SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VERBAL COMMUNICATION FROM A SPEECH IMPAIRED INDIVIDUAL

• US 20070078878A1
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jason Knable
• Original Assignee: Jason Knable
• Inventors: Knable, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,087,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/00 Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04; devices or methods for replacing direct visual or auditory perception by another kind of perception A61F9/08, A61F11/04; audible indication of meter readings or of colour G01D7/12; watches for blind persons G04B25/02; speech analysis, speech recognition G10L; sound-recording or reproducing, per se G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

An individual that is speech impaired, such as a patient in a dentist'"'"'s office, is provided with means to communicate with a service provider, such as a dentist, without the individual using their own voice. In one embodiment, a computing system initiates display of user interfaces on a display device that is visible to the speech impaired individual. The speech impaired individual may then select text phrases displayed on the display device using an input device, such as a wireless remote control. The communication systems selects one or more audio files that correspond with the selected text phrases and plays the audio file(s) so that the dentist hears the audible representation of the selected text phrase, such as via a headset that is worn by the dentist. In some embodiments, the patient is further able to select one or more educational and/or entertainment media items via the user interface.

Claims

1. A communication system for use in a dental treatment facility comprising a plurality of operatories, each of the operatories comprising a dental chair for supporting a patient, the dentist moving between operatories to perform dental procedures on the patients within the respective operatories, the communication system comprising:

a plurality of display devices each adapted for positioning in one of the dental operatories so that patients in the dental operatories may view respective display devices while positioned in respective dental chairs, the display devices each being configured to display at least one user interface comprising a plurality of textual phrases;

a plurality of input device each associated with one of the plurality of operatories, the input devices adapted for allowing patients to select textual phrases displayed on the display devices in the respective operatories;

a database of sound files, wherein each of the textual phrases is associated with one or more of the sound files, the associated one or more sound files comprising audible representations of the respective textual phrases;

a computing device for determining a current operatory in which the dentist is positioned and for receiving an indication of a textual phrase that has been selected by the patient in the current operatory using the input device in the current operatory, the computing device being further configured to select one or more of sound files associated with the selected textual phrase; and

a speaker positioned so that the dentist hears sounds broadcast on the speaker, wherein the selected one or more sound files associated with the selected textual phrase are broadcast on the speaker so that the dentist hears the textual phrase verbally spoken.

2. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors that provide information to the computing device regarding a position of the dentist within the dental facility, wherein the information is used by the computing device in determining the current operatory in the dentist is positioned.

3. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising one or more switches that are manually adjusted to indicate to the computing device the current operatory in which the dentist is positioned.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein a wireless headset comprises the speaker.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the textual phrases are displayed as graphical images on the display devices.

18. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the textual phrases comprises phrases in a first language and the sound files comprise audible representations of the textual phrases in a second language.

19. The communication device of claim 18, wherein the first and second languages are each selected from the group comprising:

English, Spanish, German, French, Tagalong, Chinese, and Japanese.

6. A system of enhancing communication between a patient positioned in a dental chair within a dental operatory and a dentist, the system comprising:

a display device adapted for positioning in the dental operatory so that the patient may view the display device while positioned in the chair while the dentist is performing a dental procedure on the patient, the display device configured to display a user interface comprising a plurality of textual phrases, the textual phrases comprising phrases that the patient may communicate to the dentist related to the dental procedure being performed on the patient;

an input device for allowing a patient to select one of the textual phrases;

a database of sound files, wherein each of the textual phrases is associated with one or more of the sound files, the associated one or more sound files comprising audible representations of the respective textual phrases;

a processor for selecting one or more of the sound files associated with the selected textual phrase; and

a speaker positioned so that the dentist hears sounds broadcast on the speaker, wherein the selected one or more sound files associated with the selected textual phrase are broadcast on the speaker so that the dentist hears the textual phrase verbally spoken.

7. The communication system of claim 6 wherein the speaker comprises headphones.

8. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the input device comprises one or more of:

a remote control, a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a drawing a tablet, and a touchpad.

9. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the user interface further displays a representation of at least one educational media item.

10. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the user interface further displays a representation of at least one entertainment media item.

11. A communication device comprising:

a communication module configured to transmit to a display device information associated with a user interface comprising a plurality of textual phrases and further configured to receive a selection of one of the textual phrases from an input device that is operated by a patient in an operatory; and

a database of sound files, wherein each of the textual phrases is associated with one or more of the sound files, the associated one or more sound files comprising verbal representations of the respective textual phrases; and

the communication module being further configured to select one or more of the sound files associated with the selected textual phrase and to initiate playing of the selected one or more sound files so that a doctor hears an audible representation of the selected textual phrase.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the selected textual phrase comprise one or more words.

13. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the speaker comprises headphones.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the headphones comprise only one speaker.

15. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the sound files comprises digital sound files stored in one or more of the formats:

WAV, MP2, MP3, AAC, OGG VORBIS, MPC, MP3PRO, AC-3, ATRAC, WMA, QDESIGN, and AMR-WB+.

16. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the doctor comprises at least one of:

a physician, a surgeon, a dentist, and a veterinarian.

17. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the operatory comprises any location where a medical procedure is performed on the patient such that the patient'"'"'s ability to verbally communicate with the doctor is decreased.

20. A communication method comprising:

displaying a plurality of textual phrases so that they are viewable by a patient positioned in a treatment chair in a dental operatory;

receiving an indication of a selected textual phrase, wherein the patient selects the textual phrase using an input device;

selecting one or more sound files associated with the selected textual phrase;

playing the selected one or more sound files so that an audible representation of the selected textual phrase is broadcast on a headset worn by a doctor.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the doctor comprises at least one of:

a physician, a surgeon, a dentist, and a veterinarian.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the operatory comprises a location where a medical procedure is performed on the patient such that the patient'"'"'s ability to verbally communicate with the doctor is decreased.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the plurality of textual phrases are displayed on a display device positioned in the operatory.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying educational content to the patient in response to receiving selections of one or more content items by the patient via the input device.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the selected textual phrase comprises one or more letters selected by the patient using the input device.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising displaying a visual representation of a keyboard to the patient so that the one or more letters may be selected by the patient using the keyboard.

27. A communication system comprising:

means for displaying a plurality of textual phrases so that they are viewable by a first person that is speech impaired;

means for receiving an indication of a selected textual phrase, wherein the first person selects the textual phrase using an input device;

means for selecting one or more sound files associated with the selected textual phrase;

means for playing the selected one or more sound files so that an audible representation of the selected textual phrase is broadcast to a second person.