic information to a recipient communication device for audibly outputting the text message utilizing the dynamically adjusted voice characteristic information.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein monitoring comprises monitoring during a cellular telephone conversation utilizing the communication device.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein monitoring comprising monitoring during use of the communication device as a voice recorder.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the voice adjusted characteristic information includes a set of voice deltas, each of the voice deltas representing a difference between a voice characteristic of the user and a corresponding voice characteristic of a standard voice.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the standard voice is a reference voice for use by a plurality of users.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the text message comprises an electronic mail message.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the text message comprises an instant message.

15. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for execution by a processor of a communication device to implement the method according to claim 8.