US5832435A
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US
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Methods for controlling the generation of speech from text representing one or more names
Assignee: Google LLC
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Filing: 1997-01-29
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Granted: 1998-11-03
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Expires: 2017-01-29
Abstract
Abstract Improved automated synthesis of human audible speech from text is disclosed. Performance enhancement of the underlying text comprehensibility is obtained through prosodic treatment of the synthesized material, improved speaking rate treatment, and improved methods of spelling words or terms for the system user. Prosodic shaping of text sequences appropriate for the discourse in large groupings of text segments, with prosodic boundaries developed to indicate conceptual units within the text groupings, is implemented in a preferred embodiment.
Inventors
- 👤 Kim Ernest Alexander Silverman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 18:10
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10L; G10L13/00; G10L13/08; G10L13/10; G10L13/02; G10L13/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment including at least one name, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing the beginning of the text segment to identify any prefixed title included in the text segment; reducing the prosodic salience of any identified prefixed titles; inserting a pause between any identified prefixed title and following text included in the text segment; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment, the generated speech reflecting the reduced prosodic salience of any identified prefixed title and any inserted pause.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment including at least one name, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing the beginning of the text segment to identify any prefixed title included in the text segment; reducing the prosodic salience of any identified prefixed titles; inserting a pause between any identified prefixed title and following text included in the text segment; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment, the generated speech reflecting the reduced prosodic salience of any identified prefixed title and any inserted pause.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing the beginning of the text segment to identify any prefixed title included in the text segment; reducing the prosodic salience of any identified prefixed titles; inserting a pause between any identified prefixed title and following text included in the text segment; analyzing the text segment to identify any separable accentable suffixes included in the text segment; introducing a pause before any identified separable accentable suffice; emphasizing any identified separable accentable suffice; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment, the generated speech reflecting the reduced prosodic salience of any identified prefixed title and any inserted pause.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing the beginning of the text segment to identify any prefixed title included in the text segment; reducing the prosodic salience of any identified prefixed titles; inserting a pause between any identified prefixed title and following text included in the text segment; analyzing the text segment to identify any separable accentable suffixes included in the text segment; introducing a pause before any identified separable accentable suffice; emphasizing any identified separable accentable suffice; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment, the generated speech reflecting the reduced prosodic salience of any identified prefixed title and any inserted pause.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2, wherein step of identifying prefixed titles includes the use of a table of prefixed titles, the table including Mr, Dr, Reverend and Captain.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the step of identifying separable accentable suffixes includes the step of identifying suffixes including: incorporated, junior, senior, II, and III.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of: analyzing the text segment to identify any deaccentable suffixes included in the text segment, a deaccentable suffice being a word which, when occurring after another word, joins the preceding word to make a single conceptual unit; and reducing the salience of any identified deaccentable suffix.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of: storing a table of deaccentable suffixes; and using the table of deaccentable suffixes when analyzing the text segment to identify any deaccentable suffixes included in the text segment.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the table of deaccentable suffixes includes the words: company, center, supply, limited, and corporation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
92 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of: analyzing the text segment to identify any deaccentable suffixes included in the text segment, a deaccentable suffice being a word which, when occurring after another word, joins the preceding word to make a single conceptual unit; for each identified deaccentable suffix, determining if the identified deaccentable suffix is preceded by additional text included in the text segment; and for each identified deaccentable suffix for which it is determined that there is additional preceeding text, reducing the salience of said identified deaccentable suffix.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of: checking to determine if a word is repeated in the text segment; and if it is determined that a word is repeated, deaccenting the subsequent occurrence of the word.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of: inserting, before an initial included in the text segment, an announcement of the initial's letter status.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the inserted announcement is one of the following phrases: "the letter" and "initial".
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of: checking to determine if a word is repeated in the text segment and to determine if there is any text located between a first occurrence of a repeated word and a subsequent occurrence of the repeated word; and upon determining that a word is repeated, and that there is text located between the first and second occurrences of the repeated word, deaccenting the subsequent occurrence of the word.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of: inserting, before an initial included in the text segment, an announcement of the initial's letter status, if it is determined through the use of a look-up table that said initial might be confused with a like sounding name.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of: checking to determine if a word is repeated in the text segment; and if it is determined that a word is repeated, deaccenting the subsequent occurrence of the word.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment including a plurality of words and an initial, the method comprising the steps of: inserting, before the initial included in the text segment, an announcement of the initial's letter status, if it is determined through the use of a look-up table that said initial might be confused with a like sounding name; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment and the inserted announcement.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment including a plurality of words and an initial, the method comprising the steps of: inserting, before the initial included in the text segment, an announcement of the initial's letter status, if it is determined through the use of a look-up table that said initial might be confused with a like sounding name; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment and the inserted announcement.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
55 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment including a plurality of words and an initial, the method comprising the steps of: inserting, before the initial included in the text segment, an announcement of the initial's letter status; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment and the inserted announcement.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
55 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment including a plurality of words and an initial, the method comprising the steps of: inserting, before the initial included in the text segment, an announcement of the initial's letter status; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment and the inserted announcement.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method of claim 16, further comprising; analyzing the beginning of the text segment to identify any prefixed title included in the text segment; reducing the prosodic salience of any identified prefixed titles; inserting a pause between any identified prefixed title and following text included in the text segment; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment, the generated speech reflecting the reduced prosodic salience of any identified prefixed title and any inserted pause.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment including a plurality of words, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing the beginning of the text segment to identify any prefixed title included in the text segment; reducing the prosodic salience of any identified prefixed titles; analyzing the text segment to identify any separable accentable suffixes included in the text segment; introducing a pause before any identified separable accentable suffice; emphasizing any identified separable accentable suffice; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment, the generated speech reflecting the reduced prosodic salience of any identified prefixed title and the emphasizing of any identified separable accentable suffice.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment including a plurality of words, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing the beginning of the text segment to identify any prefixed title included in the text segment; reducing the prosodic salience of any identified prefixed titles; analyzing the text segment to identify any separable accentable suffixes included in the text segment; introducing a pause before any identified separable accentable suffice; emphasizing any identified separable accentable suffice; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment, the generated speech reflecting the reduced prosodic salience of any identified prefixed title and the emphasizing of any identified separable accentable suffice.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of: analyzing the text segment to identify any deaccentable suffixes included in the text segment, a deaccentable suffice being a word which, when occurring after another word, joins the preceding word to make a single conceptual unit; and reducing the salience of any identified deaccentable suffix.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of: storing a table of deaccentable suffixes, the table including the words company, limited, and corporation; and using the table of deaccentable suffixes when analyzing the text segment to identify any deaccentable suffixes included in the text segment.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
92 words
The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of: analyzing the text segment to identify any deaccentable suffixes included in the text segment, a deaccentable suffice being a word which, when occurring after another word, joins the preceding word to make a single conceptual unit; for each identified deaccentable suffix, determining if the identified deaccentable suffix is preceded by additional text included in the text segment; and for each identified deaccentable suffix for which it is determined that there is additional preceeding text, reducing the salience of said identified deaccentable suffix.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment including a prefixed title followed by words, the title and words representing a name, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing the beginning of the text segment to identify any prefixed title included in the text segment; controlling the prosodic salience of any identified prefixed title to be lower than the words in the text segment following the prefixed title; inserting a pause between any identified prefixed title and following text included in the text segment; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment, the generated speech reflecting the controlled prosodic salience of any identified prefixed title and any inserted pause.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of generating speech from a text segment including a prefixed title followed by words, the title and words representing a name, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing the beginning of the text segment to identify any prefixed title included in the text segment; controlling the prosodic salience of any identified prefixed title to be lower than the words in the text segment following the prefixed title; inserting a pause between any identified prefixed title and following text included in the text segment; and operating a speech synthesizer to generate speech from the text segment, the generated speech reflecting the controlled prosodic salience of any identified prefixed title and any inserted pause.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-11-02 | 2002-05-04 | 2002-11-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-11-02 | 2006-05-04 | 2006-11-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-11-02 | 2010-05-04 | 2010-11-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |