Single oral input real time analyzer with written print-out

Claim 2

Sound separator device for speech-to-writer apparatus, using single-channel input through an amplifier circuit for connected speech, and separating in real time the speech elements into each of the types of speech sounds of, for example, English: (1) vowels and semi-vowels, (2) nasals, (3) unvoiced fricatives, (4) voiced fricatives, (5) unvoiced stops, (6) voiced stops; said separator device comprising (FIG. 1): stops-or-silence detector means for distinguishing voiced and unvoiced stops from each other and from the intersticial silences of running speech (74); detection means for nasal, fricative and vowel sounds as they occur in random speech sequence (10); network means of six mutually exclusive logic gates responsive to said foregoing means for deriving the said types of speech sounds (40,42,44,46,48,50); said stops-or-silence detector means (74) receiving inputs of the oral signal (12) from: (1) a linear amplifier (88); (2) oral ON and oral OFF signals from an oral sensor gate (32); (3) oral differentiator outputs from a differentiator means (82); and (4) signals representing voicing as detected in the range of about 300 to 800 Hz (80); and means providing outputs (1) to logic gates for unvoiced (40) or voiced (42) stops, (2) to a gate for unvoiced fricatives (44), and (3) to a siLence signal (98); said detection means (10) consisting of four networks including filters, timers, rate gnerators, comparators and switches that differentiate instantaneously voiced fricatives, unvoiced fricatives, vowels and semi-vowels, and nasals from each other, at least two network-activated switching means (31,49) activated in response to outputs of said networks for enabling individual identification and processing for phoneme outputs, at least one of said filters (15) producing an output representing detected voicing in the range of about 300 to 800 Hz.; said network means of logic gates (40,42,44,46,48,50) operated by said stops-or-silence detector means (74) or by the nasal, fricative and vowel detection means (10) in random real-time sequence according to the sounds of the vocal input.

Claim 3

Sound separator device for speech-to-writer apparatus comprising: a microphone for accepting oral signals; and a detection and analysis transducer module component receiving said oral signals, said component having sound separation means for first-stage detecting, differentiating, processing and sorting speech sound inputs derived from said microphone, in at least the following stated categories: (1) vowels and semi-vowels, (2) nasals, (3) unvoiced fricatives, (4) voiced fricatives, (5) unvoiced stops, and (6) voiced stops, said sound separation means (FIG. 1) including: an oral sensor gate (32) receiving an input of said oral signal and producing digital outputs indicative or oral ON and oral OFF gaps; differentiator means (62) responsive to said oral sensors; a linear amplifier (36) receiving for processing said oral signal; four networks comprising a fricative nasal and vowel separator including filters, timers, rate generators, comparators and switches that differentiate instantaneously voiced fricatives, unvoiced fricatives, vowels and semi-vowels, nasals from each other to be identified for each of said categories, at least two network-activated switch means (31),(49) activated in response to outputs of said networks for enabling individual identification and processing for phoneme outputs, at least one of said filters (15) producing an output representing detected voicing in the range of about 300 to 800 Hz.; a stops-or-silence unit (74) receiving inputs of (1) said oral signal from said linear amplifier, (2) oral ON and oral OFF signals from said oral sensor gate, (3) oral differentiator outputs from said differentiator means, and (4) signals representing voicing as detected in the range of about 300 to 800 Hz. from said detected voicing filter; logic gate means (40-44) for each of said categories of speech sound signals, each at least receiving outputs from said linear amplifier and said stops-or-silence unit, including: an unvoiced stop gate (40) a voiced stop gate (42); an unvoiced fricative gate (44) receiving signals also from said oral sensor gate, said detected voicing filter and one of said network-activated switch means; further logic gates means (46-50) for each of said categories of speech sound signals, each at least receiving outputs from said linear amplifier, including: a voiced fricative gate (46) receiving signals also from said oral sensor gate, and said one of said network-activated switch means, a vowel gate (50) receiving signals also from an output of one of said networks and said network-activated switch means, and a nasal gate (48) receiving signals also from an output of one of said networks, said vowel gate, and one said network-activated switch means, said vowel gate receiving an output from said nasal gate.

Claim 4

Sound separator device for speech-to-writer apparatus comprising: a microphone for accepting oral signals; and a detection and analysis transducer module component receiving said oral signals, said component having sound separation means for first-stage detecting, differentiating, processing and sorting speech sound inputs derived from said microphone, in at least the following stated categories: (1) vowels and semi-vowels, (2) nasals, (3) unvoiced fricatives, (4) voiced fricatives, (5) unvoiced stops, and (6) voiced stops, said sound separation means (FIG. 1) including: an oral sensor gate (32) receiving an input of said oral signal and producing digital outputs indicative or oral ON and oral OFF gaps; differentiator means (62) responsive to said oral sensors; a linear amplifier (36) receiving for processing said oral signal; four networks comprising a fricative nasal and vowel separator including filters, timers, rate generators, comparators and switches that differentiate instantaneously voiced fricatives, unvoiced fricatives, vowels and semi-vowels, nasals from each other to be identified for each of said categories, at least two network-activated switch means (31),(49) activated in response to outputs of said networks for enabling individual identification and processing for phoneme outputs, at least one of said filters (15) producing an output representing detected voicing in the range of about 300 to 800 Hz.; a stops-or-silence unit (74) receiving inputs of (1) said oral signal from said linear amplifier, (2) oral ON and oral OFF signals from said oral sensor gate, (3) oral differentiator outputs from said differentiator means, and (4) signals representing voicing as detected in the range of about 300 to 800 Hz. from said detected voicing filter; logic gate means (40-44) for each of said categories of speech sound signals, each at least receiving outputs from said linear amplifier and said stops-or-silence unit, including: an unvoiced stop gate (40) a voiced stop gate (42); an unvoiced fricative gate (44) receiving signals also from said oral sensor gate, said detected voicing filter and one of said network-activated switch means; further logic gates means (46-50) for each of said categories of speech sound signals, each at least receiving outputs from said linear amplifier, including: a voiced fricative gate (46) receiving signals also from said oral sensor gate, and said one of said network-activated switch means, a vowel gate (50) receiving signals also from an output of one of said networks and said network-activated switch means, and a nasal gate (48) receiving signals also from an output of one of said networks, said vowel gate, and one said network-activated switch means, said vowel gate receiving an output from said nasal gate.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 2, wherein said sound separation means (FIG. 1) has sensor means, band-pass filters, rate generators, and comparators responsive to the oral input signals from said microphone for passing through a single Channel, and sorting speech sounds according to said six categories.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 2, wherein four networks comprising said fricative, nasal and vowel separators include: a series of low frequency band-pass, intermediate frequency band-pass, and higher frequency band-pass filters fed from said linear amplifier; a comparator (29) having inputs from each of said series of filters, a further series of different low filters fed from said linear amplifiers, a rate generator responsive to the outputs of said further series of band-pass filters; said one of said network-activated switch means (31) responsive to the outputs of said comparator and said rate generator, a last series of band-pass filters including a high band-pass filter and a lower band-pass filter, each fed from said linear amplifier, said detected voicing filter (15) being also fed from said linear amplifier; a comparator responsive to the output of said detected voicing filter and said last-mentioned band-pass filter; said other one of said network-activated switch means (49) responsive to said last-mentioned comparator and said last-mentioned high band-pass filter; said detected voicing filter producing an ON and OFF signal, each applied to said stops-or-silence unit; and a rate generator responsive to said detected voicing filter for producing a signal to said stops-or-silence unit.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 4, wherein a phoneme sequence sensor and designator is provided with a series of time chopper units, each for receiving inputs and for thence providing outputs to said phoneme sequence sensor and designator, said time choppers receiving input signals identified, respectively, as fricatives, stops, vowels and nasals; sensor means responsive to signals identified as stops; switch means responsive to said sensor means, said switch means providing outputs to said first and third and fourth-mentioned time choppers.