Speech synthesis system in which a plurality of clients and at least one voice synthesizing server are connected to a local area network

A speech synthesis system comprising:

• a plurality of clients for issuing a request for synthesized voice, at least one of said clients comprising:
• text input means for inputting text data to be outputted vocally,
• pronunciation symbol generating means for generating pronunciation symbols according to text data inputted to said text input means,
• data sending means for sending data to be processed to synthesize voice,
• data receiving means for receiving data,
• waveform decoding means for decoding encoded voice waveforms received by said data receiving means, and
• voice output means for vocally outputting said decoded waveforms, and
• a voice output synthesizing server for generating voice waveforms according to data sent from said clients, comprising:
• data receiving means for receiving data from said client,
• pronunciation symbol generating means for generating pronunciation symbols according to text data received by said data receiving means,
• acoustic parameter generating means for generating acoustic parameters according to said pronunciation symbols,
• waveform generating means for generating voice waveforms according to claim acoustic parameters,
• data control means for controlling said data receiving means such that on receiving text data, said data receiving means outputs the text data to said pronunciation symbol generating means, and on receiving pronunciation symbols said data receiving means outputs the pronunciation symbols to said acoustic parameter generating means,
• waveform encoding means for encoding voice waveforms generated by said waveform generating means, and
• data sending means for sending to said client the encoded voice waveforms,
• said clients and said voice synthesizing server being connected to a local area network (LAN).