Training of text-to-speech systems
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorEllen M. Eide
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Building a data-driven text-to-speech system involves collecting a database of natural speech from which to train models or select segments for concatenation. Typically the speech in that database is produced by a single speaker. In this invention we include in our database speech from a multiplicity of speakers.
Claims18
A method of constructing a model for use in a text-to-speech synthesis system, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first input of speech from a first training speaker, the first input of speech including at least one sentence;
- providing a second input of speech from a second training speaker, the second input of speech including at least one sentence;
- obtaining a first set of features and a first corresponding observation value from the first input of speech;
- said step of obtaining a first set of features and a first corresponding observation value including tracking pitch over each sentence;
- obtaining a second set of features and a second corresponding observation value from the second input of speech;
- said step of obtaining a second set of features and a second corresponding observation value including tracking pitch over each sentence;
- and
- pooling said first and second corresponding observation values to obtain the model.
A method of constructing a model for use in a text-to-speech synthesis system, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first input of speech from a first training speaker, the first input of speech including at least one sentence;
- providing additional inputs of speech from a plurality of additional training speakers, the additional inputs of speech each including at least one sentence;
- obtaining a set of features and a corresponding observation value from the first input of speech;
- said step of obtaining a first set of features and a first corresponding observation value including tracking pitch over each sentence;
- repeating said step of obtaining a set of features and a corresponding observation value, including tracking pitch over each sentence, for each of the plurality of additional inputs of speech;
- pooling said corresponding observation values, from said first speaker and said additional speakers, to obtain the model.
A method for enrolling training data for a text-to-speech synthesis system, said method comprising the steps of:
- collecting speech data from at least two speakers, the speech data from each speaker including at least one sentence;
- ascertaining at least one characteristic relating to the speech data of each speaker;
- said ascertaining step comprising tracking pitch over each sentence;
- and
- creating a target range of speech data via transforming the at least one characteristic relating to the speech data of each speaker.
An apparatus for constructing a model for use in a text-to speech synthesis system, said apparatus comprising:
- an input arrangement which provides:
- a first input of speech from a first training speaker, the first input of speech including at least one sentence;
- and
- a second input of speech from a second training speaker, the second input of speech including at least one sentence;
- an extracting arrangement which obtains a first set of features and a first corresponding observation value from the first input of speech;
- said extracting arrangement being adapted to further obtain a second set of features and a second corresponding observation value from the input of speech;
- said extracting arrangement being adapted to track pitch over each sentence;
- and
- a pooling arrangement which pools said first and second corresponding observation values to obtain the model.
An apparatus for constructing a model for use in a text-to-speech synthesis system, said apparatus comprising:
- an input arrangement which provides:
- a first input of speech from a first training speaker, the first input of speech including at least one sentence;
- and
- additional inputs of speech from a plurality of additional training speakers, the additional inputs of speech each including at least one sentence;
- an extracting arrangement which obtains a set of features and a corresponding observation value from the first input of speech;
- said extracting arrangement being adapted to further obtain a set of features and a corresponding observation value for each of the plurality of additional inputs of;
- said extracting arrangement being adapted to track pitch over each sentence;
- and
- a pooling arrangement which pools said corresponding observation values, from said first speaker and said additional speakers, to obtain the model.
An apparatus for enrolling training data for a text-to-speech synthesis system, said apparatus comprising:
- an input arrangement which collects speech data from at least two speakers, the speech data from each speaker including at least one sentence;
- an ascertaining arrangement which ascertains at least one characteristic relating to the speech data of each speaker;
- said ascertaining arrangement being adapted to track pitch over each sentence;
- and
- a target range creator which creates a target range of speech data via transforming the at least one characteristic relating to the speech data of each speaker.
A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for constructing a model for use in a text-to-speech synthesis system, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first input of speech from a first training speaker, the first input of speech including at least one sentence;
- providing a second input of speech from a second training speaker, the second input of speech including at least one sentence;
- obtaining a first set of features and a first corresponding observation value from the first input of speech;
- said step of obtaining a first set of features and a first corresponding observation value including tracking pitch over each sentence;
- obtaining a second set of features and a second corresponding observation value from the second input of speech;
- said step of obtaining a second set of features and a second corresponding observation value including tracking pitch over each sentence;
- and
- pooling said first and second corresponding observation values to obtain the model.
A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for enrolling training data for a text-to-speech synthesis system, said method comprising the steps of:
- collecting speech data from at least two speakers, the speech data from each speaker including at least one sentence;
- ascertaining at least one characteristic relating to the speech data of each speaker;
- said ascertaining step comprising tracking pitch over each sentence;
- and
- creating a target range of speech data via transforming the at least one characteristic relating to the speech data of each speaker.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.