Display apparatus for teaching writing

• US 8,025,504 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Freeman, Richard Glen, Annunziata, Ed, White, Elecia
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai; Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hu; Kang
• Application Number:
  US11/831,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20080048991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 434/155, 434/156, 434/308, 434/322, 434/350
• US Class Current: 434/155
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 11/00 Teaching hand-writing, shorthand, drawing, or painting
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 11/06 Devices involving the use of transparent or translucent tracing material, e.g. copy books
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• 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

Apparatuses and methods are provided directed at teaching writing, such as printing, cursive, and calligraphy, to users of all ages. Typically, the embodiments are directed toward teaching children the basic skills of writing. However, it may be appreciated that the embodiments may be utilized by users of all ages. In particular, embodiments of the invention can be used to teach the skill of writing and learning letters of the English alphabet to foreigners. Or, embodiments of the invention can be used to teach English speakers various foreign alphabets. For example, embodiments may provide instruction in writing Arabic letters, Greek letters, or Chinese or Japanese characters, to name a few. Additionally, embodiments of the invention may be used to teach artistic forms of writing, such as calligraphy, script, or various fonts.

Claims

1. An interactive learning apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a display screen on the housing;

(c) an electronic position location system, wherein the electronic position location system includes a processor that is capable of determining a location of a selected region of the display screen;

(d) a stylus for selecting regions on the display screen; and

(e) a memory device operatively coupled to the processor, the memory device comprising (i) code for displaying an instructional stroke on the display screen surrounded by a boundary region, (ii) code for displaying a user mark over the instructional stroke on the display screen drawn by a user with the stylus, and (iii) code for causing the user mark to change color if the user mark is outside of the boundary region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructional stroke forms at least a portion of a letter of the alphabet.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an audio output device coupled to the processor unit and wherein the memory device further comprises code for providing an audio output from the audio output device providing the feedback to the user.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the memory device further comprises code for improving line quality of the user mark.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory device further comprises code for causing the user mark to disappear if the user mark is outside of the boundary region.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the boundary region is not visible to the user.