Systems and apparatus for expressing multimedia presentations corresponding to print media

• US 7,975,928 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eye Ear It, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sean Elwell
• Inventors: Elwell, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US11/842,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20080087718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 235/494, 235/375, 235/486, 235/462.01
• US Class Current: 235/494
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides an educational or entertainment system capable of activating audio, web-based streaming or flash video presentations from designated portions of a printed surface containing visual images, comprising a surface containing a plurality of discrete, visually colored zones which code for particular presentations, each of said colored zones being overlaid by or surrounded by a zone of invisible fluorescent substance which can be detected by the use of light outside the visible spectrum and means for detecting the same. The system further includes a portable reader comprising: (i) a sensor pipe, (ii) a means for directing a first beam of light within the visible spectrum, located within the sensor pipe and a means for directing a second beam of light, also within the visible spectrum, located within the sensor pipe, (iii) a detector for detecting light emanating from said invisible fluoprescent substance when light outside the visible spectrum impinges upon it and for detecting light reflected from the visually colored zones, (iv) a means activated by the detector when light emanating from said invisible substance is detected which causes the reader to emit said second beam of light, and (v) means for playing audio, web-based or flash video presentations coded by the visually colored zones when light of a particular wavelength within the visible spectrum is reflected from a visually colored zone and detected.

Claims

1. A portable reader for activating audio, web-based streaming or flash video from designated portions of a printed surface containing visual images and one or more discrete colored zones coding for said media, comprising:

(a) means for directing a first beam of light at a first wavelength;

(b) means for directing a second beam of light within the visible spectrum;

(c) a light detector;

(d) means for expressing audio, web-based streaming or flash video coded for by visually colored zones when light of a particular wavelength is detected;

(e) means for spacing said instrument at a distance from the said surface and preventing extraneous light from entering said detector; and

(f) switch means activated by said detector when light of a certain wavelength is detected.

2. A portable reader as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for expressing audio, web-based streaming or flash video coded for by visually colored zones includes presentations means coded for by the visually colored zones when light of a particular wavelength within the visible spectrum is reflected from a visually colored zone and detected, further comprising means activated by said detector when light of a certain wavelength is detected which causes said reader to emit said second beam of light.

3. A portable reader as recited in claim 2 wherein said means for directing beams of light and said light detector are housed within a sensor pipe and the length of said sensor pipe is set to displace said light detector from the printed surface so that it effectively reads light emanating from or reflected from said visual surface and curtains off extraneous light.

4. A portable reader as recited in claim 3 wherein the opening of said sensor pipe matches said visually colored zone.

5. A portable reader as recited in claim 2 further including an outer cone around said sensor pipe and said outer cone is transparent.

6. A portable reader as recited in claim 5 wherein one or more light sources are provided in the annular space defined between said sensor pipe and said outer cone and at least one light source within said annular source provides violet light.

7. A portable reader as recited in claim 1, wherein said colored zones are overlaid and/or surrounded by an invisible ink, and said means for expressing contains presentation means for audio, web-based or flash video, further comprising:

(a) a sensor pipe, said means for directing a first beam of light and means for directing a second beam of light within the visible spectrum, located within said sensor pipe;

(b) a light detector located within said sensor pipe;

(c) means activated by said detector when light of a certain wavelength is detected which causes said reader to emit said second beam of light; and

(d) a transparent outer cone surrounding said sensor pipe.

8. A portable reader as recited in claim 7 wherein the length of the sensor pipe is set to displace said light detector from the printed surface so that it effectively reads light emanating from or reflected from that surface and curtains off extraneous light, further wherein the size and shape of the sensor pipe matches the visually colored area.

9. A portable reader;

comprising;

a sensor coupled to a detector having at least two light source that emits light within visible spectrum, a first light source that emits a first beam of light at a first wavelength, and a second light source that emits a second beam of light at a second wavelength, such that when said first beam of light is directed to an object, if said light detector detects a first indicia on said object, then said second light source is activated and said sensor further reads a second indicia on said object;

a memory having a plurality of files;

a processor in communication with said sensor so as to decode said received signal from said source, said processor also in communication with said memory such that said processor is enabled to match said decoded signal to correlating said memory files; and

an audio visual output in processing communication with said processor so that an action can be initiated by said processor through said output as suggested in said correlated memory files.