Method and device for enhancing the recognition of speech among speech-impaired individuals

• US 6,413,094 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2000
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rutgers University, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Rutgers University, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Miller, Steven Lamont, Jenkins, William Michael, Merzenich, Michael Mathias, Schreiner, Christoph E., Tallal, Paula Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US09/664,849
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/156, 434/169, 434/185, 434/307-R-3, 434/322, 434/323, 434/350, 434/362, 434/365, 704/207-211, 704/238, 704/239, 704/254, 704/265-268, 704/275, 704/276, 367/198, 369/60.01, 381/56, 381/58, 381/111, 381/123, 381/320
• US Class Current: 434/185
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0364 for improving intelligibility
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/43 Signal processing in hearing aids to enhance the speech intelligibility

Abstract

A method and a system is disclosed that provide means to enable individuals with speech, language and reading based communication disabilities, due to a temporal processing problem, to improve their temporal processing abilities as well as their communication abilities. The method and system include provisions to elongate portions of phonemes that have brief and/or rapidly changing acoustic spectra, such as occur in the stop consonants b and d in the phonemes /ba/ and /da/, as well as reduce the duration of the steady state portion of the syllable. In addition, some emphasis is added to the rapidly changing segments of these phonemes. Additionally, the disclosure includes method for and computer software to modify fluent speech to make the modified speech better recognizable by communicatively impaired individuals. Finally, the disclosure includes method for and computer software to train temporal processing abilities, specifically speed and precision of temporal integration, sequencing and serial memory.

Claims

1. A method for processing speech to improve an individual'"'"'s recognition of stop consonant sounds, the method comprising:

providing prerecorded speech having stop consonant sounds to a processing device, the stop consonant sounds having rapidly changing frequency envelopes; and

the processing device dynamically emphasizing the rapidly changing frequency envelopes so that they are better understood by the individual.

2. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 1 wherein the prerecorded speech comprises books recorded on tape.

3. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 1 wherein the prerecorded speech comprises audible training exercises.

4. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 3 wherein the audible training exercises are directed at training dyslexics to accurately discriminate stop consonant sounds from vowel sounds.

5. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 3 wherein the audible training exercises are directed at training the individual to understand a foreign language.

6. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 1 wherein the processing device is a computer.

7. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 1 wherein the prerecorded speech is provided to the processing device from a tape recorder.

8. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 1 wherein the prerecorded speech is provided to the processing device from a CD player.

9. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

before said step of emphasizing, if the prerecorded speech is not in a digital format, converting the prerecorded speech into a digital format so that it can be processed.

10. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of dynamically emphasizing increases the energy level of the stop consonant sounds.

11. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 10 wherein the energy level is increased by 10-20 dB.

12. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of dynamically emphasizing comprises:

filtering the prerecorded speech into a plurality of separate frequency channels;

for each of the plurality of frequency channels that shows a rapid change, emphasizing those frequency channels by 10-20 dB.

13. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

after said step of emphasizing, transferring the

emphasized prerecorded speech to an audible player.

14. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 13 wherein the audible player is a tape recorder.

15. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

elongating stop consonant sounds within the prerecorded speech.

16. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 15 wherein said step of elongating stop consonant sounds comprises:

performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on the prerecorded speech to convert the speech into frequency spectral values, and

interpolating the spectral values to elongate the stop consonant sounds.

17. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 16 wherein said step of elongating stop consonant sounds further comprises:

after said step of interpolating the spectral values, performing an inverse FFT to convert the interpolated spectral values into the time domain.

18. The method for processing speech as recited in claim 17 wherein said step of elongating stop consonant sounds further comprises:

truncating vowel sounds within the prerecorded speech so that after the stop consonant sounds are elongated, the elapsed time of the prerecorded speech is not changed.