Method of and apparatus for supplementing the reading of selected passages of printed material in a book or the like by voice or acoustic pronouncement of coded indicia provided in the book at such passages, remotely to access the playing of corresponding coded tracks of pre-recorded video/audio supplemental material respectively related to the selected passages

• US 20060073444A1
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert H. Rines
• Original Assignee: Robert H. Rines
• Inventors: Rines, Robert H.
• Application Number:
  US10/948,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20060073444A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/169
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

A technique and apparatus for supplementing different subject-matter book passages at the option of the reader with external visual/audio supplementary material on the corresponding respective different subject matters through coded indicia provided at said passages readable and vocally pronounceable by the reader and thereupon remotely received and voice-recognized at a storage-medium visual/audio player, for accessing the playing of such corresponding supplementary visual/audio material from corresponding coded tracks of the medium, controlled by the reader'"'"'s vocal pronouncement or speaking of the selected respective code indicia in the book.

Claims

1. A method of supplementing the material of various passages on pages of descriptive written materials with corresponding visual and/or audio supplemental materials specifically and respectively related to and/or expanding upon the subject matter of the respective passages, that comprises, recording and storing for playback on a player such supplemental materials and in respective subject-matter coded tracks;

placing on the pages, respective voice-pronounceable coded indicia corresponding to the respective passages in the book, thereby to enable the book reader, contemporaneously with reading, vocally to pronounce selected coded indicia;

remotely recognizing the reader'"'"'s voice pronouncement at the player to access the corresponding coded track and thereby enable the book reader to watch/listen to the played-back visual/audio supplemental material and while, if desired, continuing the facility for simultaneously reading or re-reading the corresponding printed passage in the book during, before or after such playback.

2. A method of supplementing the materials of various passages of different printed book descriptive materials during a reader'"'"'s reading of the same, with visual supplemental materials, and optionally with audio, correspondingly specifically related to and/or expanding upon the specific subject matter of the various passages of printed descriptive materials, that comprises, electronically storing on tracks of a recorded storage medium pluralities of such visual supplemental information, each so related specifically to the subject matter of different corresponding passages of the printed descriptive material in the book, and provided with accessing coding specific to each such track of the medium;

printing or otherwise applying and displaying on the pages of the book alongside or within each of the various descriptive material passages, reader readable and vocally pronounceable code indicia corresponding specifically to that coded track of the medium containing the recorded specific visual/audio supplemental material related to the corresponding specific printed descriptive material passage;

providing voice-recognizing controls remotely at a medium player for responding to the reader'"'"'s vocally communicated pronounced code indicia and selectively accessing the respective coded tracks of the medium player available to the book reader, and controlling the visual/audio playing of the same for thereupon displaying/reproducing to the reader said supplemental visual information recorded on the respective tracks, thereby to enable the book reader, contemporaneously with reading, to watch/listen to the played-back visual/audio supplemental material.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the readable code indicia are applied in the book to one or more of the unprinted margins or spaces of the book pages near the corresponding printed passages, or within the same.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the book reader'"'"'s speaking of a selected book coded indicia, communicates with and actuates the voice-recognition control at the player to select and play the respective coded recorded track on the medium corresponding to the book reader'"'"'s selected book indicia.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said indicia comprise one more of the group consisting of symbols, words, numbers, and phrases or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said indicia are presented in unprinted regions of the book near said corresponding material passages, or within said passages.

7. Apparatus for supplementing the materials of various passages of different printed book descriptive materials during a reader'"'"'s reading of the same, with visual supplemental materials, optionally with audio, correspondingly specifically related to and/or expanding upon the specific subject matter of the various passages of printed descriptive materials, having, in combination, an electronically recorded storage medium storing tracks of pluralities of such visual supplemental information, each so related specifically to the subject matter of a different corresponding passage of the printed descriptive material in the book, and provided with accessing coding specific to each such track of the medium;

reader readable and vocally pronounceable code indicia printed or otherwise applied and displayed on the pages of the book alongside, near or within each of the various descriptive material passages, the indicia corresponding specifically to the corresponding coded track of the medium containing the recorded specific visual/audio supplemental material related to the corresponding specific printed descriptive material passage;

voice-recognizing control means remotely at a medium player available to the book reader for responding to the reader'"'"'s vocally pronounced and communicated code indicia and selectively accessing the respective coded tracks of the medium player, and for controlling the visual/audio playing of the same for thereupon displaying/reproducing to the reader said supplemental visual information recorded on the respective tracks.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the readable code indicia are applied in the book to the unprinted margins or spaces of the book pages near the corresponding related printed passages, or within the same.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the book reader'"'"'s speaking of a selected book coded indicia, communicates and actuates voice-recognition control at the player to select and play the respective recorded track on the medium corresponding to the book reader'"'"'s selected book indicia.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the reader-readable and pronounceable coded indicia are selected words, numbers, phrases, sounds, or combinations of the same.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the readable coded indicia comprise select words, phrases or numbers of the printed passages itself.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said indicia comprise one more of the group consisting of symbols, words, numbers and phrases or combinations thereof.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said indicia are presented in unprinted regions of the book near said corresponding material passages or within said passages.

14. Apparatus for supplementing the material of various passages on pages of descriptive written materials with corresponding visual and/or audio supplemental materials specifically and respectively related to and/or expanding upon the subject matter of said passages, that comprises, a recorded storage medium for playback on a player of such supplemental materials stored in respective subject-matter coded tracks;

coded indicia, reader-readable and vocally pronounceable, corresponding to said coded tracks of the supplemental recorded materials and placed on the pages near or within the regions of the respective corresponding subject-matter written passages; and

voice recognition switch control means at the player for receiving and recognizing the reader-pronounced selected coded indicia provided at the selected passages, automatically to effect actuation of the playback of the player of the supplemental recorded material tracks corresponding to the respective selected indicia and written passages.

15. A method of supplementing the material of various passages on pages of descriptive written materials with corresponding visual and/or audio supplemental materials specifically and respectively related to and/or expanding upon the subject matter of the respective passages, that comprises, recording for playback on a player such supplemental materials and in respective subject-matter coded tracks;

placing on the pages, coded indicia corresponding to said coded tracks of the supplemental recorded materials and near or at the regions of the respective corresponding subject-matter written passages; and

enabling a reader of the written materials to communicate selected indicia at corresponding selected passages to the player by vocal pronunciation of the selected indicia for remote voice recognition at the player and automatic actuation of the playback of the player of the supplemental recorded material tracks corresponding to the respective selected indicia.