Patent Publication Number: US-2006020470-A1

Title: Interactive speech synthesizer for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language

Description:
1. CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      The instant application is a non-provisional application claiming priority from provisional application No. 60/589,910, filed Jul. 20, 2004, and entitled PICTURE EXCHANGE BINDER WITH TALKING BOX.  
    
    
     2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      A. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to an interactive speech synthesizer, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an interactive speech synthesizer for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language.  
      B. Description of the Prior Art  
      Non-vocal mentally handicapped persons have extreme difficulty in communicating even basic desires and needs to those who are charged with their care. This results in a great deal of frustration—both for the handicapped person and for those who care for them.  
      Numerous innovations for speech synthesizers have been provided in the prior art that will be described below. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.  
      (1) U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,465 to Nelson.  
      For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,465 issued to Nelson on Aug. 14, 1984 teaches a communications device for use by severely handicapped persons having speech impairments and capable of only spastic movements. The device includes a housing in which speech reproduction apparatus is located for storing and reproducing pre-recorded audio message segments. The exterior of the housing has a nearly horizontal front portion on a console on which three relatively large—approximately 5″ times 5″—pressure-operated paddle switch actuator members are located. A vertical display panel is located immediately behind the paddle actuators and has on it visual aid cards that have a symbol identical to the recorded message that is to be reproduced by actuation of the appropriate paddle. Pressure on the selected paddle closes a switch, which turns on a light associated with the selected visual aid card and also actuates the reproduction of an audio message corresponding to the visual aid card.  
      (2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,548 to Lemelson.  
      Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,548 issued to Lemelson on Jul. 21, 1987 teaches an electronic system and method employing a plurality of record sheets or cards for teaching, training, quizzing, testing, and game playing when a person interacts therewith. In one form, a record card containing printed matter is inserted into a receptacle in a support and caused to move along a guide to an operating position where its printed face may be viewed and read. As it so travels, coded information on a border portion of the card is sensed to generate coded electrical signals that are applied to effect one or more functions, such as the programming of a computer, the selection of recordings from a memory, the generation of selected speech signals and sounds thereof, the control of a display or other interactive device or devices, the activation or control of a scoring means, or the selective activation of testing electronic circuitry. In another form, one of a plurality of record cards is selectively disposed in a U-shaped receptacle or the like by hand and a coded edge portion thereof is read to generate coded electrical signals to identify the card or its printed contents. The card or sheet is predeterminately positioned on one or more selected areas thereof—which are indicated by printing—are pressed by finger to close selected switches of a plurality of pressure sensitive switches to provide signal or circuit apparatus for performing such functions as answering questions, programming computing electrical circuits, selecting recordings from a memory, activating a display generating select speech from a memory, scoring, etc.  
      (3) U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,919 to Tsai.  
      Still another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,919 issued to Tsai on Dec. 25, 1990 teaches a language practicing set that can under a recording state store voice signals by way of a voice synthesizer into a memory with different addresses through different coding holes on each of the message cards. Upon a replaying state the various coding holes on the message cards can be decoded to have the voice signal stored in various memory addresses selected and replayed through the voice synthesizer.  
      (4) U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,533 to Wood.  
      Yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,533 issued to Wood on Feb. 23, 1993 teaches a three-dimensional indicia bearing unit including a voice synthesis chip, a battery, and an amplifier/speaker for synthesizing an audible sound for educational purposes, such as an interactive method for learning to read. The audible sound produced is the name and/or associated sound of the indicia bearing unit. The indicia bearing unit may be a letter, number, or alternatively, a short vowel or a long vowel form of a letter to produce the audible sound of the phonetic pronunciation of the letter. A plurality of unique indicia bearing units—organized in a selected sequence—form a set retained in a book like holder. The chip, battery, and amplifier/speaker may be self-contained within each indicia bearing unit. Alternatively, the indicia bearing unit may have a book configuration with several three-dimensional letters or numbers in a fixed or removable configuration, with the chip, battery, and amplifier/speaker being contained within the book-like unit. The removable three dimensional letters or numbers act as an electrical contact switch or have individual radio frequency transmitters sending a dedicated radio frequency signal to a receiver contained within the indicia bearing unit to activate the voice synthesis chip and produce an audible sound represented by the applicable indicia.  
      (5) U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,610 to Godfrey et al.  
      Still yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,610 issued to Godfrey et al. on Jul. 18, 1995 teaches an educational device for children to accelerate learning from recognition, language acquisition, awareness of cause and effect, and association. The device houses discrete photos of environmental people, animals, and/or inanimate objects recognizable to the child, with each photo being operatively connected to a discrete pre-recorded message, such that upon a photo being pressed, the discrete and corresponding pre-recorded message is played. The child&#39;s learning is accelerated by repetitive use of the device.  
      (6) U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,283 to Stendardo et al.  
      Yet still another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,283 issued to Stendardo et al. on Sep. 17, 1996 teaches an electronic learning system utilizing a plurality of coded cards on which sensory-information representations are provided to present pictorial-symbol information and/or language-symbol information. A housing contains card slots in combination with a visually and functionally distinctive button associated with each individual card slot and a button associated in an equal manner to all card slots, with a card being insertable in each of the card slots. The operator can cause the system to generate unique audible information associated with the sensory-information representation provided on any selected card by pressing the visually and functionally distinctive button associated with the card slot in which the card is inserted. The operator can also cause the system to generate—automatically and sequentially—unique audible information associated with the sensory-information representation provided on each inserted card, and depending on the type of cards installed, perform secondary functions as the individual cards are being accessed, such as mathematical computations, pattern recognition, and spelling accuracy, by pressing the visually and functionally distinctive button associated in an equal manner with all card slots, after which automatic tertiary functions take place, such as: the accuracy of the result of mathematical computations are accessed and an audible message is generated; an audible message equivalent to the combination of the installed cards is generated; and the accuracy of the spelling of words formed by individual cards is determined and an audible message is generated.  
      (7) U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,119 to Sharpe III et al.  
      Still yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,119 issued to Sharpe III et al. on Dec. 22, 1998 teaches an interactive electronic graphics tablet utilizing two windows—one large window for the insertion of a standard sheet of paper or other material allowing the user to draw images on the paper and another smaller second window. A cartridge having various icons—such as animal images—is clicked into place in the smaller window. The device is configured such that the paper overlays a touch sensitive pad. Operation allows the user to assign any cell of the drawn page corresponding to XY coordinates to particular sounds correlated to the icons in the smaller second window by touching respective locations and icons.  
      (8) U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,485 to Linebarger et al.  
      Yet still another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,485 issued to Linebarger et al. on May 30, 2000 teaches a computer-operated system for assisting aphasics in communication. The system includes user-controlled apparatus for storing data representing the user&#39;s vocalizations during a time interval, apparatus for associating the data stored in each of a plurality of such intervals with an icon, apparatus for ordering a plurality of such icons in a group representing a speech message, and apparatus for generating an audio output from the stored data represented by the icons in the group so as to provide a speech message.  
      (9) U.S. Pat. No. 6,525,706 to Rehkemper et al.  
      Still yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,525,706 issued to Rehkemper et al. on Feb. 25, 2003 teaches an electronic picture book including a plurality of pages graphically depicting or telling a story. The book further includes an LCD screen and a speaker to provide a reader with animation sequences and sounds relating to the graphical pictures on the pages. A set of buttons is provided to trigger the animation sequences and sounds. While reading the book, each page indicates a button to depress. The reader—depressing the correct button—is then provided with animation sequences and sounds indicative to the graphic representations on the page.  
      (10) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20020193047 A1 to Weston.  
      Yet still another example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20020193047 A1 published to Weston on Dec. 19, 2002 teaches a playmate toy or similar children&#39;s toy having an associated wireless, batteryless ID tag readable from and/or written to using a radio-frequency communication protocol. The tag is mounted internally within a cavity of the toy and thereby provides wireless communication of stored information without requiring removal and reinsertion of the tag. In this manner, a stuffed animal or other toy can be quickly and easily identified non-invasively without damaging the toy. Additional information—e.g., unique personality traits, special powers, skill levels, etc.—can also be stored on the ID tag, thus providing further personality enhancement, input/output programming, simulated intelligence, and/or interactive gaming possibilities.  
      (11) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20040219501 A1 to Small et al.  
      Still yet another example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20040219501 A1 published to Small et al. on Nov. 4, 2004 teaches an interactive book reading system responsive to a human finger presence. The system includes a radio frequency scanning circuit, a control circuit, a memory, and an audible output device. The RF scanning circuit is configured to detect the presence of the human finger when the finger enters an RF field generated by the RF scanning circuit. The control circuit and the memory are in communication with the RF scanning circuit. The memory stores a plurality of audible messages. The audible output device is also in communication with the control circuit. The audible output device outputs at least one of the audible messages based on an analysis of the RF field performed by the control circuit when the finger enters the RF field.  
      It is apparent that numerous innovations for voice synthesizers have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.  
     3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      An object of the present invention is to provide an interactive speech synthesizer for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.  
      Briefly stated, another object of the present invention is to provide an interactive speech synthesizer for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language. A microcontroller, at least one tag reader, and an audio output device are disposed at a housing, while at least one encoded tag is replaceably attached to the housing. The at least one tag reader reads data from an associated encoded tag, which has been replaceably attached thereat, to form a coded signal and transmits the coded signal to the microcontroller that looks up a sound bit file corresponding to the coded signal and sends the sound bit file to the audio output device to convert into sound, thereby allowing a sound corresponding to the selected tag to be produced to thereby generate, automatically and sequentially, unique audible information associated with the data of each encoded tag.  
      The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.  
    
    
     4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
      The figures of the drawing are briefly described as follows:  
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic perspective view of the interactive speech synthesizer of the present invention for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language;  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded diagrammatic perspective view of the interactive speech synthesizer of the present invention for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language shown in  FIG. 1 ; and  
       FIG. 3 a  diagrammatic block diagram of the interactive speech synthesizer of the present invention for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language shown in  FIG. 1 .  
    
    
     5. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING  
     
         
           10  interactive speech synthesizer of present invention for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language  
           12  housing  
           14  microcontroller  
           16  at least one encoded tag  
           18  at least one tag reader  
           20  coil of each tag reader of at least one tag reader  18   
           22  audio output device  
           24  speaker of audio output device  22   
           26  memory  
           28  activation apparatus  
           30  at least one switch of activation apparatus  28   
           31  power management apparatus for interfacing with power supply  32   
           32  power supply  
           34  interface port for flashing new firmware and downloading new sound bit files into memory  26   
           36  microphone/amplifier for recording new sound bit files into memory  26   
           38  binder  
           40  portion of hook and loop fasteners on binder  38   
           42  symbolic picture on one side of each encoded tag of at least one encoded tag  16   
           44  mating portion of hook and loop fasteners on other side of each encoded tag of at least one encoded tag  16   
           46  dip switches  
           48  console of housing  12   
           50  recessed areas in console  48  of housing  12   
       
    
     6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring now to the drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to  FIG. 1 , which is a diagrammatic perspective view of the interactive speech synthesizer of the present invention for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language, the interactive speech synthesizer of the present invention is shown generally at  10  for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language.  
      The configuration of the interactive speech synthesizer  10  can best be seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , which are, respectively, an exploded diagrammatic perspective view of the interactive speech synthesizer of the present invention for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language shown in  FIG. 1 , and, a diagrammatic block diagram of the interactive speech synthesizer of the present invention for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language shown in  FIG. 1 , and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto.  
      The interactive speech synthesizer  10  comprises a housing  12 , a microcontroller  14 , at least one encoded tag  16 —preferably RFID, at least one tag reader  18 —preferably a coil  20 , and an audio output device  22 —preferably a speaker  24 . The microcontroller  14 , the at least one tag reader  18 , and the audio output device  22  are disposed at the housing  12 , and the at least one encoded tag  16  is replaceably attached to the housing  12 . The at least one tag reader  18  reads data from an associated encoded tag  16 , which has been replaceably attached thereat, to form a coded signal and transmits the coded signal to the microcontroller  14  that looks up a sound bit file corresponding to the coded signal and sends the sound bit file to the audio output device  22  to convert into sound, thereby allowing a sound corresponding to the selected tag  16  to be produced to thereby generate, automatically and sequentially, unique audible information associated with the data of each encoded tag  16 .  
      The interactive speech synthesizer  10  further comprises memory  26 . The memory  26  is disposed at the housing  14  and stores the sound bit files—by addresses—to be looked up by the microcontroller  14 .  
      The interactive speech synthesizer  10  further comprises activation apparatus  28 —preferably at least one switch  30 . The activation apparatus  28  is disposed at the housing  12 , and when activated, activates the microcontroller  14  and the at least one tag reader  18  to read the data from an associated encoded tag  16 , thereby triggering the sounds.  
      The interactive speech synthesizer  10  further comprises power management apparatus  31 . The power management apparatus  31  is disposed at the housing  12 , is for interfacing with a power supply  32 —preferably batteries, and conserves power by allowing the interactive speech synthesizer  10  to remain in sleep mode until the activation apparatus  28  is activated.  
      The interactive speech synthesizer  10  further comprises an interface port  34 —preferably USB. The interface port  34  is disposed at the housing  12  and is for flashing new firmware and downloading new sound bit files into the memory  26 .  
      The interactive speech synthesizer  10  further comprises a microphone/amplifier  36 . The microphone/amplifier  36  is disposed at the housing  12  and is for recording new sound bit files into the memory  26 .  
      The interactive speech synthesizer  10  further comprises a binder  38 . The binder  38  replaceably contains the at least one encoded tag  16 , and has a portion  40  of hook and loop fasteners thereon that replaceably holds the at least one encoded tag  16  thereon so as to form a plurality of unique indicia bearing units organized in a selected sequence retained in a book-like holder.  
      Each encoded tag  16  has a symbolic picture  42  on one side thereof corresponding to a unique identifier encoded into an associated encoded tag  16  that can be read by the at least one tag reader  18  so as to allow the sound of the symbolic picture  42  to be produced, and on the other side thereof, a mating portion  44  of the hook and loop fasteners replaceably attach to the portion  40  of the hook and loop fasteners in the binder  38 . Each encoded tag  16  has an individual radio frequency transmitter sending a dedicated radio frequency signal to the at least one tag reader  18  so as to form a wireless, batteryless ID tag readable from and/or written to using a radio-frequency communication protocol, thereby providing wireless communication of stored information.  
      The interactive speech synthesizer  10  further comprises dip switches  46 . The dip switches  46  are disposed at the housing  12  and allow different settings to be configured, such as multiple voices to be associated with the unique identifier of each encoded tag  16  allowing selection of gender and age, thereby making the interactive speech synthesizer  10  more realistic to use for all who may use it.  
      The housing  12  has a console  48  with recessed areas  50  therein that selectively receive the at least one encoded tag  16 , respectively. The recessed areas  50  in the console have the portions  40  of the hook and loop fasteners therein that mate with the mating portion  44  of the hook and loop fasteners of an associated encoded tag  16 .  
      In operation, a user takes desired encoded tags  16  off of the binder  38  and places them in the recessed areas  50  in to console  48 , respectively, where they are replaceably attached by the hook and loop fasteners. Once the encoded tags  16  are assembled as desired the user presses an associated activation apparatus  28  in succession, thereby forming a phrase or sentence. As each encoded tag  16  is pressed the at least one tag reader  18  reads and stores the unique identifier of the associated encoded tag  16  to produce associated sounds in sequence, allowing the interactive speech synthesizer  10  to communicate with other people.  
      It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.  
      While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an interactive speech synthesizer for enabling people who cannot talk but who are familiar with use of picture exchange communication to autonomously communicate using verbal language, however, it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions, and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.  
      Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.