Method and apparatus for speech synthesis, program, recording medium, method and apparatus for generating constraint information and robot apparatus

A speech synthesis method for receiving information on the emotion to synthesize the speech, comprising:

• a data inputting step for inputting prosodic data which is based on the text uttered as speech and the constraint information for maintaining the prosodic feature of said uttered text;
• a parameter changing step of changing parameters of said prosodic data, in consideration of said constraint information, responsive to the information on the emotion;
• and
• a speech synthesis step of synthesizing the speech based on the prosodic data the parameters of which have been changed in said parameter changing step.

A speech synthesis apparatus for receiving information on the emotion to synthesize the speech, comprising:

• prosodic data generating means for generating prosodic data from a string of pronunciation marks which is based on a text uttered as speech;
• constraint information generating means for generating the constraint information adapted for maintaining the prosodic feature of said uttered text;
• parameter changing means for changing parameters of said prosodic data, in consideration of said constraint information, responsive to the information on the emotion;
• and
• speech synthesis means for synthesizing the speech based on said prosodic data the parameters of which have been changed by said parameter changing means.

A speech synthesis apparatus for receiving information on the emotion to synthesize the speech, comprising:

• data inputting means for inputting prosodic data which is based on the uttered text uttered as speech, and the constraint information for maintaining the prosodic feature of said uttered text;
• parameter changing means for changing parameters of said prosodic data, in consideration of said constraint information, responsive to the information on the emotion;
• and
• speech synthesis means for synthesizing the speech based on said prosodic data the parameters of which have been changed in said parameter changing means.

A program product for having a computer execute the processing for receiving information on the emotion to synthesize the speech, comprising:

• a prosodic data forming step of forming prosodic data from a string of pronunciation marks which is based on an uttered text, uttered as speech;
• a constraint information generating step of generating the constraint information used for maintaining prosodic features of the uttered text;
• a parameter changing step of changing parameters of said prosodic data, in consideration of said constraint information, responsive to the information on the emotion;
• and
• a speech synthesis step of synthesizing the speech based on said prosodic data the parameters of which have been changed in said parameter changing step.

A program product loadable into a computer for having the computer perform the processing of receiving information on the emotion to synthesize the speech, comprising:

• a data inputting step for inputting prosodic data which is based on the test uttered as speech and the constraint information for maintaining the prosodic feature of said uttered text;
• a parameter changing step of changing parameters of said prosodic data, in consideration of said constraint information, responsive to the information on the emotion;
• and
• a speech synthesis step of synthesizing the speech based on the prosodic data the parameters of which have been changed in said parameter changing step.

A computer-readable recording medium on which there is recorded a program for having a computer execute the processing of receiving information on the emotion to synthesize the speech, comprising:

• a prosodic data forming step of forming prosodic data from a string of pronunciation marks which is based on an uttered text, uttered as speech;
• a constraint information generating step of generating the constraint information used for maintaining prosodic features of the uttered text;
• a parameter changing step of changing parameters of said prosodic data, in consideration of said constraint information, responsive to the information on the emotion;
• and
• a speech synthesis step of synthesizing the speech based on said prosodic data the parameters of which have been changed in said parameter changing step.

A recording medium on which there is recorded a program adapted for having a computer perform the processing of receiving information on the emotion to synthesize the speech, comprising:

• a data inputting step for inputting prosodic data which is based on the text uttered as speech and the constraint information for maintaining the prosodic feature of said uttered text;
• a parameter changing step of changing parameters of said prosodic data, in consideration of said constraint information, responsive to the information on the emotion;
• and
• a speech synthesis step of synthesizing the speech based on the prosodic data, the parameters of which have been changed in said parameter changing step.

An autonomous robot apparatus performing a movement based on the input information supplied thereto, comprising:

• an emotion model ascribable to said movement;
• emotion discrimination means for discriminating the emotion state of said emotion model;
• prosodic data creating means for creating prosodic data from a string of pronunciation marks which is based on the text uttered as speech;
• constraint information generating means for generating the constraint information adapted for maintaining the prosodic feature of said uttered text;
• parameter changing means for changing parameters of said prosodic data, in consideration of said constraint information, responsive to the emotion state discriminated by said discriminating means;
• and
• speech synthesizing means for synthesizing the speech based on said prosodic data the parameters of which have been changed by the parameter changing means.

An autonomous robot apparatus performing a movement based on the input information supplied thereto, comprising:

• an emotion model ascribable to said movement;
• emotion discrimination means for discriminating the emotion state of said emotion model;
• data inputting means for inputting prosodic data which is based on the text uttered as speech and the constraint information for maintaining the prosodic feature of said uttered text;
• parameter changing means for changing parameters of said prosodic data, in consideration of said constraint information, responsive to the emotion state discriminated by said discriminating means;
• and
• speech synthesizing means for synthesizing the speech based on said prosodic data, the parameters of which have been changed by the parameter changing means.