US 2021/0272558 A1 · RECOGNITION OR SYNTHESIS OF HUMAN-UTTERED HARMONIC SOUNDS

Abstract

Within each harmonic spectrum of a sequence of spectra derived from analysis of a waveform representing human speech are identified two or more fundamental or harmonic components that have frequencies that are separated by integer multiples of a fundamental acoustic frequency. The highest harmonic frequency that is also greater than 410 Hz is a primary cap frequency, which is used to select a primary phonetic note that corresponds to a subset of phonetic chords from a set of phonetic chords for which acoustic spectral is available. The spectral data can also include frequencies for primary band, secondary band (or secondary note), basal band, or reduced basal band acoustic components, which can be used to select a phonetic chord from the subset of phonetic chords corresponding to the selected primary note.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for identifying one or more phonetic chords represented within an electronic temporal waveform derived from an utterance of human speech, the method comprising:

using one or more electronic processors of a programmed computer system:
(a) for each of a plurality of harmonic acoustic spectra among a temporal sequence of acoustic spectra derived from the waveform, identifying within that harmonic acoustic spectrum two or more fundamental or harmonic components, each identified component having an intensity exceeding a detection threshold, and the identified components having frequencies that are separated by at least one integer multiple of a fundamental acoustic frequency associated with that acoustic spectrum;
(b) for at least some of the plurality of acoustic spectra, identifying as a primary cap frequency a highest harmonic frequency among the identified harmonic components, which highest harmonic frequency is also greater than 410 Hz;
and
(c) for each of the plurality of acoustic spectra for which a primary cap frequency is identified in part (b), using the identified primary cap frequency to select as a primary phonetic note at least one phonetic note from among a set of phonetic notes, the selected primary phonetic note corresponding to a subset of phonetic chords from among a set of phonetic chords.

2 more elements

A computer-implemented method for generating stored data indicative of harmonic frequencies expected for respective harmonic acoustic spectra of phonetic chords of a set of phonetic chords, the method comprising:

using one or more of the electronic processors of a programmed computer system:
(a) for each phonetic chord of the set, spectrally analyzing multiple electronic waveforms derived from respective utterances of that phonetic chord by one or more human test subjects, the spectral analysis including, for each electronic waveform, estimation of a fundamental acoustic frequency and identification of two or more fundamental or harmonic components each having an intensity that exceeds a detection threshold and an acoustic frequency that is the fundamental acoustic frequency or a harmonic acoustic frequency that is equal to an integer multiple of the fundamental acoustic frequency;
(b) identifying as a primary cap frequency the highest harmonic acoustic frequency among the identified harmonic components that is also greater than 410 Hz, and for each phonetic chord for which a primary cap frequency is thus identified, storing, on a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that is not a transitory propagating signal, electronic indicia of the primary cap frequency, and acoustic frequencies for each identified fundamental or harmonic component.

A computer-implemented method for synthesizing a temporal segment of an electronic waveform that, when the waveform segment is applied to an electroacoustic transducer, produces sound of a phonetic chord selected from among a set of phonetic chords, the method comprising:

using one or more of the electronic processors of a programmed computer system:
(a) using received, retrieved, or calculated data indicative of a primary phonetic note corresponding to the selected phonetic chord and a focal frequency of that primary phonetic note, determining a primary cap frequency using the focal frequency and a selected fundamental acoustic frequency, the primary cap frequency being (i) an integer multiple of the selected fundamental frequency, (ii) greater than 410 Hz, and (iii) closer to the focal frequency of the corresponding primary note than to focal frequencies of other phonetic notes;
and
(b) including in the waveform segment a harmonic component at the primary cap frequency, the primary cap frequency being greater than acoustic frequencies of all other harmonic components included in the waveform segment.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Recognition or synthesis of human-uttered harmonic sounds

Life of this patent

Recognition or synthesis of human-uttered harmonic sounds

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26