Methods, systems, and devices for multi-user treatment for improvement of reading comprehension using frequency altered feedback

• US 10,008,125 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: East Carolina University (University of North Carolina System)
• Original Assignee: East Carolina University (University of North Carolina System)
• Inventors: Rastatter, Michael, Carter, Todd, Allen, Mark, Rodriguez, Ricardo, Trainor, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US14/655,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20150332602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 434178
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/003 electrically operated apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/006 with audible presentation of the material to be studied audio and audio-visual teaching apparatus in general G09B5/04, G09B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/10 all student stations being capable of presenting the same information simultaneously G09B5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/007 characterised by the process used
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/04 Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor in deaf-aid sets H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

Multi-user portable electronic devices for improving reading ability and/or comprehension for a plurality of subjects are provided. The multi-user portable electronic devices may include a pitch shifter circuit configured to generate frequency altered auditory speech feedback (FAF) signals corresponding to respective auditory speech signals received from respective active microphones, and to transmit the respective FAF signals to the plurality of subjects while one or more of the plurality of subjects are respectively reading aloud, to improve the plurality of subjects'"'"' reading ability and/or comprehension. The multi-user portable electronic devices may also include a switch configured to activate the microphones selectively, serially. Related methods and systems are also described.

Claims

1. A method for improving reading comprehension, comprising:

providing a portable device with a circuit that is concurrently in communication with a plurality of different headsets of different subjects being treated to improve reading comprehension and at least a first microphone;

electronically activating the first microphone associated with a first subject;

electronically receiving at the circuit of the portable device an auditory speech signal of the first subject associated with the first subject reading aloud using the first microphone;

electronically altering the received auditory speech signal to generate a first frequency altered auditory speech feedback (FAF) signal using the circuit of the portable device; and

electronically administering the first FAF signal using the circuit of the portable device to one of;

(i) a first headset worn by the first subject and a respective headset worn by at least one other subject as the plurality of different headsets;

or (ii) the plurality of different headsets worn by different subjects but not to the first subject while the first subject is reading aloud to improve reading comprehension of either the first subject and the at least one other subject or only the different subjects and not the first subject.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

electronically activating a second microphone associated with a second subject as the at least one other subject and deactivating the first microphone using the portable device;

electronically receiving at the circuit of the portable device an auditory speech signal of the second subject using the second microphone;

electronically altering the received auditory speech signal of the second subject associated with the second subject reading aloud to generate a second FAF signal using the circuit of the portable device; and

electronically concurrently administering the second FAF signal to at least the headsets of the first and second subject while the second subject is reading aloud to improve a respective subject'"'"'s reading comprehension.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronically administering the first FAF signal is carried out using the circuit of the portable device to the first headset worn by the first subject and a respective headset worn by the at least one other subject as the plurality of different headsets to electronically administer the first FAF signal concurrently to the first subject and at least one other subject while the first subject is reading aloud to thereby improve the first subject'"'"'s and the at least one other subject'"'"'s reading comprehension.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronically administering the first FAF signal is carried out using the circuit of the portable device to the plurality of different headsets worn by the different subjects but not to the first subject.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronically administering the first FAF signal is carried out using the circuit of the portable device to the plurality of different headsets worn by the different subjects but not to the first subject and wherein the first FAF signal is concurrently administered to the different subjects as the at least one other subject but not to the first subject/reader.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronically activating are the first microphone is carried out using an externally accessible manual switch on board the portable device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronically activating the first microphone is are carried out using a remote input associated with a display that is in communication with the portable device.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the electronically activating the second microphone is carried out to substantially concurrently deactivate the first microphone corresponding to the first subject.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically altering the received auditory speech signal of the first subject comprises:

electronically converting the received analog auditory speech signal to a digital signal in a frequency domain;

electronically altering the frequency of the digital signal within a range of +/−

2 octaves;

then

electronically converting the altered digital signal back to a time domain and into an analog signal to generate the first FAF signal that is electronically administered.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the steps of electronically converting the received analog signal, electronically altering the digital signal, and electronically converting the altered digital signal is at least partially carried out using the circuit of the portable device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the portable device comprises a wireless device that is remote from the first headset worn by the first subject and/or the plurality of different headsets.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the portable device comprises a wired device that is remote from the first headset worn by the first subject.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first microphone corresponds to the first headset worn by the first subject.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronically administering is carried out as a therapeutic treatment and either each of the first and at least one other subject has a reading disorder or only the different subjects have a reading disorder.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising programmably adjusting a frequency shift for the step of electronically altering the received auditory speech signal to generate the first FAF signal, wherein the portable device comprises or is in communication with at least one display that displays text of a book that the first subject is reading aloud.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subject is a supervising adult without a reading disorder.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable device includes or is in communication with an electronic device comprising a software application in removable media and/or stored or accessed in a non-transitory memory of a desktop, laptop, tablet, netbook, notebook computer, or smart phone.

17. A system for improving reading comprehension, comprising:

a first headset with a first microphone;

at least one other headset in communication with the first headset, directly or indirectly; and

a portable electronic device configured to electronically communicate with the first microphone to generate a first frequency altered auditory speech feedback (FAF) signal associated with an auditory speech signal received by the first microphone and transmit the first FAF signal either (i) only to the at least one other headset of respective subjects or (ii) to the first headset and the at least one other headset of respective subjects, while a user with the first headset is reading aloud to thereby improve reading comprehension of at least one subject.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the portable electronic device includes or is in communication with an electronic device comprising a software application in removable media and/or stored or accessed in a non-transitory memory of a desktop, laptop, tablet, netbook, notebook computer, or smart phone.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the portable electronic device concurrently transmits first the FAF signal to the at least one other headset while only the user with the first headset is reading aloud into the first microphone.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising at least one display in communication with and/or onboard the portable electronic device configured to concurrently display text that the user with the first headset is reading aloud.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the first headset does not transmit the first FAF signal to the user.

18. A multi-user portable electronic device for improving reading comprehension for a plurality of subjects, comprising:

a pitch shifter circuit configured to generate frequency altered auditory speech feedback (FAF) signals corresponding to auditory speech signals received from an active microphone while a user in communication with the active microphone is reading aloud, and to concurrently transmit the FAF signals to a plurality of headsets of subjects to improve reading comprehension.

24. The device of claim 18, wherein the pitch shifter circuit of the multi-user portable electronic device includes or is in communication with an electronic device comprising a software application in removable media and/or stored or accessed in a non-transitory memory of a desktop, laptop, tablet, netbook, notebook computer, or smart phone.

25. The device of claim 18, further comprising at least one display coupled to the device and configured to concurrently display text that the user with the active microphone is reading aloud.

26. The device of claim 18, wherein the first headset does not transmit the FAF signals to the user with the active microphone.