Patent ID: 8954329
Filing Date: 2015-02-10
Classification: G06F,G10L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: identifying at least one text segment, in a textual representation having a plurality of text segments, having at least one acoustically similar word and/or phrase, wherein the at least one text segment and the at least one acoustically similar word and/or phrase have different spellings; automatically annotating, using at least one processor, the textual representation with disambiguating information to help disambiguate the at least one text segment from the at least one acoustically similar word and/or phrase; and synthesizing a speech signal, at least in part by performing text-to-speech synthesis on at least a portion of the textual representation that includes the at least one text segment, wherein the speech signal includes speech corresponding to the disambiguating information located proximate the portion of the speech signal corresponding to the at least one text segment; wherein the disambiguating information includes text that helps disambiguate the at least one text segment from the at least one acoustically similar word and/or phrase, and wherein: annotating the textual representation includes inserting the disambiguating information into the textual representation proximate the at least one text segment to form an annotated textual representation; and synthesizing the speech signal includes synthesizing a speech signal, at least in part, by performing text-to-speech synthesis on at least a portion of the annotated textual representation that includes the at least one text segment and the disambiguating information.