Method and apparatus for audio playing

• US 9,378,727 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tencent Technology Company Limited (Tencent Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Tencent Technology Company Limited (Tencent Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Ye, Yinghua, Hou, Yuejiao
• Primary Examiner(s): McFadden, Susan
• Application Number:
  US14/307,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20140324436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 704/260
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus for audio playing is provided. The method includes receiving an audio conversion request carrying a first text identifier, and obtaining a first electronic text corresponding to the first text identifier; obtaining the audio data corresponding to the characters in the first electronic text according to a correspondence between characters and audio data which is stored in advance; and playing the audio data in the order of corresponding characters in the first electronic text. By applying the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the efficiency of obtaining information from electronic text.

Claims

1. A method for audio playing having a correspondence between characters and pre-stored audio data in a non-transitory storage unit, comprising:

receiving an audio conversion request carrying a first text identifier and obtaining a first electronic text corresponding to the first text identifier, by a receiving unit using a processor;

obtaining, by a obtaining unit using a processor, the audio data corresponding to the characters in the first electronic text according to the stored correspondence between characters and audio data; and

playing, by a playing unit using a processor, the audio data in an order of corresponding characters in the first electronic text,

wherein the audio conversion request is triggered by a first control signal, and the audio playing request is triggered by a second control signal,

wherein the first control signal is a signal generated by clicking an earphone play button for a time duration larger than or equal to a preset threshold, and the second control signal is a signal generated by clicking the earphone play button for a time duration smaller than the preset threshold;

or the first control signal is a signal generated by clicking an earphone play button for a time duration smaller than a preset threshold, and the second control signal is a signal generated by clicking the earphone play button for a time duration larger than or equal to the preset threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of playing the obtained audio data in the order of corresponding characters in the first electronic text comprises:

playing the audio data in the order of corresponding characters in the first electronic text when an audio playing request is received.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the step of receiving an audio conversion request carrying a first text identifier, and obtaining a first electronic text corresponding to the first text identifier, the method comprises:

when a backward switch request is received, obtaining a second electronic text adjacent to and before the first electronic text;

obtaining the audio data corresponding to the characters in the second electronic text according to the stored correspondence between characters and audio data;

playing the audio data in the order of corresponding characters in the second electronic text, or

when a forward switch request is received, obtaining a third electronic text adjacent to and after the first electronic text;

obtaining the audio data corresponding to the characters in the third electronic text according to the stored correspondence between characters and audio data;

playing the audio data in the order of corresponding characters in the third electronic text.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the backward switch request is triggered by a third control signal, and the forward switch request is triggered by a fourth control signal.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the third control signal is a signal generated by clicking a volume decreasing button, and the fourth control signal is a signal generated by clicking a volume increasing button.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the third control signal is a signal generated by clicking a volume increasing button, and the fourth control signal is a signal generated by clicking a volume decreasing button.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions which, when executed on a computing device, instruct the computing device to perform respective steps of the method recited in claim 1.

7. An apparatus for audio playing, comprising:

a storage unit configured to pre-store a correspondence between characters and audio data;

a receiving unit using a processor and configured to receive an audio conversion request carrying a first text identifier, and obtain a first electronic text corresponding to the first text identifier;

an obtaining unit using a processor and configured to obtain the audio data corresponding to the characters in the first electronic text according to the stored correspondence between characters and audio data; and

a playing unit using a processor and configured to play the audio data in the order of corresponding characters in the first electronic text,

wherein the audio conversion request is triggered by a first control signal, and the audio playing request is triggered by a second control signal,

wherein the first control signal is a signal generated by clicking an earphone play button for a time duration larger than or equal to a preset threshold, and the second control signal is a signal generated by clicking the earphone play button for a time duration smaller than the preset threshold;

or the first control signal is a signal generated by clicking an earphone play button for a time duration smaller than a preset threshold, and the second control signal is a signal generated by clicking the earphone play button for a time duration larger than or equal to the preset threshold.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the playing unit is configured to play the audio data in the order of corresponding characters in the first electronic text when an audio playing request is received.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein after receiving an audio conversion request carrying a first text identifier, and obtaining a first electronic text corresponding to the first text identifier, the receiving unit is further configured to:

when a backward switch request is received, obtain a second electronic text adjacent to and before the first electronic text;

obtain the audio data corresponding to the characters in the second electronic text according to the stored correspondence between characters and audio data;

play the audio data in the order of corresponding characters in the second electronic text, or

when a forward switch request is received, obtain a third electronic text adjacent to and after the first electronic text;

obtain the audio data corresponding to the characters in the third electronic text according to the stored correspondence between characters and audio data;

play the audio data in the order of corresponding characters in the third electronic text.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the backward switch request is triggered by a third control signal, and the forward switch request is triggered by a fourth control signal.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the third control signal is a signal generated by clicking a volume decreasing button, and the fourth control signal is a signal generated by clicking a volume increasing button.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the third control signal is a signal generated by clicking a volume increasing button, and the fourth control signal is a signal generated by clicking a volume decreasing button.