Electronic book with voice emulation features

• US 8,073,695 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1999
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Adrea LLC (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Adrea LLC (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hendricks, John S., Asmussen, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abebe, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US09/344,499
• Time in Patent Office: 4,547 Days
• Field of Search: 704/260, 707/104.1, 379/88.01
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/02 Methods for producing synthetic speech; Speech synthesisers
• 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 system for providing text-to-audio conversion of an electronic book displayed on a viewer. A user selects a portion of displayed text and converts it into audio. The text-to-audio conversion may be performed via a header file and pre-recorded audio for each electronic book, via text-to-speech conversion, or other available means. The user may select manual or automatic text-to audio conversion. The automatic text-to-audio conversion may be performed by automatically turning the pages of the electronic book or by the user manually turning the pages. The user may also select to convert the entire electronic book, or portions of it, into audio. The user may also select an option to receive an audio definition of a particular word in the electronic book. The present invention allows a user to control the system by selecting options from a screen or by entering voice commands.

Claims

1. A method for providing text-to-audio conversion of an electronic book displayed on a viewer, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of an electronic book for viewing from a list of available electronic books stored in an operations center, wherein the operations center is remote from the viewer;

receiving, at the viewer, the selected electronic book from the operations center;

storing the selected electronic book in a library within the viewer;

displaying a page of the selected electronic book on the viewer, the page including text;

receiving a selection of text on the displayed page to be provided in audio;

receiving a selection from a menu with an option for text to audio conversion; and

converting, via the library, at least a portion of the selected text into corresponding audio.

2. The method of claim 1, further including pausing the audio corresponding to the text.

3. The method of claim 2, further including resuming the audio corresponding to the text.

4. The method of claim 1, further including providing a definition, in audio form, of a word selected by a user within the text.

5. The method of claim 1, further including permitting a user to adjust a rate of the audio corresponding to the text.

6. The method of claim 1, further including permitting a user to select a particular type of voice for the audio corresponding to the text.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio corresponding to the text is provided by real-time speech conversion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio corresponding to the text is provided by accessing an audio file corresponding to the selected text.

9. A method for providing text-to-audio conversion of an electronic book displayed on a viewer, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of an electronic book for viewing from a list of available electronic books stored in an operations center, wherein the operations center is remote from the viewer;

receiving, at the viewer, the selected electronic book from the operations center;

storing the selected electronic book in a library within the viewer;

receiving a selection from a menu with an option for text to audio conversion;

displaying a page of the selected electronic book on the viewer, the page including text;

receiving information relating to an audio function of the electronic book;

converting, via the library, at least a portion of the text on the displayed page into corresponding audio based upon the information; and

automatically displaying a next page of the electronic book and converting at least a portion of text on the next page into corresponding audio.

10. The method of claim 9, further including pausing the audio corresponding to the text.

11. The method of claim 10, further including resuming the audio corresponding to the text.

12. A method for providing text-to-audio conversion of an electronic book displayed on a viewer, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of an electronic book for viewing from a list of available electronic books stored in an operations center, wherein the operations center is remote from the viewer;

receiving, at the viewer, the selected electronic book from the operations center;

storing the selected electronic book in a library within the viewer;

receiving a selection from a menu with an option for text to audio conversion;

displaying a page of the selected electronic book on the viewer, the page including text;

receiving information relating to an audio function of the electronic book;

converting, via the library, at least a portion of the text on the displayed page into corresponding audio based upon the information; and

automatically converting at least a portion of text into corresponding audio on another page of the electronic book upon receiving a selection of another page.

13. The method of claim 12, further including pausing the audio corresponding to the text.

14. The method of claim 13, further including resuming the audio corresponding to the text.

15. An apparatus for providing text-to-audio conversion of an electronic book displayed on a viewer, the apparatus comprising:

a first selection module that receives a selection of an electronic book for viewing from a list of available electronic books stored in an operations center and obtains the selected electronic book from the operations center, wherein the operations center is remote from the viewer;

a library that stores the selected electronic book on the viewer;

a second selection module that receives a selection from a menu with an option for text to audio conversion;

a display that displays a page of the selected electronic book on the viewer, the page including text;

a third selection module that receives a selection of text on the displayed page for the conversion to audio; and

an audio module in the library that provides at least a portion of the selected text in corresponding audio.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further including a pause module that pauses the audio corresponding to the text.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further including a resume module that resumes the audio corresponding to the text.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further including a dictionary module that provides a definition, in audio form, of a word selected by a user within the text.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further including a rate module that permits a user to adjust a rate of the audio corresponding to the text.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further including a voice options module that permits a user to select a particular type of voice for the audio corresponding to the text.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the audio corresponding to the text is provided by real-time speech conversion.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the audio corresponding to the text is provided by accessing an audio file corresponding to the selected text.

23. An apparatus for providing text-to-audio conversion of an electronic book displayed on a viewer, the apparatus comprising:

a first selection module that receives a selection of an electronic book for viewing from a list of available electronic books stored in an operations center and obtains the selected electronic book from the operations center, wherein the operations center is remote from the viewer;

a library that stores the selected electronic book on the viewer;

a second selection module that receives a selection from a menu with an option for text to audio conversion;

a display that displays a page of the selected electronic book on a viewer, the page including text;

a third selection module that receives information relating to an audio function of the electronic book;

an audio module in the library that provides at least a portion of the text on the displayed page in corresponding audio based upon the information; and

a module that automatically displays a next page of the electronic book;

wherein the audio module automatically provides at least a portion of text on the next page into corresponding audio.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further including a pause module that pauses the audio corresponding to the text.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further including a resume module that resumes the audio corresponding to the text.

26. An apparatus for providing text-to-audio conversion of an electronic book displayed on a viewer, the apparatus comprising:

a first selection module that receives a selection of an electronic book for viewing from a list of available books stored in an operation center and obtains the selected electronic book from the operations center, wherein the operation center and the list of available books is remote from the viewer;

a library that store the selected electronic book on the viewer;

a second selection module that receives a selection from a menu with an option for text to audio conversion;

a display that displays a page of the selected electronic book on a viewer, the page including text;

a receive module that receives information relating to an audio function of the electronic book;

an audio module in the library that provides at least a portion of the text on the displayed page in corresponding audio based upon the information; and

a module that automatically provides at least a portion of text on another page of the electronic book in corresponding audio, upon receiving a selection of another page.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further including a pause module that pauses the audio corresponding to the text.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further including a resume module that resumes the audio corresponding to the text.

29. A method for electronically displaying a page of an electronic book on a viewer and permitting a user to request a text-to-audio function, the method comprising:

displaying a screen on a viewer;

receiving a selection of an electronic book for viewing from a list of available electronic books stored in an operations center;

receiving the selected electronic book from the operations center, wherein the operations center is remote from the viewer;

storing the selected electronic book in a library within the viewer;

receiving a selection from a menu with an option for text to audio conversion;

displaying within the screen a page of the selected electronic book, the page including text;

permitting a user to identify at least a portion of the text displayed within the screen;

displaying a section within the screen for permitting the user to request a text-to audio conversion of the identified text; and

converting, via the library, at least a portion of the selected text into corresponding audio.

30. The method of claim 29, further including displaying a section for permitting a user to request a definition, in audio form, of a word identified in the text.

31. The method of claim 29, further including displaying a section for permitting a user to request that the text-to-audio conversion be paused.

32. The method of claim 31, further including displaying a section for permitting a user to request that the text-to-audio conversion be resumed.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising displaying an image on the screen after the text-to-audio conversion begins.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the image is one of a JPEG file and a MPEG 2 file.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising adjusting a rate of text-to-audio conversion based on a command received by the user.

36. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

converting an electronic book menu system text to audio;

providing menu navigation prompts as audible signals; and

receiving audible commands from the user based on the received prompts.

37. A screen for use in electronically displaying a page of an electronic book on a viewer and permitting a user to request a text-to-audio function, comprising:

a first section within the screen for receiving a selection of an electronic book for viewing from a list of available electronic books stored in an operations center and providing the selected electronic book from the operations center to the viewer, wherein the selected electronic book is stored in a library on the viewer;

a second section within the screen for displaying a menu with an option for text to audio conversion and the section permitting a user to identify a selection for the text to audio conversion; and

a third section within the screen for displaying a page of the selected electronic book, the page including text and the section permitting the user to identify at least a portion of the text displayed within the screen, wherein the operations center is remote from the viewer;

wherein the conversion of at least a portion of the identified text into audio occurs via the library.

38. The screen of claim 37, further including

a fourth section within the screen for permitting a user to request a definition, in audio form, of a word identified in the text.

39. The screen of claim 37, further including

a fifth section within the screen for permitting a user to request that the text-to-audio conversion be paused.

40. The screen of claim 39, further including

a sixth section within the screen for permitting a user to request that the text-to-audio conversion be resumed.