Text-to-Speech Adaptation Using Cursor-Tracked Reading Pace
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional text-to-speech (TTS) systems lack interactivity and fail to adjust speech characteristics naturally, leading to reduced user engagement and comprehension, particularly in human learning contexts, due to factors like reduced attention and linearity issues.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that adapt speech synthesis by using the position and motion of a tracking operation, such as a cursor, to adjust speech-pace and characteristics based on user input, integrating machine learning to enhance user interaction and natural speech output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional TTS systems use fixed canonical speech-pace for synthesis, then speech output is consistent and systematic, but user engagement and comprehension are reduced due to lack of adaptability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic speech-pace adjustment by transitioning from a fixed canonical speech-pace to an adaptive speech-pace that responds to user tracking operations. The system continuously monitors cursor position and velocity, then dynamically adjusts the speech synthesis rate in real-time, allowing the TTS system to adapt its behavior based on user interaction patterns rather than maintaining a static pace throughout the synthesis process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms by monitoring user tracking operations (cursor position and motion) and using this information to adjust speech synthesis parameters. The cursor velocity and position data serve as feedback signals that trigger speech-pace adjustments, creating a closed-loop control system where user behavior directly influences system output characteristics.
2Stability of the object's composition
If TTS systems process text segment by segment, then processing is manageable and systematic, but speech output lacks natural continuity and context
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary speech synthesis on context portions (text segments before and after the currently tracked position) in advance, generating speech output that maintains continuity with the main synthesis process. This allows the TTS system to prepare and buffer speech segments ahead of time, ensuring smooth transitions and natural-sounding continuity without waiting for sequential processing to complete each segment.
3Ease of operation
If TTS systems maintain canonical speech characteristics, then speech quality is consistent, but user comprehension is reduced due to mismatch with user reading speed
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes speech parameters (specifically speech-pace) based on user tracking operation velocity. When users move the cursor quickly, the speech rate increases to match; when cursor movement slows, speech rate decreases accordingly. This dynamic parameter adjustment aligns speech output with user reading speed, improving comprehension while maintaining acceptable speech quality through context portion adaptation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system is disclosed for adapting speech synthesis according to user-interface input. While synthesizing speech from a text segment with a text-to-speech (TTS) system and concurrently displaying the text segment in a display device, the system may receive tracking operation input tracking a portion of text undergoing synthesis and identifying a context portion of the text for which prior-synthesized speech has been synthesized at a canonical speech-pace. The tracking information may be used to adjust a speech-pace of TTS synthesis of the portion from the canonical speech-pace to an adapted speech-pace, and speech characteristics of synthesized speech of the portion may be adapted by applying both the adapted speech-pace and synthesized speech characteristics of the prior-synthesized speech of the context portion to TTS synthesis processing of the portion. The synthesized speech of the identified portion may be output at the adapted speech-pace and with the adapted speech characteristics.