Speech therapeutic devices and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10290200-B2
Application number	US-201816035985-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2018
Priority date	Apr 20, 2016
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed herein are speech therapeutic devices and methods. In one aspect, the speech therapeutic device includes audio input circuitry, signal processing circuitry, and stimulus circuitry. In certain embodiments, the audio input circuitry is configured to provide an input signal that is indicative of speech provided by a user and the signal processing circuitry is configured to utilize a reconfigurable rule that includes a condition, receive the input signal, process the input signal using the reconfigurable rule, and provide an alert signal responsive to attainment of the condition. The stimulus circuitry is configured to receive the alert signal and provide a stimulus to the user. The signal processing circuitry is additionally configured to (i) receive the reconfigurable rule from a communication network, and/or (ii) generate a record indicative of the alert signal, store the record in a memory, and send the record to a communication network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A speech therapeutic device comprising:
audio input circuitry configured to provide input signals indicative of speech provided by a user;
signal processing circuitry configured to utilize at least one reconfigurable rule that includes at least one speech error condition comprising a speech error pattern indicative of a speech error produced by the user, wherein the signal processing circuitry is further configured to:
receive the input signals;
process the input signals using the at least one reconfigurable rule to detect the speech error pattern; and
provide an alert signal responsive to attainment of the at least one speech error condition; and

stimulus circuitry coupled to the signal processing circuitry, the stimulus circuitry configured to receive the alert signal and provide a stimulus to the user;
wherein the signal processing circuitry is additionally configured to perform at least one of the following items (i) or (ii):
(i) receive the at least one reconfigurable rule from at least one communication network; or
(ii) generate a record indicative of the alert signal, store the record in a memory, and send the record to at least one communication network.

2. The speech therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the signal processing circuitry is configured to receive the at least one reconfigurable rule from the at least one communication network.

3. The speech therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the signal processing circuitry is configured to generate a record indicative of the alert signal, store the record in a memory, and send the record to the at least one communication network.

4. The speech therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the signal processing circuitry comprises audio processing circuitry.

5. The speech therapeutic device of claim 3 , wherein the record comprises a rule identifier and an audio segment indicative of the speech provided by the user at least one second before the alert signal and at least one second after the alert signal.

6. The speech therapeutic device of claim 3 , wherein the record comprises a time stamp indicative of the alert signal.

7. The speech therapeutic device of claim 3 , wherein the record comprises a location identifier.

8. The speech therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the speech therapeutic device comprises at least one of a behind-the-ear device, an ear-mold device, a headset, a headband, or a smartphone.

9. The speech therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one speech error condition comprises an energy level of the speech indicative of a volume level, and a time interval.

10. The speech therapeutic device of claim 9 , wherein parameters of the at least one reconfigurable rule are configured to be altered to adjust a volume level threshold of the at least one speech error condition.

11. The speech therapeutic device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one communication network comprises at least one of a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN).

12. The speech therapeutic device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one communication network comprises the Internet.

13. The speech therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one reconfigurable rule further includes at least one action that is to be performed when the at least one speech error condition is attained, the at least one action comprising providing to the user at least one of a tactile stimulus, an audible stimulus, or a visual stimulus.

14. The speech therapeutic device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one action comprises providing a voice to the user, wherein the voice indicates at least one speech improvement technique.

15. The speech therapeutic device of claim 1 , comprising at least one of the following features (A) or (B): (A) the audio input circuitry comprises at least one bone conduction microphone; or (B) the stimulus circuitry comprises at least one bone conduction speaker.

16. The speech therapeutic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one speech error condition comprises at least one of a phonation quality, a stutter condition, or a stammer condition.

17. A speech therapeutic system comprising:
a speech therapeutic device according to claim 1 ; and
at least one communication server connected to the at least one communication network, wherein the at least one communication server is configured to perform at least one of the following functions (A) or (B): (A) sending the at least one reconfigurable rule to the at least one communication network, or (B) receiving a record from the at least one communication network.

18. The speech therapeutic system of claim 17 , further comprising a graphical administrator interface configured to permit a speech pathologist or other speech therapeutic professional to monitor the speech therapeutic device and reconfigure the at least one reconfigurable rule.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions for causing a speech therapeutic device to perform a method utilizing at least one reconfigurable rule that includes at least one speech error condition comprising a speech error pattern indicative of a speech error produced by the user, the method comprising:
receiving input signals that are indicative of speech provided by a user;
processing the input signals using the at least one reconfigurable rule to detect the speech error pattern;
providing an alert signal responsive to attainment of the at least one speech error condition; and
providing a stimulus to the user indicative of the alert signal;

wherein the method further comprises at least one of the following items (i) or (ii):
(i) receiving the at least one reconfigurable rule from at least one communication network; or
(ii) generating a record indicative of the alert signal, storing the record in a memory, and sending the record to at least one communication network.

20. A method of operating a speech therapeutic device, the method comprising:
receiving input signals that are indicative of speech provided by a user;
processing the input signals using at least one reconfigurable rule to detect a speech error pattern indicative of a speech error produced by the user;
providing an alert signal responsive to attainment of at least one speech error condition indicative of the speech error pattern; and
providing a stimulus to the user indicative of the alert signal;

wherein the method further comprises at least one of the following items (i) or (ii):
(i) receiving the at least one reconfigurable rule from at least one communication network; or
(ii) generating a record indicative of the alert signal, storing the record in a memory, and sending the record to at least one communication network.

Assignees

• Univ Arizona State

Inventors

• Zhong Xuan
• Yost William
• Dorman Michael
• Liss Julie
• Berisha Visar

Classifications

• G09B19/04

  Speaking (with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04) · CPC title

• G10L2025/783

  based on threshold decision · CPC title

• G09B5/00

  Electrically-operated educational appliances (working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F) · CPC title

• G10L25/78 Primary

  Detection of presence or absence of voice signals (switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10) · CPC title

• G08B21/182 Primary

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title