Write on interactive apparatus and method

• US 7,120,385 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leopfrog Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Marggraff, L. James
• Primary Examiner(s): MOSSER, KATHLEEN MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US10/360,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20030162162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 434/122, 434/133, 434/155, 434159-165, 434317-319
• US Class Current: 434/317
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

An interactive print media apparatus is disclosed. It includes a platform including a surface and an electronic position location system, and a print medium including a prescribed location. A user can write in the prescribed location. During writing, the writing instrument and the electronic position location system are operationally decoupled.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) receiving a prompt to write in a prescribed location on a sheet that is on a surface of a platform in an interactive print media apparatus, the interactive print media apparatus further comprising an electronic position location system including an array of electrical elements underneath the surface of the platform; and

(b) writing on the sheet in the prescribed location with a writing instrument while the sheet is on the surface, wherein the writing instrument and the electronic position location system are operationally decoupled during writing, so that the electronic position determining system does not know what the user is writing and does not determine where the writing instrument is located, even though the electronic position location system is active; and

(c) receiving an output that assists the user in evaluating the writing.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the prescribed location comprises a print element selected from the group consisting of an array of indicia, a series of blanks, and a series of boxes.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheet is in a print medium and comprises an assistance print element that is at a different location than the prescribed location, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting the assistance print element.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic position location system comprises a plurality of transmitting antennas.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic position location system comprises a plurality of pressure switches.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheet is in a print medium and comprises print elements that teach the user about math, geometry, or spelling.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the interactive print media apparatus includes a stylus coupled to the platform.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheet is in a print medium and is an erasable sheet, and wherein the writing instrument comprises an erasable marker.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheet is a transparent sheet.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheet is in a print medium and the print medium is a book with a ring binding.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

repeating (a) and (b) at least once.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) and (b) are performed in a game.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) and (b) are performed in learning process that teaches at least one of math and spelling.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheet is a transparent sheet, and wherein the method further comprises:

overlaying the transparent sheet on an image on a second sheet to compare the writing on the transparent sheet with the image on the second sheet.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising, using a stylus coupled to the platform, to select print elements on the sheet, wherein the stylus is separate from the writing instrument and is operationally coupled to the electrical elements when print elements on the sheet are selected using the stylus.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheet has prescribed locations where the user can write on, and wherein the sheet also includes a print element which can be selected to indicate to the interactive print media apparatus that the user is finished solving a problem.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheet contains a number of sets of prescribed locations where a user can write, each set of prescribed locations corresponding to steps in a problem to be solved.

18. A method comprising:

(a) receiving a prompt to write in a prescribed location on an erasable print medium that is on a surface of a platform in an interactive print media apparatus, the interactive print media apparatus comprising an electronic position location system including an array of electrical elements under the surface, and a stylus coupled to the platform;

(b) writing on the erasable print medium in the prescribed location with a writing instrument, wherein the writing instrument and the electronic position location system are operationally decoupled during writing, so that the electronic position determining system does not know what the user is writing and does not determine where the writing instrument is located, even though the electronic position location system is active;

(c) receiving a first output that assists the user in evaluating the writing;

(d) erasing the writing in the prescribed location;

(e) selecting a print element on the print medium with the stylus; and

(f) receiving a second output that corresponds to the print element.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the electronic position location system comprises a plurality of transmitting antennas.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the writing instrument is a marker.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the print element teaches about math.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the prescribed location comprises a print element selected from the group consisting of an array of indicia, a series of blanks, and a series of boxes.

23. An interactive print media apparatus comprising:

(a) a platform comprising a surface;

(b) an electronic position location system including an array of electrical elements under the surface;

(c) a sheet including a prescribed location to be used on the surface;

(d) a memory device comprising (i) code for prompting the user to write in the prescribed location when the sheet is on the surface, and (ii) code for allowing a user to write on the sheet in the prescribed location with a writing instrument, wherein the writing instrument and the electronic position location system are operationally decoupled during writing, so that the electronic position determining system does not know what the user is writing and does not determine where the writing instrument is located, even though the electronic position location system is active; and

(e) an output device operatively coupled to the electronic position location system.

24. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the prescribed location comprises a print element selected from the group consisting of an array of indicia, a series of blanks, and a series of boxes.

25. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the sheet is in a print medium and comprises an assistance print element that is at a different location than the prescribed location.

26. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the electronic position location system comprises a plurality of transmitting antennas.

27. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the electronic position location system comprises a plurality of pressure switches.

28. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the sheet is in a print medium and comprises print elements that teach the user about math, geometry, or spelling.

29. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a stylus coupled to the platform.

30. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the sheet is in a print medium and is an erasable sheet, and wherein the writing instrument comprises an erasable marker.

31. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the sheet is transparent.

32. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the sheet is in a print medium, and wherein the print medium is a book with a ring or spiral binding.

33. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the platform has a recess and the memory device is removably insertable within the recess and is cooperatively structured with the recess.

34. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the memory device is within the platform.

35. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 further comprising the writing instrument, wherein the writing instrument includes erasable ink.

36. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the memory device further comprises (iii) code for producing an output that assists the user in evaluating the writing in the prescribed location.

37. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the output device comprises a speaker.

38. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 further comprising, using a stylus coupled to the platform, to select print elements on the sheet, wherein the stylus is separate from the writing instrument and is operationally coupled to the electrical elements when print elements on the sheet are selected using the stylus.

39. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the sheet has prescribed locations where the user can write on, and wherein the sheet also includes a print element which can be selected to indicate to the interactive print media apparatus that the user is finished solving a problem.

40. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 23 wherein the sheet contains a number of sets of prescribed locations where a user can write, each set of prescribed locations corresponding to steps in a problem to be solved, and wherein the memory device comprises code with audio that helps the user solve the problem.

41. An interactive print media apparatus comprising:

(a) a platform comprising a surface;

(b) an electronic position location system comprising an ray of electrical elements, the electrical elements being under the surface;

(c) an erasable print medium including a prescribed location that is to be used on the surface;

(d) a memory device comprising code for outputs, coupled to the electronic position location system;

(e) an output device operatively coupled to the electronic position location system; and

(f) an writing instrument comprising an erasable material for writing on the erasable print medium,

wherein the writing instrument and the electronic position location system are operationally decoupled during writing, so that the electronic position determining system does not know what the user is writing and does not determine where the writing instrument is located, even though the electronic position location system is active.

42. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 41 wherein the erasable print medium comprises a polyvinyl acetate material.

43. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 41 further comprising:

a stylus operatively coupled to the platform.

44. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 41 wherein the code for outputs includes (i) code for prompting the user to write in a prescribed location on the print medium when the print medium is on the surface, and (ii) code for allowing a user to write on the print medium in the prescribed location with a writing instrument.

45. The interactive print media apparatus of claim 41 wherein the writing instrument is an erasable marker and wherein the memory device is a data cartridge.

46. A kit comprising:

(a) a sheet comprising a prescribed location; and

(b) a memory device comprising (i) code for prompting the user to write in the prescribed location when the sheet is on a surface of a platform in an interactive print media apparatus having an electronic position location system comprising electrical elements, the electrical elements being under the surface and (ii) code for allowing a user to write on the print medium in the prescribed location with a writing instrument, wherein the writing instrument and the electronic position location system are operationally decoupled during writing, so that the electronic position determining system does not know what the user is writing and does not determine where the writing instrument is located, even though the electronic position location system is active.

47. The kit of claim 46 wherein the print medium is an erasable print medium, and wherein the kit further comprises:

(c) an erasable writing instrument.

48. The kit of claim 46 wherein the memory device further comprises (iii) code for producing an output that assists the user in evaluating the writing in the prescribed location.

49. The kit of claim 46

wherein the sheet further comprises an assistance print element that is at a different location than the prescribed location, and

wherein the memory device comprises (iii) code for output that assists the user.

50. The kit of claim 46

wherein the sheet is a page in a book.

51. The kit of claim 46 wherein the sheet is a page in a book with a spiral spine.

52. The kit of claim 46 wherein the sheet comprises acetate.

53. The kit of claim 46 wherein the memory device further comprises(iv) code for audio that teaches at least one of math, spelling, or geography.

54. The kit of claim 46 wherein the memory device further comprises (iv) code for audio that teaches at least one subject selected from the group consisting of math, spelling, and geography.