# US 11,076,950 B2 · Electrolarynx devices and uses thereof

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- Number: US 11,076,950 B2
- Document ID: US11076950B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/609,813
- Filed: 2018-04-30
- Published: 2020-03-05
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-01
- Assignees: Trustees of Tufts College
- Applicants: Trustees of Tufts College
- Inventors: Karen Panetta; Chiamaka Chima; Paul Lehrman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076950B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/20: Larynxes; Tracheae combined with larynxes or for use therewith
- G10L 13/00: Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
- G10L 25/51: for comparison or discrimination
- H04R 1/14: Throat mountings for microphones
- H04R 3/00: Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F)
- A61F 2002/206: {Speech aids with external actuators, e.g. electrical larynxes}
- A61F 2250/0002: for data transfer
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)

## Abstract

The present disclosure relates to electrolarynx devices, systems, and their use. In particular, the present disclosure relates to methods and compositions (e.g., devices) that provide electrolarynx (EL) users with improved speech quality.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrolarynx system, comprising;
a) a sensor configured to be placed in the stoma of a human subject;
b) a control element controlled by said subject's breath or movement of said subject's jaw configured to obtain signal from said sensor and translate said signal into speech, wherein said control element is configured to turn said speaker on when said subject is talking and turn said speaker off when said subject is silent; and
c) a speaker configured to amplify said speech.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said control element comprises one or more of an electrical circuit, a computer processor, and computer memory.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said control element is further configured to perform articulatory pattern recognition of said subject's speech.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said signal is transmitted from said sensor to said control element via an electrical cable.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A method of generating artificial speech, comprising:
contacting the system of claim 1 with a subject's stoma under conditions such that said device generates speech and transmit said speech through the speaker of said device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein said subject lacks a larynx.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein said subject has previously been diagnosed with oral cancer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein method is performed hands free.