US 7,684,991 B2Granted

Digital audio file search method and apparatus using text-to-speech processing

AssigneeAlpine Electronics, Inc.

InventorsLuis Stohr, Satoshi Tanimoto

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Abstract

A digital audio file search method and apparatus for digital audio files is provided that allows a user to navigate the audio files by generating speech sounds related to the information of the audio files to facilitate searching and playback. The digital audio file search method and apparatus searches for audio files in a portable digital audio player in combination with an automobile audio system through speech sounds by utilizing text-to-speech processing and by prompting response from a user in response to the generated speech sounds. The text-to-speech technology is utilized to generate the speech sound based on tag-data of the audio files. When hearing the speech sounds, the user gives instruction for searching the files without being distracted from driving the automobile.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of searching audio files in a portable audio player in combination with an automobile audio system, comprising the following steps of:

reading meta-tag data associated with each audio file and producing voice data files for information retrieved from the meta-tag data;
creating a play list that lists the voice data files produced based on the meta-tag data in an predetermined order where each of the voice data files and audio files is accompanied by address data;
storing the play list and the audio files in the portable audio player;
connecting the portable audio player with the automobile audio system for sending the voice data files in the play list and the audio files to the automobile audio system and receiving command signals from the automobile audio system;
generating speech sounds that successively and automatically read aloud the data in the voice data files in the play list by the automobile audio system in a predetermined order and speed;
accepting user's commands made in response to the speech sounds where the user's commands are transmitted through the automobile audio system to the portable audio player;
and
searching an audio file in the portable audio player based on the user's commands;
wherein the speech sounds generated from the automobile audio system include a series of information on audio files so that a particular audio file is specified when both the information on the particular audio file is announced by the speech sounds and the user's commands are issued.

6 more elements

An apparatus for searching audio files in a portable audio player in combination with an automobile audio system, comprising:

means for reading meta-tag data associated with each audio file and producing voice data files for information retrieved from the meta-tag data;
means for creating a play list that lists the voice data files produced based on the meta-tag data in an predetermined order where each of the voice data files and audio files is accompanied by address data;
means for storing the play list and the audio files in the portable audio player;
means for connecting the portable audio player with the automobile audio system for sending the voice data files in the play list and the audio files to the automobile audio system and receiving command signals from the automobile audio system;
means for generating speech sounds that successively and automatically read aloud the data in the voice data files in the play list by the automobile audio system in a predetermined order and speed;
means for accepting user's commands made in response to the speech sounds where the user's commands are transmitted through the automobile audio system to the portable audio player;
and
means for searching an audio file in the portable audio player based on the user's commands;
wherein the speech sounds generated from the automobile audio system include a series of information on audio files so that a particular audio file is specified when both the information on the particular audio file is announced by the speech sounds and the user's commands are issued.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.