Title of Invention

COMMUNICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE DUMB

Abstract

A hand held communication apparatus to aid an audibly and speech impaired individual comprising of a keyboard means; a speaker means; a processor to process the characters of input text and converting the same to its corresponding sound signals; an input means to input environmental sound, which is further measured to determine the sound decibel; means to modify the converted sound decibels and incrementing the said decibels by a constant value, to deliver the message appearing on the screen at a higher pitch compared to the ambient noise level, thereby providing a vibrating signal to the user confirming delivery of said speech.

Full Text

FIELD OF THE INVENTION: This invention relates to communication in general and communication between normal persons and persons with hearing and speech impairment in particular. The invention discloses communication method and apparatus for the dumb. BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART: Persons with hearing or speech deficiency are quite common and are encountered everywhere. Such shortcomings may be inborn or congenital, or they may develop at a later stage in life. Usually, a child born deaf cannot learn any language and in consequence becomes dumb too. That is why we commonly come across deaf and dumb persons. For persons who develop hearing impairment at a later stage in life, several devices, commonly called "hearing aids" are known in the prior art. Other devices are known to help people with certain types of speech deficiency. But ther is no apparatus or method known in the prior art which enable a person who is dumb to communicate with a normal human being. The method and apparatus in accordance with the present invention is expected to help such people communicate with normal human beings. The term "dumb" used in this specification will mean deaf and dumb persons, who are usually born deaf. There are many institutions today which impart training to such persons and many skills are learnt by them including reading and writing ability. Such persons can communicate with one another quite extensively with sign language. But a normal person will be able to communicate with them only if he or she masters this sign language. It is an established fact that most of the dumb persons possess high levels of intelligence and higher mental and physical capabilities. But most of it goes unutilized due to their impediments in hearing and speaking. The invention is thought to help a large section of dumb persons who are literate. They can hope to receive acceptance within the mainstream and mankind at large too can utilize their intellectual and other resources much better. FR 2882848 discloses that an electronic device with digital or other functionality to facilitate communication, exchange of information and otherwise, between the deaf and dumb, deaf to the outside world and vice versa, or between people of different languages is in the form and double double screen keyboard, the device comprises a front side and a conventional screen, or virtual alphanumeric keyboard, is characterized in that the keyboard is provided with keys having on their surface embossed or not, a double alphabet language signs or finger spelling and any conventional alphabet, and that the device includes a bilingual electronic dictionary, sign language and any conventional language, and it has a translation module for translating sign language in any conventional language, or vice versa, or between any two classical languages and in that it incorporates an image display system, a memory, the alphabet of deaf, or other classic alphabet alphabet, numbers Arab and other punctuation, a translation module keys, the concept is transferable to electronic devices or electrical. US 6240392 discloses that a communication system for deaf, hearing impaired, or mute persons, comprising a message reception means for receiving audio information; an information conversion means to convert said audio information into speech data, said information conversion means being in communication with said message reception means; a data processing means for organizing said speech data into a symbolic representation of said speech data, said' data processing means being in communication with said information conversion means; a visual display means for displaying said symbolic representation, said display means being in communication with said data processing means; a message entry means for acquisition of user messages, said message entry means being in communication with said data processing means; and a message transmission means for conversion of said user messages into message data and transmission of said message data into the surrounding environment, said message transmission means being in communication with said data processing means. CA 2214243 discloses that a communication system for deaf, hearing impaired, or mute persons, comprising: a message reception means for receiving audio information; an information conversion means to convert said audio information into speech data, said information conversion means being in communication with said message reception means; a data processing means for organizing said speech data into a symbolic representation of said speech data, said data processing means being in communication with said information conversion means; a display means for displaying said symbolic representation, said display means being in communication with said data processing means; a message entry means for acquisition of user messages, said message entry means being in communication with said data processing means; and a message transmission means for conversion of said user messages into message data and transmission of said message data into the surrounding environment, said message transmission means being in communication with said data processing means. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION: An object of the invention is to enable dumb persons to communicate with normal persons and vice versa. Another object of the invention is to facilitate the acceptance of dumb person into the mainstream. Yet another object of the invention is to enable such persons to communicate with anybody with ease. A further object of the invention is to enable normal human beings communicate with the dumb without acquiring skill in sign language. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: The invention discloses a method of a hand held communication apparatus to aid an audibly and speech impaired individual comprising of a keyboard means; a speaker means; a processor to process the characters of input text and converting the same to its corresponding sound signals; an input means to input environmental sound, which is further measured to determine the sound decibel; means to modify the converted sound decibels and incrementing the said decibels by a constant value, to deliver the message appearing on the screen at a higher pitch compared to the ambient noise level, thereby providing a vibrating signal to the user confirming delivery of said speech. Further the present invention discloses a method of a communication method to aid an audibly and speech impaired individual comprising the steps of inputting text by means of keyboard or template; selecting designated key to translate the generated speech into a preferable language actuating designated key to perform the task of processing text to speech and thereby delivering the speech via speaker means; The benefit of the invention can be reaped by any dumb person who has the ability to read and actuate desired buttons on the device by finger. This is a prerequisite for the invention to be performed. In the following description, the user, a dumb person meeting the above criteria has been assumed to be a male for simplicity. But the invention is equally applicable to females and children as well. In accordance with the invention, such a person will have the special apparatus, also called device here, with him, like a mobile phone. When he wants to communicate with a normal person nearby, he will first switch on the apparatus and then type out the sentence he wants to convey using the key pad of the device. This sentence will then be displayed on the LCD screen of the device. The user can edit the typed matter to his liking. Once he is satisfied, he presses a designated key. The software embedded in the device then transforms the typed matter into corresponding human speech and the speaker of the device then gives out the typed matter in audible speech form. The normal person, standing close within a radius of upto 20 mts to the user, can hear the spoken words as if it is the dumb person speaking. A one-way communication is so completed. A normal person will have to communicate his answer either by writing it down or by gestures or sign language. This will complete the cycle of communication, which is a two-way process. Thus, the method in accordance with the invention will remove the main obstacle faced by the dumb, that being his inability to communicate with the normal world. The apparatus to be used by the dumb is the vital component in performance of the invention. As mentioned earlier, it looks like a mobile phone handset, but is very different from such a handset. It has a rechargeable battery as commonly known, to be charged from an external electrical outlet, and a special key board. Apart from the alphabet keys, it is provided with several special function keys. The apparatus has a built in speaker with considerably higher output as compared to a telephone handset earpiece, because the speech emitted by it must be audible to a person with normal hearing located in the near proximity. The device has appropriate amplifier and driver circuits to achieve this. Volume control facility is also foreseen, to be used in varying conditions like indoors, outdoors on a busy street etc. The apparatus is provided with several other unique features. A voice pitch modulation circuit is incorporated with selection option. By selecting the proper pitch, one can obtain male/female/child voice from the speaker. This selection will be done by a person with normal hearing and will match the sex/age of the dumb person using the apparatus. This innovation is provided to make the output of the device appear more natural. For example, when a dumb child operates it, the output speech should preferably not be in an adult male voice, but in a child-like voice. The same holds true for a female or male user too. Another selection is provided for the choice of language. The user will be in aposition to choose the language in two stages. In the first stage, he can choose it for typing in and display purposes. In the second stage, he can choose the language in which the device will deliver the words. In usual circumstances, the same language is chosen for both stages. For example, he may type in English "Which way to Rly station?" and the apparatus will speak out these words in English. Another fall-out of this innovation will be that although the user may type and read in a language known to him, for example Bengali, he may choose to deliver the spoken words in say, Hindi, a language he is not familiar with. This feature will effectively make this apparatus an automatic translating tool also, and can make the user travel across various language zones and be in communication with his immediate surroundings, without his knowing the local language. The apparatus is provided with "hot keys" which will cut the process short to make quick vocal communication. These may be "Yes/No". "My name is...", "Your name?, "I am verbally disabled, but can talk with this device", or similar ones. Such prearranged or edited messages, called templates, will be stored Another innovative feature of the invention is that the apparatus is programmed to display a set of stored words by way of predictive text input as soon as the user starts typing, depending upon the first few letters typed by him. In most occasions, the right word will be displayed. The user then needs to merely select the right word instead of typing the whole word, to save time and effort. The idea of the invention is to make communication as simple and fast as possible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS: Fig. 1 shows the front view of the hand held communication device in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 shows the flow chart of processing text to speech. Fig. 3 shows the flow chart of alarming user at high decibels. The invention will now be described in further details with help of the accompanying drawing. The following description relates to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. There can be several other embodiments of the invention, all of which are deemed to be covered by this description. invention, all of which are deemed to be covered by this description. The apparatus (100) in accordance with the invention is a hand-held device with LCD display screen (2) having high resolution. The screen will be illuminated during use, as is commonly known with the mobile telephone handsets. It is provided with an English language keyboard which may be a "QWERTY" keyboard, for example. However, suitable software embedded in the device will enable the user to use the same keyboard to type a speech in any selected language. The apparatus is provided with three language options. They are International/National/Regional. The languages may be English/Hindi/Bengali for example. The user will advantageously use this selection to communicate with people of any region. As described above, the apparatus gives out messages in speech form. These messages should be audible to the person for whom they are meant. For this purpose, the output decibel level of the device should be considerably higher than the ambient decibel level. To ensure this, the apparatus incorporates a built-in sound sensor (22), which is maintained in continuously switched-on mode. The apparatus will thus assess the level of ambient sound and adjust its own volume at a considerably higher level, so that the output speech messages are distinctly heard by a normal person. For example, when the device is operated on a railway station or street, its output decibel level will be automatically adjusted to a much higher level than when it is operated within an enclosure which is much quieter. The device has a vibrator with variable frequency of vibration as well as a plurality of colored LED lamps (23) to generate different vibrating and light emitting alarm signals. A continuous high frequency vibration associated with flashing of several red LED lamps (23) is foreseen for occasions when the built-in sound sensor senses sound of about 80 dcbl and above. This alarm is designed to warn the user, a deaf and dumb person, that there is extraordinarily loud noise in the vicinity. Such conditions are normally dangerous ones, and the user must look around to take possible evasive action, much like a normal person being alerted by a loud bang or commotion. An intermittent type vibration of a lower frequency along with lighting up of fewer blue LED lamps is generated as an alarm to indicate ambient sound levels of 40-70 dcbl. This will be the case when a person calls attention of the user in a loud voice. The user will then look around to locate the source of the sound. But this alarm is not a panic situation alarm. A third type of alarm will comprise of short duration normal frequency vibration with lighting up of green LED lamps. This alarm is generated when the sound sensor detects ambient sound in the range 10 to 45 dcbl. This alarm will indicate to the deaf user that there is conversation taking place in his vicinity. There can be many more types of alarm to convey to the user the existence of other conditions in his vicinity. The apparatus incorporates a built-in speaker (21) driven by suitable amplifier and driver circuits so that distinct and loud speech output is delivered, which should be audible to a person with normal hearing upto 20 meters from the device. In addition to the automatic adjustment of the output volume with the help of the sound sensor described above, provision for manual adjustment of the output volume is also made through key 20. The apparatus houses a wireless communication equipment which enables sending and receiving text messages to and from similar devices located within about 10m radius. This enables such handicapped persons located nearby and using similar apparatus to communicate with each other. This facility will be available without the help of any mobile telephone service provider. The apparatus is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery, which can provide about 16 hours continuous service between chargings. The battery is commonly used in mobile handsets and hence is well known in the art. A battery charger suitable for charging the battery from domestic electric outlet is separately provided. The device has an in-built clock and calendar which will display day and date and time on a continuous basis and will be updated automatically. The apparatus incorporates several softwares to support selected language display from conventional keyboard, text to speech conversion, text translation, automatic volume level adjustment, synthesized speech quality assurance, automatic day/date/time indication and updating, battery charge level indication, alarm generation etc. The communication apparatus for the dumb in accordance with the invention is provided with a plurality of function keys. It is switched on or off with power key (1). LCD display screen (2) has high resolution, and will display the letters or words typed or selected by the user. Talk key (3) is actuated by the user for converting the words displayed on screen (2) into audible human speech form, which are emanated from loud speaker (21). Stop key (5) is provided for stopping the process at any time. Wireless connection key (6) is actuated when the user desires to communicate with a similar apparatus in the vicinity by means of text messages which are transmitted when message sending key (17) is operated. Template key (9) is used to recall a set of pre-edited and stored short messages to the screen. Translator key (12) is used to select the language option. It is the language in which the selected message will be delivered by the speaker. The apparatus comprises an emergency key (14), which, when actuated, will override all ongoing functions at any time and give out a loud and shrill short S.O.S. speech in the form of 'HELP" or 'SAVE ME". This feature is foreseen to enable the user who is dumb to call attention of anybody when he is in distress. The emergency or S.O.S. key (14) is foreseen to be provided with red fluorescent color to make it stand out amongst other keys even in reduced illumination. The apparatus has a manual volume control option which can be operated through keys (20). Voice Modulation key (19) is used to select the appropriate voice (male/female/child) in which speech will be delivered by the apparatus. A set of LED lights (23) in red/blue/green colors is provided on the apparatus for visual alarm indication. The apparatus (100) has an auto sound sensor (22) for automatic adjustment of the output volume of the loud speaker (21) to be above that of the ambient noise level, but the manual volume control keys (20) can override the volume automatically set by the device. It has a plurality of other keys for letters, numbers, spacing, menu, control, enter and similar functions normally encountered in a computer keyboard. The communication method for the deaf and dumb in accordance with the invention uses the apparatus described above. The method is now presented. The user switches on the apparatus (100) by means of power key (1). As the user is dumb, which is assumed to mean a deaf and dumb person, the apparatus should be pre-set to the appropriate voice (male/female/child) through voice modulation key (19) by a person with normal hearing. The user will have to select the appropriate language option through translator key (12). In doing so, he chooses the language in which speech is delivered by the apparatus. The language options are "International/National/Regional" which could mean languages English/Hindi/Bengali for example. If this option is not exercised, the apparatus will select "Regional" as its speech language by default. As mentioned earlier, this facility enables the user to use the apparatus as a translating device, by means of which he can communicate with people in a different language than his regional language. For example, a user familiar with Bengali as regional language can communicate in Hindi or English, even if he is not conversant with these languages. When the user wishes to communicate, he has to write the words he wants to communicate on the display screen (2) of the apparatus. This can be done by using a plurality of keys meant for typing letters, numbers, space, shift etc". For speeding up the process of writing the text, the apparatus is provided with predictive text input facility. The user also has the option of using the stored pre- edited messages or "templates". He will recall the templates through template key (9) and select the desired one. If he can use a template, his time and effort in typing a message are saved. Once the message is on the screen, he will actuate talk key (3). The apparatus will deliver the message displayed on screen (2) in human speech form through loud speaker (21). If the user wants to communicate with other persons in the vicinity who have similar apparatus, he will actuate wireless connection key (6). He will then type but the message he wants to communicate to the similar apparatus present in the vicinity in the usual way described earlier. Then he will actuate wireless message sending key (17). The message will then be transmitted as a text message, and will not be delivered as a speech message by the apparatus. The message will then be received by all similar apparatus operating in the vicinity within a radius of 10 m. The users of similar apparatus can thus exchange text messages between one another. This feature will not necessiate any help from any mobile phone service provider, and thus will not involve any additional expenditure. The above said whole operation may be better explained if elaborated with the help of flow diagram processes as shown in Fig 2 and 3. Fig. 2 is a flow diagram depicting the steps of processing a text data to speech form. The software application in the device receives the text from the user which after the usual sound correction and pitch correction process is stored in a buffer. Each characters of the text are then searched in the prestored sound library for its corresponding sound code and again stored in a buffer. Now according to the embodiments of present invention, environmental sound is taken as input to determine its decibel level, in accordance to which the connected sound signals are fetched from the buffer and are modified and incremented by a constant value to deliver the text inputted speech at a higher decibel compared to ambient noise level. Now the user alarming means as claimed in claim 2 is explained in flow chart of Fig.3. In Fig. 3, the service application software of the device intakes continuous environmental sound and simultaneously displays its details on the screen. Now, depending on the ambient sound pressure level (SPL), a threshold value is pre set which again may be adjusted and altered situation wise. The device compares the ambient SPL value with the threshold value and when the SPL value exceeds the threshold value at different varying conditions, module generates a alarm by vibrating and blinking the screen with varying intensities, depending on the said conditions. I CLAIM 1. A hand held communication apparatus (100) to aid an audibly and speech impaired individual comprising of: a keyboard means; a speaker means (21); a processor to process the characters of input text and converting the same to its corresponding sound signals; an input means to input environmental sound, which is further measured to determine the sound decibel; means to modify the converted sound decibels and incrementing the said decibels by a constant value, to deliver the message appearing on the screen at a higher pitch compared to the ambient noise level, thereby providing a vibrating signal to the user confirming delivery of said speech. 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor inputs continuous environmental sound and measures the corresponding frequency and sound pressure level (SPL), the values of which are compared with a predefined threshold value to generate alarms. 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said alarms are selectively generated based on the calibration values of SPL. 4. A communication method to aid an audibly and speech impaired individual comprising the steps of - inputting text by means of keyboard or template; - selecting designated key to translate the generated speech into a preferable language - actuating designated key to perform the task of processing text to speech and thereby delivering the speech via speaker means; ABSTRACT COMMUNICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE DUMB A hand held communication apparatus to aid an audibly and speech impaired individual comprising of a keyboard means; a speaker means; a processor to process the characters of input text and converting the same to its corresponding sound signals; an input means to input environmental sound, which is further measured to determine the sound decibel; means to modify the converted sound decibels and incrementing the said decibels by a constant value, to deliver the message appearing on the screen at a higher pitch compared to the ambient noise level, thereby providing a vibrating signal to the user confirming delivery of said speech.

Documents:

01252-kol- 2006-form-2-1.1.pdf

01252-kol-2006- abstract.pdf

01252-kol-2006- claims.pdf

01252-kol-2006- correspondence-1.1.pdf

01252-kol-2006- description(complete).pdf

01252-kol-2006- drawings.pdf

01252-kol-2006-correspondence others.pdf

01252-kol-2006-correspondence-1.2.pdf

01252-kol-2006-description(provisonal).pdf

01252-kol-2006-form-1.pdf

01252-kol-2006-form-18.pdf

01252-kol-2006-form-2.pdf

01252-kol-2006-form-3.pdf

01252-kol-2006-form-5.pdf

01252-kol-2006-p.a.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-(03-07-2013)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-(03-12-2013)-FORM-13.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-(11-01-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-(11-09-2012)-AMANDED CLAIMS.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-(11-09-2012)-AMANDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-(11-09-2012)-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf

1252-KOL-2006-(11-09-2012)-DRAWINGS.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-(11-09-2012)-EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-(11-09-2012)-FORM-1.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-(11-09-2012)-FORM-2.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-(11-09-2012)-OTHERS.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-CANCELLED PAGES.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-DECISION.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-FORM 13.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-FORM 18.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-FORM 26.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-GRANTED-ABSTRACT.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-GRANTED-CLAIMS.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-GRANTED-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf

1252-KOL-2006-GRANTED-DRAWINGS.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-GRANTED-FORM 1.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-GRANTED-FORM 2.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-GRANTED-FORM 3.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-GRANTED-FORM 5.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-GRANTED-SPECIFICATION-COMPLETE.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-OTHERS.pdf

1252-KOL-2006-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf