Method and system for short-to long-term memory bridge

• US 7,011,526 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2002
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John F. Boon
• Original Assignee: John F. Boon
• Inventors: Boon, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADAMS, CHANDA L
• Application Number:
  US10/237,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20030008267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 434/156, 434/157, 434/167, 434/169, 434/176, 434/322, 434/323, 434/327, 434/348, 434/353, 434/354, 434/362, 434/236
• US Class Current: 434/236
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/06 Foreign languages with audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04
• 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

The invention includes a teaching machine that presents questions to the user who responds with answers. Graded interval recall is accomplished by storing the exact time and date when the user learns a correct answer. The machine determines the presentation mode and review schedule for each unit according to the length of real time that has elapsed since the user learns the material. Precise timing is designed to bridge the threshold between short-term and long-term memory by interrupting default sequencing of material to review items at an exact preset interval from the time the user learned the material.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing long-term memory, comprising:

providing a query, the query having an associated memory retention value;

receiving a response to the query;

determining whether the response to the query is correct;

updating the associated memory retention value for the query based on the response to the query; and

displaying the query and the correct response to the query in a quick display mode once the memory retention value for the query reaches a predetermined value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory retention value is a Q value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the query is provided to a user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user has an associated user level.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, if a correct response to the query is received, updating the associated memory retention value includes:

increasing the associated memory retention value by an increment;

wherein the increment varies depending on the associated user level.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein, if an incorrect response to the query is received, updating the associated memory retention value includes:

decreasing the associated memory retention value by an increment;

wherein the increment varies depending on the associated user level.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing a prompt;

wherein the prompt varies depending on the associated user level.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the query is repeatedly provided at varying intervals, the length of the varying intervals depending on a memory retention level correlation factor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the query is repeatedly provided at varying intervals, the length of the varying intervals depending on the associated memory retention value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the query is repeatedly provided at varying intervals, the length of the varying intervals depending on measured actual time elapsed since the query was previously provided.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the actual time elapsed since the query was previously provided is the E-Time.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a length of time the query and the correct response to the query are displayed in the quick display mode is a display time, and the display time is based in part on the memory retention value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the display time is based in part on a user-configurable parameter.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein combinations of particular memory retention values and particular values of the user-configurable parameter result in the display time being subliminally short.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving a date and time that the memory retention value reaches the predetermined value as a G-time.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising presenting the query in a review mode once a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the G-time.