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US 9,311,911 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for live call text-to-speech
AssigneeGoogle Technology Holdings LLC
InventorsWeiqi Tang, Kazim A. Das, Yi He, Ling Jin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus provide live call text-to-speech. The method can include entering an ongoing voice call at a first communication device with a second communication device. The method can include receiving text input at the first communication device during the ongoing voice call. The method can include converting the text input to speech during the ongoing voice call to generate a text-to-speech audible signal. The method can include sending the text-to-speech audible signal from the first communication device to the second communication device during the ongoing voice call.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving, by a first device, data to establish a voice communication channel with a second device, then establishing the voice communication channel with the second device;
- receiving, after the voice communication channel with the second device has been established, a request to switch between (i) a speech audio mode in which audio received by a microphone of the first device is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, and (ii) a text-to-speech mode in which the microphone of the first device is muted and text that is typed into a keyboard on the first device is generated by a text-to-speech engine into speech audio that is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device;
- after receiving the request, switching between (i) the speech audio mode in which audio received by the microphone of the first device is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, and (ii) the text-to-speech mode in which the microphone of the first device is muted and text that is typed into the keyboard on the first device is generated by a text-to-speech engine into speech audio that is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device;
- after switching between (i) the speech audio mode in which audio received by the microphone of the first device is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, and (ii) the text-to-speech mode in which the microphone of the first device is muted and text that is typed into the keyboard on the first device is generated by a text-to-speech engine into speech audio that is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, receiving text that is typed into the keyboard on the first device;
- generating, by the text-to-speech engine, the speech audio based on the text;
- and
- transmitting the speech audio to the second device over the voice communication channel.
4 more elements
A system comprising:
- one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
- receiving, by a first device, data to establish a voice communication channel with a second device, then establishing the voice communication channel with the second device;
- receiving, after the voice communication channel with the second device has been established, a request to switch between (i) a speech audio mode in which audio received by a microphone of the first device is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, and (ii) a text-to-speech mode in which the microphone of the first device is muted and text that is typed into a keyboard on the first device is generated by a text-to-speech engine into speech audio that is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device;
- after receiving the request, switching between (i) the speech audio mode in which audio received by the microphone of the first device is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, and (ii) the text-to-speech mode in which the microphone of the first device is muted and text that is typed into the keyboard on the first device is generated by a text-to-speech engine into speech audio that is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device;
- after switching between (i) the speech audio mode in which audio received by the microphone of the first device is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, and (ii) the text-to-speech mode in which the microphone of the first device is muted and text that is typed into the keyboard on the first device is generated by a text-to-speech engine into speech audio that is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, receiving text that is typed into the keyboard on the first device;
- generating, by the text-to-speech engine, the speech audio based on the text;
- and
- transmitting the speech audio to the second device over the voice communication channel.
5 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
- receiving, by a first device, data to establish a voice communication channel with a second device, then establishing the voice communication channel with the second device;
- receiving, after the voice communication channel with the second device has been established, a request to switch between (i) a speech audio mode in which audio received by a microphone of the first device is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, and (ii) a text-to-speech mode in which the microphone of the first device is muted and text that is typed into a keyboard on the first device is generated by a text-to-speech engine into speech audio that is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device;
- after receiving the request, switching between (i) the speech audio mode in which audio received by the microphone of the first device is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, and (ii) the text-to-speech mode in which the microphone of the first device is muted and text that is typed into the keyboard on the first device is generated by a text-to-speech engine into speech audio that is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device;
- after switching between (i) the speech audio mode in which audio received by the microphone of the first device is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, and (ii) the text-to-speech mode in which the microphone of the first device is muted and text that is typed into the keyboard on the first device is generated by a text-to-speech engine into speech audio that is communicated through the voice communication channel to the second device, receiving text that is typed into the keyboard on the first device;
- generating, by the text-to-speech engine, the speech audio based on the text;
- and
- transmitting the speech audio to the second device over the voice communication channel.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.