TALKING BOOK

• US 20070136066A1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ping Qu
• Original Assignee: Ping Qu
• Inventors: QU, Ping
• Granted Patent: US 7,912,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04

Abstract

The present inventions discloses a combination of a book and a voice phonation apparatus comprising a book having a plurality of pages, at least one of which is carrying a plurality of printed words and a plurality of codes associated with said words, said printed words being divided into a plurality of segments; and a voice phonation apparatus forming an integral part of said book and comprising (i) a housing with a plurality of switches and a plurality of keys, (ii) a voice output unit, and (iii) a control unit having a memory for storing data representing spoken words and connected to said switches, said keys, and said voice output unit; wherein said control unit is capable of assuming a plurality of operational modes and carrying out at least the following steps: (i) receiving said codes inputted via said keys into said control unit; (ii) causing the control unit to extract said data representing spoken word(s) associated with said codes from said memory; and (iii) causing the voice output unit to audibly reproduce said spoken word(s). The combination of a book and a voice phonation apparatus adopts code key-press input and search method free from text input, providing the advantages of quick search, simple configuration, low cost, and convenient to operation. It can be used widely for the learning and communication of words, phrases, articles, and songs of various national languages, so as to improve the language learning of various nations and drive the harmonic cooperation of the international community.

Claims

1. A combination of a book and a voice phonation apparatus comprising:

a book having a plurality of pages, at least one of which is carrying a plurality of printed words and a plurality of codes associated with said words, said printed words being divided into a plurality of segments; and

a voice phonation apparatus forming an integral part of said book and comprising (i) a housing with a plurality of switches and a plurality of keys, (ii) a voice output unit, and (iii) a control unit having a memory for storing data representing spoken words and connected to said switches, said keys, and said voice output unit;

wherein

said control unit is capable of assuming a plurality of operational modes and carrying out at least the following steps;

(i) receiving said codes inputted via said keys into said control unit;

(ii) causing the control unit to extract said data representing spoken word(s) associated with said codes from said memory; and

(iii) causing the voice output unit to audibly reproduce said spoken word(s).

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said spoken words contain one or more of:

characters, words, phrases, sentences, articles, and songs in at least one language and an intertranslation into at least one additional language.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said switches comprise one or more of the following:

a POWER ON/RESET switch, a POWER OFF switch, a REPEAT switch, a CONTINUOUS READ switch, a PAUSE switch, a LANGUAGE SELECTOR switch, a VOLUME SETTING switch, a KEYPAD TONE SETTING switch;

wherein the POWER ON/RESET switch and the POWER OFF switch are preferential operating switches; and

pressing any one of said preferential switches interrupts any operational modes assumed by said control unit.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein

said operational modes comprise one or more of standby mode, setting mode, and segment operation mode;

and

said segment operation mode further comprises one or more of single read mode, repeat mode, continuous read mode, and semi-reset mode.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein

said standby mode is assumed when said POWER ON/RESET switch is pressed;

said REPEAT switch, said CONTINUOUS READ switch, and said PAUSE switch are disabled in said standby mode;

said setting mode allows for selecting a language in which said spoken words are read by pressing said LANGUAGE SELECTOR switch;

pressing said VOLUME SETTING switch or a combination of said keys allows for an increase or a decrease of the volume of spoken words or key tones audibly reproduced by said voice output unit;

optionally, pressing of any of said switches or keys causes the voice output unit to audibly display a key tone after said KEYPAD TONE SETTING switch or a combination of said keys is pressed; and

said standby mode is assumed automatically after said setting mode is completed.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein

said code is selected from a segment code and a word code each having one or two numeric digits;

said segment code is inputted first followed by said word code;

said segment operation mode is assumed when said segment code is inputted as a two digit number, said segment code is inputted as a one digit number and no other keys are pressed for a predetermined amount of setting time, 0 is inputted, or an invalid word code is inputted;

said word code can only be inputted in said segment operation mode;

said REPEAT switch, said CONTINUOUS READ switch, and said PAUSE switch are disabled during said predetermined amount of setting time;

said standby mode is assumed when 0 or an invalid segment code is inputted, or said POWER ON/RESET switch is pressed;

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein while in a single read mode,

if the word code inputted is a two digit number, a spoken word corresponding to said word code will be audibly reproduced immediately;

if the word code inputted is a one digit number, a spoken word corresponding to said word code will be audibly reproduced after said predetermined amount of setting time but only if no other switch or key is pressed during said predetermined amount of setting time;

said REPEAT switch, said CONTINUOUS READ switch, or said key(s) can be inputted during said predetermined amount of setting time, but if said REPEAT switch and said CONTINUOUS READ switch are inputted only the first inputted switch will be valid;

if one said key is inputted and no other key is pressed during said predetermined amount of setting time, a spoken word corresponding to a word code corresponding to one said digit inputted will be audibly reproduced immediately;

if multiple keys are inputted during said predetermined amount of setting time, a spoken word corresponding to a word code comprised of first two digits inputted will be audibly reproduced immediately;

said PAUSE switch is invalid.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein,

while in the single read mode, when pressing said REPEAT switch, the single read mode will be repeated once after it is finished and the semi-reset mode has been entered upon which the semi-reset mode will be entered automatically;

while in the semi-reset mode, when pressing said REPEAT switch, the single repeat mode executed last will be repeated upon which the semi-reset mode will be entered automatically.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein

while in a single read mode, when pressing said CONTINUOUS READ switch, said continuous read mode will be assumed immediately once the semi-reset mode is assumed after the operation of single read mode is finished so as to audibly reproduce spoken words starting from the word following the word currently being audibly reproduced and ending with the last word in said segment;

while in a semi-reset mode, when pressing said CONTINUOUS READ switch, said continuous read mode will be assumed immediately so as to audibly reproduce spoken words starting from the word being audibly reproduced last and ending with the last word in said segment;

the semi-reset mode will be operated automatically after the operation of continuous read mode is finished;

if the PAUSE switch is pressed during audible reproducing of words, the continuous read mode will be paused immediately once the phonation of current voice is finished;

if the PAUSE switch is pressed many times, only the odd pressings are valid;

if the PAUSE switch is pressed within the interval of setting time after the phonation of said voice is finished, the continuous read mode will be paused immediately, and will be continued by pressing the PAUSE key again;

the REPEAT switch, the CONTINUOUS READ switch, and the keys are invalid under the continuous read mode; and

the continuous read mode is interrupted immediately by pressing the POWER ON/RESET key and the semi-reset mode is assumed immediately.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein

said semi-reset mode is assumed automatically after said single read mode, said repeat mode, or said continuous read mode is finished, or by pressing said POWER ON/RESET switch during said continuous read mode;

while in said semi-reset mode, the original inputted voice can be repeated or read continuously and another voice code also can be inputted; and

pressing said POWER ON/RESET switch interrupts said semi-reset mode immediately and said standby mode is assumed immediately;

11. A method for authoring a combination of a book and a voice phonation apparatus comprising

(a) providing a voice phonation apparatus forming an integral part of a book and comprising (i) a housing with a plurality of switches and a plurality of keys, (ii) a voice output unit, and (iii) a control unit having a memory for storing data representing spoken words and connected to said switches, said keys, and said voice output unit;

(b) providing said book having a plurality of pages, at least one of which is carrying a plurality of printed words and a plurality of codes associated with said words, said printed words being divided into a plurality of segments;

(c) recording said data representing spoken words in said memory; and

(d) performing a digital classification by associating a code with each said data representing spoken words to be phonated by the voice output unit.

12. A method of interactive learning comprising

(a) providing a combination of a book and a voice phonation apparatus comprising:

a book having a plurality of pages, at least one of which is carrying a plurality of printed words and a plurality of codes associated with said words, said printed words being divided into a plurality of segments; and

a voice phonation apparatus forming an integral part of said book and comprising (i) a housing with a plurality of switches and a plurality of keys, (ii) a voice output unit, and (iii) a control unit having a memory for storing data representing spoken words and connected to said switches, said keys, and said voice output unit;

wherein said control unit is capable of assuming a plurality of operational modes and carrying out at least the following steps;

(i) receiving said codes inputted via said keys into said control unit;

(ii) causing the control unit to extract said data representing spoken word(s) associated with said codes from said memory; and

(iii) causing the voice output unit to audibly reproduce said spoken word(s);

(b) inputting said codes via said keys into said control unit;

(c) causing the control unit to extract said data representing spoken word(s) associated with said codes from said memory; and

(d) causing the voice output unit to audibly reproduce said spoken word(s).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said spoken words contain one or more of:

characters, words, phrases, sentences, articles, and songs in at least one language and an intertranslation into at least one additional language.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said switches comprise one or more of the following:

a POWER ON/RESET switch, a POWER OFF switch, a REPEAT switch, a CONTINUOUS READ switch, a PAUSE switch, a LANGUAGE SELECTOR switch, a VOLUME SETTING switch, a KEYPAD TONE SETTING switch;

wherein the POWER ON/RESET switch and the POWER OFF switch are preferential operating switches; and

pressing any one of said preferential switches interrupts any operational modes assumed by said control unit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein

said operational modes comprise one or more of standby mode, setting mode, and segment operation mode;

and

said segment operation mode further comprises one or more of single read mode, repeat mode, continuous read mode, and semi-reset mode.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein

said standby mode is assumed when said POWER ON/RESET switch is pressed;

said REPEAT switch, said CONTINUOUS READ switch, and said PAUSE switch are disabled in said standby mode;

said setting mode allows for selecting a language in which said spoken words are read by pressing said LANGUAGE SELECTOR switch;

pressing said VOLUME SETTING switch or a combination of said keys allows for an increase or a decrease of the volume of spoken words or key tones audibly reproduced by said voice output unit;

optionally, pressing of any of said switches or keys causes the voice output unit to audibly display a key tone after said KEYPAD TONE SETTING switch or a combination of said keys is pressed; and

said standby mode is assumed automatically after said setting mode is completed.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein

said code is selected from a segment code and a word code each having one or two numeric digits;

said segment code is inputted first followed by said word code;

said segment operation mode is assumed when said segment code is inputted as a two digit number, said segment code is inputted as a one digit number and no other keys are pressed for a predetermined amount of setting time, 0 is inputted, or an invalid word code is inputted;

said word code can only be inputted in said segment operation mode;

said REPEAT switch, said CONTINUOUS READ switch, and said PAUSE switch are disabled during said predetermined amount of setting time;

said standby mode is assumed when 0 or an invalid segment code is inputted, or said POWER ON/RESET switch is pressed;

18. The method of claim 17, wherein while in a single read mode,

if the word code inputted is a two digit number, a spoken word corresponding to said word code will be audibly reproduced immediately;

if the word code inputted is a one digit number, a spoken word corresponding to said word code will be audibly reproduced after said predetermined amount of setting time but only if no other switch or key is pressed during said predetermined amount of setting time;

said REPEAT switch, said CONTINUOUS READ switch, or said key(s) can be inputted during said predetermined amount of setting time, but if said REPEAT switch and said CONTINUOUS READ switch are inputted only the first inputted switch will be valid;

if one said key is inputted and no other key is pressed during said predetermined amount of setting time, a spoken word corresponding to a word code corresponding to one said digit inputted will be audibly reproduced immediately;

if multiple keys are inputted during said predetermined amount of setting time, a spoken word corresponding to a word code comprised of first two digits inputted will be audibly reproduced immediately;

said PAUSE switch is invalid.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein,

while in the single read mode, when pressing said REPEAT switch, the single read mode will be repeated once after it is finished and the semi-reset mode has been entered upon which the semi-reset mode will be entered automatically;

while in the semi-reset mode, when pressing said REPEAT switch, the single repeat mode executed last will be repeated upon which the semi-reset mode will be entered automatically.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein

while in a single read mode, when pressing said CONTINUOUS READ switch, said continuous read mode will be assumed immediately once the semi-reset mode is assumed after the operation of single read mode is finished so as to audibly reproduce spoken words starting from the word following the word currently being audibly reproduced and ending with the last word in said segment;

while in a semi-reset mode, when pressing said CONTINUOUS READ switch, said continuous read mode will be assumed immediately so as to audibly reproduce spoken words starting from the word being audibly reproduced last and ending with the last word in said segment;

the semi-reset mode will be operated automatically after the operation of continuous read mode is finished;

if the PAUSE switch is pressed during audible reproducing of words, the continuous read mode will be paused immediately once the phonation of current voice is finished;

if the PAUSE switch is pressed many times, only the odd pressings are valid;

if the PAUSE switch is pressed within the interval of setting time after the phonation of said voice is finished, the continuous read mode will be paused immediately, and will be continued by pressing the PAUSE key again;

the REPEAT switch, the CONTINUOUS READ switch, and the keys are invalid under the continuous read mode; and

the continuous read mode is interrupted immediately by pressing the POWER ON/RESET key and the semi-reset mode is assumed immediately.