According to some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a computerized method for selecting and correcting pitch marks in speech processing and modification. The method comprises an action of receiving a continuous speech signal representing audible speech recorded by a microphone, where a sequence of pitch values and two or more pitch mark temporal values are computed from the continuous speech signal. The method comprises an action of computing for each of the pitch mark temporal values a lower limit temporal value and an upper limit temporal value by a cross-correlation function of the continuous speech signal around the pitch mark temporal values associated with pairs of elements in the sequence and replacing one or more of the pitch mark temporal values with one or more new temporal value between the lower limit temporal value and the upper limit temporal value.

An audio processor for processing an audio signal includes a target phase measure determiner for determining a target phase measure for the audio signal in a time frame, a phase error calculator for calculating a phase error using a phase of the audio signal in the time frame and the target phase measure, and a phase corrector configured for correcting the phase of the audio signal in the time frame using the phase error.

An audio processor for processing an audio signal includes an audio signal phase measure calculator configured for calculating a phase measure of an audio signal for a time frame, a target phase measure determiner for determining a target phase measure for the time frame, and a phase corrector configured for correcting phases of the audio signal for the time frame using the calculated phase measure and the target phase measure to obtain a processed audio signal.

A decoder for decoding an audio signal includes a first target spectrum generator for generating a target spectrum for a first time frame of a subband signal of the audio signal using first correction data. A first phase corrector for corrects a phase of the subband signal in the first time frame of the audio signal determined with a phase correction algorithm, the correction being performed by reducing a difference between a measure of the subband signal in the first time frame of the audio signal and the target spectrum. An audio subband signal calculator calculates the audio subband signal for the first time frame using a corrected phase for the time frame and for calculating audio subband signals for a second time frame different from the first time frame using the measure of the subband signal in the second time frame or using a corrected phase calculation in accordance with a further phase correction algorithm different from the phase correction algorithm.

A calculator for determining phase correction data for an audio signal includes a variation determiner for determining a variation of a phase of the audio signal in a first and a second variation mode, a variation comparator for comparing a first variation determined using the first variation mode and a second variation determined using the second variation mode, and a correction data calculator for calculating the phase correction data in accordance with the first variation mode or the second variation mode based on a result of the comparing.

Methods and systems for controlling audio communications between occupants of a vehicle are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a system includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to at least facilitate receiving a request for sound transmission from a first occupant inside a vehicle to a second occupant inside the vehicle. The processor is coupled to the interface, and is configured to at least facilitate identifying respective locations of the first occupant and the second occupant, and performing the sound transmission with an adjustment for a phase difference based at least in part on the respective locations of the first occupant and the second occupant.

Methods and systems for controlling audio communications between occupants of a vehicle are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a system includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to at least facilitate receiving a request for sound transmission from a first occupant inside a vehicle to a second occupant inside the vehicle. The processor is coupled to the interface, and is configured to at least facilitate identifying respective locations of the first occupant and the second occupant, and performing the sound transmission with an adjustment for a phase difference based at least in part on the respective locations of the first occupant and the second occupant.

In order to play waveform data back at a variable performance tempo by using waveform data which complies with a desired reference tempo, the present invention performs a timeline-expansion/contraction control on the waveform data to be played back, according to the relationship between the performance tempo and the reference tempo. The present invention also determines whether to limit the playback of the waveform data according to the relationship between the performance tempo and the reference tempo. In the case that playback is to be limited, the present invention stops playback of the waveform data, or reduces the resolution of playback processing and continues playback of the waveform data. The present invention stops playback of the waveform data when, for example, the relationship between the performance tempo and the reference tempo is a relationship in which the waveform data would be played back at a performance tempo which would cause a processing delay or a deterioration of sound quality. As a result, it is possible to preemptively prevent a system freeze and solve problems such as the generation of music which has a slower tempo than the desired performance tempo, or the generation of music which includes the intermittent cutting out of sound due to noise, or a significant reduction to sound quality.

In order to play waveform data back at a variable performance tempo by using waveform data which complies with a desired reference tempo, the present invention performs a timeline-expansion/contraction control on the waveform data to be played back, according to the relationship between the performance tempo and the reference tempo. The present invention also determines whether to limit the playback of the waveform data according to the relationship between the performance tempo and the reference tempo. In the case that playback is to be limited, the present invention stops playback of the waveform data, or reduces the resolution of playback processing and continues playback of the waveform data. The present invention stops playback of the waveform data when, for example, the relationship between the performance tempo and the reference tempo is a relationship in which the waveform data would be played back at a performance tempo which would cause a processing delay or a deterioration of sound quality. As a result, it is possible to preemptively prevent a system freeze and solve problems such as the generation of music which has a slower tempo than the desired performance tempo, or the generation of music which includes the intermittent cutting out of sound due to noise, or a significant reduction to sound quality.

A method comprising: receiving an utterance, an original pitch contour of the utterance, and a target pitch contour for the utterance, wherein the utterance comprises a plurality of consecutive frames, and wherein at least one of said frames is a voiced frame; calculating an original intensity contour of said utterance; generating a pitch modified utterance based on the target pitch contour; calculating an intensity modification factor for each of said frames, based on said original pitch contour and on said target pitch contour, to produce a sequence of intensity modification factors corresponding to said plurality of consecutive frames; calculating a final intensity contour for said utterance by applying said intensity modification factors to said original intensity contour; and generating a coherently modified speech signal by time dependent scaling of the intensity of said pitch modified utterance according to said final intensity contour.