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NEW PRODUCT NEWS—edited by John Gorsky

Single-Chip Text-To-Speech Solution

The WTS701 is the industry's first single chip IC that converts Text-To-Speech (TTS). The IC uses a concatenation algorithm combined with Winbond's proprietary Multi-Level Storage (MLS) technology, providing a significant advancement in this technology by enabling OEMs to provide TTS functionality to applications that utilize minimal computing and memory resources. This means that TTS is now available without using microprocessors, PCs or computers. Completely programmable, the chip is capable of supporting any number of languages. Initially, U.S. English and Mandarin are available.

The WTS701 accepts ASCII (Unicode for Mandarin language) input via a SPI port and converts this to spoken audio via an analog output or digital CODEC output. The chip can be used to read e-mail, web pages, news, weather, sports, and stock quotes; as well as to deliver e-commerce information or directions with the aid of a GPS location device. It may also be used in learning-aids, products for the visually impaired, e-books, toys and other entertainment devices.

The WTS701 creates a more natural human sounding speech by converting text to speech using recorded human speech samples. Concatenating pre-stored acoustic elements into words creates the audio output. The chip contains two memory arrays; one for the acoustic library and one for the processor program, enabling user customization for special characters such as SMS icons or chat emoticons.

The WTS701 is currently available for sampling and is priced at under $10 in volume quantities. Volume quantities are expected to be available in first quarter of 2002.

Winbond Electronics Corp.
(408) 544-2625
Fax: (408) 544-1787
www.winbond-usa.com

02-02

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