Speech transcription and analysis system and method
Contents
1. Choose sounds that differ in both place and manner and focus on sound class category 5 v and s as fricatives rather than pet n or k and 5 as velars rather than just k to establish a broad basts for change Additionally you may wish to consider whether other accurately produced sounds have features in common with the mismatched sounds It may be possible to teach the new sounds by extension from the already produced sounds e g from t to k from s to 2 etc FIG 11E U S Patent Mar 30 2004 Sheet 17 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 Treatment Suggestions for Client s First Name and Last mm dd yyyy Administration date This report is fairly general in its approach to final goal selection because there is considerable controversy in the field of speech language pathology about articulation and phonology treatment In addition itis important to consider the whole client in his or her environment and in the context of other communication or leaming needs and styles when determining the goals of treatment Be sure to select the option of an age comparison this would have to be set in the Preferences and or a dialect filter this would have to be set in the Demographics screen if you choose to take into account those considerations in goal selection l Word Shape Goals Your client is having difficulty with more complex structures of words that involve consonant sequences olends and long2. Fricative Fricative el Fricative i Afficate 30 Afficate 30 Afficate 30 M 45 Liquid 45 AMEN 45 25 Affricate iui 25 3 Nonlinear Features Manner Final Consonanta Consonantal 49 in Consonantal Nasal 50 e Laryngeal Medial Final Voiced 52 Voiced Spread ottis FIG 12C U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 20 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 Oral Place Initial Medic O Labial Coronal Anterior 15 Labial Coronal Anterior 0 Labial Coronal Anterior 19 Labialdental Dorsal Anterior 10 Pharyngeal Place Advanced Tongue Root 58 Advanced Tongue Root 13 Advanced Tongue Root 14 Advanced Tongue Root Advanced Tongue Root io Advanced Tongue Root 14 Advanced Tongue Root For each sound listed under the Target mismatch sounds system will check the Description of Client s Production results to see whether that sound was present or not For those sounds that used at least once in any position If none of the sounds meet the criterion omit this section eng he following paragraphs The following target sounds were peent in your client s phone able to produce that sound or feature Medial o ae inventory which indicat nat she or heis If you choose to target these sounds in treatment you might consider using minimal pairs in orderto e wourage further us
3. Mar 30 2004 U S Patent 1 SASDAYd 34214407 MON Uomenje3 pu3 jauedg yoeqfejg pue uopnpod paquosue Mar MON O papipald Uofonptug O O vg ui 40021004 19816 59500089 nuns 34110 914044 US 6 714 911 2 Sheet 9 of 25 Mar 30 2004 U S Patent 8 8 9H uononpoJq 19818 v 451843 21529 U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 10 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 Current Date Dear Caregiver s Name RE Client s Name First and Last Name Client s First Name was tested on Date of Administration with the Computerized rticulation and Phonology Evaluation System to see what sounds he she based on ps able and unable to say Client s First Name was shown for example a photograph of a shoe on the computer screen and was asked to tell me what the photo was This was not a test to determine if Client s First Name knew the word but rather how he she based on SEX said it The results of this evaluation indicate whether Client s First Name is able to say all the sounds that are expected at his ficr based on S is The evaluation also indicates whether Client s first name is using sounds for his her based SEX age the age filter is
4. medium such as a diskette or to transmit the set of records to a remote site block 109 Such a remote site may comprise but is not intended to be limited to a room remote from the main processor accessible via intranet or a differ ent building accessible via internet This version then enables the student to perform block 120 the steps in blocks 110 112 and 115 as desired on his or her own The system 10 as schematically illustrated in FIG 2 comprises a processor 14 on which are resident the software package 15 of the present invention adapted to perform the functions as outlined above and a database 16 comprising the plurality of records 17 and demographic and historical data on the users 12 An input device is in communication with the processor 14 that has means for selecting a problem speech sound Such means may comprise any of the devices known in the art such as a keyboard 18 or pointing device such as a mouse 19 or touch screen A display device such as a display screen 20 is also in communication with the processor 14 Optional elements that are also in communication with the processor 14 may include a microphone 21 and a speaker 22 both under processor 14 control as well as means for performing analog to digital 23 and digital to analog 24 conversions The system 10 also has means for transferring records from the database to a storage medium such as a disk drive 25 under control of the software 15 or to a remote si
5. pan etc System displays the following paragraph if no word shape has a match rate of less than 60 Previous two with the 60 or less match data is not printed Your client shows adequate word shape development at the present time however there are many segmental substitutions Treatment should focus on segments in all word positions Consider three to four major sound classes varying in place manner and voicing Your client produced these sounds with a relatively high dert of accuracy the noted positions prtm displays consonant segments produced with at least 70 match in at least one word position rom the segmental part of the Comparison of Client s Production and Target Forms 70 T 100 95 P 99 P 71 6 85 BL 75 FIG 11 U S Patent Mar 30 2004 Sheet 13 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 Print paragraph if the match rate of gt 70 does not apply Previous paragraph and table are not rinted 0 segments meet the 70 criterion for match For phonemes to utilize for word shape goals select phonemes with the highest match below 70 as identified in the analyses comparing client and target productions Your client seems to overuse the following phonemes He she should be encouraged to use sounds other than these If results from Description of Client s Production indicate that one consonant segment occurs over 25 times in the word initial position over 12 times in the medial posit
6. and use the results to select the sounds to target first in treatment Additionally you may wish to consider whether other accurately produced sounds have features in common with the mismatched sounds may be possible to teach the new sounds by extension from the already produced sounds e g from 1 to it from s to z etc Print this section on all IPE Level 2 Treatment Suggestions Choose sounds that differ in both place and manner and focus on sound class category e g and s s Totes rather than just f or and g as velars rather than just k to establish broad basis or change FIG 12E U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 22 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 Treatment Suggestions for Client s First Name and Last Name mm dd yyyy Administration date This report is fairly general in its approach to final goal selection because there is considerable controversy in the field of speech language pathology about articulation and phonology treatment In addition itis _ to consider the whole client in his or her environment and in the context of other communication or leaming needs and styles when determining the goals of treatment Be sure to select the option of an age and or a dialect filter this would have to be set in the Preferences if you choose to take into account those considerations in goal selection Segmental Goals Your has mastered most of the basic English wor
7. as by displaying a picture on the screen 20 to elicit a particular sound which may comprise one or more phonemes For example a picture of a cat would elicit the student to say cat For each stimulus the correct target word e g cat and predicted incorrect productions e g tat are displayed on the screen 20 to the therapist 11 block 606 in for example IPA format The therapist 11 is then permitted if a match occurs block 607 to select from among the displayed options based upon the student s production block 608 or to enter the student s production in IPA format block 609 The selection of block 608 is made for example by a point and click method using the mouse 19 on a screen such as FIG 7 the production entering of block 609 may also be made by a point and click method using the mouse 19 a transcribing screen such as in FIG 8 Once the phonemic profile is complete block 610 the software package 15 performs an automatic analysis for the student block 611 displays the results of the analysis on the screen 20 or prints the analysis results on the printer 31 block 612 applies a filter such as an age and or a dialect filter block 613 and displays the results of the analysis with applied filter s on the screen 20 or prints the analysis results on the printer 31 if one or more filters were applied block 614 Then the analysis is used to prepare a narrative parent letter and or rep
8. desired sound from a user It is a further object to provide such a system and method adapted to generate a report It is another object to provide a system and method for testing a user s articulation It is an additional object to provide such a system and method that is adapted to analyze a group of problematic sounds It is also an object to provide such a system and method that recommends a therapeutic program responsive to the analysis It is yet a further object to provide such a system and method that includes a prescreening feature It is yet another object to provide a system and method for facilitating a therapist to transcribe speech of a student client These and other objects are achieved by the present invention a first aspect of which comprises a method and system for providing speech therapy The method comprises the steps of selecting a problem speech sound and searching a database that comprises a plurality of records Each record comprises a picture and a word associated with the word Next a set of records is automatically generated from the plurality of records Each record contains a word specific to the problem speech s sound The set of records is next automatically presented to a user sequentially on a display device and the user is prompted to pronounce the displayed word Finally the pronunciation of each word is scored The system of the first aspect of the present invention comprises a processor an inp
9. is associated with the word For example the record for the word dog might contain a picture of a dog a video clip of a dog running and or a barking sound It is believed that such multiple stimuli appeal to a multiplicity of cognitive areas thereby optimizing the student s improvement Each record may further contain data useful for perform ing sorting functions such as at least one category and or concept An exemplary set of categories comprises animals art babies celebrations global images environment family food garden health and exercise home leisure medical money music pets play school shopping signs symbols sports technical vacations and work An exem plary set of concepts comprises activities objects places people ideas and events The record also typically com prises a vocabulary level associated with the word and a length of the word The method next comprises the step of inputting or accessing previously input demographic information for the student block 102 Then a problem speech sound that is desired to be improved upon is selected that is known from a prior diagnosis block 103 The problem speech sound may be selected from a group consisting of a phoneme and a feature The feature comprises at least one of a place a manner and a voicing characteristic Searching on a feature yields matches in all positions of words The database is electronically searched block 106 for records
10. processor but is connectable thereto for downloading operator entered data thereinto the data comprising the phonetic representation The software then receives downloaded data from the operator input and storage device the phonetic representa tion of the user s pronunciation The software automatically determines whether an error exists in the user pronunciation and if an error exists automatically categorizes the error The system and method of this second feature of the invention may be adapted for presentation of a single word a plurality of words having a predetermined feature desired to be tested a pretest for screening for potential articulation disorders and an analysis of connected speech with the use of a moving picture to elicit a narrative from the student An additional aspect of the present invention is directed to the transcription of a student s speech by the therapist using a computerized process This method comprises the steps of prompting the student to produce at least one phoneme orally Next a correct production of the at least one phoneme is displayed to the therapist as well as at least one incorrect production of the at least one phoneme The therapist is then permitted to select from among the displayed correct and incorrect productions based upon the student produced at least one phoneme The system related to this aspect of the invention com prises a processor and display means in signal communica tio
11. the action into a microphone in signal communication with a processor The therapist then enters a phonetic represen tation of the user s pronunciation of the narration into the processor Software resident in the processor automatically determines whether an error exists in the user pronunciation and if an error exists automatically categorizes the error Another aspect of the present invention relates to a system and method for transcribing student produced speech by a therapist FIGS 6A 15 for analyzing the transcribed speech and for producing a report and recommendations based upon the analysis The steps of the method are illustrated in flow chart form in FIGS 6A 6B and exem plary screens letters and reports in FIGS 7 15 The system of the invention is substantially as illustrated schematically in FIG 2 within the professional site 32 The method of the present invention includes the steps of entering student and therapist information block 601 such as demographic information The therapist 11 is then per mitted to choose block 602 between administering a pho nemic profile block 603 or a connected speech sample block 604 and also whether or not to record the student s production In either case the therapist 11 may select between basic English International Phonetic Alphabet IPA or full IPA If the phonemic profile selection is made a stimulus is presented to the student block 605 such
12. turned on and if the client is less than 10 years of age Here are Client s First 5 results These are the sounds your child is able to say correctly which are not expected at his her based on te Ma age filter is tumed on and if client is less than 10 years of age or Example These are the sounds with which Client s first name is having difficulty Example All letters in the Sound column should be in orthographic small letters not in CAPS ote Results reflect application of the age filter If age filter was used Results reflect application of the dialect filter If dialect filter was used Do not print any note text if filters were not used Print the following if there are no sounds with which the client is having difficul Client s test results do not indicate that he she based on SEX has difficulty with articulation and or phonology at this time FIG 9 U S Patent Mar 30 2004 Sheet 11 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 Report Options Description of Client s Productions Reports 1 Word Length Inventories 1 Stress Pattern Inventories Word Shape Inventories 61 1 Consonant Inventories o G Initial nants Count Count and Words J Consonants PVM Feature Single Feature G L Place e Count i Count and Words Count and Words Count Count and Words H Place Voice J Voice Place Voice Manner 1
13. Manner Place Manner Voice i C U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 12 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 Treatment Suggestions for Client s First Name and Last mm dd yyyy Administration date This report is fairly in its approach to final goal selection because there is considerable controversy in the field of see engage pathology about articulation and phonology treatment In addition it is important to consider the whole client in his or her environment and in the context of other communication or learning needs and styles when determining the goals of treatment Be sure to select the option of an age comparison this would have to be set in the Preferences and or a dialect filter this would have to be set in the Demographics screen if you choose to take into account those considerations in goal selection Word Shape Goals Your client is having difficulty with the shape of words The priority at this point in development should be to strengthen the basic word structures of language The following is a list of word shapes to target in treatment System displays word shapes with a percent match less than 60 from Comparison of Chent s Production and Target Forms When targeting these word shapes it is advisable to use sounds that are in your client s current inventory For example if a child uses only CV syllables and p m and n word initially you can create CVC words such as pop
14. a United States Patent US006714911B2 10 Patent No US 6 714 911 B2 Waryas et al 45 Date of Patent Mar 30 2004 54 SPEECH TRANSCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS 5 717 828 A 2 1998 Rothenberg SYSTEM AND METHOD 5 791 904 A 8 1998 Russell et al 5 813 862 A 9 1998 Merzenich et al 75 Inventors Carol Waryas San Antonio TX US pee d oa A 9 Pam Parmer San Antonio TX US FES ERAR Jan C Laurent San Antonio TX 5 865 626 A 2 1999 Beattie et al US Laurie Labbe San Antonio TX List continued on next page US we FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 73 Assignee Harcourt Assessment Inc San EP 0 360 909 4 1990 Antonio TX US EP 0 504 927 9 1992 1 089 246 4 2001 Notice Subject to any disclaimer the term of this WO 99 13446 3 1999 patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U S C 154 b by 0 days OTHER PUBLICATIONS Bernthal John et al and Phonlogical Disor 21 Appl No 09 999 249 ders 1998 Allyan amp Bacon 4th Edition pp 233 236 22 Filed Nov 15 2001 292 65 Prior Publication Data List continued on next page Primary Examiner Richemond Dorvil US 2002 0120441 ces a IUOS Assistant Examiner V Paul Harper Related U S Application Data 74 Attorney Agent or Firm Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath amp Gilchrist P A 63 Continuation in part of application No 09 769 776 filed on 25 2001 which is a continuation in part of application 67 ABSTRACTE Sa
15. arison of Client s Production and Target Forms Report to determine which sounds are used most often as substitutions for the target sound class and use those sounds in minimal pair contrasts Although the target sounds were present in the inventory it is possible that additional drill and practice will be necessary to establish automaticity of production For each sound listed under the Target mismatch sounds system will check the Description of Production results to see whether that sound was present or not List those sounds that WERE NOT used at least once in any position If none of the sounds meet the criterion omit this section including the following 3 paragraphs The following sounds were absent from your client s phonetic inventory Target R FIG 11D U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 16 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 If you choose to target these sounds in treatment you may first need to teach the client how to produce these sounds and then work to establish automaticity You may wish to conduct stimulability testing for these sounds and use the results to select the sounds to target first in treatment Target the sounds or features in word positions that the client already uses well e g initial position if your client uses CV well It is often advisable to address problematic sequences of sounds or features after sequences that show no mismatches Print this on all IPE Level Treatment Suggestions
16. containing words that include the problem speech sound to generate a set of records A filter may be applied if desired block 104 to further limit the set block 105 including selecting a category or concept using the demographic information to limit the set such as eliminating words that are intended for students over 7 years of age for a 5 year old student setting a desired vocabulary level or selecting a word length If desired block 107 the set of records may also be sorted block 108 in various ways to produce a desired sequence including but not limited to putting the words in alphabetical order random order or some other chosen sequence In a preferred embodiment all the words in the database contain at least one of the letters r I and s since these are known to present a problem most frequently For a professional therapy session a decision may be made whether to present the set of records or store transmit them block 109 If the former the set of records is next presented sequentially to the student in the predetermined sequence on a display device block 111 and the student is prompted to pronounce the word block 112 The display style may be selected block 110 from a word only a picture only or a word plus a picture If the student can read he or she can use the displayed word to form a pronunciation if the student cannot yet read or cannot read the currently presented language the pi
17. cture will also aid in acquisition of reading skills as well as pronunciation In the professional setting the therapist scores the stu dent s pronunciation block 113 by inputting for example correct incorrect skip or re present which will record an indication to re present the record at a later time such as after all the other items in the set have been presented The student or therapist can also elect block 114 to hear the word pronounced block 115 in a recommended manner by making an appropriate selection on an input device 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 6 The scores are received by the system and an aggregate score is calculated block 116 for the problem speech sound The database also comprises a historical record of all sessions for each of the students and the database is then accessed to store the current score thereinto block 117 The therapist may choose to calculate a historical change block 118 from previously saved scores to provide an indication of the student s progress Such scores may also be used to calculate statistics block 119 for a group of students using for example a demographic filter The personal version of the system and method does not accept scoring nor is there a database from which sets of records may be created Rather the professional version is adapted to download a selected set of records onto a storage
18. culation and phonology treatment In addition it is important to consider the whole client in his or her environment and in the context of other communication or leaming needs and when determining the goals of treatment Be sure to select the option of an age and or a dialect filter this would have to be set in the Preferences if you choose to take into account those considerations in goal selection Stress Pattern Goals Your client has the basic structures and segments of English but shows reduction of multisyllabic words other stress related phonological processes difficulties with certain segmental or feature sequences in certain stress pattems You might consider targeting four or five of these stress pattems initially in treatment Mert any stress pattems with a percent match less than 60 from Comparison of Client s Production and arget Forms results 1 2 3 3 2 1 3 2 3 2324 12 It might be advisable for your client to work from shorter to longer words Target the identified pattems if developmentally appropriate i e words of more than 3 syllables for developmental age of 6 or above Note that words starting with weak syllables are usually more difficult in English than words starting with strong syllables Consider focusing first on the pattems with sounds that never show mismatches before targeting pattems with problematic sound sequences Itis Sen helpful to use rhythm and combinations o
19. d shapes however these specific sounds showed mismatches System lists the consonant and consonant sequence sounds with percent match less than 60 from Comparison of Client s Production and Target Forms results Medial Note In general it is advisable to examine the feature analyses in order to determine whether there are common substitution or deletion pattems that apply across more than one of the mismatched segments It is often advisable to work with groups of sounds rather than individual sounds to promote generalization for each sound listed under the Target mismatch sounds system will check the Description of Client s Production results to see whether that sound was present or not For those sounds hat WERE used at least once in any position none of the sounds meet the criterion omit this section including the fol HAR pda hs The following target sounds were present in your client s phonetic inventory which indicates that she or he is able to produce that sound or feature Medial Ifyou choose to target these sounds in treatment you may consider using minimal pairs in order to encourage rther use of the sound or feature by providing a communicative incentive Consult the Comparison of Client s Production and Target Forms Report to determine which sounds are used most often as substitutions for the target sound class and use those sounds in minimal pair contrasts Although the target sounds were present in the inventory i
20. determine change over time 515 issue report 516 recommend therapeutic program C0 FIG 3B U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 5 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 501 510 present symbol to user on display 502 in communication with processor prompt user to pronounce word perform narration s enter phonetic representation into 520 separate input device download entered phonetic 921 representation into processor 805 FIG 4 12 student 10 system operator input and storage device therapist FIG 5 47 11 U S Patent Mar 30 2004 Sheet 6 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 enter student and therapist information 601 select type of administration y 602 s 1605 present stimulus to studen present target and 604 jon incorrect productions 619 607 620 621 606 produced phoneme presented 2 608 609 select among enter production displayed options in IPA yes no 622 623 ctual production 624 automatic analysis performed 611 612 U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 7 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 611 output analysis 612 apply age and or dialect filter 613 output analysis with filter applied 614 prepare parent letter and treatment recommendations 915 616 proceed no uit yes stimuli transcription analysis 617 prepare report letter treatment recommendations 618 quit FIG 6B US 6 714 911 2 Sheet 8 of 25
21. e of the sound or feature by providing a communicative incentive Consult the Comparison of Client 5 Production and Target Forms Report to determine which sounds are used most often as substitutions for the target sound class and us those sounds in minimal pair contrasts If there is variability between words for a given sound or feature and or a number of assimilations or metatheses there may be constraints on sequences of sounds or features Check the sequence section of the Comparison of Cont Production and Target Forms Report Address sequence difficulties separately in treatment Although the target sounds were present in the inventory it is possible that additional drill and practice will be necessary to establish automaticity of production each sound listed under the Target mismatch sounds system will check the Description of Client s roduction results to see whether that sound was present or not List those sounds that WERE NOT used at least once in am If none of the sounds meet the criterion omit this section including the following 3 paragraphs The following sounds were absent from your client s phonetic inventory Target R FIG 12D U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 21 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 If you choose to target these sounds in treatment you may first need to teach the client how to produce these sounds and then work to establish automaticity You may wish to conduct stimulability testing for these sounds
22. ed word and entering the student produced word symbolically into a processor and automatically performing an analysis of a student speech production difficulty based upon the recorded student produced word 12 The method recited in claim 11 wherein the prompt ing step comprises selecting a stimulus for eliciting con nected speech 13 The method recited in claim 11 wherein the incorrect production phonetic representation displaying step com prises displaying a phonetic representation of a plurality of incorrect productions 14 The method recited in claim 11 wherein if the selected recording method comprises entering the student produced word permitting each phoneme of the word in International Phonetic Alphabet form 15 The method recited in claim 12 further comprising the step following the permitting step of applying a filter to the phonetic representation of the incorrect production relating to at least one of age and dialect 16 The method recited in claim 12 further comprising the step following the analysis performing step of collecting a plurality of words from a database based upon the phonetic representation of the incorrect production 17 A system for transcribing speech of a student com prising a processor display means in signal communication with the proces sor for prompting a student to produce a word orally displaying a phonetic representation of a correct pro duction of the word to a the
23. er sequences of consonants and vowels The following is a list of word shapes to target in treatment displays word shapes with a percent match less than 60 from Comparison of Client s roduction and Target Forms When targeting these word shapes it is often advisable to use sounds that are in your client s current inventory System displays the following paragraph if no word shape has a match rate of less than 6096 Previous two paragraphs with the 60 or less match data is not printed Your client shows adequate word walled development at the present time however there are many segmental substitutions Treatment should focus on segments in all word positions Consider three to four major sound classes varying in place manner and voicing Your client produced these sounds with relatively high oe of accuracy in the noted positions System consonant segments produced with least 70 match least one word position from the segmental part of the Comparison of Client s Production and Target Forms T 79 T 100 99 P 100 BL 85 FIG 12A U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 18 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 Ms a paragraph if the match rate of gt 70 does not apply Previous paragraph and table are not rinted segments meet the 70 criterion for match For phonemes to utilize for word shape goals select phonemes the highest match below 70 as identified in the analyses comparing cl
24. esident on the processor for displaying a symbol to a user on the display device the symbol representative of a word comprising a plu rality of phonemes prompting a user to pronounce the word orally receiving a symbolic representation of the user pronounced word from the therapist input device and automatically analyzing the symbolic representation of the user pronounced word to determine whether an error exists in the user pronunciation 34 The system recited in claim 33 wherein the software means is further adapted to automatically categorize an existing error 10 14 35 The system recited in claim 33 wherein symbolic representation of the user pronounced word comprises a phonetic form 36 The system recited in claim 33 wherein the analyzing portion of the software means includes a filter for applica tion to an incorrect pronunciation relating to at least one of age and dialect 37 The system recited in claim 33 wherein the software means is further adapted to direct a repetition of the displaying prompting entering and transmitting a plurality of times to correlate incorrect pronunciations and to diag nose a problem speech sound from the correlation
25. f accurate stress pattem sequences to build the new stress pattems e g building weak Strong weak sequences by adding a weak quiet light syllable to a m weak sequence loud quiet syllables as in buh quiet NAna loud quiet gt baNAna quiet loud quiet 14 US 6 714 911 2 Sheet 25 of 25 Mar 30 2004 U S Patent GT Old Ydi Ul UonOMpOLg pue vg Ul Jae 1a jo maja PaUIGWO uoneuuoju yq Ul ose uonanpolq 3163 yai utpequasuej JOU SpJ0M 198 0 JO 57 uonduosuej ajdwes yoaeds US 6 714 911 2 1 SPEECH TRANSCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM AND METHOD CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation in part of and claims priority to application Ser No 09 769 776 entitled Speech Analysis and Therapy System and Method filed Jan 25 2001 and application Ser No 09 770 093 entitled Speech Therapy System and Method filed Jan 25 2001 which are commonly owned with the instant application and which are incorporated herein by reference BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention The present invention relates to systems and methods for analyzing and remediating speech pathologies and more particularly to such systems and methods that are computer based 2 Description of Related Ar
26. he error is automatically catego rized In an alternate embodiment of the method the therapist enters the phonetic representation of the user pronunciation US 6 714 911 B2 3 into an input and storage device that is not in signal communication with the processor At a later time the phonetic representation is downloaded into the processor whereupon the automatic determining and categorizing steps proceed The system of the second aspect of the invention evalu ates an articulation disorder The system comprises a pro cessor and an output device and an input device each in signal communication with the processor Software installable on the processor is adapted to present on the output device typically a display device although this is not intended as a limitation a symbol representative of a word The software then is adapted to prompt a user via the output device to pronounce the word represented by the symbol and to receive from the therapist via the input device a phonetic representation of the user s pronunciation The software automatically determines whether an error exists in the user pronunciation and if an error exists automatically categorizes the error In the alternate embodiment the system comprises a processor and an output device and a user input device each in signal communication with the processor The system further comprises an operator input and storage device that is not in signal communication with the
27. ient and target productions seems to overuse the following phonemes He she should be encouraged to use sounds other than these If results from Description of Client s Production indicate that one consonant segment occurs over 25 times in the word initial position over 12 times in the medial position or over 17 times in the final position If none of the segments meet these criteria omit this section including the previous paragraph Medial T T T P P Il Segmental and or Feature Goals Your client also shows limitations in speech sound development The following is a list of sounds and features that were produced with less than 6096 From the segmental part the Comparison of Client s Production and Target Forms ci all target consonant segments and consonant sequences by position with percent match less than b List all place voice and manner features with percent match less than 60 List all nonlinear features with percent match less than 60 List all phonemes IPA characters 1 Segments FIG 12B U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 19 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 2 Place Voice Manner Features Place aan eee Labiodental 0 Labiodental 0 Labiodental 0 Dental 0 Dental 0 Dental 0 Palatal 25 Palatal ee Palatal sea Velar 53 Velar 50 Labiodental Palatal 34 Labiodental Velar 43 Initial Medial 358 Voiceless 59
28. ing the entered symbolic representation of the user pronounced word to the processor and automatically analyzing the symbolic representation of the user pronounced word to determine whether an error exists in the user pronunciation 22 The method recited in claim 21 further comprising the step of automatically categorizing an existing error 23 The method recited in claim 22 wherein the automatic analyzing and categorizing steps are under control of soft ware resident in the processor 24 The method recited in claim 21 wherein the prompt ing step comprises selecting a stimulus for eliciting con nected speech 25 The method recited in claim 21 wherein the entering step comprises entering the user pronounced word in pho netic form 26 The method recited in claim 21 wherein the analyzing step comprises applying a filter to an incorrect pronunciation relating to at least one of age and dialect 27 The method recited in claim 21 further comprising the steps of repeating the displaying prompting entering and transmitting steps a plurality of times and wherein the analyzing step comprises correlating incorrect pronuncia tions and diagnosing a problem speech sound from the correlation 28 Computer software for analyzing a speech problem in user comprising code segment for displaying a symbol to a user on a display device the symbol representative of a word comprising a plurality of phonemes code segment for
29. ion or over 17 times in the final position If none of the segments meet these criteria omit this section including the previous paragraph ee ee Medial rt on all IPE Level 1 Treatment Suggestions tis usually advisable this stage of development to avoid targeting voiced stops in the final position unless your client already shows use of these sounds in the final position Segmental and or Feature Goals Your client might also benefit from treatment on one or two new sounds or features in the first period of treatment The following is a list of sounds and features that were produced with less than 60 accuracy From the segmental part of the Comparison of Client s Production and Target Forms a List all target consonant segments and consonant sequences by position with percent match less than 60 b List all place voice manner features with percent match less than 60 List all nonlinear features with percent match less than 60 List all phonemes in IPA characters Segments FIG 11B U S Patent Mar 30 2004 Sheet 14 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 Place Voice Manner Features Labiodental 0 Labiodental 0 Dental 0 Dental 0 Palatal he Palatal M Velar 53 Velar 50 Labiodental Velar 43 Me Voiced 35 Fricative 0 te 0 Afficate es Liquid 45 Liquid 45 Affricate Liquid 25 Nonlinear Features Manner Continuant 05 Continuant 45 Na
30. lly determines whether an error exists in the user pronunciation block 506 The determi nation may additionally include the application of a dialec tical filter block 505 that is adapted to discriminate between that which is deemed to be a true error and a predetermined normal dialect word pronunciation If an error exists the software automatically categorizes the error block 507 An error may be for example a substitution a mispronunciation or an omission These steps are repeated a predetermined number of times n for example 20 times block 510 It may then be desired to perform the deep test which may be performed with the knowledge gained from a pre evaluation as above or de novo If the pre evaluation has been performed the software automatically generates a set of symbols wherein each symbol is representative of a word containing at least one of the errors determined in the pre evaluation Then the steps as above are performed using the generated set of symbols and an evaluation is made of articulation errors for the whole set If a single word is desired to be analyzed for the steps in blocks 502 509 are performed once for the desired word Once a word has been pronounced and the phonetic representation entered into the processor the therapist may decide to display a frequency spectrum of the user s pro nunciation block 508 If desired a sample of a correct pronunciation of the word may be broadcast via a
31. lt ses 2001 A transcription method uses a computerized process to rompt a student to produce at least one phoneme orally 51 Int C 10 21 06 9 2100 ROSE af hack 52 U S 704 271 704 220 phoneme are displayed The therapist selects from among 58 Field of Search 706 927 704 504 the displayed productions based upon the student produced 704 503 3 276 271 270 268 267 260 The system includes a processor and display to 256 254 249 240 231 211 200 434 362 prompt a student to produce at least one phoneme orally 185 display a correct and at least one incorrect production of the phoneme The therapist then uses an input device in signal 56 References Cited communication with the processor to select from among the U S PATENT DOCUMENTS 4 969 194 5 303 327 A 5 393 236 5 487 671 A 5 562 453 A 5 636 325 A 5 679 001 A 11 1990 4 1994 2 1995 1 1996 10 1996 6 1997 10 1997 Ezawa et al Sturner et al Blackmer et al Shpiro et al Wen Farrett Russell et al displayed correct and incorrect productions based upon the student produced phoneme thus obviating the need for the therapist to enter the incorrect production symbol by symbol unless it is desired to do so or unless the actual production is not found among the displayed production selections 37 Claims 25 Drawing Sheets enter st
32. ly based upon the therapist s ear and the local standards Other systems known in the art that address speech language analysis and therapy methodologies includes those of Neuhaus U S Pat No 6 113 393 Parry et al U S Pat No 6 077 085 UCSF and Rutgers U S Pat Nos 5 813 862 and 6 071 123 Neumeyer et al U S Pat No 6 055 498 Jenkins et al U S Pat Nos 5 927 988 and 6 019 607 Siegel U S Pat No 6 009 397 Beard et al U S Pat No 5 857 173 Aaron et al U S Pat No 5 832 441 Russell et al U S Pat Nos 5 679 001 and 5 791 904 Rothenberg U S Pat No 5 717 828 Wen U S Pat No 5 562 453 Ezawa et al U S Pat No 4 969 194 Sturner et al U S Pat No 5 303 327 Shpiro U S Pat No 5 766 015 and Siegel U S Pat No 6 148 286 Commer cial software products in the field of articulation phonology or speech sound production include Speech Viewer Interac tive System for Phonological Analysis Speech Master Visi pitch and Computerized Profiling Commercial print products include the Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation 10 15 20 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 2 American Guidance Service Khan Lewis Test of Phonol ogy American Guidance Service Photo Articulation Test Pro Ed and Fisher Logeman Test of Articulation Pro Ed SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1 15 therefore an object of the present invention to provide system and method for eliciting a
33. mines an intended target sentence block 620 as the student s production is made The thera pist 11 enters the target production on the keyboard 18 in orthographic format block 621 FIG 15 and the system 15 converts it into IPA format block 622 The student s production is defaulted to be the target production block 623 and the therapist 11 edits the production fields in order to convert it into the actual student production block 624 Once the editing is complete the production is analyzed block 611 with a comparison being made between the target and actual productions Reports are then displayed block 612 on the student s production and the comparison The remaining blocks are substantially the same as with the phonemic profile It may be appreciated by one skilled in the art that additional embodiments may be contemplated including alternate forms of presentation of the symbols and sounds In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity clarity and understanding but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the require ments of the prior art because such words are used for description purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed Moreover the embodiments of the apparatus illustrated and described herein are by way of example and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction Having now described the invention the constructi
34. n in FIGS 1A 1B and a schematic of the system in FIG 2 The system and method are also contemplated for use in the acquisition of a language skill as well as in a remediation setting There are two versions of the system and method In the profes sional version 10 of the invention block 100 typically two people who will be referred to as therapist 11 and student 12 are present although this 15 not intended as a limitation This version is contemplated for use in such settings 32 as a hospital clinic rehabilitation center school or private facility In the personal version 40 of the invention the student 12 may be working alone or in the presence of a nonprofessional such as a parent The therapist 11 may be for example a speech therapist or a teacher the student 12 may be a user who is learning a second language or a school attendee who is being tested for or who is already known to have an articulation problem or phono logical disorder The method comprises the steps of providing access to an electronic database that includes a plurality of records block US 6 714 911 B2 5 101 Each record comprises a word a picture representative of the word and a recommended pronunciation of the word In an alternate embodiment the record may also include a digitized video clip to represent motion or a verb to impart a concept of action In another embodiment the record may further include a digitized sound that
35. n with the processor The display means are for prompting a student to produce at least one phoneme orally displaying a correct production of the at least one phoneme to a therapist and displaying at least one incorrect production of the at least one phoneme to the therapist The therapist then uses input means in signal communication with the proces sor to select from among the displayed correct and incorrect productions based upon the student produced at least one phoneme thus obviating the need for the therapist to enter the incorrect production symbol by symbol unless it is desired to do so or unless the actual production is not found among the displayed production selections The features that characterize the invention both as to organization and method of operation together with further objects and advantages thereof will be better understood from the following description used in conjunction with the accompanying drawing It is to be expressly understood that 10 15 20 25 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 4 the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention These and other objects attained and advantages offered by the present invention will become more fully apparent as the description that now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS 1A 1B is a flow chart for an e
36. oduced word one phoneme at a time into a processor 4 The method recited in claim 3 wherein the therapist is permitted to enter each phoneme in International Phonetic Alphabet form 5 The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step following the permitting step of applying a filter to the incorrect production representation relating to at least one of age and dialect 6 The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps following the analysis performing step of collecting a plurality of words from a database based upon the incorrect production representation selection and repeating steps d for each of the collected words 7 Amethod for use by a therapist to transcribe speech of a student comprising the steps of prompting a student to orally produce a narration com prising a plurality of phonemes by selecting a stimulus for eliciting connected speech permitting the therapist to enter the student produced narration one phoneme at a time into a processor performing via software resident in the processor an automatic analysis of a student speech production dif ficulty based upon at least one incorrect production representation in the entered narration 8 Asystem for transcribing speech of a student compris ing a processor display means in signal communication with the proces sor for prompting a student to produce a word comprising a plurality of phonemes orally displaying a phonetic repre
37. on the operation and use of preferred embodiment thereof and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby the new and useful constructions and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims What is claimed is 1 Amethod for use by a therapist to transcribe speech of a student comprising the steps of a prompting a student to produce a word comprising a plurality of phonemes orally b displaying a correct production of the word to a therapist c displaying a phonetic representation of at least one incorrect production of the word to the therapist d permitting the therapist to make an electronic selection from among the displayed correct and incorrect pro 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 10 duction representations based upon the student produced word and e performing an automatic analysis of a student speech production difficulty based upon an incorrect produc tion representation selection 2 The method recited in claim 1 wherein the incorrect production representation displaying step comprises dis playing a plurality of incorrect production representations 3 The method recited in claim 2 further comprising the step of if the student produced word does not match one of the displayed correct and incorrect production representations permitting the therapist to enter the student pr
38. ort that includes problem sounds FIG 9 and recommendations for treatment block 615 An example of available student production report selections is US 6 714 911 2 9 shown in FIG 10 Additional report selections include descriptions of student productions word length stress pattern and word shape inventories and consonant and vowel inventories If desired block 616 the therapist 11 can proceed to an individualized phonological evaluation IPE The stimuli for this evaluation are determined based upon the results of the phoneme profile and there are four levels of evaluation possible as will be reflected in the treatment reports to be discussed in the following For example if the student pronounced tat for cat words such as can call cad or cast may be selected for presentation to the student 12 Once again stimuli transcription and analyses are performed analogous to blocks 605 611 block 617 with the analysis based upon both the phonemic profile and the IPE and a report a letter and treatment recommenda tions provided analogous to blocks 612 615 block 618 Exemplary treatment suggestion reports for four levels of IPEs are shown in FIGS 12A 12E 13A 13B and 14 If the connected speech option was selected block 604 a stimulus is presented to the student 12 block 619 such as a video clip on the screen 20 or other external stimulus The therapist 11 deter
39. prompting a user to pronounce the word orally code segment for receiving a symbolic representation of the user pronounced word and code segment for analyzing the symbolic representation of the user pronounced word to determine whether an error exists in the user pronunciation 29 The computer software recited in claim 28 further comprising a code segment for automatically categorizing an existing error 30 The computer software recited in claim 28 wherein symbolic representation of the user pronounced word com prises a phonetic form 31 The computer software recited in claim 28 wherein the analyzing code segment includes a filter for application to an incorrect pronunciation relating to at least one of age and dialect 32 The computer software recited in claim 28 further comprising a code segment for directing a repetition of the code segments for displaying prompting entering and transmitting a plurality of times and wherein the analyzing code segment comprises a code segment for correlating incorrect pronunciations and diagnosing a problem speech sound from the correlation 33 A system for analyzing a speech problem in a user comprising processor a display device a therapist input device adapted to receive a symbolic representation of word comprising a plurality of phonemes the therapist input device comprising means for transmitting data to the processor US 6 714 911 B2 13 software means r
40. rapist and displaying a phonetic representation of at least one incorrect production of the word to the therapist a first input device in signal communication with the processor adapted to permit the therapist to make an electronic selection from among the displayed correct and incorrect production representations based upon the student produced word a second input device in signal communication with the processor adapted to permit the therapist to enter the student produced word symbolically into the proces sor and software means resident on the processor having a code segment adapted to perform an automatic analysis of a student speech production difficulty based upon at least one incorrect production representation in the entered word 18 The system recited in claim 17 wherein the display means comprises a screen 19 The system recited in claim 17 wherein the first input means comprises a pointing device 20 The system recited in claim 17 wherein the second input means comprises a keyboard 21 A method for analyzing a speech problem in a user comprising the steps of displaying a symbol to a user the symbol representative of a word comprising a plurality of phonemes the displaying step under control of a processor 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 12 prompting a user to pronounce the word orally entering the user pronounced word symbolically into an electronic device transmitt
41. s to demographic data select problem speech sound 104 apply no filter apply filter to limit set search database to create record set 107 106 no 109 yes sort set of records into desired sequence 109 US 6 714 911 2 100 101 102 103 108 U S Patent Mar 30 2004 Sheet 2 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 107 108 109 present or store transmit 120 use personal version of system present 110 select display style 111 prompt student for pronunciation therapist scores pronunciation 114 store transmit 112 113 hear word yes pronounced 9 115 broadcast word no calculate aggregate score 116 a Iculate historical ch us calculate statistics 119 US 6 714 911 2 Sheet 3 of 25 Mar 30 2004 U S Patent uoneoo 90191 19 jepuooas Ot 9 0UJ2J 9315 21015594019 U S Patent Mar 30 2004 Sheet 4 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 select type of analysis 501 510 present symbol to user 7502 prompt user to pronounce word perform narration 503 enter phonetic representation 504 apply dialectical filter 505 506 FIG 3A TD yes automatically categorize the error 507 if desired display frequency spectrum 508 508 509 if desired broadcast correct pronunciation 510 511 perform correlation of errors to make diagnosis 512 issue report 513 save error in database 514
42. sal 59 Nasal 59 Consonantal Nasal 50 Medial 59 L EIU 58 125 __ pread Glottis 0 FIG 11C Labiodental 0 Dental 0 atal 25 Labiodental alatal 34 Voiceless 5996 Fricative M Afficate 30 Liquid 45 Affricate Liquid 25 Consonantal 49 Consonantal Nasal 15 E ee U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 15 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 Oral Place Labial Coronal Anterior 15 Labial Coronal Anterior 0 Labial Coronal Anterior 1 ay Dorsal Anterior Pharyngeal Place Advanced Tongue Root 58 Advanced Tongue Root 13 Advanced Tongue Root 14 Advanced Tongue Root Advanced Tongue Root Advanced Tongue Root 14 Advanced Tongue Root 19 each sound listed under the Target mismatch sounds system will check the Description of lient s Production results to see whether that sound was present or not For those sounds that WERE used at least once in any position If none of the sounds meet the criterion omit this section including the following 3 paragraphs The following target sounds were in your client s phonetic inventory which indicates that she or he is able to produce that sound or feature Medial If you choose to target these sounds in treatment you might consider using minimal pairs in order to encourage further use of the sound or feature by providing a communicative incentive Consult the Comp
43. sentation of a correct pro duction of the at word to a therapist and displaying a phonetic representation of at least one incorrect production of the word to the therapist input means in signal communication with the processor for permitting the therapist to select from among the displayed phonetic representations of correct and incor rect productions based upon the student produced and software means resident on the processor having a code segment adapted to perform an automatic analysis of a student speech production difficulty based upon at least one incorrect production representation in the entered word 9 The system recited in claim 8 wherein the display means comprises a screen 10 The system recited in claim 8 wherein the input means comprises a pointing device 11 Amethod for use by a therapist to transcribe speech of a student comprising the steps of prompting a student to pronounce a word comprising a plurality of phonemes orally displaying a phonetic representation of a correct produc tion of the word to a therapist US 6 714 911 2 11 displaying a phonetic representation of at least one incor rect production of the word to the therapist permitting the therapist to select and perform a method of recording the student produced word from among the steps of making an electronic selection from among the dis played phonetic representations of correct and incor rect productions based upon the student produc
44. speaker in signal communication with the processor block 509 When a plurality of words have been tested the evaluat ing step also comprises automatically recognizing an under lying commonality by correlating the errors detected This pattern recognition permits the software to achieve an over arching diagnosis of a problem speech sound block 511 Following the error categorization if desired a report can be issued detailing the user s error s block 512 Additionally the error may be saved in a database that is accessible by the processor block 513 If a previous entry for this user already exists which is determined by a search the error found in the present test may be compared with an 10 15 25 40 45 50 55 60 65 8 error previously found and a change over time determined for that user block 514 to note whether an improvement has occurred Again if desired a report may be issued block 515 as to the change determined An additional feature of this invention is the ability once a categorization has been made of an error of recommend ing a therapeutic program to address the error block 516 Such a recommendation formulation may comprise for example creating a set of records as detailed above in FIGS 1A 2 If connected speech analysis is desired to be performed the symbol comprises a motion picture representative of an action and the user is prompted to provide a narration on
45. ssional asha org tech__resources tech2000 7 htm pp 1 7 1996 PictureGallery http www psychcorp com catalogs sla sla014atpc htm pp 1 2 The Childes System Child Language Data Exchange Sys tem http childes psy cmu edu Additional Childes Tools Childes Windows Tools http childes psy cmu edu html wintools html Sails the Speech Assessment amp Interactive Learning System SAILS Using SAILS in Clinical Assessment and Treat ment http Awww propeller net react sails2 htm pp 1 3 GFTA 2 Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation 2 http www agsnet com templates productview__p asp GroupID a11750 pp 1 3 Khan Lewis Phonological Analysis http www ag snet com templates productview__p asp GroupID a1820 pp 1 2 Bernthal John E and Bankson Nicholas W Eds Articu lation and Phonological Disorders Fourth Edition Chapter 9 Instrumentation in Clinical Phonology by Julie J Master son Steven H Long and Eugene H Buder 1998 pp 378 406 Masterson Julie and Pagan Frank Interactive System for Phonological Analysis User s Guide pps 41 Harcourt Brace amp Compnay San Antonio 1993 Long Steven H and FEY Marc E Computerized Profiling User s Manual pps 119 Harcourt Brace amp Company San Antonio 1993 cited by examiner U S Patent Mar 30 2004 Sheet 1 of 25 open professional version of system provide access to database of records provide acces
46. symbol presentation may comprise for example a picture on a display screen although this is not intended as a limitation The therapist then enters a phonetic representation of the user pronunciation into the processor block 504 In an alternate embodiment of the method the altered portion of which is illustrated in FIG 4 the therapist enters the phonetic representation of the user pronunciation into a separate operator input and storage device 47 such as but not intended to be limited to a personal data assistant block 520 At a later time the user pronunciation data are down loaded into the processor block 521 to complete the steps of the method Aschematic of the system FIG 5 illustrates the addition of the operator input and storage device 47 which is connectable to the system 10 when desired for downloading data into the processor 14 that has been entered thereinto by the therapist 11 The advantages of this embodiment include the user and the operator being able to use separate pieces of hardware thereby eliminating physical restraints imposed by attempt ing to share equipment Further during the session the user cannot view the operator s scoring information which may inhibit the user In addition the operator s hardware may retain data for downloading into more than one processor if desired for subsequent collection and analysis In both embodiments the software installed upon the processor then automatica
47. t Articulation and phonology disorders are the most com mon of the speech and language disorders The prevalence of this disorder is at the time of writing approximately 10 of the school age population In addressing a perceived articulation issue in a student speech language pathologists have in the past used an initial test based upon a series of cards Each card contains a picture and a word and the student is asked to pronounce the word associated with the card The pathologist then determines whether the student s pronunciation is right or wrong It may be recognized that such a system can be cumbersome owing to the cards having to be placed in a desired order and sorted manually An intervention system designed to automate this process Picture Gallery I was presented by the owner of the current application In this system pictures and or words stored in a database could be sorted using a desired criterion such as a particular phoneme and presented to the student under software control for facilitating the acquisition or remedia tion of speech or language skills No analysis or scoring is performed rather the product is intended for use by one or more students either alone or in concert with a pathologist teacher A previously known method of diagnosing articulation or phonology disorders included a pencil and paper test wherein a student is asked to speak a word The therapist grades the word subjective
48. t is possible that additional drill and practice will be necessary to establish automaticity of production FIG 13A U S Patent 30 2004 Sheet 23 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 each sound listed under the Target mismatch sounds system will check the Description of Client s roduction results to see whether that sound was present or not List those sounds that WERE used at n ay position If none of the sounds meet the criterion omit this section including the following paragraphs The following sounds were absent from your client s phonetic inventory Ifyou choose to target these sounds in lg may first need to teach the client how to produce these sounds and then work to establish automaticity You may wish to conduct stimulability testing for these sounds and use the results to select the sounds to target first in ent Additionally you may wish to consider whether other accurately produced sounds have features in common with the mismatched sounds It may be possible to teach the new sounds by extension from the already produced sounds e g from 1 to t from y to 2 etc FIG 13B U S Patent 30 2004 24 of 25 US 6 714 911 B2 Treatment Suggestions for Client s First Name and Last Name mm dd yyyy Administration date This report is m eneral in its approach to final selection because there is considerable controversy in the field of speec as e pathology about arti
49. te such as another location 26 via a modem 27 over the internet 28 or such as another room 29 at the same location via an intranet 30 A printer 31 under processor control may also be provided for furnishing a hard copy of any portion of the session as desired A secondary system 40 for use of the personal version of the invention at the remote location 26 29 comprises a processor 41 input device 42 and display device 43 in communication with the processor 41 and either or both of a modem 44 for receiving a set of records and a storage device reader 45 for reading a stored set of records The software package 46 for this version is adapted to read the records present them to the student 12 sequentially and prompt the student 12 to pronounce the word associated with the record A flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of the auto mated speech therapy intervention method is given in FIGS 3A 3B The schematic of the system is substantially the same as that in FIG 2 The method comprises the steps of selecting the type of evaluation desired to be performed block 501 screening single word analysis deep test or connected speech analysis The screening or pre evaluation comprises the steps of presenting to a user a symbol repre sentative of a word block 502 and prompting the user to pronounce the word represented by the symbol into a microphone in signal communication with a processor US 6 714 911 B2 7 block 503 The
50. udent and therapist information select type of administration 603 initiate phonemic profile present target and incorrect productions present stimulus to student 605 604 select among production displayed options in IPA phonemic profile initiate connected speech sample present stimulus to student 7919 determine intended target sentence 620 Y enter target production conversion to IPA pe z 623 display target production editto actual production y 824 automatic analysis performed US 6 714 911 B2 Page 2 U S PATENT DOCUMENTS 5 927 988 A 7 1999 Jenkins et al 6 009 397 A 12 1999 Siegel 6 019 607 A 2 2000 Jenkins et al 6 030 226 A 2 2000 Hersh 6 055 498 A 4 2000 Neumeyer et al 6 071 123 A 6 2000 Tallal et al 6 077 085 A 6 2000 Parry et al 6 113 393 A 9 2000 Neuhaus OTHER PUBLICATIONS Jackson Peter Introduction to Expert Systems 1999 Addison Wesley Longman Limited 3rd Edition pp 207 210 Parrot Software User s Manual Automatic Articulation Analysis 2000 Parrot Software Inc Shneiderman John Designing the User Interface 1998 Addison Wesley Lognman Limited 3rd Edition pp 82 83 American Speech Language Hearing Association Tech nology 2000 Clinical Applications for Speech Language Pathology http profe
51. ut device in communication with the processor having means for selecting a problem speech sound and a display device in communication with the processor The database as described above is resident on the processor as are software means The software is adapted to automatically generate a set of records from the plurality of records with each record containing a word specific to the problem speech sound The software is also adapted to automatically present at least a portion of each record in the set of records to a user sequentially on a display device the set of records to a user sequentially on the display device and to prompt the user to pronounce the displayed word Finally the software is adapted to receive via the input device a score for the pronunciation of each word Another aspect of the present invention is a system and method for analyzing a speech problem by performing a test of articulation phonology and sound features that is admin istered and analyzed with the use of an electronic processor This method comprises the steps of presenting to a student user a symbol representative of a word and prompting the user to pronounce the word represented by the symbol into a microphone in signal communication with a processor Next the therapist enters a phonetic representation of the user pronunciation into the processor It is then automati cally determined whether an error exists in the user pronun ciation If an error exists t
52. xemplary embodi ment of the speech therapy method of the invention FIG 2 is a schematic diagram of the speech therapy and analysis system FIGS 3A 3B is a flow chart for an exemplary embodi ment of the speech analysis method of the invention FIG 4 is a section of a flow chart for another embodiment of the speech analysis method of the invention FIG 5 is a schematic diagram of an alternate embodiment of the speech analysis system FIGS 6A 6B is a flow chart for an additional embodi ment of the speech analysis method of the invention FIG 7 is an exemplary phonemic profile or individualized phonological evaluation screen FIG 8 is an exemplary basic IPA production transcription screen FIG 9 is an exemplary parent letter report FIG 10 is an exemplary student production report option selection screen FIGS is an exemplary level 1 treatment sug gestion report FIGS 12 12 is an exemplary level 2 treatment sug gestion report FIGS 13A 13B is an exemplary level 3 treatment sug gestion report FIG 14 is an exemplary level 4 treatment suggestion report FIG 15 is an exemplary connected speech sample tran scription screen DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be presented with reference to FIGS 1A 15 A flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of the auto mated speech therapy intervention method is give
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search