US 8,301,451 B2 · Speech synthesis with dynamic constraints

Abstract

A method is disclosed for providing speech parameters to be used for synthesis of a speech utterance. In at least one embodiment, the method includes receiving an input time series of first speech parameter vectors, preparing at least one input time series of second speech parameter vectors consisting of dynamic speech parameters, extracting from the input time series of first and second speech parameter vectors partial time series of first speech parameter vectors and corresponding partial time series of second speech parameter vectors, converting the corresponding partial time series of first and second speech parameter vectors into partial time series of third speech parameter vectors, wherein the conversion is done independently for each set of partial time series and can be started as soon as the vectors of the input time series of the first speech parameter vectors have been received. The speech parameter vectors of the partial time series of third speech parameter vectors are combined to form a time series of output speech parameter vectors to be used for synthesis of the speech utterance. At least one embodiment of the method allows a continuous providing of speech parameter vectors for synthesis of the speech utterance. The latency and the memory requirements for the synthesis of a speech utterance are reduced.

A computer-implemented method for synthesizing a speech utterance, the method comprising:

performing, by a processor, operations of:
receiving an input time series of m first speech parameter vectors {xi}1 . . . m, wherein:
index i takes on values from 1 to m;
each first speech parameter vector xi corresponds to an identically indexed one of m synchronization points, which are also indexed by i;
each synchronization point defines at least one of a point in time and a time interval of the speech utterance;
and
each first speech parameter vector xi includes a first number n1 of static speech parameters of a time interval of the speech utterance;
preparing at least one input time series of m second speech parameter vectors {Δi}1 . . . m, wherein:
each second speech parameter vector Δi corresponds to an identically indexed one of the synchronisation points;
and
each second speech parameter vector Δi includes a second number n2 of dynamic speech parameters of a time interval of the speech utterance;
extracting from the input time series of first speech parameter vectors {xi}1 . . . m a partial time series of first speech parameter vectors {xi}p . . . q, wherein:
p is the index of the first of the extracted first speech parameter vectors;
q is the index of the last of the extracted first speech parameter vectors;
and
the partial time series of first speech parameter vectors {xi}p . . . q is a proper subset of the input time series of first speech parameter vectors {xi}1 . . . m;
extracting from the input time series of second speech parameter vectors {Δi}1 . . . m a partial time series of second speech parameter vectors {Δi}p . . . q, wherein:
each vector Δi of the partial time series of second speech parameter vectors corresponds to an identically indexed vector xi in the partial time series of first speech parameter vectors;
converting the partial time series of first speech parameter vectors {xi}p . . . q and the partial time series of second speech parameter vectors {Δi}p . . . q into a partial time series of corresponding third speech parameter vectors {yi}p . . . q, so as to:
minimize differences between respective third speech parameter vectors yi of the partial time series of third speech parameter vectors {yi}p . . . q and their corresponding first speech parameter vectors xi of the partial time series of first speech parameter vectors {xi}p . . . q;
and
minimize differences of dynamic characteristics between respective third speech parameter vectors yi of the partial time series of third speech parameter vectors {yi}p . . . q and their corresponding second speech parameter vectors Δi of the partial time series of second speech parameter vectors {Δi}p . . . q;
wherein the conversion of the partial time series of first speech parameter vectors {xi}p . . . q and the partial time series of second speech parameter vectors {Δi}p . . . q is performed independent of converting any other first speech parameter vector {xi}1 . . . p−1, q+1 . . . m;
and
synthesizing a speech utterance from the time series of third speech parameter vectors {yi}p . . . q.

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Speech synthesis with dynamic constraints

Life of this patent

Speech synthesis with dynamic constraints

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22