Ronald L Webster

US Patent:

20090323989, Dec 31, 2009

Filed:

Jun 16, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/213185

Inventors:

Robert CAPPER - Roanoke VA, US
Duncan MacAllister - Roanoke VA, US
Ronald Webster - Roanoke VA, US

International Classification:

H04R 25/00

US Classification:

381151

Abstract:

A system and method for providing a translated or calibrated signal to a bone conduction transducer. The frequency of an audiometer output signal is detected and attenuation and amplification calibration values may be determined from a lookup table as a function of this frequency. Characteristics of the output signal may then be varied as a function of the calibration values to provide a translated or calibrated signal. This signal may then be provided to an exemplary bone conduction transducer such as a piezoelectric, electrostrictive or other electroactive bone conduction transducer.

US Patent:

40205673, May 3, 1977

Filed:

Oct 16, 1974

Appl. No.:

5/515341

Inventors:

Ronald L. Webster - Hollins College VA

International Classification:

G09B 1904

US Classification:

35 35C

Abstract:

A method and apparatus is utilized in the detection of certain characteristics in the speech of stutterers as they participate in a program which reconstructs the basic properties of speed sounds. The method of speech therapy for stutterers includes transducing a patient's speech into an electrical signal and comparing the transduced signal to a reference signal representative of the desired speech target behavior. The comparison is initiated when the amplitude of the transduced speech signal exceeds a threshold related to minimal sound level. When the amplitude of the transduced speech signal exceeds that of the reference signal, the subject is visually advised of an error in his speech. When the amplitude of the transduced speech signal remains above the trigger threshold and below the reference signal, the subject is visually advised that a correct speech response has been made. In a second embodiment, the rate of change of the amplitude of the subject's speech signal is compared with a reference related to the desired target behavior.

US Patent:

54783046, Dec 26, 1995

Filed:

Nov 18, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/154088

Inventors:

Ronald L. Webster - Roanoke VA

International Classification:

A61F 558

US Classification:

600 23

Abstract:

An anti-stuttering device and method for enhancing the fluency of speech in stutterers. The device consists of a microphone for detecting an individual speaker's tissue conducted vocal pulses ("voice") at the junction of the mandible and skull for transmission to the ear canal of the speaker where they are reproduced as audio signals. A predetermined delay, imperceptible to the speaker, is introduced into these non-tissue conducted voice related audio signals applied to the ear canal to thereby achieve a unique temporal relationship with respect to the arrival at the speaker's ear canal of tissue conducted audio signals related to that individual speaker's vocal pulses.