Interactive language apparatus
First Claim
1. An interactive language apparatus, comprising:
- a set of letter pieces;
an interface board for accommodating one or more selected letter pieces to create a sequence of letters, the sequence of letters updating each time a letter piece is added and/or removed from the interface board;
a sensor on said interface board for generating identifying signals identifying each letter piece when placed on said interface board;
a dynamic search key generated by the identifying signals, the dynamic search key being regenerated each time the sequence of letters changes as letter pieces are added and/or removed from the interface board;
a storage medium containing media files having associated word tags;
a processor having a searching mechanism programmed to perform a match of the dynamic search key with said associated word tags to identify at least partially matching media files, the searching mechanism performing a match each time the dynamic search key is regenerated, wherein a match is established when the sequence of letters at least partially matches letters of an associated word tag;
a list of matches in the processor for storing the at least partially matching media files each time a match is performed by the searching mechanism; and
a display device for displaying the at least partially matching media files in the list of matches;
wherein the displayed media files changes dynamically as letter pieces are added and/or removed from the interface board until the sequence of letters spells a word that completely matches one associated word tag to result in one matching media file on the display device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive educational apparatus, ideally suitable for children. A set of symbol pieces, preferably in the form of letter blocks are provided. An interface board is provided for accommodating one or more selected symbol pieces and a sensor on said interface board generates a signal identifying each symbol piece when placed on the interface board. Media files are stored on a storage medium and each media file has an associated tag. A processor is programmed to match a search key represented by one or more selected symbol pieces with the tags. A display device displays one or more media files having identifier tags matching the search key represented by said selected symbol pieces. These identifier tags provide a way to match up the media files with each search key generated by placement of the symbol pieces on the interface board.
15 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An interactive language apparatus, comprising:
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a set of letter pieces; an interface board for accommodating one or more selected letter pieces to create a sequence of letters, the sequence of letters updating each time a letter piece is added and/or removed from the interface board; a sensor on said interface board for generating identifying signals identifying each letter piece when placed on said interface board; a dynamic search key generated by the identifying signals, the dynamic search key being regenerated each time the sequence of letters changes as letter pieces are added and/or removed from the interface board; a storage medium containing media files having associated word tags; a processor having a searching mechanism programmed to perform a match of the dynamic search key with said associated word tags to identify at least partially matching media files, the searching mechanism performing a match each time the dynamic search key is regenerated, wherein a match is established when the sequence of letters at least partially matches letters of an associated word tag; a list of matches in the processor for storing the at least partially matching media files each time a match is performed by the searching mechanism; and a display device for displaying the at least partially matching media files in the list of matches; wherein the displayed media files changes dynamically as letter pieces are added and/or removed from the interface board until the sequence of letters spells a word that completely matches one associated word tag to result in one matching media file on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An interface board for use in an interactive language apparatus, said interface board being configured for accommodating one or more selected letter pieces, the board comprising:
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multiple receptacles on the interface board for accommodating one or more selected letter pieces to create a sequence of letters, the sequence of letters updating each time a letter piece is added and/or removed from the interface board; a sensor on said interface board for generating identifying signals identifying each letter piece when placed on said interface board; connection to a dynamic search key generated by the identifying signals, the dynamic search key being regenerated each time the sequence of letters changes as letter piece are added and/or removed from the interface board; connection to a storage medium containing media files having associated word tags; connection to a processor having a searching mechanism programmed to perform a match of the dynamic search key with said associated word tags to identify at least partially matching media files, the searching mechanism performing a match each time the dynamic search key is regenerated, wherein a match is established when the sequence of letters at least partially matches letters of an associated word tag; connection to a display device, the display device for displaying a list of matches of the at least partially matching media files each time a match is performed by the searching mechanism, wherein the displayed media files changes dynamically as letter pieces are added and/or removed from the interface board until the sequence of letters spells a word that completely matches one associated word tag to result in one matching media file on the display device.
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19. A method of using an interactive language apparatus, the method comprising:
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a user placing at least one letter piece from a set of letter pieces on an interface board adapted to accommodate the at least one letter piece to create a sequence of letters; a processor in the interactive language apparatus updating the sequence of letters each time a symbol piece is added and/or removed from the interface board; using a sensor to generate identifying signals identifying each letter piece when placed on said interface board; the processor generating a dynamic search key by the generated identifying signals; regenerating the dynamic search key each time the sequence of letters changes as letter piece are added and/or removed from the interface board; storing media files having associated word tags in a storage medium; using a searching mechanism programmed to perform a match of the dynamic search key with said associated word tags to identify at least partially matching media files; the searching mechanism performing a match each time the dynamic search key is regenerated, wherein a match is established when the sequence of letters at least partially matches letters of an associated word tag; storing in a list of matches located in the processor the at least partially matching media files each time a match is performed by the searching mechanism; displaying on a display device the at least partially matching media files in the list of matches; and dynamically changing the at least partially matching media files displayed on the display device as letter pieces are added and/or removed from the interface board until the sequence of letters spells a word that completely matches one associated word tag to result in one matching media file on the display device.
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Specification