Speech Aid System

• US 20140358551A1
• Filed: 06/03/2014
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bor-Shyh Lin
• Original Assignee: Ching-Feng Liu, Hsiao-Han Chen
• Inventors: LIU, Ching-Feng, CHEN, Hsiao-Han
• Granted Patent: US 9,373,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/271
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/20 Epiglottis; Larynxes; Tracheae combined with larynxes or for use therewith tracheae, bronchi per se A61F2/04 ; tracheostomy tubes A61M16/0465
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/206 Speech aids with external actuators, e.g. electrical larynxes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0468 with valves at the proximal end limiting exhalation, e.g. during speaking or coughing air passages from trachea to oesophagus or to pharynx, artificial epiglottis A61F2/203
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3358 Measuring barometric pressure, e.g. for compensation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/7545 for solid matter, e.g. microaggregates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/01 Remote controllers for specific apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/088 on the body
• 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: G10K 11/22 for conducting sound through hollow pipes, e.g. speaking tubes

Abstract

A speech aid system includes a tube for mounting at a tracheostomy of a user, a voice parameter acquiring device mounted to the tube and generating a voice parameter signal according to airflow applied within the tube resulting from attempt by the user to speak, a processor generating an audio signal corresponding to the voice parameter signal, and a sound generator for mounting in an oral cavity of the user. The sound generator produces a substitute glottal sound corresponding to the audio signal.

Claims

1. A speech aid system comprising:

a tube configured for mounting at a tracheostomy of a user;

a voice parameter acquiring device mounted to said tube, and configured to sense airflow applied within said tube resulting from attempt by the user to speak, and to generate a voice parameter signal according to the airflow sensed thereby;

a processor configured to receive the voice parameter signal from said voice parameter acquiring device, and to generate an audio signal corresponding to the voice parameter signal; and

a sound generator configured for mounting in an oral cavity of the user, configured to receive the audio signal from said processor, and configured to produce a substitute glottal sound corresponding to the audio signal.

2. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tube has at least one protrusion that protrudes radially and inwardly from an inner peripheral surface of said tube and that is configured to form an artificial glottis extending along an axial direction of said tube .

3. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tube has a first space and a second space formed therein at opposite sides of said artificial glottis within said tube, said first space to be in spatial communication with the tracheostomy, said artificial glottis having a radial size that is gradually reduced in a direction from said first space to said second space.

4. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tube has a first space formed therein at a side of said artificial glottis, said first space to be in spatial communication with the tracheostomy, said artificial glottis to be in spatial communication with external environment, and having a radial size that is gradually reduced in a direction from said first space to the external environment.

5. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tube has two of said protrusions that protrude toward each other, that are spaced apart from each other, and that are configured to form said artificial glottis therebetween.

6. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tube has a connecting section configured for mounting at the tracheostomy of the user, and an artificial glottis section connected to said connecting section and having said at least one protrusion.

7. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said tube includes a filter component disposed between said connecting section and said artificial glottis section, and configured to prevent particles from entering said connecting section via said artificial glottis section.

8. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a valve connected to an outer peripheral surface of said artificial glottis section, and configured to be closed by positive air pressure within said artificial glottis section, and to be opened by negative air pressure within said artificial glottis section for allowing ambient air to enter said artificial glottis section via said valve.

9. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said valve includes a hollow installation base that is fixedly connected to said outer peripheral surface of said artificial glottis section, and that has an internal space in spatial communication with an internal space of said artificial glottis section, and a valve piece that is elastically deformable and that is installed in said installation base;

said installation base has a ring portion protruding from said outer peripheral surface of said artificial glottis section, and an end wall portion disposed at an end of said ring portion distal from said outer peripheral surface of said artificial glottis section;

said end wall portion is formed with at least one through hole therethrough; and

said valve piece has a plate portion that is disposed within said ring portion and that is elastically deformable to seal said through hole, an extension portion that extends from said plate portion into said end wall portion and that is movable in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of said ring portion, and a limiting portion that extends radially and outwardly from an end of said extension portion distal from said plate portion and that is disposed to abut against one side of said end wall portion opposite to said plate portion.

10. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said connecting section and said artificial glottis section are separable.

11. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tube is formed with a breathing hole extending through a tube wall thereof, said speech aid system further comprising:

a gate mounted to said tube and operable to open and close said breathing hole; and

a remote controller operatively associated with said gate to control opening and closing actions of said gate.

12. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said remote controller includes a gate control unit operable to generate a gate control signal, and a wireless transmission unit electrically connected to said gate control unit and configured to wirelessly transmit the gate control signal;

and

said processor is disposed at said tube, is electrically connected to said gate, and includes;

a wireless transceiver unit that is configured to wirelessly receive the gate control signal, and to wirelessly transmit the audio signal for reception by said sound generator,

a signal processing unit that is electrically connected to said voice parameter acquiring unit, and that is configured to generate the audio signal, and

a control unit that is configured to control opening and closing actions of said gate in response to the gate control signal received by said wireless transceiver unit.

13. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said gate control unit is configured to continuously generate the gate control signal such that said control unit controls said gate to close said breathing hole only when being operated, and said control unit controls said gate to open said breathing hole when said wireless transceiver unit does not receive the gate control signal.

14. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said gate control unit is configured to generate the gate control signal such that said control unit controls said gate to close and open said breathing hole in turns during repeated operation of said gate control unit.

15. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said remote controller further includes a warning light unit configured to emit light when said gate control unit generates said gate control signal to which said control unit responds by controlling closing action of said gate.

16. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said remote controller includes a ring to be worn by the user, said gate control unit being installed on and exposed from said ring.

17. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a remote controller including an audio frequency modulating unit that is operable to generate a frequency modulation signal, and a wireless transmission unit that is configured to wirelessly transmit the frequency modulation signal,

wherein said processor includes a wireless transceiver unit configured to wirelessly receive the frequency modulation signal, and a signal processing unit configured to modulate an audio frequency parameter of the audio signal according to the frequency modulation signal received by said wireless transceiver unit, said wireless transceiver unit being further configured to transmit to said sound generator the audio signal having the modulated audio frequency parameter.

18. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sound generator includes:

a wireless receiver unit configured to wirelessly receive the audio signal from said processor; and

a sound producing unit electrically connected to said wireless receiver unit, and including an electroacoustic module operable to produce the substitute glottal sound in response to the audio signal received by said wireless receiver unit.

19. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said sound producing unit has a sound output surface extending horizontally and facing a mouth opening of the user.

20. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said sound generator further includes a base within which said sound producing unit is disposed, said base being configured for mounting in the oral cavity of the user; and

said sound producing unit further includes a resonant pipe that is configured to allow the substitute glottal sound to resonate therein, and that has a sound output end exposed from a surface of said base that faces toward a mouth opening of the user.

21. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said voice parameter acquiring device is an air flow meter that is mounted to said protrusion and that generates the voice parameter signal according to speed of airflow passing through said artificial glottis.

22. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said voice parameter acquiring device is an acoustoelectric transducer that is mounted in said second space and that generates the voice parameter signal according to amplitude of a pressure wave generated by passage of airflow through said artificial glottis.

23. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said voice parameter acquiring device is a pressure sensor that generates the voice parameter signal according to a difference between air pressure in the first space and ambient air pressure.

24. The speech aid system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said voice parameter acquiring device is a pressure sensor that generates the voice parameter signal according to a difference between air pressure in the first space and ambient air pressure.