Prosthetic hearing device that transforms a detected speech into a speech of a speech form assistive in understanding the semantic meaning in the detected speech

• US 7,676,372 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2000
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yugen Kaisha GM&M
• Original Assignee: Yugen Kaisha GM&M
• Inventors: Oba, Toshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth; David R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rider; Justin W
• Application Number:
  US09/673,360
• Time in Patent Office: 3,674 Days
• Field of Search: 704/231, 704/250, 704/255, 704/270, 704/260, 704/503, 704/248, 704/213, 704/233, 704/275, 704/246, 704/261, 704/251, 704/272, 704/266, 704/271, 704/229, 704/235, 704/277, 704/7, 704/270.1, 331/312, 600/215, 700/83
• US Class Current: 704/271
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/009 Teaching or communicating with deaf persons G09B21/04 takes precedence; deaf and dumb persons G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/0575 Aids for the handicapped in speaking
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/065 Aids for the handicapped in understanding
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/02 Speech enhancement, e.g. noise reduction or echo cancellation reducing echo effects in line transmission systems H04B3/20; echo suppression in hands-free telephones H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0364 for improving intelligibility
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing

Abstract

A speech transformation apparatus comprises a microphone 21 for detecting speech and generating a speech signal; a signal processor 22 for performing a speech recognition process using the speech signal; a speech information generator for transforming the recognition result responsive to the physical state of the user, the operating conditions, and/or the purpose for using the apparatus; and a display unit 26 and loudspeaker 25 for generating a control signal for outputting a raw recognition result and/or a transformed recognition result. In a speech transformation apparatus thus constituted, speech enunciated by a spoken-language-impaired individual can be transformed and presented to the user, and sounds from outside sources can also be transformed and presented to the user.

Claims

1. A prosthetic hearing device comprising:

i. a sensor for detecting a speech;

ii. a speech recognition processor that performs speech recognition on the detected speech, wherein the speech recognition processor performs speech recognition, in view of at least one of a physical state of the user and an operating condition of the prosthetic hearing device;

iii. a speech generator that analyzes results of speech recognition to comprehend a semantic meaning in the detected speech and transforms the detected speech into a speech having a speech form assistive in understanding the semantic meaning in the detected speech;

iv. an output device that outputs the generated speech to a user; and

v. an input device, wherein the speech generator, when receiving a reproduction instruction through the input device from the user, reproduces the speech previously produced.

2. A prosthetic hearing device of claim 1, wherein the speech recognition processor performs at least one of speaker recognition, speaker identification and speaker verification, and the speech generator generates the speech representing results of the recognition, identification and/or verification.

3. A prosthetic hearing device of claim 1, wherein the speech generator transforms the detected speech in view of at least one of a physical state of the user, an operating condition of the prosthetic hearing device and a purpose for use of the device by the user.

4. A prosthetic hearing device of claim 1, wherein the speech generator transforms the detected speech by adding thereto a modifying language.

5. A prosthetic hearing device of claim 1, wherein the speech generator reproduces a speech previously produced when it determines from the results of the speech recognition that it is necessary to reproduce the previously produced speech.

6. A prosthetic hearing device of claim 1, wherein the speech data generator controls an output rate of the speech data.

7. A prosthetic hearing device of claim 1, wherein the output device outputs the speech using sample speech data synthesized by the speech generator.

8. A prosthetic hearing device of claim 1, further comprising a memory that has stored samples of speech data, wherein the output device outputs the speech data using sample speech data selected by the speech data generator from the memory.

9. A prosthetic hearing device of claim 1, wherein the speech generator generates the speech that summarizes the detected speech.

10. A prosthetic hearing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor selectively detects a speech from a specific speech source.

11. A prosthetic hearing device of claim 1, further comprising a display, wherein the speech generator displays on the display an image associated with the semantic meaning in the detected speech.

13. A prosthetic hearing device of claim 11, further comprising a memory that has stored a library of images comprising still and motion pictures, symbols, characters, notes, photos, animations, illustrations, voice spectrum patterns and colors, wherein the speech generator selects and displays at least one image associated with the semantic meaning in the detected speech.

12. A prosthetic hearing device comprising:

i. a sensor for detecting a speech;

ii. a speech recognition processor that performs speech recognition on the detected speech;

iii. a speech generator that analyzes results of speech recognition to comprehend a semantic meaning in the detected speech and transforms the detected speech into a speech having a speech form assistive in understanding the semantic meaning in the detected speech, wherein the speech generator transforms the detected speech in view of at least one of a physical state of the user and an operating condition of the prosthetic hearing device;

iv. an output device that outputs the generated speech to a user; and

v. an input device, wherein the speech generator, when receiving a reproduction instruction through the input device from the user, reproduces the speech previously produced.