Directed personal communication for speech generating devices

1. A speech generating device comprising:

a display device; and

an input device configured to generate a communication to be displayed on the display device,

wherein the speech generating device is configured to categorize a computing device separate from the speech generating device, and a conversation partner associated with the computing device into a conversation group,

wherein the speech generating device is configured to define a level of sharing for the conversation group for a real-time update of the generated communication,

wherein the level of sharing is a character-by-character update, a word-by-word update, a sentence-by-sentence update, or a block-by-block update, and

wherein the speech generating device is configured to transmit one or more segments of the generated communication via a communication network to the computing device as the communication is being generated and based upon the defined level of sharing for the conversation group.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the input device is an eye gaze tracking device.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the speech generating device is configured to play the generated communication through the speaker at one of at least two volume levels, a first volume level and a second volume level less than the first volume level for a discreet communication.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the conversation group is a family conversation group, a friend conversation group, a work conversation group, or a medical conversation group.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the speech generating device is configured to define an additional level of sharing for the conversation group for previously generated communications.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the additional level of sharing is all of the previously generated communications, a last generated communication, or none of the previously generated communications.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the speech generating device is configured to categorize a plurality of computing devices into a plurality of conversation groups, and

wherein the speech generating device is configured to transmit a different communication message to different conversation groups.

8. A speech generating device comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs; the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the speech generating device to:

receive a request to connect with a computing device of a potential conversation partner;

approve the request to connect the speech generating device with the computing device;

designate a conversation group for the computing device subsequent to approval;

define a level of sharing for the conversation group for real-time communications using the speech generating device, wherein the level of sharing is a character-by-character update, a word-by-word update, a sentence-by-sentence update, or a block-by-block update; and

transmit one or more segments of a communication generated using the speech generating device to the conversation group as the communication is being generated and based on the defined level of sharing.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the generated communication is transmitted to each connected computing device within the conversation group via a communication network.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the transmission is a wireless transmission via a communication network.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the speech generating device to:

define an additional level of sharing for the conversation group for previously generated communications.

12. A method of communicating comprising:

establishing a connection between a speech generating device and a computing device of a potential conversation partner;

designating a conversation group for the computing device;

generating a communication using the speech generating device;

defining a level of sharing for the conversation group for real-time updates of communications generated using the speech generating device, wherein the level of sharing is a character-by-character update, a word-by-word update, a sentence-by-sentence update, or a block-by-block update; and

transmitting the generated communication to each connected computing device within the conversation group via a communication network as the communication is being generated and based on the defined level of sharing.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the transmission is a wireless transmission.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein an additional transmission occurs when each unconnected computing device within the conversation group becomes connected with the speech generating device.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

defining an additional level of sharing for the conversation group for previously generated communications.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the level of sharing is the character-by-character update.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the level of sharing is the word-by-word update.

18. The device of claim 1 , wherein the level of sharing is the sentence-by-sentence update.

19. The device of claim 1 , wherein the level of sharing is the block-by-block update.