Device and method for synthesizing speech

A computer-readable storing medium storing a program for executing pitch conversion using a computer having speech database storing means for storing sample waveform data in a speech unit and a speech database created by way of associating the sample sound waveform data with their corresponding phonetic information, the program comprising the step of:

• dividing phonetic information into speech units upon receiving the phonetic information of speech sound to be synthesized,
• obtaining sample speech waveform data corresponding to the each phonetic information in a speech unit from the speech database,
• converting pitch by means of processing a segment of a waveform in which the waveform is converging on a segment just before a minus peak during a periodical unit of speech waveform data, at said segment, the speech waveform being depending on vocal tract shape and being attending and converging on the minus peak, and
• generating speech waveform data to be composed by means of concatenating the sample speech waveform data in speech units.

A speech synthesis device comprising:

• speech database storing means for storing a speech database having several sample speech waveform data with various pitch lengths for each speech unit and phonetic information associated with the sample waveform data;
• speech waveform composing means for dividing phonetic information into speech units upon receiving phonetic information of speech sound to be synthesized, for obtaining a desirable sample speech waveform data from among the sample speech waveform data corresponding to the divided phonetic information in a speech unit in the speech database, and for generating speech waveform data to be composed by means of concatenating the obtained sample speech waveform data in speech units;
• and
• analog converting means for converting the speech waveform data received from the speech waveform composing means into analog signals;
• wherein the speech database is constructed of several sample speech waveform data with various pitch lengths prepared by modifying a contour of a waveform in a segment in which the waveform is converging on the minus peak during a periodical unit of speech waveform data.

A computer-readable storing medium storing a program for executing speech synthesis by means of a computer using a speech database, the program comprising the steps of:

• receiving phonetic information of speech sound to be synthesized and dividing phonetic information into speech units;
• obtaining a desirable sample speech waveform data from among sample speech waveform data corresponding to the divided phonetic information in a speech unit in the speech database;
• and
• generating speech waveform data to be composed by means of concatenating the obtained sample speech waveform data in speech units;
• wherein the speech database is constructed of several sample speech waveform data with various pitch lengths prepared by modifying a contour of a waveform in a segment in which the waveform is converging on a minus peak during a periodical unit of speech waveform data.

A method of pitch conversion for speech waveform, the method comprising the steps of:

• preparing speech database for storing sample waveform data in a speech unit and a speech database created by way of associating the sample sound waveform data with their corresponding phonetic information,
• dividing phonetic information into speech units upon receiving the phonetic information of speech sound to be synthesized,
• obtaining sample speech waveform data corresponding to the each phonetic information in a speech unit from the speech database,
• converting pitch by means of processing a segment of a waveform in which the waveform is converging on a segment just before a minus peak during a periodical unit of speech waveform data, at said segment the speech waveform being depending on vocal tract shape and being attending and converging on the minus peak, and
• generating speech waveform data to be composed by means of concatenating the sample speech waveform data in speech units.