Interactive audio teaching aid

• US 4,749,354 A
• Filed: 06/03/1987
• Issued: 06/07/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edward Kerman
• Original Assignee: Edward Kerman
• Inventors: Kerman, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOUNG, BRIAN K
• Application Number:
  US07/057,023
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 360/72.1, 360/72.2, 369/32, 364/900, 364/415, 364/521, 434/318, 434/321
• US Class Current: 434/321
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B

Abstract

An interactive compact disc system (10) having a teaching mode in addition to an entertainment mode is provided for the recovery of a predetermined aural response from predetermined randomly accessed storage on a compact digital disc. The interactive compact disc system (10) includes a mode select switch interface (26) which is coupled to microprocessor (22) by data bus (34) and address bus (32) for selecting the desired operational node. A keyboard (12) which includes a removable graphic overlay, provided for use in the teaching mode, is coupled to keyboard decoder/driver (14). Keyboard decoder/driver (14) generates a unique character code for each of the keyboard switches in keyboard (12). Microprocessor (22) uses that unique character code to generate an address for accessing the track encoder read only memory (24). Track encoder read only memory (24) provides a lock-up table which in effect cross references each keyboard key switch with a discrete audio segment on a compact digital disc located in disc playback unit (30).

Claims

1. A microprocessor controlled compact digital disk system adapted for providing both a teaching function and an entertainment function, said entertainment function making use of a plurality of compact disk control switches, comprising:

(a) keyboard means for establishing a selection code signal to recover audio data from discrete predetermined locations on said compact digital disk responsive to a manual input, said keyboard means establishing said selection code when said teaching function is enabled;

(b) mode selection means for directing said microprocessor to enable one of said teaching or entertainment functions, said mode selection means including (1) a mode select switch having two positions, and (2) a mode select interface coupled to said mode select switch and said microprocessor for enabling said plurality of compact disk control switches in one of said positions and mutually exclusively enabling the system responsive to said selection code signal established by said keyboard means in the other of said positons; and

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(c) memory means for transmitting to said microprocessor one of a multiplicity of predetermined control code signals responsive to said selection code signal from said keyboard means.

2. The compact digital disk system as recited in claim 1 where said keyboard means includes a key panel having a multiplicity of switch elements for establishing a contact closure responsive to said manual input.

3. The compact digital disk system as recited in claim 2 where said keyboard means includes a decoder/driver coupled to said key panel for establishing said selection code responsive to said contact closure.

4. The compact digital disk system as recited in claim 3 where said multiplicity of switch elements of said key panel are arranged in rows and columns to form a matrix, said matrix coupled to said decoder/driver for receiving a pulse sequentially input to each of said rows and transmitting a pulse to a column output responsive to said contact closure.

5. The compact digital disk system as recited in claim 4 where said key panel includes a graphic overlay adapted for releasable coupling to said key panel for identifying each of said multiplicity of switch elements with respect to said teaching function.

6. The compact digital disk system as recited in claim 5 where said decoder/driver includes an interrupt generator coupled to said microprocessor for establishing an interrupt signal responsive to said contact closure for indicating said manual input to said microprocessor.

7. The compact digital disk system as recited in claim 1 where said memory means includes a non-volatile memory device coupled to said microprocessor for (1) storage of said multiplicity of predetermined control code signals, and (2) transmission to said microprocessor one of said predetermined control code signals responsive to said selection code signal and a track encoder enable signal, said selection code signal defining a predetermined memory storage location within said non-volatile memory device.

8. The compact digital disk system as recited in claim 7 where said memory means further includes an address decoder coupled to said microprocessor and said non-volatile memory for establishing said track encoder enable signal responsive to an address signal from said microprocessor.

9. An interactive compact disk system having a teaching mode and an entertainment mode, where said teaching mode provides a means for recovery of a predetermined aural response from non-sequential discrete storage locations on a compact digital disk, said compact disk system having a plurality of control switches for use in said entertainment mode, comprising:

(a) interface means for (1) converting a mechanical input to a digital code, and (2) establishing an interrupt signal responsive to said mechanical input for initiating the temporary storage of said digital code, said digital code being representative of said discrete storage location on said disk;

(b) microprocessor means for (1) establishing a multiplicity of signals to control said compact disk system, at least one of said multiplicity of control signals being a track selection signal defining said storage location on said disk, and (2) establishing an encoder address responsive to said digital code when said microprocessor is operating in said teaching mode;

(c) mode control means for selecting between said teaching mode and said entertainment mode, said teaching mode selection enabling said response by said microprocessor means to said digital code from said interface means, said entertainment mode enabling said plurality of control switches, said mode control means including (1) a mode select switch having two positions, each of said two positions representing one of said mutually exclusive modes, and (2) a mode select interface coupled to said mode select switch and said microprocessor; and

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(d) memory means for providing a predetemined control code signal responsive to said encoder address generated by said microprocessor means, said control code signal defining said tract selection signal.

10. The interactive system as recited in claim 9 where said interface means includes (1) a keyboard for converting said mechanical input to an electrical signal, (2) a decoder/driver coupled to said keyboard for converting said electrical signal to said digital code and establishing a key stroke signal, and, (3) an interrupt generator coupled to said decoder/driver for establishing said interrupt signal responsive to said key stroke signal.

11. The interactive system as recited in claim 10 where said keyboard includes a graphic overlay for directing said mechanical input, said graphic overlay being releasably coupled to said keyboard.

12. The interactive system as recited in claim 11 where said keyboard has a matrix configuration.

13. The interactive system as recited in claim 9 where said mode select interface establishes a mode select signal responsive to said mode select switch position for transmission to said microprocessor.

14. The interactive system as recited in claim 13 where said mode select switch is a single pole, double throw switch element.

15. The interactive system as recited in claim 9 where said memory means is a read only type memory for providing a look-up table for said predetermined control code responsive to said encoder address.

16. The interactive system as recited in claim 15 where said microprocessor means transmits said track control signal responsive to said predetermined control code signal from said look-up table for said recovery of said predetermined aural response.

17. The interactive system as recited in claim 16 where said microprocessor means is a MC68000 series microprocessor.