Stephen T Springer

US Patent:

8447610, May 21, 2013

Filed:

Aug 9, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/853026

Inventors:

Darren C. Meyer - Duxbury MA, US
Stephen R. Springer - Needham MA, US

Assignee:

Nuance Communications, Inc. - Burlington MA

International Classification:

G10L 13/08

US Classification:

704260, 704271, 704258, 704234, 704209, 434236, 434178

Abstract:

Techniques for generating synthetic speech with contrastive stress. In one aspect, a speech-enabled application generates a text input including a text transcription of a desired speech output, and inputs the text input to a speech synthesis system. The synthesis system generates an audio speech output corresponding to at least a portion of the text input, with at least one portion carrying contrastive stress, and provides the audio speech output for the speech-enabled application. In another aspect, a speech-enabled application inputs a plurality of text strings, each corresponding to a portion of a desired speech output, to a software module for rendering contrastive stress. The software module identifies a plurality of audio recordings that render at least one portion of at least one of the text strings as speech carrying contrastive stress. The speech-enabled application generates an audio speech output corresponding to the desired speech output using the audio recordings.

US Patent:

8571870, Oct 29, 2013

Filed:

Aug 9, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/853086

Inventors:

Darren C. Meyer - Duxbury MA, US
Stephen R. Springer - Needham MA, US

Assignee:

Nuance Communications, Inc. - Burlington MA

International Classification:

G10L 13/08

US Classification:

704260, 704234, 704258, 704209, 704271, 434236, 434178

Abstract:

Techniques for generating synthetic speech with contrastive stress. In one aspect, a speech-enabled application generates a text input including a text transcription of a desired speech output, and inputs the text input to a speech synthesis system. The synthesis system generates an audio speech output corresponding to at least a portion of the text input, with at least one portion carrying contrastive stress, and provides the audio speech output for the speech-enabled application. In another aspect, a speech-enabled application inputs a plurality of text strings, each corresponding to a portion of a desired speech output, to a software module for rendering contrastive stress. The software module identifies a plurality of audio recordings that render at least one portion of at least one of the text strings as speech carrying contrastive stress. The speech-enabled application generates an audio speech output corresponding to the desired speech output using the audio recordings.

US Patent:

20170340256, Nov 30, 2017

Filed:

May 27, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/166507

Inventors:

- Cambridge MA, US
Stuart R. Patterson - Hingham MA, US
John Nguyen - Lexington MA, US
Mark Alan Fanty - Norfolk MA, US
Stephen R. Springer - Needham MA, US
Erik Martin Gregory - Boston MA, US

Assignee:

The Affinity Project, Inc. - Cambridge MA

International Classification:

A61B 5/16
A61B 5/00
A61F 4/00
G06T 7/00
G06K 9/00

Abstract:

Assistance may be provided to a first user of a first device by monitoring sensors of the first device and providing assistance via a character presented by the device. Sensor data, such as audio, video, or biometric data, may be transmitted to a server, and a server may process the sensor data to determine a state of the first user. The server may determine to request assistance based on the state of the first user. The server may then send a request to a second device of a second user to guide the character presented by the first device. The second user may then provide assistance to the first user by guiding the character presented by the first device.