Text-to-Speech Terminal Switching for Reduced Playback Delay
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing text-to-speech (TTS) technology experiences delays in audio stream delivery from servers, leading to prolonged playback times and negatively impacting user experience in online synthesis processes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a hybrid synthesis approach where the terminal switches between online and offline methods based on connection success and text content, using offline synthesis if the first frame of playable audio data is not received within a preset duration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If online synthesis is used, then speech can be generated remotely with potentially better quality, but playback delay increases due to server processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between online and offline synthesis methods based on real-time conditions. The terminal determines whether to use online synthesis by checking if audio data can be received within a preset duration, and switches to offline synthesis when online method fails to meet timing requirements, creating a dynamic adaptive system
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the synthesis method parameter based on timing constraints. When the server cannot return audio data within the preset duration, the system changes from online synthesis parameter to offline synthesis parameter, allowing immediate local playback without further server dependency
2Loss of time
If offline synthesis is used, then playback delay is reduced through local processing, but storage requirements increase due to need to store speech for massive words
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of storing complete speech files for all possible words (excessive action), the system stores only necessary audio data segments locally for offline synthesis when needed (partial action). This selective approach reduces storage requirements compared to storing all possible speech content
3Device complexity
If server synthesis is used, then processing power requirements are reduced at terminal, but connection dependency increases and may fail under network constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal prepares offline synthesis capability in advance as a backup mechanism. When network connection fails or timing requirements cannot be met, the pre-prepared offline synthesis method provides a reliable fallback, cushioning against connection dependency failures
Data Source
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AI summary
A text to speech processing method, a terminal, and a server are provided to reduce a speech playing delay of the terminal. The method and the apparatus in this specification may be applied to fields such as artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction. The terminal detects an instruction used to indicate to perform text to speech conversion; sends text to a server; downloads, from the server, audio data converted from the text; determines whether a first frame of playable audio data is downloaded within preset duration; and if the first frame of playable audio data is downloaded within the preset duration, continues to download remaining audio data.