Communication method and apparatus

• US 6,893,407 B1
• Filed: 05/05/2000
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ProMotion LLC
• Original Assignee: Personics A/S
• Inventors: Sorensen, Christopher, Brooks, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MALLARI, PATRICIA C
• Application Number:
  US09/565,924
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 600544-547, 600300-301, 600/595, 345156-168, 704/260, 704/270, 704/271, 704/277
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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 21/04 Devices for conversing with the deaf-blind
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/135 Musical aspects of games or videogames; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces game background music G10H2210/026; musical game scoring or performance evaluation G10H2210/091
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/376 using brain waves, e.g. EEG

Abstract

The present invention relates to a non-lingual communication method and apparatus, wherein a physical or physiological signal consciously created by a first subject (1) is detected and converted into a transmitted output signal presented to a second subject (7) in order to communicate information from the first subject (1) to the second subject (7). The invention further relates to rehabilitation of handicapped people.

Claims

1. A non-lingual communication method comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one input medium from a group of selectable input media and at least one output medium from a group of selectable output media,

detecting by said at least one input medium physical signals consciously created by a first subject indicative of intentional information to be submitted to a second subject,

converting said signals into a transmittable signal,

transmitting said transmittable signal into a data transformer, which is functionally connected to said at least one output medium,

transforming said transmittable signal to a sequence of output signals to be outputted from said at least one output medium,

presenting to said second subject said sequence of output signals for communicating said intentional information from said first subject to said second subject,

and calibrating the sensitivity of said at least one input medium to correspond to a specific amplitude range for said physical signals wherein said calibration step is performed according to a predetermined map;

wherein said at least one input medium is selected from the group consisting of

an electromagnetic radiation emitter and an electromagnetic radiation detector for detecting movements,

a sound wave emitter and a reflected sound wave detector for detecting movements,

a laser scanner and a light detector for detecting movements,

means for motion detection;

and said at least one output medium is selected from the group consisting of

a sound generator,

an image display,

a vibration generator,

a light pulse emitter,

a heating device,

a nerve exciting electrode, and

a motor driven device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmittable signal comprises digital data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of first and second subjects is a handicapped person.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the input medium physical signals further comprise movements.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said calibrating step is performed by an interactively learning computer including a neural network.

6. A non-lingual communication apparatus comprising:

at least one input medium and at least one output medium selected from a group of selectable input and output media, said at least one input medium operable to detect physical signals consciously created by a first subject indicative of intentional information to be submitted to a second subject,

a converter for converting said signals into a transmittable signal,

a transmitter for transmitting said transmittable signal from said converter to a data transformer which is functionally connected to said at least one output medium, said data transformer transforming said transmittable signal into control commands for said at least one output medium, wherein said at least one output medium generates a sequence of output signals for communicating said intentional information from said first subject to said second subject, and

calibration means for calibration of the sensitivity of said at least one input medium to correspond to a specific amplitude range for said physical signals wherein said calibration is performed according to a predetermined map;

wherein said at least one input medium is selected from the group consisting of

an electromagnetic radiation emitter and an electromagnetic radiation detector for detecting movements,

a sound wave emitter and a reflected sound wave detector for detecting movements,

a laser scanner and a light detector for detecting movements, and

means for motion detection;

and said at least one output medium is selected from the group consisting of

a sound generator,

an image display,

a vibration generator,

a light pulse emitter,

a heating device,

a nerve exciting electrode, and

a motor driven device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising calibration means for calibration of the sensitivity of said at least one input medium to correspond to a specific amplitude range for said physical signals, wherein said calibration is performed by an interactively learning computer including neural network.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said transmittable signal comprises digital data.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the input medium physical signals further comprise movements.