Abstract: In a speech processing system, an optimal filter frequency is determined and used to filter an unfiltered signal. The optimum filter is chosen by passing the largest voice area greater than 50 ms through multiple filters. The average energy output for each filter and differences between the filter averages (DeltaEnergy) are calculated. The first peak in DeltaEnergy above the average DeltaEnergy determines the optimal filter for filtering the signal. The filtered signal is divided into segments and voiced periods are determined. The unfiltered signal is divided into pitch synchronous frames based on the filtered signal.

Abstract: The onset of a particular signal event is determined by first smoothing the signal containing the event, and then analyzing the smoothed waveform to determine onset. Smoothing is performed by analyzing the value of each point of data and modifying the value based on previous data point values in the waveform. The smoothed waveform is analyzed by iteratively stepping through the data points of the smoothed waveform and determining event onset based on change in data point values. The analysis uses the slope of the waveform to determine whether the data point values and slopes meet certain criteria indicating an event onset.

Abstract: A method and system consistent with the present invention parses text into syllables. The text is converted into a sequence of “phonemes,” basic units of pronounceable and audible speech, divided by syllables. The text may be converted into phonemes using a phonetic dictionary, and the phonemes transformed into another phoneme sequence using a set of transformation rules that are ranked for evaluation to determine the syllable barriers.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying the phoneme sound types that are contained within an audio speech signal is disclosed. The system includes a microphone and associated conditioning circuitry, for receiving an audio speech signal and converting it to a representative electrical signal. The electrical signal is then sampled and converted to a digital audio signal with a digital-to-analog converter. The digital audio signal is input to a programmable digital sound processor, which digitally processes the sound so as to extract various time domain and frequency domain sound characteristics. These characteristics are input to a programmable host sound processor which compares the sound characteristics to standard sound data. Based on this comparison, the host sound processor identifies the specific phoneme sounds that are contained within the audio speech signal.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying the phoneme sound types that are contained within an audio speech signal is disclosed. The system includes a microphone and associated conditioning circuitry, for receiving an audio speech signal and converting it to a representative electrical signal. The electrical signal is then sampled and converted to a digital audio signal with a digital-to-analog converter. The digital audio signal is input to a programmable digital sound processor, which digitally processes the sound so as to extract various time domain and frequency domain sound characteristics. These characteristics are input to a programmable host sound processor which compares the sound characteristics to standard sound data. Based on this comparison, the host sound processor identifies the specific phoneme sounds that are contained within the audio speech signal.