Patent ID: 7490039

Claim:
A text-to-speech (TTS) system, comprising: a memory operable to store a text file and an audio file; and a TTS module operable to: convert a plurality of textual words in the text file to a plurality of audible words; store the audible words in an audio file, the audio file including a plurality of electronic markers embedded in the audio file; and store for each audible word: a first location locating the audible word in the audio file; and a second location locating the corresponding textual word in the text file; and transmit the audible words to a telecommunication device operable to play the audio file to a user; an output device operable to play the audio file to a user; an interface operable to receive a voice command to spell one of the audible words during the playing of the audio file; and a processor operable to: remove the electronic markers from the audio file during playback; track the number of words played by counting the number of electronic markers removed; determine the textual word corresponding to the audible word to be spelled; and audibly spell the textual word.