Audio-visual work with a series of visual word symbols coordinated with oral word utterances

• US 5,741,136 A
• Filed: 09/22/1994
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Readspeak Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Readspeak Incorporated
• Inventors: Kirksey, William E., Morris, Kyle S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHENG, JOE H
• Application Number:
  US08/310,458
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 434/156, 434/157, 434/169, 434/185, 434/118, 434/307 R, 434/308, 434/365, 364/413.01, 364/413.03, 395/2.85, 395/751, 395/758, 395/759, 395/806, 395/807, 395/173, 395/326, 395/121, 395/152-154, 345/122, 446/224, 40/411, 40/416, 40/421, 40/427, 352/87
• US Class Current: 434/169
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address

Abstract

An audio-visual work and method of its creation which work has writings placed on the pictures of the work so that as each word or other utterance is heard a writing to be associated with the hearing is coordinated with seeing of the writing such that the future presentation of either the utterance or the writing shall evoke the other in the mind of the original viewer-listener. Each word will when appropriate appear in a legible perspective adjacent to the mouth of the utterer. The work can be displayed linearly or under computer control of the viewer/listener along with additional educational materials.

Claims

1. A teaching audio-visual work including pictorial scenes with natural communication situations for presentation to a viewer-listener comprising

(a) at least one pictorial scene comprising frames capable of having their visual portion displayed on a screen and their audio portion heard;

(b) a series of word utterances by at least one utterer with each utterer having a head in successive frames of such scene presentation;

(c) a series of visual word symbols, each such word symbol

(i) corresponding to and associable with each such word utterance,

(ii) capable of teaching the viewer-listened the visual appearance of the uttered word;

(iii) appearing adjacent the head of the utterer;

(iv) appearing briefly in such frames of the pictorial scenes, at the same time the word utterances are heard so that each such utterance and each such corresponding word symbol are associable at the same time by the viewer-listener as viewed, and

(v) visually appearing in the frame alone so that when the viewer-listener hears an utterance he or she can see only the corresponding words symbol and no other word symbol,

whereby the viewer-listener may associate each such utterance with each such word symbol to learn the visual appearance of the uttered word and the sound of the word symbol.

2. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the utterer has ears and in which the word symbols appear in a dialogue plane passing substantially perpendicular to a line through the utterer'"'"'s ears.

3. The audio-visual work of claim 2 in which such dialogue plane is at least sixty (60) degrees from such flat screen plane.

4. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the audio-visual has entertaining content.

5. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which two word symbols appear at one time, each of which word symbols have the same meaning.

6. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the series of word utterances are a series of spoken words separated by periods of non-speaking time and in which each word symbol to be associated with each spoken word is displayed during a period of time including the speaking of the word and the non-speaking periods of time before and after such speaking period and in which the word symbol is displayed during at least a part of the period the word is uttered.

7. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the scene presentation includes non-tutorial scenes with such word symbols superimposed on such scenes.

8. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which at least one word symbol is a logogram.

9. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which at least one word symbol is a pictogram.

10. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the pictorial scenes are presented without interruption in a linear manner.

11. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the pictorial scenes are presented in an interrupted non-linear manner by use of a computer operable by the viewer-listener.

12. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which a portion of the audio-visual work is expanded to extend the length of time the sound is heard.

13. The audio-visual of claim 1 in which a portion of the audio-visual work is expanded to extend the length of time the word symbol is seen.

14. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the writing symbols are visible only to a viewer with special reading devices.

15. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the word symbol is a word which mutates into a pictogram of the word.

16. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the series of visual word symbols have meaning in the context of such frames.

17. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which a dialogue plane is positioned through the head of an utterer and in which at least one word symbol appears in such dialogue plane or close to such dialogue plane.

18. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which an utterer'"'"'s head includes a face and lips and in which facial, labial and head motion associated with the word utterances are included in such frames.

19. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the word symbol appears for a selected time and during such time the word symbol is obscured by an object in the pictorial scene as frames change.

20. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the word symbols are shaped and angled to appear in three dimensions.

21. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the series of utterances are a series of words in sentence form having meaning.

22. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which such frames have objects thereon and in which the word symbols appear in frames as objects and are subject to the physical laws of other objects in the frames.

23. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the utterer has mouth and in which word symbols appear in perspective on a source line emanating from the utterer'"'"'s mouth.

24. The audio-visual work of claim 1 in which the same word is repetitively uttered during the audio-visual presentation.

25. The audio visual work of claim 1 in which the utterer has in addition displayed arms and hands which move to communicate the meaning of the word in sign language which word at the same time is displayed as a word symbol.

26. A teaching audio-visual work including pictorial scenes with natural communication situations for presentation to a viewer-listener comprising

(a) at least one pictorial scene comprising frames capable of having the visual portion displayed on a screen and their audio portion heard;

(b) a series of word utterances by at least one utterer having a head and a mouth appearing in the pictorial scene in successive frames of such scene presentation;

(c) a series of visual word symbols, each symbol capable of teaching the appearance of the word uttered as such symbols appear briefly within the frame of pictorial scenes at the time the corresponding word utterance is heard by the viewer-listener;

(d) each such word symbol being the only word displayed in the frame at the time of the corresponding word utterance;

(e) a dialogue plane through the utterer'"'"'s head; and

(f) each word symbol appearing as an object in the dialogue plane and having emerged from such utterer'"'"'s mouth and remaining adjacent the utterer'"'"'s head.

27. The audio-visual work of claim 26 in which at least one word symbol continues to appear after the viewer-listener'"'"'s hearing of the subsequent word utterance and in which a word symbol to be associated with such subsequent word utterance appears as such subsequent word utterance is heard.

28. The audio-visual work of claim 26 in which at least one word symbol appears in three-dimensional form.

29. The audio-visual work of claim 26 in which at least word symbol appears translucent.

30. The audio-visual work of claim 26 in which the series of word utterances are phases or sentences having meaning.

31. The audio-visual work of claim 26 in which at least one word symbol appears in semi-transparent form.

32. The audio-visual work of claim 26 in which at least one word symbol appears in wire framed form.

33. A teaching audio-visual work including pictorial scenes with natural communication situations for presentation to a viewer-listener comprising

(a) at least one pictorial scene comprising frames capable of having its visual portion displayed on a screen and its audio portion heard;

(b) a series of word utterances by at least one utterer with each utterer having a head in successive frames of such scene presentation;

(c) a series of visual word symbols, which are shaped and angled to appear in three-dimensions, one word symbol displayed in a frame portion near the head of the utterer and at least one other word symbol displayed in the frame portion remote from such head, each such word symbol displayed in the near frame portion

(i) corresponding to and associable with each such word utterance,

(ii) capable of teaching the viewer-listener the visual appearance of the uttered word;

(iii) appearing in the near frame portion so that the viewer-listener has an opportunity to be able to make such association, and

(iv) appearing in such frames of the pictorial scenes, at the same time the word utterances are heard so that each such utterance and each such corresponding word symbol are associable at the same time and for such length of time by the viewer-listener,

whereby the viewer-listener does associate each such utterance with each such word symbol to learn the visual appearance of the uttered word and the sound of the word symbol.

34. The audio-visual work of claim 33 in which the utterer has ears and in which the word symbols appear in a dialogue plane passing substantially perpendicular to a line through the utterer'"'"'s ears.

35. The audio-visual work of claim 34 in which such dialogue plane is at least sixty (60) degrees from such flat screen plane.

36. The audio-visual work of claim 33 in which the scene presentation includes non-tutorial scenes with such word symbols superimposed on such scenes.

37. The audio-visual work of claim 33 in which at least one word symbol is a logogram.

38. The audio-visual work of claim 33 in which at least one word symbol is a pictogram.

39. The audio-visual work of claim 33 in which the pictorial scenes are presented without interruption in a linear manner.

40. The audio-visual work of claim 33 in which the pictorial scenes are presented in an interrupted non-linear manner by use of a computer operable by the viewer-listener.

41. The audio-visual of claim 33 in which a portion of the audio-visual work is expanded to extend the length of time the first area word symbol is seen.

42. The audio-visual work of claim 33 in which a dialogue plane is positioned through the head of an utterer and in which at least one word symbol appears in such dialogue plane or close to such dialogue plane.

43. The audio-visual work of claim 33 in which an utterer'"'"'s head includes a face and lips and in which facial, labial and head motion associated with the word utterances are included in such frames.

44. The audio-visual work of claim 33 in which the word symbol appears for a selected time and during such time the word symbol is obscured by an object in the pictorial scene as frames change.

45. The audio-visual work of claim 33 in which the series of utterances are a series of words in sentence form having meaning.

46. A teaching audio-visual work including pictorial scenes with natural communication situations for presentation to a viewer-listener comprising

(a) at least one pictorial scene comprising frames capable of having their visual portion displayed on a screen and their audio portion heard;

(b) a series of word utterances by at least one utterer with each utterer having a head in successive frames of such scene presentation;

(c) a series of visual word symbols which are shaped and angled to appear in three dimensions, one word symbol;

displayed in a first display portion of the frame nearer the head of the utterer and other word symbol displayed in a second display portion further from the head of the utterer, each such word symbol displayed in the first display portion

(i) corresponding to and associable with each such word utterance,

(ii) capable of teaching the viewer-listener the visual appearance of the uttered word;

(iii) displayed so that the viewer-listener is provided the opportunity to associate the utterance and the word symbol;

(iv) appearing in such frames of the pictorial scenes, at the same time and for such sufficient time so that each such utterance and each such corresponding word symbol are associable by the viewer-listener as viewed, and

(v) appearing in the first display portion without other word symbols being displayed in such first display portion so that when the viewer-listener hears an utterance he or she associates only the first display portion displayed such;

word symbol and no other displayed word symbol,

whereby the viewer-listener may associate each such utterance with each such first displayed word symbol to learn the visual appearance of the uttered word and the sound of the word symbol.

47. The audio-visual work of claim 46 in which the utterer has ears and in which the word symbols appear in a dialogue plane passing substantially perpendicular to a line through the utterer'"'"'s ears.

48. The audio-visual work of claim 47 in which such dialogue plane is at least sixty (60) degrees from such flat screen plane.

49. The audio-visual work of claim 46 in which the scene presentation includes non-tutorial scene with such word symbols superimposed on such scenes.

50. The audio-visual work of claim 46 in which at least one word symbol is a logogram.

51. The audio-visual work of claim 46 in which at least one word symbol is a pictogram.

52. The audio-visual work of claim 46 in which the pictorial scenes are presented without interruption in a linear manner.

53. The audio-visual work of claim 46 in which the pictorial scenes are presented in an interrupted non-linear manner by use of a computer operable by the viewer-listener.

54. The audio-visual work of claim 46 in which a portion of the audio-visual work is expanded to extend the length of time the first portion word symbol is seen.

55. The audio-visual work of claim 46 in which a dialogue plane is positioned through the head of an utterer and in which at least one word symbol appears in such dialogue plane or close to such dialogue plane.

56. The audio-visual work of claim 46 in which an utterer'"'"'s head includes a face and lips and in which facial, labial and head motion associated with the word utterances are included in such frames.

57. The audio-visual work of claim 46 in which the word symbol appears for a selected time and during such time the word symbol is obscured by an object in the pictorial scene as frames change.

58. The audio-visual work of claim 46 in which the series of utterances are a series of words in sentence form having meaning.