IP Library Granted Patent US 7,392,190
Granted Patent B1
US 7,392,190 · App. 11/466,806 · Granted Jun 24, 2008

Coarticulation method for audio-visual text-to-speech synthesis

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,392,190
App. No.
11/466,806
Granted
Jun 24, 2008
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method for generating animated sequences of talking heads in text-to-speech applications wherein a processor samples a plurality of frames comprising image samples. The processor reads first data comprising one or more parameters associated with noise-producing orifice images of sequences of at least three concatenated phonemes which correspond to an input stimulus. The processor reads, based on the first data, second data comprising images of a noise-producing entity. The processor generates an animated sequence of the noise-producing entity.

Claims (35)

1. A computing device for generating a noise-producing entity, comprising:

a module configured to read first data comprising one or more parameters associated with noise-producing orifice images of sequences of at least three concatenated phonemes which correspond to an input stimulus;

a module configured to read, based on the first data, corresponding second data comprising images of a noise-producing entity; and

a module configured to generate, using the second data, an animated sequence of the noise-producing entity tracking the input stimulus.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a module configured to read acoustic data associated with the second data;

a module configured to convert the acoustic data into sound; and

a module configured to output the sound synchronously with the animated sequence of the noise-producing entity.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first data comprises one or more equations characterizing noise-producing orifice shapes.

4. The computing device of claim 3 , wherein the first data comprises one or more equations characterizing noise-producing orifice shapes.

5. The computing device of claim 2 , wherein the module configured to convert further uses a data-to-sound converter.

6. The computing device of claim 2 , wherein the first data comprises segments of sampled images of a noise-producing subject.

7. The computing device of claim 2 , wherein the second data comprises parameters associated with a noise-producing orifice degree of opening.

8. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the first data comprises animation data, and the second data comprises coarticulation data.

9. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the module configured to generate further overlays the segments onto a common interface to create frames comprising the animation sequence.

10. A method of generating an animated entity, the method comprising:

reading first data associated with noise-producing orifice images of sequences of at least three concatenated phonemes;

reading second data comprising images associated with an animated entity; and

generating the animated entity based on the first data and the second data.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first data corresponds to an input stimulus and the animated entity is generated to track the input stimulus.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the animated entity is a noise producing entity.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

reading acoustic data associated with the sound data;

converting the acoustic data into second; and

outputting the sound synchronously with the generation of the animated entity.

14. A computer-readable medium storing instructions for controlling a computing device to generate an animated entity, the instructions comprising:

reading first data associated with noise-producing orifice images of sequences of at least three concatenated phonemes;

reading second data comprising images associated with animated entity; and

generating the animated entity based on the first data and the second data.

15. The computer-readable medium of claims 14 , wherein the first data corresponds to an input stimulus and the animated entity is generated to track the input stimulus.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the animated entity is a noise producing entity.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , the instructions further comprising:

reading acoustic data associated with the second data;

converting the acoustic data into sound; and

outputting the sound synchronously with the generation of the animated entity.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2017
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY II, L.P.
To: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 041498/0316 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 26, 2016
From: AT&T CORP.
To: AT&T PROPERTIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 038529/0164 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 26, 2016
From: AT&T PROPERTIES, LLC
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY II, L.P.
Reel/Frame 038529/0240 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2016
From: COSATTO, ERIC; GRAF, HANS PETER; SCHROETER, JUERGEN
To: AT&T CORP.
Reel/Frame 038279/0587 →