Dynamic Vocal Characteristic Sets for Speech Output Emphasis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Voice interfaces for computing devices often generate flat or monotone speech output, which can lead to reduced attentiveness and information retention, especially in 'eyes-busy' and 'hands-busy' environments, as they fail to effectively emphasize relevant information in search results or responses.
Innovation Solution
The method involves generating spoken output using a plurality of vocal characteristic sets, where salient portions of the text are emphasized with distinct vocal characteristics, such as different voices or emphasis levels, to differentiate them from standard portions, thereby increasing attentiveness and persuasiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If monotone speech output is used for voice interfaces, then device complexity is reduced, but information retention and user attentiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying vocal characteristics (pitch, tone, emphasis) specifically for salient portions of speech output while maintaining standard characteristics for non-salient portions. This creates localized quality differences that highlight important information without requiring complete system complexity overhaul.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts vocal characteristics based on the importance of information being conveyed. By making the speech output dynamic rather than static/monotone, the system adapts its delivery to emphasize key information, improving retention without permanent complexity increase.
2Loss of information
If multiple vocal characteristic sets are used to emphasize salient portions, then information retention improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The speech output is segmented into salient and non-salient portions, with different vocal characteristics applied to each segment. This segmentation allows targeted enhancement of important information while keeping the overall system manageable through modular processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes vocal parameters (pitch, tone, emphasis level) to differentiate salient from non-salient information. By manipulating existing parameters rather than introducing entirely new systems, the patent achieves enhanced information retention with controlled complexity increase.
3Loss of information
If vocal emphasis is applied to salient portions, then user attentiveness improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying uniform emphasis to all speech output, the system applies vocal emphasis partially—only to salient portions that require user attention. This selective approach improves attentiveness while minimizing the additional processing time required compared to comprehensive processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for generating synthesized utterances related to output of commands. A command is received at a computing device. A textual output for the command is determined using the computing device. A spoken output of the computing device is generated that utilizes a plurality of vocal characteristic sets. At least a portion of the spoken output corresponds to the textual output. At least a first part of the spoken output utilizes vocal characteristics of a first vocal characteristic set. At least a second part of the spoken output utilizes vocal characteristics of a second vocal characteristic set, where at least some of the vocal characteristics of the first vocal characteristic set differ from the vocal characteristics of the second vocal characteristic set.