IP Library Granted Patent US 8,099,277
Granted Patent B2
US 8,099,277 · App. 11/725,566 · Granted Jan 17, 2012

Speech-duration detector and computer program product therefor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,099,277
App. No.
11/725,566
Granted
Jan 17, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A speech-duration detector includes a starting-end detecting unit that detects a starting end of a first duration where the characteristic exceeds a threshold value as a starting end of a speech-duration, when the first duration continues for a first time length; a trailing-end-candidate detecting unit that detects a starting end of a second duration where the characteristic is lower than the threshold value as a candidate point for a trailing end of speech, when the second duration continues for a second time length; and a trailing-end-candidate determining unit that determines the candidate point as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when the second duration where the characteristic exceeds the threshold value does not continue for the first time length while a third time length elapses from measurement at the candidate point.

Claims (51)

1. A speech-duration detector comprising:

a characteristic extracting unit that extracts a characteristic of an input acoustic signal;

a starting-end detecting unit that detects a starting end of a first duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than a threshold value as a starting end of a speech-duration, when the first duration continues for a first time length;

a trailing-end-candidate detecting unit that detects a starting end of a second duration where the characteristic is lower than the threshold value as a candidate point for a trailing end of speech, when the second duration continues for a second time length; and

a trailing-end-candidate determining unit that (i) determines the candidate point as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when a third duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the threshold value does not continue for a preset time length while a third time length elapses from measurement at the candidate point, and (ii) cancels the candidate point as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when the third duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the threshold value continues for more than the preset time length while the third time length elapses from measurement at the candidate point.

2. The speech-duration detector according to claim 1 , wherein the second time length and the third time length are different from each other.

3. The speech-duration detector according to claim 1 , wherein the trailing-end-candidate determining unit determines a position obtained by adding an offset to the determined trailing end of the speech-duration as a final trailing end of the speech-duration.

4. The speech-duration detector according to claim 1 , wherein a position of the detected starting end and a position of the detected trailing end of the speech-duration are rejected, when a time length of the speech-duration from the detected starting end to the detected trailing end is smaller than a preset minimum speech-duration length.

5. A speech-duration detector comprising:

a characteristic extracting unit that extracts a characteristic of an input acoustic signal;

a starting-end-candidate detecting unit that (i) detects a starting end of a first duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than a threshold value as a candidate point for a starting point of speech, when the first duration continues for a first time length;

a starting-end-candidate determining unit that (i) determines the candidate point as a starting end of a speech-duration, when measurement starts from the candidate point and a second duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the threshold value continues for a second time length, and (ii) cancels the candidate point as a starting end of speech-duration, when the second duration does not continue for the second time length; and

a trailing-end detecting unit that detects a starting end of a third duration where the characteristic is lower than the threshold value as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when the third duration continues for a third time length.

6. The speech-duration detector according to claim 5 , wherein the first time length and the second time length are different from each other.

7. The speech-duration detector according to claim 5 , wherein the starting-end-candidate determining unit determines a position obtained by adding an offset to the determined starting end of the speech-duration as a final starting end of the speech-duration.

8. The speech-duration detector according to claim 5 , wherein a position of the detected starting end and a position of the detected trailing end of the speech-duration are rejected, when a time length of the speech-duration from the detected starting end to the detected trailing end is shorter than a preset minimum speech-duration length.

9. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium including program instructions for detecting speech-duration, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform steps comprising:

extracting a characteristic of an input acoustic signal;

detecting a starting end of a first duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than a threshold value as a starting end of a speech-duration, when the first duration continues for a first time length;

detecting a starting end of a second duration where the characteristic is lower than the threshold value as a candidate point, when the second duration continues for a second time length;

determining the candidate point as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when a third duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the threshold value does not continue for a preset time length while a third time length elapses from measurement at the candidate point; and

canceling the candidate point as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when the third duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the threshold value continues for more than the preset time length while the third time length elapses from measurement at the candidate point.

10. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium including program instructions for detecting speech-duration, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform steps comprising:

extracting a characteristic of an input acoustic signal;

detecting a starting end of a first duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than a threshold value as a candidate point, when the first duration continues for a first time length;

determining the candidate point as a starting end of a speech-duration, when measurement starts from the candidate point for the starting end of speech and a second duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the threshold value continues for a second time length;

canceling the candidate point as a starting end of a speech-duration, when the second duration does not continue for the second time length; and

detecting a starting end of a third duration where the characteristic is lower than the threshold value as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when the third duration continues for a third time length.

11. A speech-duration detector comprising:

a characteristic extracting unit that extracts a characteristic of an input acoustic signal;

a starting-end detecting unit that detects a starting end of a first duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than a first threshold value as a starting end for a speech-duration, when the first duration continues for a first time length;

a trailing-end-candidate detecting unit that detects a starting end of a second duration where the characteristic is lower than a second threshold value as a candidate point for a trailing end of speech, when the second duration continues for a second time length;

a trailing-end-candidate determining unit that (i) determines the candidate point as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when a third duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the second threshold value does not continue for a preset time length while a third time length elapses from measurement at the candidate point, and (ii) cancels the candidate point as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when the third duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the second threshold value continues for more than the preset time length while the third time length elapses from measurement at the candidate point.

12. The speech-duration detector according to claim 11 , wherein the second threshold is smaller than the first threshold.

13. A speech-duration detector comprising:

a characteristic extracting unit that extracts a characteristic of an input acoustic signal;

a starting-end candidate detecting unit that (i) detects a starting end of a first duration where the characteristic is equal to greater than a first threshold value as a candidate point for a starting point of speech, when the first duration continues for a first time length;

a starting-end-candidate determining unit that (i) determines the candidate point as a starting end of a speech-duration, when measurement starts from the candidate point and a second duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the first threshold value continues for a second time length, and (ii) cancels the candidate point as a starting end of speech-duration, when the second duration does not continue for the second time length; and

a trailing-end detecting unit that detects a starting end of a third duration where the characteristic is lower than a second threshold value as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when the third duration continues for a third time length.

14. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium including program instructions for detecting speech-duration, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform steps comprising:

extracting a characteristic of an input acoustic signal;

detecting a starting end of a first duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than a first threshold value as a starting end of a speech-duration, when the first duration continues for a first time length;

detecting a starting end of a second duration where the characteristic is lower than a second threshold value as a candidate point, when the second duration continues for a second time length;

determining the candidate point as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when a third duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the second threshold value does not continue for a preset time length while a third time length elapses from measurement at the candidate point; and

cancelling the candidate point as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when the third duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the second threshold value continues for more than the preset time length while the third time length elapses from measurement at the candidate point.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium including program instructions for detecting speech-duration, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform steps comprising:

extracting a characteristic of an input acoustic signal;

detecting a starting end of a first duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than a first threshold value as a candidate point, where the first duration continues for a first time length;

determining the candidate point as a starting end of a speech-duration, when measurement starts from the candidate point for the starting end of speech and a second duration where the characteristic is equal to or greater than the first threshold value continues for a second time length;

canceling the candidate point as a starting end of speech-duration, when the second duration does not continue for the second time length; and

detecting a starting end of a third duration where the characteristic is lower than a second threshold value as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when the third duration continues for a third time length.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY'S ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 048547 FRAME 0187. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Recorded May 6, 2020
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052595/0307 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ADD SECOND RECEIVING PARTY PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 48547 FRAME: 187. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 13, 2019
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050041/0054 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 8, 2019
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048547/0187 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2007
From: YAMAMOTO, KOICHI; KAWAMURA, AKINORI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 019253/0985 →