Patent US5212731A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5212731A
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Apparatus for providing sentence-final accents in synthesized american english speech
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1990-09-17
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Granted: 1993-05-18
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Expires: 2010-09-17
Abstract
Abstract A synthetic voice system which can convert typed text to speech calculates the intonation presented by the input text. The system utilizes a pitch (F0) module to calculate an F0 value for the beginning and middle of each phoneme. The following procedure is used. The F0 value for all the stressed syllables are calculated along with all F0 values for the syllables preceding a silence. The calculated F0 values for the syllables are placed on their associated phonemes. The valleys between the stressed syllables are approximated. When the last syllable of a declarative sentence is stressed and in WH question and exclamatory sentences, the FO fall is controlled to be gradual at first and then sharper toward the last utterance. When that last syllable of the declarative sentence is not stressed, the fall is sharper at first and then more gradual toward the last utterance. In "yes/no" questions, there is a final rise after the last stressed syllable of the sentence. The last stressed syllable is assigned a low FO value which is approximately equal to the average FO values of the speaker. To prevent an unnatural sounding, sharp FO rise in these questions when the last accented syllable occurs on the last syllable of the sentence, the final FO rise is lower than that of the "yes/no" question when the last accented syllable does not occur on the last stressed syllable of the sentence.
Inventors
- 👤 Beatrix Zimmermann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:53
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10L; G10L13/00; G10L13/08; G10L13/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
In a phoneme-based test-to-speech synthetic voice system having means for generating spoke sentences composed of a plurality of syllables, wherein some of said syllables are stressed, and wherein some of said syllables precede periods of silence, having means for determining whether each of the sentences is declarative, exclamatory, or a question, and having a pitch module for determining FO values representative of pitch for assigning to selected portions of selected phonemes of stressed syllables, the improvement in said pitch module of said system comprising: means for determining whether a question sentence is a "yes/no" question or a "WH" question; and means for determining appropriate FO values for assigning to the selected phonemes of a last stressed syllable before a period of silence at an end of a sentence, with different FO values being determined and assigned depending upon whether the sentence is declarative, exclamatory, a "yes/no" question, or a WH question.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
In a phoneme-based test-to-speech synthetic voice system having means for generating spoke sentences composed of a plurality of syllables, wherein some of said syllables are stressed, and wherein some of said syllables precede periods of silence, having means for determining whether each of the sentences is declarative, exclamatory, or a question, and having a pitch module for determining FO values representative of pitch for assigning to selected portions of selected phonemes of stressed syllables, the improvement in said pitch module of said system comprising: means for determining whether a question sentence is a "yes/no" question or a "WH" question; and means for determining appropriate FO values for assigning to the selected phonemes of a last stressed syllable before a period of silence at an end of a sentence, with different FO values being determined and assigned depending upon whether the sentence is declarative, exclamatory, a "yes/no" question, or a WH question.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein, in case of a declarative sentence, said FO value determination means assigns a FO value approximately midway between an average FO value being assigned and a highest FO value being assigned; and, in case of an exclamatory sentence, assigns a FO value that is higher than the FO value assigned in the declarative sentence case.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The improvement of claim 2 wherein, in case of an exclamatory sentence, said assigned FO value is approximately 30% higher than the FO value assigned in the declarative sentence case.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The improvement of claim 2 wherein, in the case of a WH question, said FO value determination means assigns a FO value approximately midway between the FO value assigned in the declarative case and the FO value assigned in the exclamatory case.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The improvement of claim 1 further comprising: means for controlling a FO value fall pattern occurring after the last stressed syllable, depending on whether the type of sentence is declarative, exclamatory, or a WH question, and upon whether there is at least one unstressed syllable following the last stressed syllable before the period of silence and the end of the sentence.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The improvement of claim 5 wherein, in case of a declarative sentence, the last syllable is stressed, and the FO value fall is controlled to be gradual at first and then sharper.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The improvement of claim 5 wherein, in case of a declarative sentence, the last syllable is not stressed, and the FO value fall is controlled to be sharper at first and then more gradual.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The improvement of claim 5 wherein, in case of an exclamatory sentence, whether the last syllable is stressed or not, the FO value fall is controlled to be gradual at first and then sharper.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The improvement of claim 5 wherein, in case of a WH question, whether the last syllable is stressed or not, the FO value fall is controlled to be gradual at first and then sharper.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The improvement of claim 9 wherein the FO value fall for a WH question is between the FO fall value for the exclamatory and declarative sentences.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
200 words
In a phoneme-based text-to-speech synthetic voice system having means for generating spoken sentences composed of a plurality of syllables, wherein some of said syllables are stressed, and wherein some of said syllables precede periods of silence, having means for determining whether each of the sentences is declarative, exclamatory, or a question, and having a pitch module for determining FO values representative of pitch for assigning to selected portions of selected phonemes of stressed syllables, the improvement in said pitch module of said system comprising: means for determining whether a question sentence is a "yes/no" question or a "WH" question; and means for controlling a FO value fall pattern for declarative sentences, exclamatory sentences, or "WH" questions, said FO value fall pattern occurring after a last stressed syllable before a period of silence at an end of a sentence, said FO value fall pattern being different, depending on whether the sentence is declarative, exclamatory, or a WH question, and whether there is at least one unstressed syllable following the last stressed syllable before the end of the sentence, and wherein the FO value fall pattern is controlled to achieve a common final pitch for exclamatory sentences, declarative sentences, and "WH" questions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
200 words
In a phoneme-based text-to-speech synthetic voice system having means for generating spoken sentences composed of a plurality of syllables, wherein some of said syllables are stressed, and wherein some of said syllables precede periods of silence, having means for determining whether each of the sentences is declarative, exclamatory, or a question, and having a pitch module for determining FO values representative of pitch for assigning to selected portions of selected phonemes of stressed syllables, the improvement in said pitch module of said system comprising: means for determining whether a question sentence is a "yes/no" question or a "WH" question; and means for controlling a FO value fall pattern for declarative sentences, exclamatory sentences, or "WH" questions, said FO value fall pattern occurring after a last stressed syllable before a period of silence at an end of a sentence, said FO value fall pattern being different, depending on whether the sentence is declarative, exclamatory, or a WH question, and whether there is at least one unstressed syllable following the last stressed syllable before the end of the sentence, and wherein the FO value fall pattern is controlled to achieve a common final pitch for exclamatory sentences, declarative sentences, and "WH" questions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The improvement of claim 11 wherein, in case of a declarative sentence, the last syllable is stressed, and the FO value fall is controlled to be gradual at first and then sharper.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The improvement of claim 11 wherein, in case of a declarative sentence, the last syllable is not stressed, and the FO value fall is controlled to be sharper at first and then more gradual.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The improvement of claim 11 wherein, in case of an exclamatory sentence, whether the last syllable is stressed or not, the FO value fall is controlled to be gradual at first and then sharper.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The improvement of claim 11 wherein, in case of a WH question, whether the last syllable is stressed or not, the FO value fall is controlled to be gradual at first and then sharper.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The improvement of claim 15 wherein the FO fall value for WH questions is between the fall value for the exclamatory and declarative sentences.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
65 words
The text-to-speech synthetic voice system of claim 11, further including means for controlling a FO value rise pattern occurring after a last stressed syllable before a period of silence at an end of a sentence in a "yes/no" question to be high relative to an average pitch when a last syllable is not stressed, and to be less high when the last syllable is stressed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
182 words
A text-to-speech synthetic voice system comprising: means for receiving an input text string having one or more sentences; means for identifying a set of syllables corresponding to said text and for identifying sets of phonemes corresponding to said syllables; means for identifying stressed syllables and a period of silence at an end of a sentence in said text; means for determining whether each of the sentences is declarative, exclamatory, a "yes/no" question, or a WH question; pitch module means for determining one or more FO values representative of pitch for assigning to selected portions of selected phonemes, said pitch module means including means for controlling a FO value fall pattern occurring after a last stressed syllable before the period of silence at the end of the sentence, depending on whether the sentence is declarative, exclamatory, a "yes/no" question, or a WH question, and depending upon whether there is at least one unstressed syllable following the last stressed syllable of the sentence; and means for generating an output speech signal based on said phonemes, said FO values, and said FO value fall patterns.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
182 words
A text-to-speech synthetic voice system comprising: means for receiving an input text string having one or more sentences; means for identifying a set of syllables corresponding to said text and for identifying sets of phonemes corresponding to said syllables; means for identifying stressed syllables and a period of silence at an end of a sentence in said text; means for determining whether each of the sentences is declarative, exclamatory, a "yes/no" question, or a WH question; pitch module means for determining one or more FO values representative of pitch for assigning to selected portions of selected phonemes, said pitch module means including means for controlling a FO value fall pattern occurring after a last stressed syllable before the period of silence at the end of the sentence, depending on whether the sentence is declarative, exclamatory, a "yes/no" question, or a WH question, and depending upon whether there is at least one unstressed syllable following the last stressed syllable of the sentence; and means for generating an output speech signal based on said phonemes, said FO values, and said FO value fall patterns.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The text-to-speech voice system of claim 18 wherein, in case of a declarative sentence where the last syllable is stressed, the FO value fall is controlled to be gradual at first and then sharper.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The text-to-speech voice system of claim 18 wherein, in case of a declarative sentence where the last syllable is not stressed, the FO value fall is controlled to be sharp at first and then more gradual.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
The text-to-speech voice system of claim 18 wherein, in case of an exclamatory sentence, whether the last syllable is stressed or not, the FO value is controlled to be gradual at first and then sharper.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
The text-to-speech voice system of claim 18 wherein, in case of a WH question, whether the last syllable is stressed or not, the FO value fall is controlled to be gradual at first and then sharper.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The text-to-speech voice system of claim 18 wherein the FO fall value for WH questions is between the fall value for the exclamatory and declarative sentences.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-05-17 | 1996-11-16 | 1997-05-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-05-17 | 2000-11-16 | 2001-05-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-05-17 | 2004-11-16 | 2005-05-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |