Abstract: A method obtains a first sound signal representative of a first sound, including a first spectrum envelope contour and a first reference spectrum envelope contour; obtains a second sound signal, representative of a second sound differing in sound characteristics from the first sound, including a second spectrum envelope contour and a second reference spectrum envelope contour; generates a synthesis spectrum envelope contour by transforming the first spectrum envelope contour based on a first difference between the first spectrum envelope contour and the first reference spectrum envelope contour at a first time point of the first sound signal, and a second difference between the second spectrum envelope contour and the second reference spectrum envelope contour at a second time point of the second sound signal; and generates a third sound signal representative of the first sound that has been transformed using the generated synthesis spectrum envelope contour.

Abstract: A voice processing method realized by a computer includes compressing forward a first steady period of a plurality of steady periods in a voice signal representing voice, and extending forward a transition period between the first steady period and a second steady period of the plurality of steady periods in the voice signal. Each of the plurality of steady periods is a period in which acoustic characteristics are temporally stable. The second steady period is a period immediately after the first steady period and has a pitch that is different from a pitch of the first steady period.

Abstract: A method obtains a first sound signal representative of a first sound, including a first spectrum envelope contour and a first reference spectrum envelope contour; obtains a second sound signal, representative of a second sound differing in sound characteristics from the first sound, including a second spectrum envelope contour and a second reference spectrum envelope contour; generates a synthesis spectrum envelope contour by transforming the first spectrum envelope contour based on a first difference between the first spectrum envelope contour and the first reference spectrum envelope contour at a first time point of the first sound signal, and a second difference between the second spectrum envelope contour and the second reference spectrum envelope contour at a second time point of the second sound signal; and generates a third sound signal representative of the first sound that has been transformed using the generated synthesis spectrum envelope contour.

Abstract: A voice interaction apparatus acquires a speech signal indicative of a speech sound, identifies a series of pitches of the speech sound from the speech signal, and causes a reproduction device to reproduce a response voice of pitches controlled in accordance with the lowest pitch of the pitches identified during a tailing section proximate to an end point within the speech sound.

Abstract: A voice processing method realized by a computer includes compressing forward a first steady period of a plurality of steady periods in a voice signal representing voice, and extending forward a transition period between the first steady period and a second steady period of the plurality of steady periods in the voice signal. Each of the plurality of steady periods is a period in which acoustic characteristics are temporally stable. The second steady period is a period immediately after the first steady period and has a pitch that is different from a pitch of the first steady period.

Abstract: This invention is an improvement of technology for automatically generating response voice to voice uttered by a speaker (user), and is characterized by controlling a pitch of the response voice in accordance with a pitch of the speaker's utterance. A voice signal of the speaker's utterance (e.g., question) is received, and a pitch (e.g., highest pitch) of a representative portion of the utterance is detected. Voice data of a responsive to the utterance is acquired, and a pitch (e.g., average pitch) based on the acquired response voice data is acquired. A pitch shift amount for shifting the acquired pitch to a target pitch having a particular relationship to the pitch of the representative portion is determined. When response voice is to be synthesized on the basis of the response voice data, the pitch of the response voice to be synthesized is shifted in accordance with the pitch shift amount.

Abstract: A conversation evaluation device includes a storage medium and a processor. The storage medium stores a program configured to evaluate a conversation that includes first voice and second voice as a response to the first voice. The processor executes the program. The program causes a processor to acquire first pitch information related to the first voice. The program also causes the processor to acquire second pitch information related to the second voice. The program also causes the processor to evaluate comfortableness of the second voice based on the acquired first and second pitch information.

Abstract: A voice dialogue apparatus includes a pitch adjusting unit configured to shift pitches of an entire period of a preceding voice, which is reproduced before a dialogue voice for a dialogue, according to a pitch of the dialogue voice, a first reproduction instructing unit configured to instruct reproduction of the preceding voice having been adjusted with the pitch adjusting unit, and a second reproduction instructing unit configured to instruct reproduction of the dialogue voice after the reproduction of the preceding voice with the first reproduction instructing unit.

Abstract: A sound processing method includes a step of applying a nonlinear filter to a temporal sequence of spectral envelope of an acoustic signal, wherein the nonlinear filter smooths a fine temporal perturbation of the spectral envelope without smoothing out a large temporal change. A sound processing apparatus includes a smoothing processor configured to apply a nonlinear filter to a temporal sequence of spectral envelope of an acoustic signal, wherein the nonlinear filter smooths a fine temporal perturbation of the spectral envelope without smoothing out a large temporal change.

Abstract: A method for processing an input sound signal of singing voice, to obtain a sound signal with an impression different from the input sound signal, includes: selecting a genre from among a plurality of tune genres in accordance with a selection operation by a user, setting, to a first unit, a set of first parameters corresponding to the selected genre, displaying a first impression identifier corresponding to the selected genre for a first control of a first user parameter in the set of first parameters, changing the first user parameter in accordance with a change operation on the first control by the user, and strengthening, by the first unit, signal components within a particular frequency band of the sound signal, in accordance with the set of first parameters including the first user parameters.

Abstract: A conversation evaluation device includes a storage medium and a processor. The storage medium stores a program configured to evaluate a conversation that includes first voice and second voice as a response to the first voice. The processor executes the program. The program causes a processor to acquire first pitch information related to the first voice. The program also causes the processor to acquire second pitch information related to the second voice. The program also causes the processor to evaluate comfortableness of the second voice based on the acquired first and second pitch information.

Abstract: This invention is an improvement of technology for automatically generating response voice to voice uttered by a speaker (user), and is characterized by controlling a pitch of the response voice in accordance with a pitch of the speaker's utterance. A voice signal of the speaker's utterance (e.g., question) is received, and a pitch (e.g., highest pitch) of a representative portion of the utterance is detected. Voice data of a responsive to the utterance is acquired, and a pitch (e.g., average pitch) based on the acquired response voice data is acquired. A pitch shift amount for shifting the acquired pitch to a target pitch having a particular relationship to the pitch of the representative portion is determined. When response voice is to be synthesized on the basis of the response voice data, the pitch of the response voice to be synthesized is shifted in accordance with the pitch shift amount.

Abstract: Information related to voice of a question and information related to voice of a response to the question are received. An analysis section acquires a representative pitch of the question (e.g., a pitch of the end of the question), and a representative pitch of the response (e.g., an average pitch of the response) based on the received information. On the basis of comparison between the representative pitch of the question and the representative pitch of the response, an evaluation section evaluates the voice of the response to the question on the basis of how much a difference between the respective representative pitches of the question and the response is away from a predetermined reference value (e.g., a fifth consonant interval). Further, a conversation interval detection section is provided for detecting a conversation interval, i.e., a time interval from the end of the question to the start of the response.

Abstract: This invention is an improvement of technology for automatically generating response voice to voice uttered by a speaker (user), and is characterized by controlling a pitch of the response voice in accordance with a pitch of the speaker's utterance. A voice signal of the speaker's utterance (e.g., question) is received, and a pitch (e.g., highest pitch) of a representative portion of the utterance is detected. Voice data of a responsive to the utterance is acquired, and a pitch (e.g., average pitch) based on the acquired response voice data is acquired. A pitch shift amount for shifting the acquired pitch to a target pitch having a particular relationship to the pitch of the representative portion is determined. When response voice is to be synthesized on the basis of the response voice data, the pitch of the response voice to be synthesized is shifted in accordance with the pitch shift amount.

Abstract: A signal processing method includes a first specifying step and a first modifying step. In the first specifying step, a first modification object section for a singing voice of a music is specified based on a temporal change of pitch of singing voice data representing the singing voice or a temporal change of pitch in a score of the music. In the first modifying step, a modifying process is performed to the singing voice data. The modifying process modifies at least one of the temporal change of pitch and the temporal change of volume of the singing voice in the first modification object section which is specified by the first specifying step.

Abstract: A voice interaction apparatus acquires a speech signal indicative of a speech sound, identifies a series of pitches of the speech sound from the speech signal, and causes a reproduction device to reproduce a response voice of pitches controlled in accordance with the lowest pitch of the pitches identified during a tailing section proximate to an end point within the speech sound.

Abstract: A method for processing an input sound signal of singing voice, to obtain a sound signal with an impression different from the input sound signal, includes: selecting a genre from among a plurality of tune genres in accordance with a selection operation by a user, setting, to a first unit, a set of first parameters corresponding to the selected genre, displaying a first impression identifier corresponding to the selected genre for a first control of a first user parameter in the set of first parameters, changing the first user parameter in accordance with a change operation on the first control by the user, and strengthening, by the first unit, signal components within a particular frequency band of the sound signal, in accordance with the set of first parameters including the first user parameters.

Abstract: A voice synthesizing apparatus includes a first receiver configured to receive first utterance control information generated by detecting a start of a manipulation on a manipulating member by a user, a first synthesizer configured to synthesize, in response to a reception of the first utterance control information, a first voice corresponding to a first phoneme in a phoneme sequence of a voice to be synthesized to output the first voice, a second receiver configured to receive second utterance control information generated by detecting a completion of the manipulation on the manipulating member or a manipulation on a different manipulating member, and a second synthesizer configured to synthesize, in response to a reception of the second utterance control information, a second voice including at least the first phoneme and a succeeding phoneme being subsequent to the first phoneme of the voice to be synthesized to output the second voice.

Abstract: A voice interaction method includes acquiring a voice utterance signal representative of an uttered voice, and acquiring a response signal representative of a response voice responsive to a content of the uttered voice identified by voice recognition of the voice utterance signal. The voice interaction method also includes supplying the response signal to a voice player, to have the response voice played by the voice player, and supplying an interjection signal representative of interjection voice to the voice player, to have the interjection voice played by the voice player during a wait period that starts from an end point of the uttered voice and ends at a start of playback of the response voice.

Abstract: A signal processing method includes a first specifying step and a first modifying step. In the first specifying step, a first modification object section for a singing voice of a music is specified based on a temporal change of pitch of singing voice data representing the singing voice or a temporal change of pitch in a score of the music. In the first modifying step, a modifying process is performed to the singing voice data. The modifying process modifies at least one of the temporal change of pitch and the temporal change of volume of the singing voice in the first modification object section which is specified by the first specifying step.