Products and methods for providing education with a virtual book

• US 20040015360A1
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Walt Disney Company
• Original Assignee: The Walt Disney Company
• Inventors: Calabrese, Luigi-Theo
• Granted Patent: US 8,632,341 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/06 Foreign languages with audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/067 Combinations of audio and projected visual presentation, e.g. film, slides

Abstract

A product and method for providing a read along educational activity to a user are provided. The product is a single data storage medium containing both book information and associated, coordinated audio narration information. The book information comprises visual images of a book, including pages of a book, moving images of the pages being turned, text on the pages of the book, and pictures or illustrations related to the book or story. The user views the book information on a video screen, as if it were an actual book, while listening to the associated and coordinated audio narration. The product also comprises supplemental features to enhance the read along activity and assist in learning.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium for providing a read along activity to a user, the computer readable medium executable on a playback device to perform the following steps:

presenting a menu system for selecting a language from a plurality of languages in which to present the read along activity;

presenting book information to a user, the book information comprising at least text in the language selected; and

presenting audio narration to the user, the audio narration being coordinated with the presentation of book information, so that the user hears the audio narration while reading the text.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the book information further comprises images of pages within a book and moving images of the pages within the book turning.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer readable medium is a digital video disc (DVD) and the playback device is a DVD player.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer readable medium is a digital video disc (DVD) and the playback device is a computer with a DVD drive.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the language of the audio narration is the same as the language of the book information.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the book information is presented in a first language and the audio narration is presented in a second language.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1 further comprising the step of presenting a second menu system for selecting from a plurality of different read along activities.

8. A method for providing a read along activity to a user, the method comprising:

presenting book information to a user on a display wherein the book information comprises text of a story and visual data simulating the appearance of a book; and

presenting audio narration to the user, the audio narration being selectable in a plurality of languages and synchronous with the book information.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the book information includes an image of a page of a book.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the book information includes a moving image of the image of a page of a book turning, and wherein the audio narration is coordinated with the turning.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the presenting of audio narration is in a first language and can be changed to a second language by input from a user.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first language can be changed to the second user during the presenting of audio narration.

13. A digital video disc offering reading and language learning tools, the digital video disc comprising:

a first menu system for selecting a language from a plurality of languages in which to present the read along activity;

a second menu system for selecting a particular read along activity from a plurality of read along activities; and

at least one read along activity, comprising visual information, text information, and synchronized audio narration in the selected language so that a user can read along with the audio narration.

14. The digital video disc of claim 13 wherein the visual information comprises still images.

15. The digital video disc of claim 13 wherein the visual information comprise s a motion picture.

16. The digital video disc of claim 13 wherein visual information comprises animation.

21. The digital video disc of claim 14 wherein presenting is on a video screen.

17. A digital video disc (DVD) for providing a read along activity to a user, the digital video disc executable on a playback device to perform the following steps:

presenting a menu system for selecting a language from a plurality of languages in which to present the read along activity;

presenting the text of a story in the language selected;

presenting visual information coordinated with the text of the story; and

presenting audio narration to the user, the audio narration being coordinated with the presentation of book information, so that the user hears the audio narration while reading the text.

18. The digital video disc of claim 17 wherein the visual information comprises still images.

19. The digital video disc of claim 17 wherein the visual information comprise s a motion picture.

20. The digital video disc of claim 17 wherein visual information comprises animation.

22. The digital video disc of claim 17 wherein the video screen is a computer monitor.

23. The digital video disc of claim 17 wherein the video screen is a television.

24. The digital video disc of claim 17 wherein the language of the audio narration is the same as the language of the text.

25. The digital video disc of claim 17 wherein the text is presented in a first language and the audio narration is presented in a second language.