Portable prompting aid for the developmentally disabled

• US 8,296,686 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Handhold Adaptive LLC
• Original Assignee: Handhold Adaptive LLC
• Inventors: Tedesco, Daniel E., Tedesco, Robert C., Jorasch, James A., Sammon, Russell P., Tedesco, Carey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Daeoo
• Application Number:
  US12/391,871
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 715/865, 434/112, 434/237, 434/238
• US Class Current: 715/865
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An aid for developmentally disabled individuals takes the form of a mobile terminal having software capable of creating graphical schedules, graphical countdown timers, and graphical choice selections. A caregiver may dynamically program and save schedules which present a graphical sequence of events to the disabled individual to assist the disabled individual in adjusting the changing events of the day. Likewise, the countdown timer may assist the individual in preparing for an upcoming transition in environment or activity. Still further, the graphical choice selections may help a nonverbal individual express themselves to a caregiver.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software adapted to operate with a mobile terminal having a vertical orientation having a longer axis extending from a top side to a bottom side and a horizontal orientation having the longer axis extending from a left side to a right side, the software with instructions to:

provide three functions to a first user, those functions including a graphical schedule creator, a graphical countdown timer, and a graphical choice selection;

interoperate with images from three image sources including a library of stock images, images taken by a camera associated with the mobile terminal, and downloaded from a distributed network;

allow the first user to select one of the functions such that

if the first user selects the countdown timer, the first user may;

select, from the three sources, a timer image associated with an activity to be performed by a second user;

allow the first user to set a duration of time for the activity to be performed by the second user and associate the timer with the timer image; and

activate the timer thereby beginning a countdown animation to convey visually that time is elapsing and show the timer image with the timer to the second user as the second user performs the activity;

if the first user selects the choice selection;

while the mobile terminal is in the vertical orientation, allow the first user to select two or more choice images from the image sources for later presentation to a second user, wherein the first user is initially offered a choice as to which source to use for selecting each of the two or more choice images, and if the first user selects the library of stock images, providing a list of categories of images stored in the library of stock images; and

while the mobile terminal is in the horizontal orientation, allow the first user to present the two or more choice images to the second user; and

if the first user selects the graphical schedule creator;

while the mobile terminal is in the vertical orientation, allow the first user to create a graphical schedule by allowing the first user to select one of the image sources, and

if the first user selects the library of stock images, present one or more categories of images;

receive a selection from the first user of one of the one or more categories of images; and

present one or more thematically-linked images associated with the selection from which the first user may make an image selection;

otherwise allow the first user to make a different image selection from a different image source;

save the graphical schedule for later use by a second user; and

display in the horizontal orientation for the second user the graphical schedule wherein images within the graphical schedule are enlarged in comparison to how images are presented in the vertical orientation.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the graphical schedule is integrated with the timer such that the timer is operative for each element within the graphical schedule and on expiration of the timer, an image within the graphical schedule indicates a new activity to perform.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2 wherein the timer is integrated with the graphical schedule such that the timer refers to a time until a next event within the schedule.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the software is further adapted to interface with a microphone to capture audio for use with the graphical schedule.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the software is further adapted to interface with a video camera to capture video for use with the graphical schedule.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the software includes further instructions allowing editing of saved schedules.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the software includes instructions to

allow the first user to set a time for an event within the schedule and link the time to a first of the one or more thematically-linked images;

and

progress through a plurality of events in the schedule by displaying an image linked to each event as time passes.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the software comprises further instructions allowing the first user to drag and drop images into the graphical schedule so as to rearrange the images within the graphical schedule.

9. A mobile terminal comprising:

a housing comprising a longer axis and positionable in a vertical orientation with the longer axis extending from a top side to a bottom side and a horizontal orientation with the longer axis extending from a left side to a right side;

a wireless transceiver operative to work in a wireless communication network and configured to access a computer network;

memory for storing software and an image library;

a user interface comprising;

a display;

a microphone; and

a camera; and

a control system operatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and the user interface and adapted to;

provide three functions to a first user, those functions including a graphical schedule creator, a graphical countdown timer, and a graphical choice selection;

interrelate the three functions with images from three image sources including the image library, images taken by the camera, and images downloaded from the computer network;

allow the first user to select one of the functions such that

if the first user selects the graphical countdown timer, the user may;

select, from the three sources, a timer image associated with an activity to be performed by a second user;

allow the first user to set a duration of time for the activity to be performed by the second user and associate the graphical countdown timer with the timer image; and

activate the graphical countdown tinier and show the timer image with the graphical countdown timer to the second user as the second user performs the activity;

if the first user selects the graphical choice selection;

while the mobile terminal is in the vertical orientation, allow the first user to select two choice images from the image sources for later presentation to a second user, wherein the first user is initially offered a choice as to which source to use for selecting each of the two choice images, and if the first user selects the image library, providing a list of categories of images stored in the image library; and

while the mobile terminal is in the horizontal orientation, allow the first user to present the two choice images to the second user; and

if the first user selects the graphical schedule creator;

while the mobile terminal is in the vertical orientation, allow the first user to create a graphical schedule by allowing the first user to select one of the image sources, and

if the first user selects the image library, present one or more categories of images;

receive a selection from the first user of one of the one or more categories of images; and

present one or more thematically-linked images associated with the selection from which the first user may make an image selection;

otherwise allow the first user to make a different image selection from a different image source;

display in the horizontal orientation for a second user the graphical schedule

save the graphical schedule for later use by the second user; and

present the graphical schedule to the second user through the user interface in the horizontal orientation, wherein images within the graphical schedule are enlarged in comparison to how images are presented in the vertical orientation.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9 wherein the display comprises a touch screen display.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9 wherein the wireless transceiver is adapted to allow telephony functions for the mobile terminal.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9 wherein the camera is adapted to capture still and video images.

13. A method comprising:

providing three functions to a first user of a mobile terminal comprising a housing comprising a longer axis and positionable in a vertical orientation with the longer axis extending from a top side to a bottom side and a horizontal orientation with the longer axis extending from a left side to a right side, those functions including a graphical schedule creator, a graphical countdown timer, and a graphical choice selection;

providing images from three image sources including an image library, images taken by a camera associated with the mobile terminal, and downloaded from a distributed computer network;

allowing the first user to select one of the functions through a user interface on the mobile terminal such that

if the first user selects the graphical countdown tinier, the user may;

select, from the three sources, a timer image associated with an activity to be performed by a second user;

allow the first user to set a duration of time for the activity to be performed by the second user and associate the graphical countdown timer with the timer image; and

activate the graphical countdown timer and show the timer image with the graphical countdown timer to the second user as the second user performs the activity;

if the first user selects the graphical choice selection;

while the mobile terminal is in the vertical orientation, allow the first user to select two choice images from the image sources for later presentation to a second user, wherein the first user is initially offered a choice as to which source to use for selecting each of the two choice images, and if the first user selects the image library, providing a list of categories of images stored in the image library; and

while the mobile terminal is in the horizontal orientation, allow the first user to present the two choice images to the second user; and

if the first user selects the graphical schedule creator;

while the mobile terminal is in the vertical orientation, allow the first user to create a graphical schedule by allowing the first user to select one of the image sources, and

if the first user selects the image library, present one or more categories of images;

receive a selection from the first user of one of the one or more categories of images; and

present one or more thematically-linked images associated with the selection from which the first user may make an image selection;

otherwise allow the first user to make a different image selection from a different image source;

saving the graphical schedule for later use by a second user; and

displaying in the horizontal orientation for the second user the graphical schedule, wherein images within the graphical schedule are enlarged in comparison to how images are presented in the vertical orientation.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising allowing the first user to record audio files to link to the graphical schedule.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising allowing telephonic conversation on the mobile terminal.