Edwin R Addison

US Patent:

6865533, Mar 8, 2005

Filed:

Dec 31, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/334658

Inventors:

Edwin R. Addison - Millersville MD, US
H. Donald Wilson - White Plains NY, US
Gary Marple - Boxborough MA, US
Anthony H. Handal - Westport CT, US
Nancy Krebs - Severn MD, US

Assignee:

Lessac Technology Inc. - White Plains NY

International Classification:

G10L015/26

US Classification:

704260, 704270

Abstract:

A preferred embodiment of the method for converting text to speech using a computing device having a memory is disclosed. The inventive method comprises examining a text to be spoken to an audience for a specific communications purpose, followed by marking-up the text according to a phonetic markup systems such as the Lessac System pronunciation rules notations. A set of rules to control a speech to text generator based on speech principles, such as Lessac principles. Such rules are of the tide normally implemented on prior art text-to-speech engines, and control the operation of the software and the characteristics of the speech generated by a computer using the software. A computer is used to speak the marked-up text expressively. The step of using a computer to speak the marked-up text expressively is repeated using alternative pronunciations of the selected style of expression where each of the tonal, structural, and consonant energies, have a different balance in the speech, are also spoken to a trained speech practitioners that listened to the spoken speech generated by the computer. The spoken speech generated by the computer is then evaluated for consistency with style criteria and/or expressiveness.

US Patent:

7076472, Jul 11, 2006

Filed:

Aug 5, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/634488

Inventors:

Edwin Addison - Millersville MD, US

International Classification:

G06N 5/00

US Classification:

706 13, 435 6

Abstract:

A new computing architecture that mimics the behavior of biological cells, called a Whole Cell Computer (WCC) is disclosed. The WCC is a computational architecture based on the biochemical processing of cells. It represents both a specialization and an extension of membrane computing. It is derived from the properties of biological cells and has extensive statistical redundancy built in. It can be programmed using genetic programming techniques.

US Patent:

20030144842, Jul 31, 2003

Filed:

Jan 29, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/061078

Inventors:

Edwin Addison - Millersville MD, US
H. Wilson - White Plains NY, US
Gary Marple - Boxborough MA, US
Anthony Handal - Westport CT, US
Nancy Krebs - Severn MD, US

International Classification:

G10L013/08

US Classification:

704/260000

Abstract:

A preferred embodiment of the method for converting text to speech using a computing device having a memory is disclosed. Text, being made up of a plurality of words, is received into the memory of the computing device. A plurality of phonemes are derived from the text. Each of the phonemes is associated with a prosody record based on a database of prosody records associated with a plurality of words. A first set of the artificial intelligence rules is applied to determine context information associated with the text. The context influenced prosody changes for each of the phonemes is determined. Then a second set of rules, based on Lessac theory to determine Lessac derived prosody changes for each of the phonemes is applied. The prosody record for each of the phonemes is amended in response to the context influenced prosody changes and the Lessac derived prosody changes. Then a reading from the memory sound information associated with the phonemes is performed. The sound information is amended, based on the prosody record as amended in response to the context influenced prosody changes and the Lessac derived prosody changes to generate amended sound information for each of the phonemes. Then the sound information is outputted to generate a speech signal.

US Patent:

20070094166, Apr 26, 2007

Filed:

May 15, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/433999

Inventors:

Edwin Addison - Wilmington NC, US

International Classification:

G06N 3/12

US Classification:

706013000

Abstract:

A new computing architecture that mimics the behavior of biological cells, called a Whole Cell Computer (WCC) is disclosed. The WCC is a computational architecture based on the biochemical processing of cells. It represents both a specialization and an extension of membrane computing. It is derived from the properties of biological cells and has extensive statistical redundancy built in. It can be programmed using genetic programming techniques.