METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND DEVICES FOR MULTI-USER IMPROVEMENT OF READING COMPREHENSION USING FREQUENCY ALTERED FEEDBACK

• US 20140186807A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• 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: Rodriguez, Ricardo, Rastatter, Michael, Carter, Todd, Allen, Mark, Trainor, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,547,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/169
• 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 for a plurality of subjects, comprising:

providing a portable device in communication with a plurality of different microphones;

electronically activating a first microphone associated with a first subject using the portable device;

electronically receiving an auditory speech signal of the first subject using the first microphone;

electronically altering the received auditory speech signal to generate a first frequency altered auditory speech feedback (FAF) signal;

electronically administering the first FAF signal to the first subject while the first subject is speaking, to improve the first subject'"'"'s reading comprehension;

then

electronically activating a second microphone associated with a second subject using the portable device;

electronically receiving an auditory speech signal of the second subject using the second microphone;

electronically altering the received auditory speech signal of the second subject to generate a second FAF signal; and

electronically administering the second FAF signal to the second subject while the second subject is speaking, to improve the second subject'"'"'s reading comprehension.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically administering the first FAF signal to the first subject is carried out to electronically administer the first FAF signal concurrently to the first and second subjects while the first subject is speaking to thereby improve the first and second subjects'"'"' reading comprehension.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein electronically administering the second FAF signal to the second subject is carried out to electronically concurrently administer the second FAF signal to the first and second subjects while the second subject is speaking to thereby improve the first and second subjects'"'"' reading comprehension.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the activating steps are carried out using an externally accessible manual switch on board the portable device.

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

6. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically activating the second microphone is carried out to substantially concurrently deactivate the first microphone corresponding to the first subject.

7. 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 to the first subject.

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

9. The method of claim 7, 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 circuitry in the portable electronic device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a wireless device that is in communication with a headset worn by the first subject.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a wired device that is connected to a headset worn by the first subject.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second subjects has a reading disorder, and wherein the steps of electronically administering are carried out as therapeutic treatment to improve the first and second subjects'"'"' reading comprehension.

13. 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 using an electronic device that includes a display.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subject is a pre-school, primary school, elementary school, middle school, or high school age student.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method is carried out in a school setting.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subject is a college student.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subject is an adult with a reading disorder.

18. A system for improving reading comprehension for a plurality of subjects, comprising:

first and second headsets;

first and second microphones configured to communicate with the first and second headsets, respectively; and

a portable electronic device configured to electronically communicate with the respective first and second microphones to selectively, serially 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 to the first and second headsets while the first subject is reading aloud and a second FAF signal associated with an auditory speech signal received by the second microphone and transmit the second FAF signal to the first and second headsets while the second subject is reading aloud to thereby improve the first and second subjects'"'"' reading comprehension.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second subjects each concurrently, serially receive both the first and second FAF signals.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the multi-user portable electronic device wirelessly communicates with the first and second headsets and/or microphones to generate the first and second FAF signals so that first and second frequencies, respectively, are shifted a desired amount within a range of between +/−

2 octaves.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the portable electronic device is a device that is releasably wired to the first and second headsets and/or microphones to generate the first and second FAF signals so that first and second frequencies, respectively, are shifted a desired amount within a range of between +/−

2 octaves.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the system is configured to treat a school age student with a reading disability, to improve reading comprehension.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the system is configured to treat an adult with a reading disability, to improve reading comprehension.

24. 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 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 comprehension; and

a switch in communication with the circuit configured to activate the microphones selectively, serially.

25. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of subjects receives each of the FAF signals.

26. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 24, further comprising:

a headset interface configured to transmit the auditory speech signals from the microphones and/or to transmit the FAF signals to headsets corresponding to the microphones; and

a data interface configured to communicate with an electronic device that includes a display and a software application that manages the multi-user portable electronic device.

27. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 26, wherein the software application is configured to open when the software application detects that the multi-user portable electronic device is connected to the electronic device that includes the display and the software application.

28. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 26, wherein the software application includes a graphical user interface that is configured to allow a user to selectively start and/or stop processing of the auditory speech signals, and/or adjust volume levels of the auditory speech signals and/or the FAF signals.

29. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 26, wherein:

the data interface comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port;

the electronic device that includes the display and the software application comprises a desktop, laptop, tablet, netbook, or notebook computer, or a smart phone; and

the software application is stored in releasable media in and/or a non-transitory memory of the desktop, laptop, tablet, netbook, notebook computer, or smart phone.

30. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 29, wherein the software application is configured to track the FAF signals and to generate charts and/or graphs on the display to illustrate reading comprehension progress of the plurality of subjects.

31. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 26, wherein the software application provides programmable selection and/or adjustment of the FAF signals.

32. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 29, further comprising a non-volatile memory, wherein the multi-user portable electronic device is fully functional only in response to cooperation between the software application and a license file stored in the non-volatile memory.

33. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 32, wherein the license file corresponds to a license that expires, such that the multi-user portable electronic device can be deactivated or is configured to be fully functional only before the license expires.

34. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 26, wherein the headset interface comprises a plurality of headset ports configured to connect the multi-user portable electronic device with between two and six headsets.

35. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 34, wherein the headset ports are configured to receive the auditory speech signals from the respective microphones and to transmit the FAF signals to earphones of the respective headsets.

36. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 24, further comprising a visual indicator of the activated microphone.

37. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 36, wherein the device has a portable housing, and wherein the visual indicator comprises Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) held by the housing that serially illuminate to indicate which microphone is active.

38. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 26, further comprising a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert digital audio signals generated by the software application and/or the multi-user portable electronic device into analog audio signals to be transmitted to the headsets, wherein the analog audio signals comprise the FAF signals.

39. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 26, further comprising an on-board microphone biasing and input amplifier circuit configured to process the auditory speech signals received from the headsets.

40. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 26, further comprising an on-board headset amplifier circuit configured to amplify the FAF signals that are to be transmitted to the headsets.