Method and apparatus for language training

• US 20080010068A1
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yukifusa Seita
• Original Assignee: Yukifusa Seita
• Inventors: Seita, Yukifusa
• Application Number:
  US11/483,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010068A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/257
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/06 Foreign languages with audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A language training method and apparatus is provided for effectively training a native speaker'"'"'s intonation and rhythm/tempo at the same time with fun. The model voice data file and trainer'"'"'s voice input from a microphone may be repeatable at user'"'"'s discretion through speaker, while generating and constructing a display image with contents in synchronism with the model voice derived from the image data file, a text data file, a translation data file, a model voice wave data file, a rhythm/tempo score and an intonation score. The display image may be output through a video display device and the displayed data may be derived from the text data file and the data from the translation data file may be visually modified in accordance with respective content in synchronism with the model voice.

Claims

1. A language learning apparatus comprising:

an image display device; and

an audio processing device,

wherein the image display device displays, in accordance with each contents in synchronism with a model voice, the oscillograph of the model voice, and an input trainee'"'"'s voice oscillograph, while text of the model voice and a translation of the text of the model voice with a visual modification are displayed in a visual image, and displays a score calculated by the difference between the oscillograph of the model voice and the input trainee'"'"'s voice oscillographs in terms of rhyme/tempo and intonation.

2. The language learning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus measures multiple time periods corresponding to each portion of one breath length and obtains the measured time difference Δ

_T between the model voice and the trainee'"'"'s voice, then obtains a value Σ

|Δ

_T by dividing an accumulated absolute value of difference Δ

_T with a total time T of the model voice, obtains a rhythm/tempo score (M−

MΣ

|Δ

_T|/T) by subtracting the value Σ

|Δ

_T|/T from a full score M, and extracts an oscillograph of one breath length of the model and trainee'"'"'s voices, obtains an area Δ

_S representing one side of an area represented by the one breath length portion, obtains a value Σ

Δ

_S/S by dividing the area Δ

_S with a total area S generated by the model voice in the ossillograph, and subtracta the value from a full score M to obtain the intonation score (M−

MΣ

Δ

_S/S)

3. The language learning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a display position within the display image of the oscillograph is digitally processed from the trainee'"'"'s voice and the oscillograph is digitally processed from an educational audio movable as desired or as selected.

5. The language learning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an external educational material is provided with an internal memory device or supplied in a removable recording media together with its playback device.

4. The language learning apparatus as claimed claims I further including a unit that controls a playback device of a tape or a disk containing external educational material, capable of storing an educational audio and an educational video for repeatably playing back the educational contents for a certain period of time based upon a repeat and stop operation, and the playback device stops playing pauses temporarily.

6. A language learning apparatus comprising:

an image display device; and

an audio processing device, wherein the audio processing device is capable of reproducing a model voice data file and a trainee'"'"'s voice inputted from one or more microphones through one or more microphone input terminals, repeatedly at a user'"'"'s discretion, the image display device is capable of constructing a display image corresponding to selected data in synchronism with a model voice based upon displaying an image data file, text data file for displaying the sentence, a corresponding translation data file of the text data file ready for displaying translated text in different language, a model audio waveform data file digitally processed from the model audio data file to be displayed in a form of oscillograph, a trainee'"'"'s voice waveform data file digitally processed from the trainee'"'"'s voice to be displayed in a form of an oscillograph, a rhythm/tempo score examining the rhythm/tempo of the model voice waveform data file and the trainee'"'"'s voice waveform data file, and an intonation score for examining the intonation of the model voice waveform data file and the trainee'"'"'s voice waveform data file, wherein the video display device or video output terminal displays the display image and data from the displayed text data file and data from the corresponding translation data file are visually modified in synchronism with the model voice.

7. The language learning apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein a BGM (Back Ground Music) can be played back continuously or intermittently.

8. The language learning apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the apparatus is configured to conduct voice recognition to the trainee'"'"'s voice and add the degree of recognition to the score.

9. The language learning apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the apparatus includes the model data file, the text data file and the corresponding translation data file dividable in one breath unit or one sentence unit, and the training can be conducted in the one breath unit or one sentence unit at a trainee'"'"'s discretion repeatedly.

10. The language learning apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the apparatus is configured so that the pitch of the reproduced audio is maintained in substantially the same level while the playback speed from the model voice data file can be changed faster or slower.

11. The language learning apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the apparatus is configured to record the audio and video outputs and can be played back as needed.

12. The language learning apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein, either the model voice and/or the trainee'"'"'s voice outputs can be modified to have some reverb.

13. The language learning apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pitch of the model voice can be modifiable to any desired pitch.

14. A language learning apparatus as claimed claim 6 wherein the pitch of the trainee'"'"'s voice can be modifiable to any desired pitch.

15. The language learning apparatus as claimed claim 6, wherein the output audio can be amplified so as to equalize a certain frequency band to a desired sound level.

16. The language learning apparatus as claimed claim 6, wherein the apparatus is configured so that he model voice data file, the image data file, the text data file, and the corresponding translation data file are provided with an internal memory device or supplied in a removable recording media together with its playback device.

17. A language training method comprising, providing at least an image display device and an audio processing device;

reproducing an educational audio in an educational material by using the audio processing device;

producing a trainee'"'"'s voice inputted from one or more microphone through one or more microphone input terminals, repeatedly at a user'"'"'s discretion;

examining a rhythm/tempo of a model voice waveform data file and a trainee'"'"'s voice waveform data file and creating a rhythm/tempo score, and also examining an intonation of the model voice waveform data file and the trainee'"'"'s voice waveform data file and creating an intonation score;

constructing a display image corresponding to the educational material, a model audio waveform data file digitally processed from the educational audio to be displayed in a form of oscillograph, a trainee'"'"'s voice waveform data file digitally processed from the trainee'"'"'s voice to be displayed in a form of oscillograph, the rhythm/tempo score, and the intonation score; and

outputting the display image in synchronism with the educational audio to an image display.

18. The language training method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the step of examining further comprises:

measuring multiple of time periods corresponding to each portion of one breath length;

obtaining the measured time difference Δ

_T between the model voice and the trainee'"'"'s voice; and

obtaining a value Σ

|Δ

_T|/T by dividing the accumulated absolute value of difference Δ

_T with the total time T of the model voice, and obtaining the rhythm/tempo score (M−

MΣ

|Δ

_T|/ T) by subtracting the value Σ

|Δ

_T|/T from a full score M, extracting the oscillographs of one breath length of the model and trainee'"'"'s voices, obtaining the area Δ

_S representing one side of the area represented by the one breath length portion, obtaining the value Σ

Δ

_S/S by dividing area Δ

_S with the total area S generated by the model voice in the ossillograph, and subtracting the value from a full score M to obtain the intonation score (M−

MΣ

Δ

_S/S)

19. The language training method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

modifying a pitch or a speed of the educational audio according to a selection of a trainee.

20. The language training method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

conducting voice recognition to the trainee'"'"'s voice and adding a degree of recognition to the score to be indicated in the display image.