TEXT-TO-SPEECH DEVICE, SPEECH OUTPUT DEVICE, SPEECH OUTPUT SYSTEM, TEXT-TO-SPEECH METHOD, AND SPEECH OUTPUT METHOD

摘要

A television detects whether theater equipment is in a speech-muted state using a speech-muted state acquisition command and a speech-muted state notification command. When the theater equipment is in a speech-muted state, a synthesized speech signal composed only of a broadcast speech signal that does not include a text-to-speech signal is output to the theater equipment until the speech muted-state no longer exists. When the speech-muted state no longer exists, the text-to-speech signal is superimposed on the synthesized speech signal and outputted to the theater equipment. During output of the synthesized speech signal from the television to the theater equipment, the television switches to outputting the synthesized speech signal that does not include the text-to-speech signal when the theater equipment switches to the speech-muted state, and outputs to the theater equipment the synthesized speech signal on which the text-to-speech signal has been superimposed from a predetermined portion when the theater equipment is no longer in the speech-muted state.