Abstract: An information system includes an output section to read a character string in received contents aloud, and a memory section to store a rule set to convert input contents to modified contents adapted to text reading. An optimizing section is arranged to covert the input contents to the modified contents according to the rule set, and to cause the output section to read out the modified contents.

Abstract: An information system includes an output section to read a character string in received contents aloud, and a memory section to store a rule set to convert input contents to modified contents adapted to text reading. An optimizing section is arranged to covert the input contents to the modified contents according to the rule set, and to cause the output section to read out the modified contents.

Abstract: In an information providing system which intermittently provides information which varies along with the passage of time, a plurality of comments which respectively correspond to a plurality of patterns of information change are prepared, and changes of the information which is provided are detected. A comment which corresponds to a change of information which has been detected is searched for among the plurality of comments which are prepared, and the comment which is found is added to the information which is being provided, and the edited information is provided.

Abstract: In a text to speech apparatus and method and information providing system, a plurality of defined clause patterns are stored in a first memory section in an information providing system, a plurality of speech prosody patterns are stored in a second memory section in an information terminal such as an in-vehicle information terminal, each speech prosody pattern being preset to correspond to one of the defined clause patterns and to reproduce the corresponding one of the defined clause patterns in a natural intonation speech sound, and a text speech section carries out a read out of at least one text sentence in accordance with one of the speech prosody patterns which corresponds to one of the defined clause patterns when at least the one of the defined clause patterns is present in the text sentence to be read out.