Content communication system and methods

• US 20070174765A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seewritehear, LLC
• Original Assignee: GH, LLC
• Inventors: Said, Joe, Schleppenbach, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,726,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/151 Transformation

Abstract

A system and methods are disclosed to facilitate communication to, with, and for persons with special needs. The system can provide assistance with reading, test-taking, language development, or other forms of communication. The system is compatible with a variety of types of input (173), and provides a variety of options for output (174). In one mbodiment, the system is portable, and can be connected to a number of different devices having varying purposes. In another embodiment, the system is software designed to be utilized as a stand-alone software application, or in conjunction with an existing or third-party application.

Claims

1. A method of communicating content, said method comprising the steps, of

inputting content having a format selected from a content group comprising a text file, a Microsoft Word file, an Adobe Acrobat File, an HTML document, an XML document, an xHTML document, a Quark Express document, a Word Perfect document, an SGML document, and an Adobe PageMaker document to form inputted content;

converting the inputted content from the content group into an XML format to form converted content;

applying a DOM tree to the content; and

outputting the converted content into an output device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the output device is configured for use by a special needs person.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the output device is a test device usable for administering standardized tests.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of reading the DOM tree from data embedded in the inputted content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of scanning the inputted content to develop the DOM tree.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said scanning step includes a step of headings scanning in order to identify at least one of headings, subheadings, and chapters.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of parsing the inputted content into at least content pieces, the content pieces having a characteristic selected from a characteristic group comprising a paragraph a phrase, a word, and a letter.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising a step of analyzing the content pieces so as to assign an identifier to each of said content pieces.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifier is at least one selected from an identifier group comprising a subject, a predicate, and an object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said outputting step comprises outputting the converted content to a plurality of the output devices.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising a step of coordinating the plurality of output devices so that the plurality of the output devices delivers synchronized output.

12. A system for communicating content to a special needs person, said system comprising:

a processor configured to accept content input and modify said content input to provide modified content;

a removable input device configured to deliver the content input to said processor;

a control input device for sending signals to said processor to provide instructions relating to the content input in order to prepare the modified content, and;

a handicap-accessible output device configured to output the modified content to the special needs person.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said removable input device is further configured to receive content input or modified content from said processor.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a second of said handicap-accessible output device configured to deliver the modified content to the special needs person in a second manner.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first and second of said handicap-accessible output devices are synchronizable.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the content input has a format selected from an input group comprising a text file, a Microsoft Word file, an Adobe Acrobat File, an HTML document, an XML document, an xHTML document, a Quark Express document, a Word Perfect document, an SGML document, and an Adobe PageMaker document.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said control input device is at least one selected from an input device group comprising a keyboard, a Braille keyboard, a modified keyboard, a keypad, a control panel, a microphone, a mouse, a touch-screen, and a sip-and-puff device.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said output device is at least one selected from an output device group comprising a monitor, a speaker, headphones, a Braille display device, a printer, a USB storage device 175, a web page, and a database.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein said removable input device is an input/output device.

20. The system of claim 12, further comprising a control panel configured for facilitating use of testing content.

21. A method of administering a test to a special needs person, said method comprising the steps of:

loading the test onto a portable system;

providing a plurality of communication channels on the portable system by which the person may interact with the portable system; and

recording responses from said individual communicated via at least one of said channels.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said loading and recording steps utilize an input/output drive.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of delivering the portable system to a site at which testing content may be used.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the providing of channels step includes permitting access to at least one of an access group comprising a keypad, a keyboard, a Braille keyboard, a microphone, a touch screen, a mouse, a control panel, and a sip-and-puff device.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein test instructions are provided in advance to a proctor and to said special needs person.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising a step of converting the testing content to XML format.

27. A method of communicating content to a special needs person, said method comprising the steps of:

accepting digitized content input;

using a processor to convert said content input into a converted content,

providing a computerized output configuration toolbar to the person; and

modifying output to the person based upon a selected configuration.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the digitized content input is at least one selected from an input group comprising a Microsoft Word file, an Adobe Acrobat File, an HTML document, an XML document, an xHTML document, a Quark Express document, a Word Perfect document, an SGML document, and an Adobe PageMaker document.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the toolbar is configured to modify an existing third-party software application.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the individual can modify at least one of a characteristics group comprising speech enablement, keystroke echo, contrast, text highlighting, text color, size of text, reading rate, volume of speech, and voice selection.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising a step of providing a computerized avatar to facilitate communicating of the content.