Taught learning aid

• US 4,439,161 A
• Filed: 09/11/1981
• Issued: 03/27/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Doddington, George, Cato, Craig J., Wiggins, Richard H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hum, Vance Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Application Number:
  US06/301,090
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 364/513, 179/1 SD, 179/1 SM, 434/319-321, 434/335, 434/201, 381/43, 381/51
• US Class Current: 434/201
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

An electronic learning aid in which the student supplies a problem to which the learning aid supplies a response. The response of the learning aid is sometimes correct and at other times incorrect, thus requiring the operator/student to respond as an educator of the learning aid. This educating of the learning aid by the student requires the ability to recognize the correct answer. Preferably, if the student recognizes the correct response, praise is given; otherwise, either the problem is explained to the student or the learning aid ventures another guess. This "educating" of the learning aid through the posing of problems from the operator allows the student to proceed at his own pace and yet tries the limits of his knowledge.

Claims

1. A learning aid comprising:

control means having defined therein a response data set and a set of messages, said control means having

means for selecting a first response data from said set of response data in response to an operator generated problem, and for selecting a second response data from said set of response data in response to an operator generated evaluation input,

memory means for storage of said response data set;

said means for selecting a first response data including means for randomly choosing an incorrect response data from said response data set as said first response;

said means for selecting a second particular response data including means for evaluating if said first response data is appropriate with said operator generated problem; and

operator interface means communicating with said control means, said operator interface means having

means for receiving said operator generated problem, for receiving said operator generated evaluation data, and for communicating to the operator said first response data and said second response data.

2. The learning aid according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes means for forming a sequence of messages from said set of messages and further comprised of means for communicating said sequence of messages to the operator.

3. The learning aid according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes means for selectively activating said means for randomly choosing an incorrect response data.

4. The learning aid according to claim 1 wherein said means for receiving said operator generated problem includes voice input means.

5. The learning aid according to claim 4 wherein said voice input means includes pitch recognition means.

6. The learning aid according to claim 5 wherein said means for receiving said operator generated evaluation data includes a keyboard.

7. The learning aid according to claim 6 wherein said means for communicating to the operator said first response data includes voice synthesis means.

8. The learning aid according to claim 7 wherein said operator interface means includes means to communicate to the operator said randomly chosen incorrect response data in a human language via said voice synthesis means.

9. The learning aid according to claim 7 wherein said voice synthesis means includes means for generating a pitch.

10. A method of operating a learning aid comprising:

receiving an operator generated problem via an operator interface;

selecting a first response to said operator generated problem from a library of responses;

periodically choosing in selecting said first response to said operator generated problem from a library of responses a first response which is not optimally related to said operator generated problem;

communicating said first response to said operator;

receiving via said operator interface, an operator generated evaluation input;

generating a decisional data based on the relationship of said operator generated problem, said first response, and said operator generated evaluation input; and

communicating said decisional data to the operator via said operator interface.

11. The method of operating a learning aid according to claim 10, wherein the generation of a decisional data includes:

comparing said operator generated problem and said first response and generating therefrom a falsity decision data;

comparing said operator generated evaluation input with said falsity decision data and generating therefrom a correctness data; and

choosing, based on said correctness data, either a second response data or a message data as said decisional data.

12. The method of operating a learning aid according to claim 11 wherein the communication of said decisional data includes electronically synthesizing an auditory signal representative of said decisional data.

13. The method of operating a learning aid according to claim 12, wherein the reception of an operator generated problem includes:

translating an operator generated auditory signal into electronic signals;

extracting a sequence of pitches from said electronic signals; and

translating said sequence of pitches into an operator generated problem.

14. A man-machine interactive system comprising:

problem input means for receipt of a operator generated problem, said problem input means including means for translating an operator generated auditory signal into a sequence of pitches as the operator generated problem;

response generation means for selecting a first data value in response to said operator generated problem, said response generation means including means for selecting a non-optimal match between said sequence of pitches and a library of pitches in forming said first data value;

output means including a voice synthesis means for communicating to said operator said first data value;

judgment input means including a keyboard for receipt of an operator generated judgment data;

decisional means for generating decisional data being either a second data value or a message according to a relationship of said operator generated problem, said first data value, and said operator generated judgment data; and

communication means for transmission of said decisional data to said operator.

15. The man-machine interactive system according to claim 14 wherein said means for selecting a non-optimal match is selectively activated by said response generation means.

16. A man-machine interactive system comprising:

problem input means for receipt of an operator generated problem in the form of an algebraic equation;

response generation means for selecting a first data value in response to said operator generated problem, said response generation means including means for selecting a non-optimal match between the correct answer for the algebraic equation and a library of response in forming said first data value;

output means including a voice synthesis means for communicating to said operator said first data value;

judgment input means including a keyboard for receipt of an operator generated judgment data;

decisional means for generating decisional data being either a second data value or a message according to a relationship of said operator generated problem, said first data value, and said operator generated judgment data; and

communication means for transmission of said decisional data to said operator.