Audio/telephone communication system for verbally handicapped
First Claim
1. An operator controlled audio communication system for verbally handicapped individuals that also provides two-way telephone communication over a telephone line, comprisinga programmed computer,input means interconnected to the computer and symbolically displaying for sensory perception and random selection by the operator each of a plurality of control commands and a plurality of message commands associated with a preselected and prerecorded vocabulary of spoken messages and in response to said operator selection generating data signals identifying the selected message and control commands for application to said computer,memory means interconnected to said computer and having stored therein preselected command data and digital message data representative of said vocabulary,digital to analog conversion means interconnected to said computer and responsive to said digital message data retrieved by said computer from said memory means for regenerating in response thereto said selected audio messages and responsive to DTMF data received from said computer for generating signals,a speaker for broadcasting said regenerated audio messages, andinterface circuit means for establishing direct interconnection between said digital to analog conversion means and said speaker and establishing communication between said computer, said digital to analog conversion means and the telephone line for interconnecting the system to the telephone line and permitting telephone communication thereover by transmitting said generated DTMF signals and regenerated audio messages and receiving third-party generated telephone messages in response to a plurality of computer generated phone connect signals,said computer being programmed to receive said data signals from said input means and in response thereto interrogating said memory means to locate and retrieve said digital data representative of said vocabulary messages and said command data including telephone numbers stored therein, applying said digital data to said digital to analog conversion means for generating said telephone number DTMF signals and and regenerating selected audio messages, and in response to said data signals representing said selected command data generating a plurality of phone connect signals for application to said interface circuit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one exemplary embodiment, an audio/telephone communication system for verbally handicapped individuals is disclosed that comprises a programmed computer, and a matrix of touch-sensitive contacts carrying an overlay removably attached thereto and symbolically displaying for sensory perception and random selection by an operator each of a plurality of message commands associated with a preselected and prerecorded vocabulary of spoken messages, and in response to the operator selection the contact matrix generating data signals identifying the selected messages and control commands for application to the computer. An expansion memory is interconnected to the computer and has stored therein the preselected command data and digital message data representative of the message vocabulary. A digital to analog converter is provided that receives and responds to the digital message data retrieved by the computer from the memory for regenerating the selected audio messages and applying the regenerated messages to a speaker. An interface circuit establishes direct interconnection between the digital to analog converter and the speaker, and further establishes communication between the computer, the digital to analog converter and a telephone line for interconnecting the system to the telephone line in response to a plurality of computer generated signals.
160 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. An operator controlled audio communication system for verbally handicapped individuals that also provides two-way telephone communication over a telephone line, comprising
a programmed computer, input means interconnected to the computer and symbolically displaying for sensory perception and random selection by the operator each of a plurality of control commands and a plurality of message commands associated with a preselected and prerecorded vocabulary of spoken messages and in response to said operator selection generating data signals identifying the selected message and control commands for application to said computer, memory means interconnected to said computer and having stored therein preselected command data and digital message data representative of said vocabulary, digital to analog conversion means interconnected to said computer and responsive to said digital message data retrieved by said computer from said memory means for regenerating in response thereto said selected audio messages and responsive to DTMF data received from said computer for generating signals, a speaker for broadcasting said regenerated audio messages, and interface circuit means for establishing direct interconnection between said digital to analog conversion means and said speaker and establishing communication between said computer, said digital to analog conversion means and the telephone line for interconnecting the system to the telephone line and permitting telephone communication thereover by transmitting said generated DTMF signals and regenerated audio messages and receiving third-party generated telephone messages in response to a plurality of computer generated phone connect signals, said computer being programmed to receive said data signals from said input means and in response thereto interrogating said memory means to locate and retrieve said digital data representative of said vocabulary messages and said command data including telephone numbers stored therein, applying said digital data to said digital to analog conversion means for generating said telephone number DTMF signals and and regenerating selected audio messages, and in response to said data signals representing said selected command data generating a plurality of phone connect signals for application to said interface circuit.
Specification