Writing and reading aid system

• US 20060190804A1
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: George Liang Yang
• Original Assignee: George Liang Yang
• Inventors: Yang, George Liang
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/236
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates

Abstract

A writing and reading assistant system helps a user to create a structured document and read a document. A structured document contains not only information as an ordinary document does but also properties and rules for holding, organizing and processing corresponding portions of information. The system helps the user as an author to search for information, generate, organize, examine, and modify ideas, to supply details, to examine one'"'"'s writing from various aspects, to revise the writing, to specify information and access methods suitable for different audience, and to create a structured document. Further, the system helps the user as a reader to create and modify structures, define and modify properties and rules, and define and specify display forms, to associate text blocks with corresponding properties and rules, to extract information from an input document, to fill structures with corresponding information, to build various links among structures and display forms, and to display structures.

Claims

1. A system for helping a user to create a structured document, wherein said structured document comprises organized information contained in a structure for delivering to a reader and guiding information for reconstructing said structure from said structured document, said system comprising:

means for building, displaying, and examining said structure, said structure comprising a plurality of properties for holding and organizing corresponding information;

means for stimulating, organizing, and manipulating ideas, said ideas serving as a basis for said user to develop details;

means for helping said user to develop said detail for said ideas and filling said structure with said details;

means for specifying a delivery method for said reader; and

means for creating said structured document by combining said organized information in said structure, said guiding information in said structure, and said delivery method into a file,

whereby said structure holds said ideas and said details in said plurality of properties; and

whereby said system will recover said organized information for said reader according to said guiding information in said structured document and deliver to said reader according to said delivery method in said structured document.

2. The system in claim 1, said system generating said structured document through a sequence of tasks, each task comprising a plurality of operations for accomplishing a particular purpose by calling one selected from a group consisting of predefined utilities, predefined functions, predefined subroutines, and procedures to be created from a plurality of rules, each rule defining operations involved in a corresponding task, wherein said system provides said user convenience and flexibility to handle a task by letting said user define and modify a rule, said system further comprising:

means for creating said rule in a form selected from a group consisting of formal language, regular expression, macro, subroutine, and pattern description to specify operations involved in said task;

means for modifying, training, verifying, debugging and categorizing said rule;

means for registering said task;

means for creating a utility from said rule; and

means for creating parameters and variables, passing them to said utility, and executing said utility.

3. The system in claim 1, said system to a database and Internet,

wherein said means for stimulating, organizing, and manipulating ideas comprises means for capturing said ideas, means for cataloging said ideas, means for defining a plurality of categories, means for organizing said ideas according to said plurality of categories, means for displaying said ideas, means for converting said ideas from one display form into another display form, means for searching information from said database and Internet, means for reminding said user for a different aspect, means for modifying, adding, merging, splitting, copying, moving, and deleting said ideas;

wherein said means for building, displaying, and examining said structure comprises means for creating said structure from a structure template, means for filling said structure with corresponding ideas selected from said ideas, means for guiding said user to search and supply information, means for performing grammar analysis, means for proving advices and examples, means for editing properties associated with said structure, means for modifying information associated with said properties, means for creating display forms, means for linking said structure with a corresponding display form, means for displaying said properties according to their horizontal relations, means for displaying said properties according to their vertical relations, means for displaying properties according to their special features, means for defining as-it-is tag, means for generating a derived tag from existing tags, and means for formatting said corresponding display form; and

wherein said means for specifying delivery a method comprises means for selecting properties containing information for readers of a particular type and said reader at a particular stage, and means for specifying approaches for delivering information to said readers at said particular type and said user at said particular stage.

4. The system in claim 1, said structure comprising of a plurality of tags, wherein each tag is a group of properties associating with corresponding rules, said system further comprising:

means for defining and modifying a tag;

means for extracting and filling information for said tag;

means for associating said tag to said structure;

means for specifying a display form for said structure; and

means for modifying said structure;

whereby said user can create a plurality of tags by using said means for defining and modifying a tag and said means for extracting and filling information for said tag,

whereby said user can create a plurality of structures by said means for building, displaying, and examining a structure, and

whereby said user can create a plurality of structured documents by said means for creating a structured document.

5. A system for helping a user to read a document effectively by extracting desired information from said document and displaying information systematically, said system comprising:

means for identifying a document type of said document, said document type associating with a plurality of predefined properties, a plurality of predefined rules, and a plurality of display forms, said plurality of properties reserving space for holding related information, said plurality of rules specifying various operations to extract and format information related to said plurality of properties, and said plurality of display forms specifying methods to display contents on said plurality of properties;

means for building a structure according to information associated to said document type, said structure being an organization for keeping information in order;

means for extracting information from said document to fill said structure according to said rules linked to said document type on information extraction; and

means for displaying information in said structure by one of said plurality of display forms related to said document type.

6. The system in claim 5, said document being a structured document and containing information for reconstructing original structure from which said structured document is generated, said system further comprising means for recovering said original structure according to said information for reconstructing original structure in said document and means for modifying said original structure.

7. The system in claim 5, said system connecting to a database and Internet, further comprising:

means for performing structure analysis on said document to organize information in said document according to sentence structures, speech parts, and configuration of said document;

means for analyzing background of said user by searching said database and Internet for related information;

means for searching for particular information from said document, said database, and Internet to generates specific information from said document and relevant information about said document from said document, said database, and Internet and create a basis for said system to provide said user extra information;

means for defining a regular tag, said regular tag associating a plurality of properties and a plurality of rules for performing tasks related to said plurality of properties;

means for defining an as-it-is tag and associating information to said as-it-is tag, said as-it-is tag being defined in a way as it is;

means for defining a derived tag and generating information for said derived tag, said derived tag being created by a method selected from a group consisting of modifying an existing tag, splitting an existing tag, and combining a plurality of existing tags;

means for defining a new structure;

means for attaching said regular tag, said as-it-is tag and said derived tag to said new structure; and

means for build links among said structure, said new structure, and their substructures to provide said user convenience to examine related information,

whereby said means for performing structure analysis organizes information initially and provides a basis for said system to extract other information,

whereby said means for analyzing background of said user provides a reference for deciding what else information should be included, what category of vocabulary should be used, how to preprocess information in said structure, and which one of said plurality of said display forms should be used for presenting information; and

whereby said regular tag provides a convenient way to organize information, said as-it-is tag creates a holder for temporary information and manually selected information, and said derived tag generates formation from existing information.

9. The system in claim 5, said document type associating with a plurality of predefined structure templates with each structure template defining a plurality of properties and a plurality of rules for processing corresponding information related to said properties, wherein said means for building a structure comprises at least one means selected from a group consisting of means for creating said structure from a corresponding structure template, means for reconstructed said structure from said document, and means for constructing a structure from scratch, whereby said structure builds said plurality of properties and said plurality of rules by one method selected from a group of imitating said corresponding structure template, following reconstructing information contained in said document, and providing interface for building from scratch.

11. The system in claim 7, wherein said means for performing structure analysis comprises means for performing grammar analysis, said system being able to display information sequentially, said system further comprising comprising:

means for displaying said structure;

means for selecting desired tags that contain desired information, each tag being in a form selected from a group consisting of a regular tag, an as-it-is tag, and a derived tag;

means for generating combined information from said desired tags;

means for formatting said combined information;

means for specifying a display sequence by placing said combined information in a particular position in said display sequence;

means for specifying displaying time interval for said combined information; and

means for presenting information according to said displaying sequence.

12. The system in claim 11, said document containing figures and texts, further comprising

means for creating an image by a method selected from a group consisting of extracting image information from said figures and extracting image information from said texts;

means for generating a play-script from said texts with each spoken sentence by a person marked by said person correspondingly;

means for specifying voice feature for said person;

means for generating sounds according to said play-script and said voice feature;

means for presenting said texts; and

means for synchronizing texts, sounds, and images.

13. The system in claim 11, further comprising:

means for performing structure analysis to identify sentence structures, speech parts, and configuration of said document;

means for separating said document into words groups, sentences, and paragraphs according to said structure analysis;

means for specifying important words;

means for specifying a display mode for said each type of sentence structures, each type of speech parts, and each of said important words; and

means for displaying information according to said display mode.

14. The system in claim 13, wherein said means for performing structure analysis comprises means for analyzing grammar by identifying punctuation marks, idioms, and special words, assigning initial guess of sentence structures, extracting information identifiable and available, identifying title, author, subtitle, section, paragraph, and sentence, analyzing each sentence and then next one, analyzing each paragraph, identifying the relation among each sentences, and generating topic sentence, analyzing each section and identifying the relation among different paragraphs in the same section, identifying the relations among sections, extracting other information needed;

wherein said means for specifying a display mode specifying what kind of sentence structures will be available, what kind of sentence structures will be ignored, what speech part will be emphasize; and

wherein said means for specifying voice features for said person comprises means for specifying general voice features for said person and means for specifying specific requirements for said person on a particular word, a particular phrase, and a particular sentence, said voice features including volume, pace, tone, and accent.

15. The system in claim 13, wherein said means for specifying a display mode comprises means for specifying an update mode for a display unit, means for specifying display time interval for said display unit, and means for specifying fonts for said display unit, said update mode consisting manual update and automatic update, said display unit being one selected from a group consisting of word, words group, sentence, and paragraph, said system further comprising:

means for deciding if a particular sentence structure flash;

means for starting display information;

means for repeating a section of information displayed;

means for pausing temporally;

means for fast moving forward;

means for fast moving backward;

means for slowing down updating information; and

means for speeding up updating information.

16. The system in claim 13, wherein said means for specifying a display mode comprises:

means for specifying font, font style, font size, font color, underline, italic, bold, number of flush, and appearing order of sentence structure and said important words;

means for specifying fonts according to sentence structures;

means for specifying fonts for said important words; and

means for specifying font for particular words, phrases, and sentences.

8. The system in 5, further comprising:

means for letting said user browse said structure, generate questions, and generate initial guesses to make said user notice various issues in said document and be alert to said various issues;

means for displaying information in a display form;

means for restating said questions;

means for answering said questions;

means for reviewing; and

means for saving information.

10. The system in 5, further comprising:

means for defining rules to capture, organize, and display information and categorize said rules into various categories;

means for associating said rules to one selected from a group consisting of said properties, display forms, and rules;

means for searching and displaying said rules;

means for modifying, combining, splitting, and removing said rules;

means for adjusting order of said rules;

means for updating testing sample;

means for testing said rules; and

means for executing said rules to extract and display information.

17. A system for helping a user to master reading skills and enhance comprehension capability by reading a document, said system connecting to a database, said system comprising:

means for extracting background information about said document and said user from said database, said background information providing a basis for said system to decide if said user is familiar with topic involved in said document and what kind of reading skill said user has obtained;

means for performing structure analysis on said document to find out sentence structures, important words, and configuration about said document, organize information according to said sentence structures, said important words, and said configuration, and provide a basis for said system to extract other information;

means for deciding what helps said system will provide, in what level, and in what forms according to said background information about said document and said user;

means for presenting information according to said background information;

means for guiding said user to survey;

means for guiding said user to set reading purpose;

means for guiding said user to select reading strategy;

means for guiding said user to practice;

means for guiding said user to review;

means for tracking feedback and activity from said user; and

means for adjusting presentation and help according to said feedback and said activity.

18. The system in claim 17, said conducting a task related to guide said user to survey, set reading purpose, select reading strategy, and review according to corresponding rules, said system further comprising:

means for specifying survey rules, said survey rules deciding what items should be surveyed, which instructions should be given, and what responses should be expected, how to evaluate user'"'"'s surveyed results as well as how to generate the alternatives of an instruction, change the survey order, and produce survey results;

means for specifying reading purpose rules, said reading purpose rules deciding which general questions should be provided, what general instruction should be given, and how to generate more specific questions and instructions;

means for specifying reading strategy rules, said reading strategy rules deciding under what conditions a particular reading strategy should be adopted; and

means for specifying reviewing rules, said reviewing rules deciding how a person should reviewed, how to estimate progress, how to address questions, how to show related information.

19. The system in claim 17, further comprising means for guiding said user to do various exercise to relax brain and eyes;

means for determining document type of said document;

means for determining a proper reading approach for said document and said user;

means for capturing feedback from said user, said feedback including eye movements, reading speed, and inquiry.

means for evaluating said user'"'"'s progress;

means for showing a reading process according to said reading approach by graphical demonstration;

means for showing reasoning process; and

means for displaying reference answers.

20. The system in claim 17, said document being a structured document with special information for helping and guiding readers to practice reading skill, said information including typical surveying process, typical setting purpose process, topic sentences, document statement, and suggested reading approaches for different readers on said document, said system further comprising:

means for extracting said special information from said document;

means for displaying said surveying process;

means for displaying said setting purpose process;

means for displaying said topic sentences and said document statement;

means for identifying said user'"'"'s reading skills; and

means for display a reading approach proper to said reading skills.