Method and apparatus for an enhanced presentation aid

• US 6,272,461 B1
• Filed: 03/22/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Meredith, Phillip C., Aktas, Christoph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US09/274,201
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 704/278, 704/275, 704/276, 704/235, 704/251, 704/246
• US Class Current: 704/235
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/06 Transformation of speech into a non-audible representation, e.g. speech visualisation or speech processing for tactile aids G10L15/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for providing visual aid to a presenter involve converting the spoken words of a presenter into an electronic text format, electronically comparing the converted spoken words to electronically stored reference text to find text string matches, utilizing the text string matches between the converted spoken words and the reference text to determine a current location of the presentation with respect to the reference text, and delivering upcoming portions of the reference text to the presenter as needed to enable a continuous presentation by the presenter. A preferred presentation support system is incorporated into a portable personal computer that includes a speech recognition subsystem. The speech recognition subsystems allows a presentation to be tracked in real-time so that presentation support material can be automatically displayed to the presenter in synchronization with the in-progress presentation.

Claims

1. A method of providing visual aid to a presenter of verbal information to an audience comprising steps of:

generating an electronic version of reference material that represents information that will be presented to said audience by said presenter;

monitoring progress of presenting verbal information to said audience, said verbal information being related to said reference material and presented by said presenter;

converting said verbal information into an electronic version;

correlating said electronic version of said verbal information directly to said electronic version of said reference material to locate a text string within said reference material that coincides with said presented verbal information; and

displaying a portion of said reference material to said presenter, said portion being based on said located text string.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said steps of correlating and displaying include identifying said portion of said reference material that is to be presented next to said audience.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of displaying said portion includes looking ahead in said reference material from said located text string and identifying said portion of said reference text that is soon to be presented by said presenter.

4. The method of claim 3 further including a step of pausing said step of displaying when no coinciding text strings are located between said electronic version of said verbal information and said electronic version of said reference material.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein;

said step of displaying includes utilizing a computer monitor to display said portion of said reference material.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising steps of determining a pace at which said verbal information is being presented by said presenter and using said pace to determine a pace at which subsequent portions of said reference material will be displayed to said presenter.

7. The method of claim 6 further including a step of displaying said identified portion of said reference text to said presenter just as said identified portion of said reference text is needed by said presenter for presentation to said audience.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said steps of converting, correlating, and displaying are performed in real-time with respect to said step of monitoring progress of presenting said verbal information to said audience.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of generating said reference material includes generating text and graphics.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of presenting said verbal information includes a step of addressing said audience while in the presence of said audience.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of presenting said verbal information to said audience includes a step of remotely addressing said audience via a network connection.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of correlating includes a step of transforming said verbal information into electronic text formed of individual words that are representative of said verbal information.

13. A computer-based presentation support system for providing real-time support to a presenter comprising:

means for storing reference text in electronic format;

means for converting into electrical signals a verbal communication made by a presenter to an audience;

means, operatively associated with said converting means, for recognizing words from said electrical signals;

a monitor connected to said recognizing means to determine a monitored pace, said monitor being configured to employ occurrences of recognized words for monitoring a pace at which said verbal communications are made by said presenter;

means, connected to said storing means and said recognizing means, for searching said reference text to identify a text string that coincides with a portion of said recognized words;

means, connected to said searching means, for utilizing said identified text string to select a portion of said reference text that should be communicated to said presenter; and

means, connected to said utilizing means, for communicating said selected portion of said reference text to said presenter.

14. The presentation support system of claim 13 wherein said utilizing means receives said monitored pace and selects said portion of said reference text by using said monitored pace to calculate when said selected portion of said reference text will be needed by said presenter.

15. The presentation support system of claim 13 wherein said communicating means is a computer display screen that displays said selected portion of said reference text to said presenter.

16. The presentation support system of claim 13 wherein said converting means, said recognizing means, and said utilizing means function in real-time with respect said verbal communication made by said presenter to said audience such that said presenter is continuously prompted with relevant portions of said reference text.

17. A computer-based method for providing continuous real-time support to a presenter comprising the steps of:

generating an electronic version of reference text that represents information that will be orally presented to an audience by a presenter;

presenting verbal information to said audience, said verbal information being related to said reference text and presented by said presenter;

converting said verbal information into electronic text in real-time with respect to said presentation by said presenter;

determining a pace at which said reference text is being presented by said presenter;

comparing said electronic text of said verbal information to said electronic version of said reference text to locate a text string within said electronic version of said reference text that coincides with said electronic text of said verbal information;

utilizing said located text string and said determined pace to identify a portion of said reference text that is needed next by said presenter in order to maintain a continuous presentation of said verbal information; and

displaying said identified portion of said reference text to said presenter so that said presenter can read said identified portion of said reference text and maintain a continuous presentation of said verbal information to said audience.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising a step of continuously repeating said step of presenting through said step of displaying as said presenter continues to talk such that said presenter is continuously prompted with reference text that is in synchronization with said verbal information.