Mathematics teaching apparatus with visual tactile and auditory stimuli

• US 8,961,184 B1
• Filed: 12/10/2010
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kid Knowledge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kid Knowledge, Inc.
• Inventors: Banko, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Sam
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUMPHREY, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US12/964,904
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 434/188, 434/191, 434/201, 434/202, 434/283, 434/322
• US Class Current: 434/188
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/02 Counting; Calculating abacus G06C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/025 with electrically operated apparatus or devices

Abstract

Apparatus for teaching mathematics has numerical and mathematical operational inputs by way of coded cards placed in respective card readers and a keypad that produces number values and numerical equations. The number values and equation results are compared to the numeric value of weight objects placed on a scale by the student. The apparatus is bi-directional in that unit weights are placed on the scale to attempt to match the numeric values and the equation solution values produced by the cards and keypad or the cards and keypad entries for numerical values and equations are made to match the numeric value of the unit weight objects on the scale. The student is informed of the result of the comparison in terms of correct or incorrect, or by explanatory messages to either increase or decrease the unit weight value or change the number value or the equation.

Claims

1. Apparatus for teaching mathematics, comprising:

a plurality of numeric cards each having a visible number thereon and electronically readable data code corresponding to the visible number;

a plurality of unit weight objects each having a unit weight value number;

a scale on which at least one of said unit weight objects is placed and which produces a unit weight value number signal corresponding to the number value of the at least one unit weight object on said scale;

first and second card readers each for reading the code data of a said numeric card and producing a number value signal corresponding to the visible number value of at least one said numeric card read by said first and second card readers;

a processor for comparing said number value signal from at least one of said first and second card readers and said unit weight number value signal and producing a result signal; and

at least one of a selectively operated visual display and sound apparatus operated by said processor for respectively displaying and enunciating said result signal in terms of a match or a difference between said number signal and said unit weight number value signal.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said processor further operates said at least one visual display and sound apparatus to display or enunciate said result signal in terms of a match, a deficiency or an excess in the difference between said number value signal and said result signal.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a said numeric card is accepted by both said first and second card readers and said processor uses the signals from both said first and second card readers to form said number value signal for comparison with said unit weight number value signal by said processor.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said processor further operates said at least one visual display and sound apparatus to respectively display and enunciate said result signal in terms of a match, a deficiency or an excess in the difference between the number value signal and said result signal.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said visual display produces a display in respectively different colors for a match, a deficiency and an excess.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a switch for selecting the operation of either or both of said visual display and said sound apparatus.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a keypad having number keys for keying in at least one number from which said number value signal is produced.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said microprocessor being capable of operating to produce said result signal either in a first mode in response to unit weight objects being placed on said scale to correspond to the number on a said numeric card presented to at least one of said first and second card readers, or in a third mode in which numeric cards are presented to at least one of said first and second card readers to produce a number value signal to be compared to a unit weight number value signal produced by said scale in response to at least one unit weight object already on said scale.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a switch to select operation of said processor to operate in one of said first or third modes.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising:

a plurality of operational cards each having a visible symbol corresponding to a mathematical operation and a machine readable code corresponding to the mathematical operation symbol viable thereon;

a third card reader for reading the code on a said operational card presented to said second reader and for producing a function signal corresponding to the mathematical operational signal;

wherein said processor receives a said number value signal from each of said first and second card readers and said mathematical operation signal from said third card reader forming a numeric equation and operates to first produce a solution signal of said equation, compare said solution signal with said unit weight number value signal from said scale and produces a result signal corresponding to the difference of the numerical values of the solution signal and the unit weights on said scale; and

at least one of a selectively operated visual display and sound apparatus responsive to and for respectively displaying and enunciating the result signal.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further comprising a keypad having number and mathematical operational keys for keying in the numeric equation from which said processor produces said solution signal.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said processor operates to produce said result signal in a second mode in response to unit weight objects being placed on said scale to attempt to match said solution signal of the numeric equation formed by cards in each of said first second and third card and in a fourth mode in which cards are presented to said first, second and third card readers to form an equation from which a solution signal is produced that is compared to a unit weigh value number signal produced by said processor in response to uniform weight objects already on said scale.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a switch to select operation of said processor to operate in one of said second or fourth modes.

14. Apparatus for teaching mathematics, comprising:

a plurality of numeric cards each having a visible number thereon and electronically readable data code corresponding to the visible number;

first and second card readers each for reading the code data of a said numeric card and producing a number value signal corresponding to the visible number value of at least one said numeric card read by said first and second card readers;

a plurality of operational cards each having a visible symbol corresponding to a mathematical operation and a machine readable code corresponding to the mathematical operation symbol visible thereon;

a third card reader for reading the code on a said operational card presented to said second reader and for producing a function signal corresponding to the mathematical operational signal;

a plurality of unit weight objects each having a unit weight value number;

a scale on which at least one of said unit weight objects is placed and which produces a unit weight value number signal corresponding to the number value of the at least one unit weight object on said scale; and

a processor that receives a said number value signal from each of said first and second card readers and said mathematical operation signal from said third card reader forming a numeric equation and operates to first produce a solution signal of said equation, compare said solution signal with said unit weight number value signal from said scale and produces a result signal corresponding to the difference of the numerical values of the solution signal and the unit weights on said scale; and

at least one of a selectively operated visual display and sound apparatus responsive to and for respectively displaying and enunciating the result signal.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said processor further operates said at least one visual display and sound apparatus to respectively display and enunciate said result signal in terms of a match, a deficiency or an excess in the difference between said solution signal and said result signal.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said processor operates to produce said result signal in a second mode in response to unit weight objects being placed on said scale to attempt to match said solution signal of the numeric equation formed by cards in each of said first second and third card and in a fourth mode in which cards are presented to said first, second and third card readers to form an equation from which a solution signal is produced that is compared to a unit weight value number signal produced by said processor in response to uniform weight objects already on said scale.

17. Apparatus for teaching mathematics, comprising:

a plurality of numeric cards each having a visible number thereon and electronically readable data code corresponding to the visible number;

first and second card readers each for reading the code data of a said numeric card and producing a number value signal corresponding to the visible number value of at least one said numeric card read by said first and second card readers;

a plurality of operational cards each having a visible symbol corresponding to a mathematical operation and a machine readable code corresponding to the mathematical operation symbol visible thereon;

a third card reader for reading the code on a said operational card presented to said second reader and for producing a function signal corresponding to the mathematical operational signal;

a plurality of unit weight objects each having a unit weight value number;

a scale on which at least one of said unit weight objects is placed and which produces a unit weight value number signal corresponding to the number value of the at least one unit weight object on said scale; and

a processor that receives a said number value signal from each of said first and second card readers and operates in a first mode to compare said number value signal from at least one of said first and second card readers and said unit weight number value signal and producing a first result signal, and said processor operating in a second mode by receiving said function signal from said third card reader, forming a numeric equation and operating to first produce a solution signal of said equation, compare said solution signal with said unit weight number value signal from said scale, and produce a second result signal corresponding to the difference of the numerical values of the solution signal and said unit weight number value signal; and

at least one of a selectively operated visual display and sound apparatus responsive to and for respectively displaying and enunciating one of said first and second result signals.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein said processor operates to produce said result first signal either in a first mode in response to unit weight objects being placed on said scale to correspond to the number on a said numeric card presented to at least one of said first and second card readers, or in a third mode in which numeric cards are presented to at least one of said first and second card readers to produce a number value signal to be compared to a unit weight number value signal produced by said scale in response to at least one unit weight object already on said scale;

and

wherein;

said processor operates to produce said second result signal in a second mode in response to unit weight objects being placed on said scale to attempt to match said solution signal of the numeric equation formed by cards in each of said first second and third card and in a fourth mode in which cards are presented to said first, second and third card readers to form an equation from which a solution signal is produced that is compared to a unit weight value number signal produced by said processor in response to uniform weight objects already on said scale.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein said processor further operates said at least one visual display and sound apparatus to display or enunciate said first result signal in terms of a match, a deficiency or an excess in the difference between said number value signal and said result signal and said second result signal in terms of a match, a deficiency or an excess in the difference between said solution signal and said result signal.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 further comprising a keypad having number and mathematical operational keys for keying in at least one number from which said number value signal is produced and the numeric equation from which said processor produces said solution signal.