Patent Document ID: 9697818
Application ID: 14561648

Base Claim:
1. A communication system for a speech-based environment, the communication system comprising: a text-to-speech engine configured to provide an audible output to a user, the text-to-speech engine including one or more adjustable operational parameters; and processing circuitry configured to: monitor an ambient noise level and, in response to the monitored ambient noise level, modify the adjustable operational parameter of the text-to-speech engine, and monitor environmental conditions related to intelligibility of the audible output of the text-to-speech engine and, in response to the monitored environmental conditions, modify one or more of the adjustable operational parameters of the text-to-speech engine, the monitored environmental conditions comprising a type of message being converted by the text-to-speech engine, a type of command received from the user, an experience level of the user with the text-to-speech engine, an experience level of the user with an area of a task application, an amount of time logged by the user with a task application, a language of a message being converted by the text-to-speech engine, a length of a message being converted by the text-to-speech engine, a frequency that a message being converted by the text-to-speech engine is used by a task application, or any combination thereof; wherein the adjustable operational parameter is a speed of the text-to-speech engine, which is temporarily reduced in response to the monitored environmental conditions to increase the intelligibility of the audible output to the user.

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Claim 2:
2. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry restores the modified adjustable operational parameter of the text-to-speech engine to a previous setting in response to the ambient noise level indicating a return to a previous state.