Information processing apparatus and method with speech synthesis function

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• speech synthesis means for converting text data into synthetic speech, and outputting the synthetic speech;
• input means used to input a user's instruction;
• status detection means for detecting a state of the input means;
• and
• control means for controlling said speech synthesis means to output synthetic speech of the text data in a fast-forward mode or a fast-reverse mode in accordance with the detected state of the input means.

An information processing method comprising:

• a playback step of playing back audio data;
• a speech synthesis step of converting text data into synthetic speech, and outputting the synthetic speech;
• an instruction detection step of detecting a user's instruction;
• a detection step of detecting operation states of the playback step and the speech synthesis step;
• an instruction supply step of supplying the user's instruction to one of the playback step and the speech synthesis step in accordance with the operation states;
• and
• a control step of controlling the playback step or the speech synthesis step that has received the user's instruction to execute a process based on the user's instruction.

An information processing method comprising:

• a speech synthesis step of converting text data into synthetic speech, and outputting the synthetic speech;
• a status detection step of detecting a state of a input means used to input a user's instruction;
• and
• a control step of controlling the speech synthesis step to output synthetic speech of the text data in a fast-forward mode or a fast-reverse mode in accordance with the detected state of the input means.

A program for making a computer execute:

• a playback step of playing back audio data;
• a speech synthesis step of converting text data into synthetic speech, and outputting the synthetic speech;
• an instruction detection step of detecting a user's instruction;
• a detection step of detecting operation states of the playback step and the speech synthesis step;
• an instruction supply step of supplying the user's instruction to one of the playback step and the speech synthesis step in accordance with the operation states;
• and
• a control step of controlling the playback step or the speech synthesis step that has received the user's instruction to execute a process based on the user's instruction.

A computer readable storage medium that stores a program for making a computer execute:

• a playback step of playing back audio data;
• a speech synthesis step of converting text data into synthetic speech, and outputting the synthetic speech;
• an instruction detection step of detecting a user's instruction;
• a detection step of detecting operation states of the playback step and the speech synthesis step;
• an instruction supply step of supplying the user's instruction to one of the playback step and the speech synthesis step in accordance with the operation states;
• and
• a control step of controlling the playback step or the speech synthesis step that has received the user's instruction to execute a process based on the user's instruction.

A program for controlling an information processing apparatus which has an input means used to input a user's instruction,

• said program making a computer execute:
• a speech synthesis step of converting text data into synthetic speech, and outputting the synthetic speech;
• a status detection step of detecting a state of the input means;
• and
• a control step of controlling the speech synthesis step to output synthetic speech of the text data in a fast-forward mode or a fast-reverse mode in accordance with the detected state of the input means.

A computer readable storage medium that stores a control program for controlling an information processing apparatus which has an input means used to input a user's instruction,

• said control program making a computer execute:
• a speech synthesis step of converting text data into synthetic speech, and outputting the synthetic speech;
• a status detection step of detecting a state of the input means;
• and
• a control step of controlling the speech synthesis step to output synthetic speech of the text data in a fast-forward mode or a fast-reverse mode in accordance with the detected state of the input means.

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• speech synthesis means for converting text data into synthetic speech, and outputting the synthetic speech;
• instruction detection means for detecting a user's instruction;
• detection means for detecting an operation state of said speech synthesis means;
• instruction supply means for supplying the user's instruction to said speech synthesis means in accordance with the operation state;
• and
• control means for controlling said speech synthesis means that has received the user's instruction to execute a process based on the user's instruction.

A program for making a computer implement text-to-speech reading using speech synthesis,

• said program making the computer execute:
• a control step of controlling start/stop of text-to-speech reading of text;
• a measurement step of measuring a time period between reading stop and restart timings;
• and
• a determination step of determining a reading restart position of the text upon restarting the text-to-speech reading in accordance with the measured time period.

A text-to-speech reading apparatus for implementing text-to-speech reading using speech synthesis, comprising:

• control means for controlling start/stop of text-to-speech reading of text;
• and
• measurement means for measuring a time period between reading stop and restart timings,
• wherein said control means controls a reading restart position of the text upon restarting the text-to-speech reading in accordance with the measured time period.

A method of controlling a text-to-speech reading apparatus for implementing text-to-speech reading using speech synthesis, comprising:

• a control step of controlling start/stop of text-to-speech reading of text;
• a measurement step of measuring a time period between reading stop and restart timings;
• and
• a determination step of determining a reading restart position of the text upon restarting the text-to-speech reading in accordance with the measured time period.