Speech Conversion System for Voice Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current speech conversion technologies are limited to isolated settings and have not been adapted for large-scale use in public voice communication networks, where speakers with varying speech characteristics, languages, and impairments pose challenges for effective communication, and there is a need for systems that can selectively alter speech signals for safety, surveillance, and enhanced comprehension.
Innovation Solution
A speech conversion system integrated into voice communication networks that includes speech converters, a conversion server, and a library of heuristics, allowing for real-time conversion of speech signals to alter characteristics such as gender, accent, and language, using party identification information to select appropriate conversion methods and enabling users to manually select conversion options through an interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If speech conversion techniques are used to alter speaker identity characteristics, then the message content is preserved while speaker identity is transformed, but the system complexity increases and real-time processing becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The speech conversion system is divided into separate functional modules: speech signal reception module, message extraction module, speaker identity analysis module, identity transformation module, and speech signal generation module. This segmentation allows each module to handle specific tasks independently, maintaining message integrity while transforming speaker characteristics without requiring the entire system to process all aspects simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate processing stages including message extraction as an intermediary between the original speech signal and the converted output. This intermediary process separates the message content from speaker characteristics, allowing the message to be preserved while speaker identity is transformed through subsequent processing stages.
2Adaptability or versatility
If speech conversion is implemented in public voice communication networks to accommodate diverse accents and languages, then communication effectiveness is improved, but the processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of speaker characteristics and message content before the actual speech conversion. By pre-identifying the message components and speaker characteristics that need transformation, the system prepares conversion parameters in advance, reducing the time required for real-time processing while maintaining adaptability to diverse accents and languages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms speech signals by modifying specific parameters such as spectral characteristics, pitch, and timbre while preserving the underlying message content. By selectively changing only the necessary acoustic parameters rather than processing the entire speech signal uniformly, the system achieves adaptability to different speech characteristics with reduced computational overhead and faster processing.
3Productivity
If speech signals are converted in real-time during voice communications, then communication effectiveness is enhanced, but the computational resources and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and separates the essential message content from the full speech signal, processing only the critical components that need transformation. By taking out and processing only the necessary elements (message content and key speaker characteristics) rather than the entire speech signal, the system enhances communication effectiveness while reducing computational energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies speech conversion selectively to specific aspects of the speech signal that most impact communication effectiveness, such as speaker identity characteristics and accent features, rather than uniformly processing all signal components. This partial action approach maintains productivity by focusing computational resources on the most impactful transformations while reducing overall energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A speech conversion system facilitates voice communications. A database comprises a plurality of conversion heuristics, at least some of the conversion heuristics being associated with identification information for at least one first party. At least one speech converter is configured to convert a first speech signal received from the at least one first party into a converted first speech signal different than the first speech signal.