Information transmitting system, information encoder and information decoder
The invention relates to an information transmission system capable of transmitting target information via voice, as well as to an information encoding apparatus and an information decoding apparatus for use with the system. The information encoding apparatus ( 31 ) converts input text information to an intermediate code in accordance with a predetermined encoding method, and outputs a voice derived from voice information based on the intermediate code and supplemented with music arrangement information. The voice is transmitted either directly or via a broadcasting or communicating medium to a receiving side. The information decoding apparatus ( 34 ) on the receiving side receives the generated voice, recognizes a voice waveform from the received voice, and reproduces the original target information by decoding the intermediate code based on the recognized voice waveform. During the encoding, the intermediate code is assigned to at least one element of the voice, and the music arrangement information is used as a basis for determining at least one other element of the voice. This provides the kind of voice agreeable to the human ear.
1. An information decoding apparatus for use with an information encoding apparatus which converts target text information to an intermediate code in accordance with a predetermined encoding method and generates a voice signal derived from voice information based on said intermediate code and supplemented with music arrangement information, said intermediate code determining a first audible element of said voice signal, said music arrangement information determining a second audible element of said voice signal, said voice signal being decoded by said information decoding apparatus into the original target text information, said information decoding apparatus comprising:
voice receiving means for receiving said voice signal;
voice waveform recognizing means for recognizing a voice waveform from the received voice signal; and
intermediate decoding means for decoding said intermediate code from the recognized voice waveform before reproducing the original target text information based on the decoded intermediate code, wherein said predetermined encoding method is according to a combination of at least two distinct sound elements that each respectively are components of said predetermined encoding method, wherein said combination of at least two distinct sound elements forms said first audible element of said voice signal, and wherein said combination comprises at least any two of a pitch, a note length, a tone color, a melody, and a chord.
2. An information transmission system comprising:
an information encoding apparatus adapted to transmit a voice waveform signal, said information encoding apparatus including an intermediate encoding unit and a voice waveform synthesis unit, said intermediate encoding unit converting text information to intermediate codes in accordance with a predetermined encoding method, said voice waveform synthesis unit supplementing voice information based on the intermediate codes with music arrangement information to synthesize said voice waveform signal, said intermediate codes determining a first audible element of said voice waveform signal, said music arrangement information determining a second audible element of said voice waveform signal; and
an information decoding apparatus adapted to receive said voice waveform signal, said information decoding apparatus including a voice waveform recognition unit, said voice waveform recognition unit separating said voice information from said music arrangement information, extracting said intermediate codes from said voice information, and decoding said intermediate codes back to said text information, wherein said predetermined encoding method is according to a combination of at least two distinct sound elements that each respectively are components of said predetermined encoding method, wherein said combination of at least two distinct sound elements forms said first audible element of said voice signal, and wherein said combination comprises at least any two of a pitch, a note length, a tone color, a melody, and a chord.
3. An information transmission system according to claim 2 , wherein said intermediate codes serve as identification codes representing said text information.
4. An information transmission system according to claim 2 , wherein said text information is a URL.
5. An information decoding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said text information is a URL.
6. An information encoding apparatus adapted to support transmission of a voice waveform signal to an information decoding apparatus, said information decoding apparatus being adapted to receive said voice waveform signal, separate voice information from music arrangement information, extract intermediate codes from said voice information, and decode said intermediate codes to text information, the information encoding apparatus comprising:
an intermediate encoding unit for converting said text information to said intermediate codes in accordance with a predetermined encoding method; and
a voice waveform synthesis unit for supplementing voice information based on said intermediate codes with music arrangement information to synthesize said voice waveform signal, said intermediate codes determining a first audible element of said voice waveform signal, said music arrangement information determining a second audible element of said voice waveform signal,
wherein said predetermined encoding method is according to a combination of at least two distinct sound elements that each respectively are components of said predetermined encoding method, wherein said combination of at least two distinct sound elements forms said first audible element of said voice signal, and wherein said combination comprises at least any two of a pitch, a note length, a tone color, a melody, and a chord.
7. An information encoding method for producing a voice waveform signal for transmission to an information decoding apparatus, said information decoding apparatus being adapted to receive said voice waveform signal, separate voice information from music arrangement information, extract intermediate codes from said voice information, and decode said intermediate codes to text information, the information encoding method comprising:
converting said text information to said intermediate codes in accordance with a predetermined encoding scheme; and
supplementing voice information based on said intermediate codes with music arrangement information to synthesize said voice waveform signal, said intermediate codes determining a first audible element of said voice waveform signal, said music arrangement information determining a second audible element of said voice waveform signal,
wherein said predetermined encoding scheme is according to a combination of at least two distinct sound elements that each respectively are components of said predetermined encoding method, wherein said combination of at least two distinct sound elements forms said first audible element of said voice signal, and wherein said combination comprises at least any two of a pitch, a note length, a tone color, a melody, and a chord.