Electronic educational video system apparatus

• US 5,219,291 A
• Filed: 04/10/1992
• Issued: 06/15/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vtech Industries, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Newview Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Chew, Wai-Kwok, Law, Garry C., Fong, Chi-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US07/869,198
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 434/167, 434/169, 434/201, 434/202, 434/308, 434/309, 434/318, 434/323, 434/324, 434/327, 434/335, 273/433, 273/434, 273/437, 273/237, 273/DIG. 28, 84/470 R
• US Class Current: 434/323
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• 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 educational video system apparatus for connection to a standard television receiver for teaching basic skills to a child through the use of animated graphic displays which serve to motivate the child to utilize the apparatus and enhance the child'"'"'s learning. A microprocessor cooperates with digital memory, a video generator, a sound generator, and a voice synthesizer to generate a display of a pictorial representation upon the television receiver combined with a request associated with the pictorial representation directing the child to provide a proposed correct response. The child'"'"'s correct response is compared to the actual correct response stored in the digital memory so that the particular pictorial representation associated with a particular request may become animated to provide an indication to the child of the correctness of the child'"'"'s response. The child may provide his or her response through a plurality of interchangeable input devices.

Claims

1. An electronic educational video system apparatus for connection to a standard television receiver for teaching basic skills to a child through the use of animated pictorial displays which serve to motivate said child to utilize said apparatus and enhance said child'"'"'s learning, said electronic educational video system apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing digital data corresponding to a plurality of pictorial representations, digital data corresponding to requests associated with said pictorial representations directing said child to provide a proposed correct response, said requests being both aural and textural, and digital data corresponding to the correct response to said requests associated with said pictorial representations;

display generating means electrically connected to said memory means for combining said data into said plurality of combinations and digitally generating video signals representative of said plurality of pictorial representations towards the generation of a single display incorporating said pictorial representations and said textual representations;

interface means electrically connected to said display generation means for providing said video signal to said television receiver towards displaying said pictorial representations and said associated requests thereon;

processor means electrically connected to said memory means and said display generation means;

said processor means for selecting one of said pictorial representations stored in said memory means and causing said selected pictorial representation to be displayed upon said television receiver and for causing said associated request to be presented to said child;

a plurality of interchangeable input means for permitting said child to provide a proposed correct response to said request;

means for comparing said child'"'"'s proposed correct response with said correct response stored in said memory means;

means for animating said displayed pictorial representation associated with said request for proposed correct responses presented to said child so as to provide said child with an indication of the correctness of said child'"'"'s proposed correct response.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said memory means comprises read-only-memory integrated circuit devices.

3. The invention according to claim 1 in which said input means comprises an alpha-numeric keyboard.

4. The invention according to claim 1 in which said input means comprises a touch-sensitive input pad.

5. The invention according to claim 1 in which said input means comprises a mouse cursor control device.

6. The electronic educational video system apparatus according to claim 1 in which said memory means, said display generation means, said interface means, said processor means, means for comparing and means for indicating the correctness of said proposed correct response are contained within a first housing means and wherein said input means is contained within a second housing means.

7. The invention according to claim 6 in which said second housing means is telescopically and removably received by said first housing means for permitting storage of said second housing means.

8. The invention according to claim 1 in which said input means are remote from and in wireless communication with said processor means

9. The electronic educational video system apparatus of claim 1 further including read-only-memory cartridges electrically and removably connected to said processor means enabling said apparatus to display additional pictorial representations having correct responses associated therewith.

10. The electronic educational video system apparatus of claim 1 further including sound generation means electrically connected to said processor means and said interface means for providing audio output signals to said child as an indication of the correctness of said child'"'"'s proposed response.

11. The electronic educational video system apparatus of claim 1 further including voice synthesis means operably and electrically connected to said processor means and said interface means for providing said requests for proposed correct responses associated with said pictorial representations to said child in synthesized human speech and for providing said indication of the correctness of said child'"'"'s proposed correct response in synthesized human speech.

12. The electronic educational video system apparatus of claim 1 further including means for presenting to said child clues to aid the child in determining the correct response to said presented request.

13. An electronic educational video system apparatus for connection to a standard television receiver for teaching spelling skills to a child through the use of animated pictorial displays which serve to motivate said child to utilize said apparatus and enhance said child'"'"'s learning, said electronic educational video system apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing digital data, which data may be combined in a plurality of combinations, corresponding to a plurality of unique pictorial representations of common objects, digital data corresponding to requests associated with each one of said unique pictorial representations directing said child to provide the correct spelling of said unique pictorial representations, said requests being both aural and textural, and digital data corresponding to the correct spelling of each of said unique pictorial representations;

display generation means operably and electrically connected to said memory means for combining said data into said plurality of combinations and digitally generating video signals representative of said plurality of unique pictorial representations towards the generation of a single display incorporating said pictorial representations and said textural representations;

interface means operably and electrically connected to said display generation means for providing a video signal to said television receiver towards the display of said pictorial representations and said associated requests thereon;

processor means operably and electrically connected to said memory means and said display generation means;

said processor means for selecting one of said unique pictorial representations stored in said memory means and causing said selected pictorial representation to be displayed upon said television receiver and for causing said associated request to be presented to said child;

a plurality of interchangeable input means for permitting said child to provide a proposed correct spelling corresponding to said displayed pictorial representation;

means for comparing said child'"'"'s proposed correct spelling with said correct spelling of said displayed pictorial representation stored in said emory means;

means for animating said displayed pictorial representation so as to provide said child with an indication of the correctness of said child'"'"'s proposed correct spelling.

14. An electronic educational video system apparatus for connection to a single standard television receiver for teaching music skills to a child through the user of animated pictorial displays which serve to motivate said child to utilize said apparatus and enhance said child'"'"'s learning, said electronic educational video system apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing digital data, which data may be combined in a plurality of combinations, corresponding to a pictorial representation of a musical keyboard and digital data corresponding to a plurality of musical notes, said notes being signified by both audible tones and textual musical symbols;

display generation means electrically connected to said memory means for combining said data into said plurality of combinations and digitally generating signals representative of said pictorial representation towards the generation of a single display incorporating said pictorial representation and said textual representation;

sound generation means electrically connected to said memory means for digitally generating audio signals representative of said audible tones;

interface means electrically connected to said display generation means and said sound generation means for providing a combined video and audio signal to said television receiver toward the display of said pictorial representation and the playing of said musical notes;

input means for permitting said child to designate a plurality of musical tones which are desired to be heard;

processor means electrically connected to said memory means, said display generation means and said sound generation means;

said processor means for causing said pictorial representation to be displayed upon said television receiver and for animating said displayed keyboard so as to simulate the movement of keys thereon in relation to the musical tones designated by said child and for causing said sound generation means to digitally generate audio signals representative of said musical notes designated by said child whereby said child is taught to associate specific musical notes with their representative position upon said keyboard.