Study aid apparatus and method of using study aid apparatus

• US 6,793,129 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chapman, Kelly, McClintock, Christa, Fishbach, Matthew P., Earp, Ann F., Hartzell, Andrew B., Wood, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel A.
• Application Number:
  US10/218,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20030077558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 434/322, 434/308, 434/309, 434/336, 434/317, 434/307, 434/335
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip

Abstract

A method of using a study aid apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving supplemental information associated with a printed textbook. After receiving the supplemental information, it can be loaded into a portable, study aid apparatus. The study aid apparatus is then used to help learn about subject matter in the textbook.

Claims

1. A portable, study aid apparatus for use in a system including the portable, study aid apparatus and a printed textbook, the portable, study aid apparatus comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a processor in the housing;

c) an audio device for providing supplemental information associated with the printed textbook to the user in audio form, wherein the audio device is coupled to the processor;

d) a memory for storing the supplemental information and being coupled to the processor, wherein the supplemental information comprises chapter-specific questions for the printed textbook;

e) an input device coupled to the processor, wherein the input device includes a directional button on the left side or the right side of the front face of the housing for identifying a choice among a list of answers to a particular question;

f) an enter button on the opposite side of the front face of the housing for entering the choice; and

g) a display device coupled to the processor and on the front face of the housing.

2. The portable, study aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein the study aid apparatus further comprises a keyboard, and wherein the supplemental information is downloaded from a server computer via the Internet.

3. The portable, study aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display device comprises a liquid crystal display device.

4. The portable, study aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein the audio device comprises a speaker.

5. The portable, study aid apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transferable information storage medium and a slot for the transferable information storage medium.

6. The portable, study aid apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a repeat button for repeating questions presented by the study aid apparatus.

7. A kit comprising:

the study aid apparatus of claim 1; and

a transferable information storage medium storing the supplemental information.

8. A system comprising:

the portable, study aid apparatus of claim 1;

a server computer;

a communication medium;

a client computer coupled to the server computer via the communication medium; and

a content database comprising the supplemental information coupled to the server computer.

9. A method for providing supplemental information for a printed textbook to a user, the method comprising:

a) receiving supplemental information for a plurality of printed textbooks;

b) storing the supplemental information for the plurality of textbooks in a database;

c) providing for a Website which allows a user to select supplemental information including chapter specific questions associated with a plurality of printed textbooks; and

d) sending the supplemental information to the user via the Internet, wherein the supplemental information is to be loaded into the portable, study aid apparatus of claim 1.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein sending the supplemental information associated with one or more of the textbooks in the plurality of textbooks to a user includes sending the supplemental information associated with the one or more textbooks in the plurality of textbooks from a server computer to a client computer via the Internet.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the apparatus comprises a speech synthesizer.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supplemental information further comprises supplementary outlines for chapters in the printed textbook.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the chapter specific questions comprise multiple choice questions.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supplemental information comprises chapter specific questions for a plurality of different textbooks.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supplemental information comprises a chapter review.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a speech synthesizer associated with the processor.

17. A system comprising:

the study aid apparatus of claim 1; and

the printed textbook.

18. The study aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein the directional button is on the left side and the enter button is on the right side.

19. The study aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein there is only one directional button in the study aid apparatus.

20. The study aid apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printed textbook includes a math textbook, a science textbook, a language arts textbook, a social studies textbook, or a foreign language textbook.