GB2302476A - One-handed speech and communication device for the speech-impaired or mute - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a hand-held portion 1 that incorporates a plurality of keys 5-9 for operation by the fingers and thumb of the holder's hand. Combinations of key presses enable the user to create messages that are shown on a scrollable display 13 and voiced 18 by a voice synthesis unit. The device may be coupled to a telephone, fax machine, computer or other communication device via sockets 21, 22. In some of these further applications the message is not voiced, the key codes being transmitted directly.

Description

HANDLING APPARATUS PARTICULARLY FOR TRANSDUCING ELECTRIC CODED SIGNALS INTO ACOUSTIC-PHONETIC SIGNALS DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a handling apparatus for sound reproduction of words and sentences including single words coded or selected in a coded way through a plurality of keys or a keyboard.

Devices and apparatuses arranged to carry out the above mentioned functions have already been proposed. However, they require the use of both hands by acting on a keyboard bearing in clear and not in code the letters of the alphabet and the punctuation symbols. Although such devices and apparatuses are, of course, satisfactory from various viewpoints, the same are of no use or in any case inadequate to the various daily needs of persons affected by handicap, such as in particular the deaf-mute.

Minicomputer apparatuses with a keyboard have also been proposed which can be applied to an arm of the operator, who can use the keyboard with the hand of his other arm in order to generate written messages by means of a built-in printer. Such apparatuses do maZce it possible for the operator to dialogue if the interlocutor is physically present to read the messages, but do not put the operator in a condition, for example, to answer the phone, the house phone,etc.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a handling or manipulating apparatus that makes it possible for people having speech impediments and problems to express themselves not by gestures but words and complete sentences pronounced by the device in real tome.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of practical use by the userr which is portable, leaves in any case one hand free for other functions, such as for holding the telephone receiver, and does not constitute a hindrance for the user while not being used.

A not least object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable apparatus with good fidelity in the sound reproduction of the phonemes in an intelligible way, the apparatus being easy to control, of light weight and low production cost.

These and other objects that will better appear below are attained by a handling apparatus according to the present invention, including a feeding unit, a processor with respective software and an input and control unit which is arranged to generate signals to be applied to the processor and comprises a keyboard group to be hold and controlled by one hand of the user and transducing means arranged to transduce signals generated by the keyboard group and processed by the processor into vocal sequence understandable by an interlocutor or to apply them to an outer user unit.

Advantageously, the said transducing-detecting means comprises a loudspeaker and/or a display for displaying words or sentences set by means of the keyboard group and/or a plurality of outputs for connection to outer user devices or the telephone.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will better appear from the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments, given by way of indicative and non limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a handling or manipulating push-button device which can be connected by a cable to a feeding and support unit; Figure 2 shows a partly sectional view on an enlarged scale of a detail of the manipulator of Fig.

1 regarding the seating in working position of a control key and a fixed-contact push-button under it; Figure 3 is a flow diagram which illustrates the main functional configuration of the manipulator; Figures 4 and 5 show each a flow diagram concerning additional functions with respect to those defined in the diagram of Fig. 3; Figure 6 shows a further flow diagram concerning the operative sequence of a manipulator connectable to a telephone apparatus; and Figure 7 illustrated a decoding table.

in the accompanying drawings similar or identical parts or components are indicated with the same reference numerals.

With reference first to the handling or manipulating device of Fig. 1, it will be noted that the same comprises a case or container 1 which can be held in one hand and is of flattened configuration 60 as to have two substantially flat opposite side faces 2, a smooth and slightly convex back 3 at the upper part of which at least one coding key is provided which is designed to be actuated by the thumb of the user's hand holding the manipulator, and a front side 4 having four coding keys 6, 7, 9 and 9 which are arranged to be engaged, respectively, by the forefinger, the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger of the same hand.

Each coding key 5 to 9, as shown in Fig. 2, where a detail of the key 6 is shown in an enlarged scale, is movably located in a respective seating recess 10, within which it can move from and towards an underneath push--button 11 of a switch 12 of any suitable type, e.g. of the type having fixed contacts and loaded by a return tapered compression spring (not shown in the drawings).

On one of the side faces 2 of the case 1 a matrix LCD display 13, a selection switch 14 switching from a "standard" to an "expanded" position, three small push-buttons 15, 16 and 17, a plurality of holes 18 for a loudspeaker underneath can be installed. The push-button 15 is arranged to start the step displaying of the menu on the display 13. The push-button 16 when pressed only once causes the cursor to move forward one position on the display 13, whereas if pressed twice successively it performs the function "END OF FILE", which corresponds to the end of the alphanumeric composition and its application to the vocal translation, as further explained below.

Finally, the push-button 17, which is also called in jargon "BACK SPACE", when pressed causes the cursor to move back one position on the display 13, while possibly canceling any letter met during its backward movement.

At its lover portion, the manipulator 1 can have a plug 20 for electric connection to a connecting cable, which is also preferably provided with an inlet 21 for a standard RJ45 type telephone jack and an inlet 22 for connection to an outer loudspeaker. If desired, an eyelet 23 can be provided for connection to a loop of a support string (not shown).

The manipulator 1 besides a loudspeaker internally comprises a control card unit which through a cable C is electrically connected to an outer unit 24, where besides the feeding batteries (preferably long lasting batteries) the whole electronic hardware and software part assisting the manipulator is located.

The processing system comprising the manipulator 1 and the outer unit 24 and including the electronic hardware and software may comprise a general purpose computer system selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer in order to perform the functional steps of the invention which will be described hereinafter. The invention employs various process steps involving processing data stored in the computer system. The processing steps include processing input electrical or other physical signals produced by the user when activating the coding keys 5-9 to generate other desired output electrical or physical signals which represent visual or preferably sound reproduction Of words and sentences, and numbers, with appropriate punctuation.The computer system according to the present invention will typically include a computer with an input/outut oirouit ucBd to communicate informatlon in appropriately structured form to and from the parts of the computer and associated equipment, a central processing unit and a memory for storing data, programs, and the like.

Coding keys 5-9 and selector 14 and pushbuttons 15-17 represent .s general input devine nf them computer system, while output signals produced by the computer system may result in images shown on the display 13 or sounds produced by the loudspeaker IS, or such output signals may be sent via inlets 21 and 22 to other appropriate output devices, as will become evident hereinafter.

The processing system comprising the manipulator 1 and the outer unit 24 can take numerous functional configurations depending upon the number of characteristics one wishes to activate. In practice, the same system can take three main types of functional levels.

The first functional level or base model, diagrammatically shown in Figure 3, makes it possible to form words and sentences, to reproduce them and to visually control them by scrolling on the display 13.

After having selected the ON position of the ON/OFF key on the unit 24, the system is ready in voice mode. The operator by using the keys 5 to 9 can proceed with the formation of words and sentences that are displayed on the display 13. By acting on the three small push-buttons 15 to 17 in NORM mode, the operator has the possibility of scrolling the menu and to move the cursor at will according to his needs in order to obtain a correct display of the operating modes peculiar to the model type.

In EXP mode instead the operator has the possibility of selecting and displaying, through specific codes, previously memorized sentences or words or numbers and possibly of reproducing the vocal sequence in an understandable way for an interlocutor.

The processor then proceeds to effect the vocal synthesis of the test displayed on the display 13 to feed a loudspeaker arranged below the holes 18 and/or an outer apparatus, e.g. a telephone if a telephone jack is inserted into the input 21, a recording cassette and the like, after suitable inner or outer amplification.

The second functional level or intermediate model, as shown in Fig. 4, besides the features of the first level has all the functions concerning the "telephone mode, the "video-writing mode, the "loglog mode" (connection of two handling or manipulating apparatuses according to the present invention) and the "reckoning mode".

Finally, the third level or top model has all the features of the second level and further provides the "fax mode", the "modem mode", the "translation mode" and the "text-voice mode" (Fig. 5).

The "telephone mode" of Fig. 4 (second functional level) can follow the functional scheme illustrated in Fig. 6 which includes selection by moving the slide key 14 to the expanded (EXP) position, connection to the telephone through telephone jack at the inlet 21, dialling a telephone number (either manually or from memory) and sending the number by means of a small push-button 16. Should an answering machine be on at the telephone apparatus of a called person, one Waits for the start signal before sending the message.

Figure 7 shows a decoding table for the use of the keys 5 to 9 both in so far as alphabetic letters and their punctuation signs and numbers and their signs indicating the main arithmetic operations are concerned.

The table relates to an example in which 32 different combinations are provided for being associated to alphabetic letters, punctuation signs and numbers. Should a grater number of combinations be required, it is necessary to increase the number of coding keys, e.g. to include at least one further key 5.

A handling or manipulating apparatus according to the present invention can be connected to various types of user devices, e.g. a personal computer, a printer, a fax device, a telephone apparatus or another transmitter via ether. The same can provide the connection to an electronic musical instrument or a computer with vocal synthesis capacity.

As it can be realized, the manipulator apparatus described above can attain all the above specified objects and is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations within the protection scope as defined by the tenor of the following claims.

Materials as well as dimensions could be any according to the requirements.

Claims (9)

CLAIM

1 A handling apparatus including a feeding unit, a processor with respective software and an input and control unit which is arranged to generate signals to be applied to the processor and comprises a keyboard group to be hold and controlled by one hand of thP ns.P and trnAUcjng means arranged to transduce signals generated by the keyboard group and processed by the processor into vocal sequence understandable by an interlocutor or to apply them to an outer user unit.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said transducing means comprises a loudspeaker.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said transducing-detecting means comprises a display for displaying words or sentences set by means of the keyboard group or received via connection to an external hardware.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said transducing means comprises an output for connection to a memorizing or telephone system.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display means for displaying a written sequence corresponding to said vocal sequence, and a scrolling means for scrolling said written sequence on said display means.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for sending said vocal sequence to at least one output apparatus selected among a telephonetype apparatus, a recording unit, a video screen, a computer, and another said handling apparatus.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said telephone-type apparatus is selected among a telephone, an answering machine, a modem, and a fax machine,

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a casing and wherein said keyboard group comprises five coding keys each respectively supported by said casing and arranged for engagement each by a respective member of a user's hand, and wherein in a first mode a selected combination engagement of said five coding keys represents a selected letter of the alphabet or selected punctuation symbol, and wherein a second mode a selected combination engagement of said five coding keys represents a selected mathematical symbol.

9. A handling apparatus particularly for transducing electric coded signals into acoustic-phonetic signals substantially as described above with reference to the accompanying drawings and as illustrated therein.