Interactive eyes-free and hands-free device

• US 20040254794A1
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Talking Knowledge Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Talking Knowledge Incorporated
• Inventors: Padula, Carl
• Application Number:
  US10/840,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254794A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

In a hands-free and eyes-free method and apparatus for testing, questions are presented to a test taker by a recorded or computer-generated simulated voice, and the test taker provides spoken responses which are recognized by a computer using voice recognition techniques. The invention includes trivia game embodiments played for fun as well as examination embodiments for use in practice or actual exams. Preferably, the apparatus is a hand held device. In highly preferred embodiments, questions and answers are stored on user-exchangeable cartridges. Scores may be reported using a computer-generated simulated voice.

Claims

1. A computerized method for conducting a query comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a spoken prompt under the control of a computer;

(b) accepting under the control of a computer a spoken response from a human being;

(c) producing a logical representation of the spoken response using a voice recognition process performed by a computer;

(d) determining on a computer whether the logical representation corresponds to a correct response; and

(e) generating an audible indication as to whether the logical representation corresponds to the correct response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a spoken prompt includes the step of reproducing a recorded human speech segment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the spoken prompt is synthesized by a computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the audible indication is indicative of a correctness of a single spoken response.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the audible indication is spoken.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the audible indication is indicative of a correctness of a plurality of spoken responses.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the audible indication is in the form of a score.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) through (e) are repeated for a plurality of human beings during a single session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the spoken prompts are in the form of trivia questions.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the spoken prompts are in the form of examination questions.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the spoken prompt includes a plurality of possible responses along with a corresponding abbreviation for each possible response.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the corresponding abbreviations are numerical abbreviations.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the spoken response is one of the abbreviations.

25. The device of claim 12, wherein the audible indication is indicative of a correctness of a plurality of spoken responses.

26. The device of claim 12, wherein the audible indication is in the form of a score.

14. A device for conducting a query a human being'"'"'s knowledge comprising:

a speaker;

a microphone;

a computer connected to the speaker and to the microphone, the computer being configured to perform the steps of

(a) generating via the speaker a spoken prompt;

(b) accepting via the microphone a spoken response from a human being;

(c) producing a logical representation of the spoken response using a voice recognition process;

(d) determining whether the logical representation corresponds to a correct response; and

(e) generating an audible indication as to whether the logical representation corresponds to the correct response.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising a memory connected to the processor, the memory having stored therein data corresponding to a plurality of spoken prompts and a plurality of corresponding correct responses.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the memory is a changeable, non-volatile memory and wherein the computer is further configured to replace the data with new data corresponding to a plurality of new spoken prompts and a plurality of new corresponding correct answers.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the spoken prompts are selected from the memory in random order.

18. The device of claim 15, further comprising a housing sized to be held in a human hand, wherein the processor, the speaker, and the microphone are all disposed within the housing.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the memory is disposed within the housing.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the housing further the comprises a first connector and wherein memory is disposed within a cartridge having a second connector configured to mate with the first connector.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the step of generating a spoken prompt is performed by reproducing a recorded human speech segment.

22. The device of claim 14, wherein the spoken prompt is synthesized by the computer.

23. The device of claim 14, wherein the audible indication is indicative of a correctness of a single spoken response.

24. The device of claim 14, wherein the audible indication is spoken.

27. The device of claim 14, wherein steps (a) through (e) are repeated for a plurality of human beings during a single session.

28. The device of claim 14, wherein the spoken prompts are in the form of trivia questions.

29. The device of claim 14, wherein the spoken prompts are in the form of examination questions.

30. The device of claim 14, wherein the spoken prompts are in the form of general education questions.

31. The device of claim 14, wherein the spoken prompt includes a plurality of possible responses along with a corresponding abbreviation for each possible response.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the corresponding abbreviations are numerical abbreviations.

33. The device of claim 31, wherein the spoken response is one of the abbreviations.