Method for detecting suicidal predisposition

Claim 1

A method of detecting human suicidal predisposition by analysis of a series of closely spaced vocal utterances independently of linguistic content of the utterances, including the steps of: a. converting the utterances into an electrical signal having time varying amplitude and frequency which are representative thereof; b. filtering frequency components of said signal above and below preselected frequencies to obtain a signal within said preselected frequencies; c. filtering non-repetitive components, having amplitude above about 90% of average amplitude of the signal, out of the signal; d. filtering repetitive components, having frequency outside about 90% frequency bandwidth of the signal, out of the signal; e. identifying as suicidally predisposed a person from whom said vocal utterances emanated if difference between minimum and maximum amplitude of the signal is low relative to difference between minimum and maximum amplitude of a comparison signal from persons known not to be suicidally predisposed.

Claim 2

A method of detecting human suicidal predisposition by analysis of a series of closely spaced vocal utterances independently of linguistic content of the utterances, including the steps of: a. converting the utterances into an electrical signal having time varying amplitude and frequency which are representative thereof; b. filtering frequency components of said signal above and below preselected frequencies to obtain a signal within said preselected frequencies; c. filtering non-repetitive components, having amplitude above about 90% of average amplitude of the signal, out of the signal; d. filtering repetitive components, having frequency outside about 90% frequency bandwidth of the signal, out of the signal; e. identifying as suicidally predisposed a person from whom said vocal utterances emanated if difference between minimum and maximum amplitude of the signal is low relative to difference between minimum and maximum amplitude of a comparison signal from persons known not to be suicidally predisposed.

Claim 4

A method for electronically detecting suicidal predisposition in a person using a series of closely spaced vocal utterances from such person independently of linguistic content comprising the steps of: a. electronically filtering background noise from said utterance to obtain a signal representative of said utterance; b. electronically filtering amplitude components of said signal above and below a preselected range of signal amplitudes to obtain a signal whose amplitude varies with time within a preselected range, independent of signal frequency; c. identifying the person as being suicidally predisposed if signal amplitude exhibits substantially non-instantaneous decays upon conclusion of each utterance relative to the decays of utterance signals from persons known to be in good mental health; and d. identifying as suicidally predisposed a person from whom said vocal utterances emanated if difference between minimum and maximum amplitude of the signal is low relative to difference between minimum and maximum amplitude of signal provided from persons known not to be suicidally predisposed.

Claim 5

A method for electronically detecting suicidal predisposition in a person using a series of closely spaced vocal utterances from such person independently of linguistic content comprising the steps of: a. electronically filtering background noise from said utterance to obtain a signal representative of said utterance; b. electronically filtering amplitude components of said signal above and below a preselected range of signal amplitudes to obtain a signal whose amplitude varies with time within a preselected range, independent of signal frequency; c. identifying the person as being suicidally predisposed if signal amplitude exhibits substantially non-instantaneous decays upon conclusion of each utterance relative to the decays of utterance signals from persons known to be in good mental health; and d. identifying as suicidally predisposed a person from whom said vocal utterances emanated if difference between minimum and maximum amplitude of the signal is low relative to difference between minimum and maximum amplitude of signal provided from persons known not to be suicidally predisposed.

Claim 7

A method for electrically detecting human suicidal predisposition by analysis of a series of vocal utterances from an emotionally disturbed or distraught person, independently of linguistic content of the utterances, including the steps of: a. converting the utterances into an electrical signal having time varying amplitude and frequency which are representative thereof; b. filtering frequency components of said signal above and below preselected frequencies to obtain a signal within said preselected frequencies; c. filtering non-repetitive components, having amplitude above about 90% of average amplitude of the signal, out of the signal; d. filtering repetitive components having frequency outside about 90% frequency bandwidth of the signal, out of the signal; e. identifying as suicidally predisposed a person from whom said vocal utterances emanated if either amplitude exhibits substantially non-instantaneous decays upon conclusion of substantially each utterance or difference between minimum and maximum signal amplitude is low relative to difference between minimum and maximum signal amplitude of persons known not to be suicidally predisposed.

Claim 8

A method for electrically detecting human suicidal predisposition by analysis of a series of vocal utterances from an emotionally disturbed or distraught person, independently of linguistic content of the utterances, including the steps of: a. converting the utterances into an electrical signal having time varying amplitude and frequency which are representative thereof; b. filtering frequency components of said signal above and below preselected frequencies to obtain a signal within said preselected frequencies; c. filtering non-repetitive components, having amplitude above about 90% of average amplitude of the signal, out of the signal; d. filtering repetitive components having frequency outside about 90% frequency bandwidth of the signal, out of the signal; e. identifying as suicidally predisposed a person from whom said vocal utterances emanated if either amplitude exhibits substantially non-instantaneous decays upon conclusion of substantially each utterance or difference between minimum and maximum signal amplitude is low relative to difference between minimum and maximum signal amplitude of persons known not to be suicidally predisposed.

Claim 24

A method for detecting human suicidal predisposition by analysis of a series of closely spaced vocal utterances from persons thought to be emotionally disturbed independently of linguistic content of the utterances, including the steps of: a. converting the utterances into an electrical signal having time varying amplitude and frequency representative thereof; b. filtering frequency components of said signal above and below preselected frequencies to obtain a signal within said preselected frequencies; c. filtering non-repetitive components, having amplitude above about 90% of average amplitude of the signal, out of the signal; d. filtering repetitive signal components, having frequency outside about 90% frequency bandwidth of the signal, out of the signal; e. identifying as suicidally predisposed a person from whom said vocal utterances emanated if signal amplitude modulation is low relative to comparison signal amplitude modulation of persons known to be in good mental health.

Claim 25

A method for detecting human suicidal predisposition by analysis of a series of closely spaced vocal utterances from persons thought to be emotionally disturbed independently of linguistic content of the utterances, including the steps of: a. converting the utterances into an electrical signal having time varying amplitude and frequency representative thereof; b. filtering frequency components of said signal above and below preselected frequencies to obtain a signal within said preselected frequencies; c. filtering non-repetitive components, having amplitude above about 90% of average amplitude of the signal, out of the signal; d. filtering repetitive signal components, having frequency outside about 90% frequency bandwidth of the signal, out of the signal; e. identifying as suicidally predisposed a person from whom said vocal utterances emanated if signal amplitude modulation is low relative to comparison signal amplitude modulation of persons known to be in good mental health.