Method and system for generating speech data file

A method for generating a speech data file from a text file, the method being implemented using a system that stores a speaking rate parameter reflecting a time duration for a person to say a word, and a speaking time duration parameter reflecting a time duration for the person to say words in a continuous manner in one breath, the system further storing a plurality of pause time duration parameters that include a reference pause time duration parameter, a first pause time duration parameter that is longer than the reference pause time duration parameter, and a second pause time duration parameter that is longer than the first pause time duration parameter, the text file including a plurality of sentence parts arranged in a sequential order, the method comprising:

• a) for each of the sentence parts, calculating a number of words included in the sentence part;
• b) calculating an expected duration for the sentence part based on the number of words and the speaking rate parameter;
• c) assigning a pausing time for the sentence part based on at least the expected duration and the speaking time duration parameter, the pausing time to be attached at an end of the sentence part, wherein in a case where the sentence part is not a first one in the sequential order, the assigning includes
• calculating a residual value for the sentence part based on the residual value and the pausing time of a previous one of the sentence parts in the sequential order, and
• using the residual value to assign the pausing time for the sentence part;
• and
• d) generating the speech data file associated with the text file, the speech data file including, for each of the sentence parts, an audio speech part that, when played, includes a synthesized voice of the sentence part, and a corresponding pausing part that follows the synthesized voice of the sentence part, that does not include a content of the sentence part, and that has a duration which equals the associated pausing time;
• wherein in step c), in a case where the sentence part is not the first one in the sequential order, the assigning further includes:
• comparing the residual value to each of a positive threshold value and a negative threshold value;
• in a case where the residual value is equal to or larger than the positive threshold value, setting the pausing time as the reference pause time duration parameter;
• in a case where the second residual value is smaller than the positive threshold value and is equal to or larger than the negative threshold value, setting the pausing time as the first pause time duration parameter;
• and
• in a case where the second residual value is smaller than the negative threshold value, setting the pausing time as the second pause time duration parameter;
• wherein step c) further includes, in a case where the residual value is smaller than a negative threshold value, dividing the sentence part into a plurality of subparts, and setting, for each of the subparts, a subpart pausing time to an end of the subpart, the subpart pausing time being set using one of the plurality of pause time duration parameters;
• and
• wherein step d) includes generating the speech data file to further include, for each of the subparts of the sentence part, an audio speech subpart that, when played, includes a synthesized voice of the sentence subpart, and a corresponding pausing subpart that follows the synthesized voice of the sentence subpart, that does not include a content of the sentence subpart and that has a duration which equals the subpart pausing time.