Patent ID: 8401849

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for analyzing, predicting, and/or modifying acoustic units of prosodic human speech utterances for use in speech synthesis or speech recognition, the method comprising: (a) initiating analysis of acoustic wave data representing the human speech utterances, via the phase state of the acoustic wave data, the acoustic wave data being in constrained or unconstrained form; (b) using one or more phase state defined acoustic wave metrics as common elements for analyzing, and optionally modifying, one or more measurable acoustic parameters selected from the group consisting of pitch, amplitude, duration, and other measurable acoustic parameters of the acoustic wave data, at predetermined time intervals, two or more of the acoustic parameters optionally being analyzed and/or modified simultaneously; (c) analyzing acoustic wave data representing a selected one of the acoustic units to determine the phase state of the acoustic unit; and (d) analyzing the acoustic wave data representing the selected acoustic unit to determine at least one acoustic parameter of the acoustic unit with reference to the determined phase state of the selected acoustic unit.