Methods, systems, and devices for multi-user improvement of reading comprehension using frequency altered feedback

• US 9,547,997 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: East Carolina University
• Original Assignee: East Carolina University
• Inventors: Rastatter, Michael, Carter, Todd, Allen, Mark, Rodriguez, Ricardo, Trainor, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Sam
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARLOS, ALVIN LEABRES
• Application Number:
  US14/138,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20140186807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 434/169
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/003 electrically operated apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/006 with audible presentation of the material to be studied audio and audio-visual teaching apparatus in general G09B5/04, G09B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/10 all student stations being capable of presenting the same information simultaneously G09B5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/007 characterised by the process used
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/04 Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor in deaf-aid sets H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

Multi-user portable electronic devices for improving reading ability and/or comprehension for a plurality of subjects are provided. The multi-user portable electronic devices may include a pitch shifter circuit configured to generate frequency altered auditory speech feedback (FAF) signals corresponding to respective auditory speech signals received from respective active microphones, and to transmit the respective FAF signals to the plurality of subjects while one or more of the plurality of subjects are respectively reading aloud, to improve the plurality of subjects'"'"' reading ability and/or comprehension. The multi-user portable electronic devices may also include a switch configured to activate the microphones selectively, serially. Related methods and systems are also described.

Claims

1. A method for improving reading comprehension for a plurality of subjects, comprising:

providing a multi-user portable device with a circuit that is concurrently in communication with a plurality of different microphones and/or headsets of different subjects being treated for improving reading comprehension;

electronically activating a first microphone of the different microphones associated with a first subject using the circuit of the portable device;

electronically receiving an auditory speech signal of the first subject using the first microphone and the circuit of the portable device;

electronically altering the received auditory speech signal to generate a first frequency altered auditory speech feedback (FAF) signal using the circuit of the portable device;

electronically administering the first FAF signal to the first subject through a first headset of the different headsets while the first subject is speaking using the circuit of the portable device to improve the first subject'"'"'s reading comprehension;

then

electronically activating a second microphone of the different microphones associated with a second subject using the circuit of the portable device while concurrently deactivating the first microphone associated with the first subject using the circuit of the portable device;

electronically receiving an auditory speech signal of the second subject using the second microphone and the circuit of the portable device;

electronically altering the received auditory speech signal of the second subject to generate a second FAF signal using the circuit of the portable device; and

electronically administering the second FAF signal to the second subject through a second headset of the different headsets while the second subject is speaking using the circuit of the portable device to improve the second subject'"'"'s reading comprehension.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronically administering the first FAF signal to the first subject is carried out to electronically administer the first FAF signal concurrently to the first and second subjects while the first subject is speaking via the first and the second of the headsets to thereby improve the first and second subjects'"'"' reading comprehension using the first FAF signal such that the electronically administering the first and second FAF signals are carried out as a therapeutic treatment to improve reading comprehension of at least one non-reading subject.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electronically administering the second FAF signal to the second subject is carried out to electronically concurrently administer the second FAF signal to the first and second subjects while the second subject is speaking subjects via the first and second of the headsets to thereby improve the first and second subjects'"'"' reading comprehension using the second FAF signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the activating steps are carried out using an externally accessible manual switch onboard the portable device and serially activates the first and second microphones to generate the first and second FAF signals, and wherein the circuit of the portable device concurrently transmits the first and second FAF signals to the first and second headsets.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the activating steps are carried out using a remote input associated with a display that is in communication with the portable device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically altering the received auditory speech signal of the first subject comprises:

electronically converting the received analog auditory speech signal to a digital signal in a frequency domain;

electronically altering the frequency of the digital signal within a range of+/−

2 octaves;

then

electronically converting the altered digital signal back to a time domain and into an analog signal to generate the first FAF signal that is electronically administered to the first subject.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first microphone is attached to the first headset worn by the first subject and the second microphone is attached to the second headset worn by the second subject, wherein the circuit of the portable device is in communication with the first headset, the first microphone, the second headset and the second microphone and can transmit the first FAF signal to the second headset and the first headset concurrently.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the steps of electronically converting the received analog signal, electronically altering the digital signal, and electronically converting the altered digital signal is at least partially carried out using the circuit of the portable electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the portable electronic device wirelessly communicates with the first headset worn by the first subject.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the portable electronic comprises cords that connect the first and second headsets to the portable device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the first and second subjects has a reading disorder, and wherein the steps of electronically administering are carried out as therapeutic treatment to improve the first and second subjects'"'"' reading comprehension.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising programmably adjusting a frequency shift for the step of electronically altering the received auditory speech signal to generate the first FAF signal using an electronic device that includes a display.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subject is a pre-school, primary school, elementary school, middle school, or high school age student.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the method is carried out in a school setting.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subject is a college student.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subject is an adult with a reading disorder.

17. A system for improving reading comprehension for a plurality of subjects, comprising:

a plurality of headsets including at least first and second headsets;

a plurality of microphones including at least first and second microphones configured to communicate with the first and second headsets, respectively; and

a portable electronic device configured to electronically communicate with the first and second microphones to selectively, serially generate a first frequency altered auditory speech feedback (FAF) signal associated with an auditory speech signal received by the first microphone and transmit the first FAF signal to the first and second headsets while the first subject is reading aloud, then a second FAF signal associated with an auditory speech signal received by the second microphone and transmit the second FAF signal to the first and second headsets while the second subject is reading aloud to thereby improve the first and second subjects'"'"' reading comprehension.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second subjects each concurrently, serially receive both the first and second FAF signals.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the multi-user portable electronic device wirelessly communicates with the first and second headsets and/or microphones to generate the first and second FAF signals so that first and second frequencies, respectively, are shifted a desired amount within a range of between+/−

2 octaves.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the portable electronic device is a device that is releasably wired to the first and second headsets and/or microphones to generate the first and second FAF signals so that first and second frequencies, respectively, are shifted a desired amount within a range of between+/−

2 octaves.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the system is configured to treat a school age student with a reading disability, to improve reading comprehension.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the system is configured to treat an adult with a reading disability, to improve reading comprehension.

23. A multi-user portable electronic device for improving reading comprehension for a plurality of subjects, comprising:

a pitch shifter circuit configured to generate frequency altered auditory speech feedback (FAF) signals corresponding to auditory speech signals received from respective active microphones, and to concurrently transmit the FAF signals to the plurality of users while only one of the plurality of users is reading aloud, to improve reading comprehension; and

a switch in communication with the circuit configured to activate the microphones selectively, serially.

24. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of users receives each of the FAF signals including FAF signals generated from speech of other users.

25. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 23, further comprising:

a headset interface configured to transmit the auditory speech signals from the microphones and/or to transmit the FAF signals to headsets corresponding to the microphones; and

a data interface configured to communicate with an electronic device that includes a display and a software application that manages the multi-user portable electronic device.

26. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 25, wherein the software application is configured to open when the software application detects that the multi-user portable electronic device is connected to the electronic device that includes the display and the software application.

27. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 25, wherein the software application includes a graphical user interface that is configured to allow a user to selectively start and/or stop processing of the auditory speech signals, and/or adjust volume levels of the auditory speech signals and/or the FAF signals.

28. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 25, wherein:

the data interface comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port;

the electronic device that includes the display and the software application comprises a desktop, laptop, tablet, netbook, or notebook computer, or a smart phone; and

the software application is stored in releasable media in and/or a non-transitory memory of the desktop, laptop, tablet, netbook, notebook computer, or smart phone.

29. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 28, wherein the software application is configured to track the FAF signals and to generate charts and/or graphs on the display to illustrate reading comprehension progress of the plurality of subjects.

30. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 25, wherein the software application provides programmable selection and/or adjustment of the FAF signals.

31. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 28, further comprising a non-volatile memory, wherein the multi-user portable electronic device is fully functional only in response to cooperation between the software application and a license file stored in the non-volatile memory.

32. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 31, wherein the license file corresponds to a license that expires, such that the multi-user portable electronic device can be deactivated or is configured to be fully functional only before the license expires.

33. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 25, wherein the headset interface comprises a plurality of headset ports configured to concurrently connect the multi-user portable electronic device with between two and six headsets.

34. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 33, wherein the headset ports are configured to receive the auditory speech signals from the microphones and to transmit the FAF signals to earphones of the headsets.

35. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 23, wherein the switch is operable by a single external switch input, the device further comprising a housing comprising a plurality of spaced apart visual indicators on an upper surface thereof, one for each microphone which respectively illuminate to indicate a corresponding activated microphone.

36. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 35, wherein the device has a portable housing, and wherein the visual indicator comprises Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) held by the housing that serially illuminate to indicate which microphone is active.

37. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 25, further comprising a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert digital audio signals generated by the software application and/or the multi-user portable electronic device into analog audio signals to be transmitted to the headsets, wherein the analog audio signals comprise the FAF signals.

38. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 25, further comprising an on-board microphone biasing and input amplifier circuit configured to process the auditory speech signals received from the headsets.

39. The multi-user portable electronic device of claim 25, further comprising an on-board headset amplifier circuit configured to amplify the FAF signals that are to be transmitted to the headsets.