Method and apparatus for synthesizing speech and method apparatus for registering pitch wave forms

Abstract

A speech synthesis apparatus ( 10 ) comprises speech segment disassembling means ( 101 ) for disassembling the speech segments each including at least one phoneme into a plurality of pitch waveforms, phase characteristic transforming means ( 103 ) for transforming the phase characteristics of the pitch waveforms into a uniformed phase characteristic, pitch waveform classifying means ( 104 ) for classifying the pitch waveforms into a plurality of groups, pitch waveform registering means ( 106 ) for registering the pitch waveforms in the database ( 111 ) by extracting one pitch waveform from among the pitch waveforms in each of the groups, and synthesizing means ( 107 ) for synthesizing the speech with the pitch waveforms registered in the database ( 111 ). The speech synthesis apparatus ( 10 ) thus constructed can synthesize a natural speech using a relatively small database capacity.