Patent Publication Number: US-2012041765-A1

Title: Electronic book reader and text to speech converting method

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to electronic book readers, and particularly to, an electronic book reader and a text to speech converting method. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     An electronic book (e-book) is a text file providing the digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book. E-books are usually read on personal computers or smart phones, or on dedicated hardware devices known as e-book readers. 
     An e-book reader usually has a player to play the texts of the e-books. Some users may use e-book reader to play a text based instructions, such as cooking, so a user can cook according to the text played by the e-book reader. However, users might not be able to follow the text to cook with due to it not being synchronized with the audio. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the electronic book reader in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a text to speech converting method of the electronic book reader of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     In general, the word “module,” as used herein, refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in a programming language, such as, for example, Java, C, or Assembly. One or more software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. It will be appreciated that modules may comprise connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and may comprise programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors. The modules described herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electronic book reader  20  is connected to a text source  10 , and an audio output device  30 . 
     The electronic book reader  20  includes a text obtaining module  202 , a text analysis module  204 , a processing module  206 , a control module  208 , and a speech synthesis module  210 . The text obtaining module  202  is connected to the text analysis module  204  and the control module  208 . The text analysis module  204  is connected to the processing module  206 . The processing module is connected to the control module  208 . The control module  208  is connected to the speech synthesis module  210 . 
     The text source  10  is stores a plurality of texts. The audio output device  30  is used for outputting audio signals. In one embodiment, the audio output device  30  is a loudspeaker or an earphone. The text obtaining module  202  is used for obtaining a selected text from the text source  10 . The text analysis module  204  is used for analyzing a time phrase of the selected segment according to a plurality of dictionaries stored in the text analysis module  204 , and obtaining a waiting time period according to meaning of the time phrase in the selected segment. For example, words “2 minutes” in “frying it for 2 minutes in boiling oil” is a time phrase and the waiting time period corresponds to the time phrase is 2 minutes. 
     The processing module  206  is used for creating a control script according to the control content. The control script file includes a reading part and a waiting part according to the waiting time period. The processing module  206  includes a configuration file. The control script file is stored in the configuration file. The configuration file is related to the selected segment. The electronic book reader  20  uses the configuration file when reading the selected segment again. The configuration file is INI file, XML file or other file. 
     The control module  208  is used for sending the selected segment according to the control script file. The speech synthesis module  210  is used for converting the selected segment to speech and send the speech to the audio output device  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a text to speech converting method on the electronic book reader is shown. An embodiment of the method is as follows. 
     In step S 10 , the text obtaining module  202  obtains a selected segment of selected text from the text source  10 . 
     In step S 12 , the text analysis module  204  analyzes a time phrase of the selected segment to obtain a waiting time period according to a meaning of the time phrase in the selected segment. 
     In step S 14 , the processing module  206  creates a control script according to the waiting time period. 
     In step S 16 , the control module  208  sends the selected segment to the speech synthesis module  210  sequentially, wherein the control module  208  waits for the waiting time period after sending the time phrase to the speech synthesis module  210 . 
     In step S 18 , the speech synthesis module  210  converts the selected segment to speech and sends the speech to the audio output device  30 . 
     In step S 20 , the audio output device  30  outputs the speech. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 
     Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps of methods described may be removed, others may be added, and the sequence of steps may be altered. It is also to be understood that the description and the claims drawn to a method may include some indication in reference to certain steps. However, the indication used is only to be viewed for identification purposes and not as a suggestion as to an order for the steps.