IP Library Granted Patent US 7,664,645
Granted Patent B2
US 7,664,645 · App. 11/077,153 · Granted Feb 16, 2010

Individualization of voice output by matching synthesized voice target voice

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,664,645
App. No.
11/077,153
Granted
Feb 16, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

The voice of a synthesized voice output is individualized and matched to a user voice, the voice of a communication partner or the voice of a famous personality. In this way mobile terminals in particular can be originally individualized and text messages can be read out using a specific voice.

Claims (36)

1. A method embodied in a communication apparatus for speech synthesis, the method comprising:

capturing speech signals related to one or more target voices and calculating transformation values of each of the target voices by evaluating voice features of the speech signals;

assigning a unique communication identifier to the transformation values for each respective target voice; and

matching a synthesized voice of the communication apparatus to one of the one or more target voices based on transformation values assigned to a selected communication identifier.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more target voices is a voice of a user of the communication apparatus.

3. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising obtaining data for matching the synthesized voice to at least one of the one or more target voices from speech signals spoken into the communication apparatus by the user.

4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein said obtaining uses the speech signals spoken into the communication device by the user for communication to obtain the data for matching the synthesized voice to the at least one target voice.

5. A method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

storing the speech signals during the communication,

wherein said obtaining of the data for matching the synthesized voice to the at least one target voice uses the stored speech signals after the communication has ended.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more target voices is a voice of a communication partner of a user of the communication apparatus.

7. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising obtaining data for matching the synthesized voice to at least one of the one or more target voices from speech signals transmitted by the communication partner for communication with the user of the communication apparatus.

8. A method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

storing the speech signals during the communication,

wherein said obtaining of the data for matching the synthesized voice to the at least one target voice uses the stored speech signals after the communication has ended.

9. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising downloading data for matching the synthesized voice to the target voice via a network.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the communication apparatus is at least one of embedded hardware, a mobile terminal and communication apparatus with a mobile telephone function.

11. A communication apparatus for speech synthesis, comprising:

means for capturing speech signals related to one or more target voices;

means for calculating transformation values of each of the target voices by evaluating voice features of the speech signals;

means for assigning a unique communication identifier to the transformation values for each respective target voice; and

means for matching a synthesized voice of the communication apparatus for output of synthesized speech to one of the one or more target voices based on transformation values assigned to a selected communication identifier.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the communication apparatus is at least one of embedded hardware, a mobile terminal and a communication apparatus with a mobile telephone function.

13. A computer readable medium encoded with a program for performing speech synthesis of a communication apparatus, the program when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform a method comprising:

capturing speech signals related to one or more target voices and calculating transformation values of each of the target voices by evaluating voice features of the speech signals;

assigning a unique communication identifier to the transformation values for each respective target voice; and

matching a synthesized voice of the communication apparatus to one of the one or more target voices based on transformation values assigned to a selected communication identifier.

14. A computer readable medium according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the one or more target voices is a voice of one of a user of the device and a communication partner of the user.

15. A computer readable medium according to claim 14 , wherein said method further comprises obtaining data for matching the synthesized voice to at least one of the one or more target voices from speech signals spoken into the communication apparatus by one of the user and the communication partner of the user.

16. A computer readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein said obtaining uses the speech signals spoken into the communication apparatus by the one of the user and the communication partner of the user for communication to obtain the data for matching the synthesized voice to the at least one target voice.

17. A computer readable medium according to claim 16 , further comprising storing the speech signals during the communication,

wherein said obtaining of the data for matching the synthesized voice to the at least one target voice uses the stored speech signals after the communication has ended.

18. A method embodied in a communication apparatus for speech synthesis, the method comprising:

capturing speech signals related to one or more target voices and calculating warping values of each of the target voices by evaluating voice features of the speech signals;

assigning a unique communication identifier to the warping values for each respective target voice; and

matching a synthesized voice of the communication apparatus to one of the one or more target voices based on warping values assigned to a selected communication identifier.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE (REEL 052935 / FRAME 0584) Recorded Jan 2, 2025
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 069797/0818 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REPLACE THE CONVEYANCE DOCUMENT WITH THE NEW ASSIGNMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 050836 FRAME: 0191. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 19, 2022
From: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 059804/0186 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 15, 2020
From: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 052935/0584 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2020
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 052927/0335 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 7, 2019
From: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
Reel/Frame 050953/0133 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 050836 FRAME: 0191. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 29, 2019
From: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: CERENCE OPERATING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 050871/0001 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 23, 2019
From: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: CERENCE INC.
Reel/Frame 050836/0191 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2013
From: SVOX AG
To: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 031266/0764 →