Systems and methods for providing an electronic reader having interactive and educational features

• US 9,355,568 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyce S. Stone
• Original Assignee: Joyce S. Stone
• Inventors: Stone, Joyce S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US12/390,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20090239202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,657 Days
• Field of Search: 434/307.R, 434/307, 434/350
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic reader. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for providing an electronic reader having interactive and educational features. Generally, the electronic reader allows a user to view text on a visually perceptible output device (e.g., a screen) and to interact with the electronic reader through a tactile input device (e.g., a mouse). The user selects and, thereby, visually and/or audibly emphasizes words in the text through the use of the tactile input device. In some cases, the electronic reader records and reports the words that the user selects. Additionally, in some cases, pages of text displayed on the visually perceptible output device can be peeled back to reveal additional pages of text.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing an electronic reader to provide output by the electronic reader at a rate corresponding to a user in order to overcome a lack of user-specific focus, the method comprising:

providing, by a processor of a computer system, a text for digital access within the computer system, the computer system comprising a tactile input device and a visually perceptible output device;

displaying, by the processor, a first page of the text on the visually perceptible output device;

providing, by the processor, a user-controlled visualization in which the first page is configured to be turned to reveal a second page, wherein as the first page turns, a first perimeter of the first page is configured to appear to be peeled away from its original position, such that a portion of the first page appears to pivot about an axis, and such that the first portion of the first page appears to be placed face down to reveal the second page;

causing, by the processor, the first perimeter to appear as though it is curling back from its original position when a user passes a pointer over the first perimeter;

causing, by the processor, the first perimeter of the first page to appear to be peeled away from its original position and the first page to be turned when the user hard selects the first perimeter, wherein the hard selection comprises an action that is different than passing the pointer over the first perimeter; and

visually emphasizing, via the processor, a word of the text through the visually perceptible output device so as to distinguish the word from a surrounding word in the text when the pointer passes over or near the word from any direction,

wherein the word is at least one of;

(a) audibly and visually emphasized at a rate determined by the user when the pointer passes over or near the word in a reading direction, and wherein the pointer is required to pass over or near the word in the reading direction in order for the word to be both audibly and visually emphasized, and

(b) visually distinguished on the visually perceptible output device from the surrounding word through a first selection process which occurs when the pointer passes over or near the word, and in which the word is audibly emphasized when the word is selected through a second selection process that comprises an action that is different from the first selection process, and wherein a report of words selected through the second selection process is generated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the axis is disposed within the first page between the first perimeter and a second perimeter that is disposed substantially opposite to the first perimeter, and wherein the first perimeter of the first page is configured to be peeled over to the second perimeter of the first page as the first page is turned.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first perimeter of the first page comprises at least one of an upper-right-hand corner, a lower-right-hand corner, an upper-left-hand-corner, a lower-left hand corner, an upper edge, a lower edge, a right-hand edge, and a left-hand edge.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically audibly emphasizing the word without the word being selected and wherein the word is visually emphasized when the word is selected by the user.

5. A method for utilizing an electronic reader to provide output by the electronic reader at a rate corresponding to a user in order to overcome a lack of user-specific focus, the method comprising:

providing a, by a processor of a computer system, a text for digital access within the computer system, the computer system comprising a tactile input device and a visually perceptible output device;

displaying, by the processor, a first page of the text on the visually perceptible output device; and

emphasizing, by the processor, a word of the text when the word is selected through the use of the tactile input device, wherein the emphasizing of the word includes;

a first mode in which the word is visually distinguished on the visually perceptible output device from a neighboring word when a pointer passes over or near the word from any direction, and in which the word is audibly and visually emphasized at a rate determined by the user when the pointer specifically passes over or near the word in a reading direction, wherein the system is configured to require the pointer to pass over or near the word in the reading direction in order for the word to be both audibly and visually emphasized.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the emphasizing of the word is further accomplishable through a second mode in which the word is visually distinguished from the neighboring word through a first selection process which occurs when the pointer passes over or near the word, and in which the word is audibly emphasized when the word is selected through a second selection process that comprises an action that is different than the first selection process.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the emphasizing of the word is accomplishable through a third mode in which the word is visually distinguished from the neighboring word when the pointer passes over or near the word from any direction, and in which the word is not audibly emphasized.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the emphasizing of the word is accomplished through a fourth mode in which the word is automatically audibly emphasized, and in which the word is visually distinguished from the neighboring word.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing a report containing information selected from information associated with a user and information associated with the text.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising using the report to assess a subject selected from at least one of the following:

a user'"'"'s reading skill, the user'"'"'s reading weakness, problematic words for the user, problematic pronunciations for the user, the user'"'"'s progress, and the user'"'"'s reading pace.

15. The method of claim 6, further comprising compiling a report of words that are selected through the second selection process.

21. The method of claim 9, further comprising using the report to customize a reading experience for a particular user.

11. A computer program product for implementing within a computer system a method for utilizing an electronic reader to provide output by the electronic reader at a rate corresponding to a user in order to overcome a lack of user-specific focus, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable, non-transitory medium for providing computer program code means utilized to implement the method, wherein the computer program code means is comprised of executable code for implementing the steps for;

providing, by a processor of the computer system, a text for digital access within the computer system, the computer system comprising a tactile input device and a visually perceptible output device;

displaying, by the processor, a first page of the text on the visually perceptible output device; and

emphasizing, by the processor, a word of the text at a rate determined by the user when the word is selected through the use of the tactile input device, wherein the emphasizing of the word includes at least one of the following;

(i) a first mode in which the word is visually distinguished on the visually perceptible output device from a neighboring word when a pointer passes over or near the word from any direction, and in which the word is both audibly and visually emphasized when the pointer specifically passes over or near the word in a reading direction, wherein the executable code requires the pointer to pass over or near the word in the reading direction in order for the word to be both audibly and visually emphasized; and

(ii) a second mode in which the word is visually distinguished on the visually perceptible output device from the neighboring word through a first selection process which occurs when the pointer passes over or near the word, and in which the word is audibly emphasized when the word is selected through a second selection process that comprises an action that is different from the first selection process, and wherein a report of words selected through the second selection process is generated.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising executable code for providing a user-controlled visualization in which the first page appears to be turned to reveal a second page of the text by peeling a first perimeter of the first page away from its original position such that a portion of the first page appears to pivot about an axis, and such that the first page appears to be placed face down to reveal the second page, wherein the axis is disposed within the first page between a first perimeter and a second perimeter, which is disposed substantially opposite to the first perimeter, and wherein the first perimeter of the first page is configured to be peeled over to the second perimeter as the first page is turned.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising executable code for emphasizing the word through a third mode in which the word is automatically audibly emphasized, and in which the word is visually distinguished from the neighboring word.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising compiling a report of words that are selected through the first selection process.

16. A computer program product for implementing within a computer system a method for utilizing an electronic reader to provide output by the electronic reader at a rate corresponding to a user in order to overcome a lack of user-specific focus, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable, non-transitory medium for providing computer program code means utilized to implement the method, wherein the computer program code means is comprised of executable code for implementing the steps for;

providing, by a processor of the computer system, a text for digital access within the computer system, the computer system comprising a tactile input device and a visually perceptible output device; and

emphasizing, by the processor, a word of the text when the word is selected through the use of the tactile input device, wherein the emphasizing of the word includes implementing;

a first mode in which the word is visually distinguished on the visually perceptible output device from a neighboring word when a pointer passes over or near the word from any direction, and in which the word is audibly and visually emphasized at a rate determined by the user when the pointer specifically passes over or near the word in a reading direction, wherein the system is configured to require the pointer to pass over or near the word in the reading direction in order for the word to be both audibly and visually emphasized.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising executable code for implementing a second mode in which the word is visually distinguished from the neighboring word through a first selection process which occurs when the pointer passes over or near the word, and in which the word is audibly emphasized when the word is selected through a second selection process that comprises an action that is different from the first selection process.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising executable code for implementing a third mode in which the word is visually distinguished from the neighboring word when the pointer passes over or near the word from any direction, and in which the word is not audibly emphasized.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising executable code for implementing a fourth mode in which the word is automatically audibly emphasized, and in which the word is visually distinguished from the neighboring word when the word is selected.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising executable code for implementing a step for gathering information about the user'"'"'s use of the computer program product over a plurality of uses of such product.