Interactive apparatus using print media

• US 20040140966A1
• Filed: 01/05/2004
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Flowers, Mark, Marggraff, L. James
• Granted Patent: US 6,985,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems

Abstract

A method for producing an output in response to an interaction with a print element on a sheet is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes placing a sheet comprising a print element on a surface of a base unit. A user can then mark on the sheet in the vicinity of the print element with a marking instrument. An audio output that corresponds to the print element is generated.

Claims

1. A method of generating audio output, the method comprising:

a) placing a sheet having a print element printed on the sheet on a surface of a base unit;

b) marking on the sheet in the vicinity of the print element with a marking instrument; and

c) generating an audio output that corresponds to the print element.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the print element comprises a letter and wherein the audio output comprises information relating to the letter.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein b) comprises marking on the print element with the marking instrument.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheet is a sheet of paper and the marking instrument is a crayon.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the print element comprises a letter and wherein the audio output comprises the sound of the letter, a description of the letter, or a word that begins with the letter.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein c) is performed before b).

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the base unit comprises a surface and an array of electrical elements underneath the surface of the base unit.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the base unit comprises a surface and an array of pressure-sensitive elements underneath the surface of the base unit, and wherein the method further comprises:

applying pressure to a pressure-sensitive element within the array of pressure-sensitive elements.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the base unit includes two portions coupled together with a hinge.

10. An interactive apparatus comprising:

a) a base unit comprising

i) a surface for receiving a sheet having a print element printed on the sheet,

ii) an array of electrical elements under the surface,

iii) a processor operatively coupled to the array of electrical elements,

iv) a memory operatively coupled to the processor, and

v) an audio output device operatively coupled to the processor; and

b) a marking instrument that is adapted to mark on the sheet in the vicinity of the print element,

wherein the audio output device is adapted to provide audio output that relates to the print element when a user makes a mark in the vicinity of the print element with the marking instrument.

11. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 wherein the marking instrument is separated from the base unit.

12. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 wherein the marking instrument includes a receiving antenna.

13. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 wherein the print element comprises a letter.

14. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 wherein the base unit comprises two portions coupled together with a hinge.

15. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a removable template that secures the sheet to the base unit.

16. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 wherein the interactive system further comprises a transferable information storage medium, and wherein the base unit further comprises a slot for the transferable information storage medium.

17. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 wherein the marking instrument is physically coupled to the base unit.

18. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 wherein the marking instrument is a crayon.

19. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 wherein the audio output device is a speaker.

20. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 wherein the array of electrical elements is an array of pressure-sensitive switches.

21. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 wherein the interactive apparatus uses an asymmetric debounce technique to determine if the user is interacting with the sheet within a predetermined period of time.

22. A system comprising:

a) a server computer;

b) an interactive apparatus comprising a base unit, wherein the base unit includes

i) a surface for receiving a sheet having a print element printed on the sheet,

ii) an array of electrical elements under the surface,

iii) a processor operatively coupled to the array of electrical elements,

iv) a memory operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises an output that is related to the print element, and

v) an output device operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the output device is adapted to generate the output after a user interacts with the print element while the sheet is on the surface;

c) a client computer operatively coupled to the server computer; and

d) a printer operatively coupled to the client computer.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising a communication medium between the server computer and the client computer, wherein the communication medium is the Internet.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the array of electrical elements is an array of pressure-sensitive switches.

25. The system of claim 22 further comprising the sheet wherein the sheet is a coloring page.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein the interactive apparatus further comprises a marking instrument.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein the interactive apparatus further comprises a marking instrument coupled to the base unit.

28. A method comprising:

a) sending code for a sheet having a print element printed on the sheet from a server computer to a client computer at a user site;

b) printing the sheet at the user site;

c) placing the sheet on a base unit of an interactive apparatus, wherein the base unit includes a surface and an array of electrical elements under the surface;

d) interacting with the print element while the sheet is on the base unit; and

e) producing an output related to the print element in response to the interaction with the print element.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein interacting with the print element comprises applying pressure to the print element.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the array of electrical elements comprises an array of pressure sensitive electrical elements.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the array of electrical elements comprises an array of antennas.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein interacting with the print element includes marking on the sheet in the vicinity of the print element.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein the print element is a letter, number, or symbol.

34. The method of claim 28 wherein the output is an audio output.

35. The method of claim 28 wherein interacting comprises marking on the print element.