READING

• US 20080140411A1
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eggshell Games, LLC
• Original Assignee: Eggshell Games, LLC
• Inventors: Beattie, Valerie, Hill, Jeffrey M., Millman, Jonathan Travis, Zaorski, Todd
• Application Number:
  US11/608,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140411A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• 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

Abstract

Methods and related computer program products, systems, and devices for providing feedback to a user based on audio input associated with a user reading a passage from a physical text are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a memory having an electronic file with information about a sequence of words in a physical text stored thereon; and

a processor configured to;

receive audio input from a user reading the words from the physical text; and

provide feedback to the user based on the received audio input and the information stored in the electronic file.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to track the location of the user in the physical text based on information stored in the electronic file.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the initial location of the user in the physical text based on the audio input received from the user and the information in the electronic file.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein

the electronic file further comprises at least one indicator associated with a particular word in the text;

and

the processor is further configured to play an audio file when the audio input received from the user corresponds to the word associated with the indicator.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide feedback to the user related to the level of fluency and pronunciation accuracy for a word.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic file comprises:

an index file that includes location identifiers associated with the words in the physical text; and

at least one indicator associated with a particular word in the text, the indicators being configured to synchronize audio with the user'"'"'s reading of the physical text.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic file further comprises:

word pronunciation files associated with one or more of the words in the physical text.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the word pronunciation files comprise audio files with a syllable-by-syllable pronunciation of the word.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine when a user fails to correctly recite a word in the physical text; and

play a particular word pronunciation file associated with the word.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic file further comprises word definition files associated with one or more of the words in the physical text.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive a user request to hear a definition of a word in the physical text; and

play a word definition file associated with a requested word.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical text comprises a book.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the book comprises an electronic book presented on an electronic book reader.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises:

a microphone configured to receive the audio input from a user reading the physical text; and

a speaker configured to provide the audio feedback to the user.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the information about a sequence of words in the physical text comprises an index file that includes a list of words in the physical text and a set of one or more location identifiers associated with the words in the list of words, the location identifiers identifying the location the word occurs in the physical text.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the list of words comprises less than all of the words in the physical text.

17. A method comprising:

storing an electronic file with information about a sequence of words in a physical text;

receiving audio input from a user reading the words from the physical text; and

providing feedback to the user based on the received audio input and the information stored in the electronic file.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising tracking the location of the user in the physical text based on information stored in the electronic file.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining the initial location of the user in the physical text based on the audio input received from the user and the information in the electronic file.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic file further comprises at least one indicator associated with a particular word in the text;

and the method further comprises;

playing an audio file when the audio input received from the user corresponds to the word associated with the indicator.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the physical text comprises a book.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic file further comprises at least one indicator associated with a particular word in the text;

and the computer program product is operable to cause the machine to play an audio file when the audio input received from the user corresponds to the word associated with the indicator.

22. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for executing instructions on a processor, the computer program product being operable to cause a machine to:

store an electronic file with information about a sequence of words in a physical text;

receive audio input from a user reading the words from the physical text; and

provide feedback to the user based on the received audio input and the information stored in the electronic file.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the computer program product is operable to cause the machine to track the location of the user in the physical text based on information stored in the electronic file.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the computer program product is operable to cause the machine to determine the initial location of the user in the physical text based on the audio input received from the user and the information in the electronic file.