System and process for feedback speech instruction

• US 20050119894A1
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Indianapolis
• Original Assignee: University of Indianapolis
• Inventors: Cutler, Ann R., Gregory, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US10/968,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20050119894A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/26 Recognition of special voice characteristics, e.g. for use in lie detectors; Recognition of animal voices
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/225 Feedback of the input speech

Abstract

The present invention involves methods and systems for providing feedback speech instruction. The method involves collecting data corresponding to a plurality of parameters associated with verbal and non-verbal expression of a speaker and analyzing the data based on an ideal model. The method also includes generating a report or an instruction responsive to the report, and delivering the report or the instruction to the speaker. The plurality of parameters associated with verbal and non-verbal expression includes pitch, volume, pitch variation, volume variation, frequency of variation of pitch, frequency of volume, rhythm, tone, and speech cadence. The system includes a device for collecting speech data from a speaker, a module with software or firmware enabling analysis of the collected data as compared to an ideal speech model, and an output device for delivering a report and/or instruction to the speaker.

Claims

1. A method for providing feedback speech instructions comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting data corresponding to a plurality of parameters associated with expressions of a speaker;

(b) determining deviations of the collected data from an ideal model; and

(c) instructing the speaker responsive to the deviations.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(d) developing a database of an ideal speech model prior to step (a).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step (d) comprises the steps of:

(e) collecting ideal speech data corresponding to a plurality of parameters associated with expressions of at least one ideal speaker;

(f) determining the ideal speech model from the collected ideal speech data by applying at least one pre-determined algorithm; and

(g) storing the processed ideal speech data in a database as the database of an ideal model.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:

(h) determining the speech data of the speaker from the collected data by applying at least one pre-determined algorithm; and

(i) comparing the speaker'"'"'s speech data with the processed ideal speech data.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(j) generating a report based on a result of step (b).

6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (j) includes generating an instruction responsive to the result of step (b).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the instruction includes at least one of:

a verbal instruction, a non-verbal instruction, a perceptible signal and a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the perceptible signal includes at least one of:

an audio signal, a visual signal, a sign, a tactile signal, and a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of:

(k) delivering the report to at least one recipient.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

(l) generating an instruction based on the report; and

(m) delivering the instruction to the speaker.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of (m) includes at least one of:

displaying the instruction on a display screen, sending an instruction through an audio device, sending an instruction through a visual device, sending an instructional signal through a tactile device, and a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of parameters in the step (a) comprises at least one of:

pitch, volume, pitch variation, volume variation, frequency of variation of pitch, frequency of volume, rhythm, tone, speech cadence, and a combination thereof.

13. A method for developing a database of an ideal speech model comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting ideal speech data corresponding a plurality of parameters associated with expressions of at least one ideal speaker;

wherein the plurality of parameters comprises at least one of;

pitch, volume, pitch variation, volume variation, frequency of variation of pitch, frequency of volume, rhythm, tone, speech cadence and a combination thereof; and

(b) determining an ideal speech model from the collected ideal speech data by applying at least one pre-determined algorithm.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

(c) storing the processed ideal speech data corresponding to the ideal speech model in a retrievable database.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

(d) collecting speech data from a speaker;

(e) analyzing the speech data from the speaker based on the processed ideal speech data;

(f) generating a report based on the analyzed speech data; and

(g) delivering the report to at least one recipient.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein step (e) includes analyzing the speech data in real time.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein step (e) includes analyzing the speech data in a subsequent review.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein step (g) includes delivering the analyzed data in the report.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein step (g) includes delivering a corresponding instruction.

20. A system for providing a feedback speech instruction comprising the steps of:

a device for collecting data corresponding to a plurality of parameters associated with expressions of a speaker;

a module connected to said device for collecting and processing data;

said module having software or firmware for enabling analysis of collected data based on an ideal speech model and generating a report based on the analysis; and

an output device for delivering the report to at least one recipient.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said device for collecting data comprises at least one of:

a recorder, a sensor, a video camera, a data entry device and a combination thereof.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the output device includes at least one of:

an audio device, a visual device, a tactile device and a combination thereof.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the report includes a corresponding instruction.

24. The system of claim 20 further comprising:

a data entry device for entering an instruction responsive to the report; and

an instruction delivery device for delivering the instruction to the speaker.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the instruction delivery device includes at least one of:

an audio device, a visual device, a tactile device and a combination thereof.