Speech synthesis apparatus, speech synthesis method, speech synthesis program, portable information terminal, and speech synthesis system

A speech synthesis method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a text content item to be converted into speech, the text content item being selected by a content selection unit;
• selecting related information which can be at least converted into text and which is related to the text content item selected by the content selection unit, the related information being selected by a related information selection unit;
• converting the related information selected by the related information selection unit into text and adding text data of the text to text data of the text content item selected by the content selection unit, the conversion and addition being performed by a data addition unit;
• converting text data supplied from the data addition unit into a speech signal, the conversion being performed by a text-to-speech conversion unit;
• and
• outputting the speech signal supplied from the text-to-speech conversion unit, the speech signal being output by a speech output unit.

A speech synthesis program causing a computer to function as:

• a content selection unit that selects a text content item to be converted into speech;
• a related information selection unit that selects related information which can be at least converted into text and which is related to the text content item selected by the content selection unit;
• a data addition unit that converts the related information selected by the related information selection unit into text and adds text data of the text to text data of the text content item selected by the content selection unit;
• a text-to-speech conversion unit that converts text data supplied from the data addition unit into a speech signal;
• and
• a speech output unit that outputs the speech signal supplied from the text-to-speech conversion unit.

A portable information terminal comprising:

• a command input unit that obtains a command input by a user;
• a content selection unit that selects a text content item to be converted into speech in accordance with the command input by the user;
• a related information selection unit that selects related information which can be at least converted into text and which is related to the text content item selected by the content selection unit;
• a data addition unit that converts the related information selected by the related information selection unit into text and adds text data of the text to text data of the text content item selected by the content selection unit;
• a text-to-speech conversion unit that converts text data supplied from the data addition unit into a speech signal;
• and
• a speech output unit that outputs the speech signal supplied from the text-to-speech conversion unit.

A speech synthesis system comprising:

• a selection and addition apparatus that selects a text content item to be converted into speech in accordance with a command input by a user, selects related information which can be at least converted into text and which is related to the selected text content item, converts the selected related information into text, and adds text data of the text to text data of the selected text content item in accordance with the command input by the user;
• a text-to-speech conversion apparatus that converts the text data supplied from the selection and addition apparatus into a speech signal;
• and
• a speech output apparatus that outputs, into the air, speech corresponding to the speech signal supplied from the text-to-speech conversion apparatus.