System and method for training users with audible answers to spoken questions

• US 8,202,094 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Radmila Solutions LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Spector, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARLOS, ALVIN LEABRES
• Application Number:
  US10/983,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20050064374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,783 Days
• Field of Search: 434/116, 434156-157, 434/167, 434/169, 434/185, 434/323, 434/350, 434/118, 434/247, 434/322, 434/353, 704/1, 704/244, 704/251, 704/257, 704/270, 704/275, 704/278
• US Class Current: 434/169
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/006 with audible presentation of the material to be studied audio and audio-visual teaching apparatus in general G09B5/04, G09B5/06

Abstract

A phonics training system provides immediate, audible and virtual answers to questions regarding various images such as objects, animals and people, posed by a user when the user views such images on a video display terminal of the system. The system can provide virtual answers to questions without the need for an instruction or teacher and includes a computer having a video output terminal and an electronic library containing common answers to basic questions. This system can also include an artificial intelligence system.

Claims

1. A virtual learning system comprising:

an image library included in a first database that is communicatively coupled to a computer, wherein the image library includes stored images of objects;

an electronic dictionary included in the first database or in another database communicatively coupled to the computer, wherein the electronic dictionary includes information relating to stored phonetic sounds of words that identify the stored images of objects in the image library and information relating to alphanumeric characters of an alphabet that spell words associated with the stored images of objects in the image library; and

a voice recognition unit communicatively coupled to the computer, wherein the voice recognition unit is configured to;

receive a training command to associate future inputs of an utterance with a word that identifies an object, wherein the utterance is different from a pronunciation of the word that identifies the object,

receive a sound pattern input of the utterance from a user,

associate the utterance with the word that identifies the object according to the training command, and

provide a digital recognition output corresponding to the sound pattern input;

wherein the computer is configured to scan the database to find an entry matching the digital recognition output, and, when a matching entry is found, to present on a display alphanumeric characters representing a word or a sound from the electronic dictionary that corresponds to the digital recognition output and an image from the stored images of objects in the image library that is associated with the word or the sound presented on the display, wherein the image presented on the display corresponds to a graphical representation of an object identified by the word or the sound presented on the display.

2. The virtual learning system of claim 1, further comprising a motion condition generation unit configured to present a predetermined motion condition to the user.

3. The virtual learning system of claim 2, further comprising an evaluation generation unit communicatively coupled to the computer, wherein the evaluation generation unit is configured to generate an evaluation result that is presented on the display, wherein the evaluation result indicates if the indicator presented on the display was moved correctly according to the predetermined motion condition.

4. The virtual learning system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic answer database communicatively coupled to the computer, wherein the electronic answer database includes a plurality of common inquires about the stored images and respective answers to the plurality of common inquiries about the stored images.

5. The virtual learning system of claim 4, wherein the voice recognition unit is configured to receive a second sound pattern input from the user and provide a second digital recognition output in response to the second sound pattern input, wherein the computer is further configured to compare the second digital recognition output to the plurality of common inquiries and present on the display the respective answer to a common inquiry that matches the second digital recognition output.

6. The virtual learning system of claim 5, wherein the computer is further configured to audibly present the answer to the user.

7. The virtual learning system of claim 6, wherein the computer is further configured to present an image of a human on the display that is synchronized with the presentation of the answer.

8. The virtual learning system of claim 7, wherein the computer is further configured to allow the user to customize the image of the human.

9. The virtual learning system of claim 8, wherein the computer is further configured to allow the user to customize a visual appearance of the image of the human.

10. The virtual learning system of claim 8, wherein the computer is further configured to customize an audio or voice output for the image of the human.

11. The virtual learning system of claim 8, wherein the computer is further configured to customize a personality profile for the image of the human.

12. The virtual learning system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further configured to create a profile for a user, wherein the profile is associated with a particular instruction set that corresponds to the user.

13. The virtual learning system of claim 1, further comprising a random access selector communicatively coupled to the computer, wherein the random access selector is configured to receive a request for random access from a user, and select a word from the first database at random in response to the request.

14. The virtual learning system of claim 13, further comprising an audio playback unit communicatively coupled to the computer and configured to play audio content corresponding to the randomly selected word, such that the user hears the randomly selected word spoken by the audio playback unit.

42. The virtual learning system of claim 1, further comprising:

a video camera configured to detect movement of the user; and

a movement recognition unit communicatively coupled to the computer and configured to receive information representative of the movement detected by the video camera, and cause an indicator presented on the display to move according to the movement of the user.

15. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a voice recognition unit, a training command to associate future inputs of an utterance with a word that identifies an object, wherein the utterance is different from a pronunciation of the entire word that identifies the object;

receiving, at the voice recognition unit, a sound pattern input that includes the utterance that is articulated by a user;

associating, at the voice recognition unit, the utterance with the word that identifies the object according to the training command;

providing, via the voice recognition unit, a digital recognition output corresponding to the word that identifies the object to a computer;

scanning, by the computer, a database to find an entry matching the digital recognition output; and

in response to finding a matching entry, presenting on a display coupled to the computer alphanumeric characters representing a word or a sound from the database that corresponds to the digital recognition output and an image of an object stored in the database that is associated with the word or the sound presented on the display, wherein the image presented on the display corresponds to a graphical representation of an object identified by the word or the sound presented on the display, and wherein the database is configured to store a plurality of images of objects and information relating to stored phonetic sounds of words that identify the stored plurality of images of objects and information relating to alphanumeric characters of an alphabet that spell words associated with the stored plurality of images of objects.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising presenting a predetermined motion condition to the user on the display using a motion condition generation unit.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating an evaluation result using an evaluation generation unit and presenting the evaluation result on the display, wherein the evaluation result indicates if the indicator presented on the display was moved correctly according to the predetermined motion condition.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a second sound pattern input from the user at the voice recognition unit;

providing a second digital recognition output from the voice recognition unit to the computer in response to the second sound pattern input;

comparing, by the computer, the second digital recognition output to a plurality of common inquiries about the images of object stored in the database;

selecting a respective answer that corresponds to the common inquiry that matches the second digital recognition output; and

presenting on the display the respective answer to the common inquiry that matches the second digital recognition output.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising audibly presenting the respective answer to the user.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising presenting an image of a human on the display that is synchronized with said presenting the respective answer.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising customizing, via the computer, the image of the human in response to an input from the user.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said customizing the image of the human comprises at least one of customizing a visual appearance of the image of the human, customizing an audio or voice output for the image of the human, and customizing a personality profile for the image of the human.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising creating a profile for a user via the computer, wherein the profile is associated with a particular instruction set that corresponds to the user.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising detecting the movement of the user using the video camera.

43. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving information representative of movement of the user detected by a video camera at a movement recognition unit; and

causing, via a movement recognition unit, an indicator presented on the display to move according to the movement of the user.

25. A virtual learning system comprising:

an image library included in a first database that is communicatively coupled to a computer, wherein the image library includes stored images of objects;

an electronic dictionary included in the first database or in another database communicatively coupled to the computer, wherein the electronic dictionary includes information relating to stored phonetic sounds of words that identify the stored images of objects in the image library and information relating to alphanumeric characters of an alphabet that spell words associated with the stored images of objects in the image library; and

a voice recognition unit communicatively coupled to the computer, wherein the voice recognition unit is configured to;

receive a training command to associate future inputs of an utterance with a word that identifies an object, wherein the utterance is different from a pronunciation of the word that identifies the object,

receive a sound pattern input of the utterance from a user,

associate the utterance with the word that identifies the object according to the training command, and

provide a digital recognition output corresponding to the sound pattern input;

wherein the computer is configured to scan the database to find an entry matching the digital recognition output, and, when a matching entry is found, to present on a display alphanumeric characters representing a word or a sound from the electronic dictionary that corresponds to the digital recognition output and an image from the stored images of objects in the image library that is associated with the word or the sound presented on the display.

26. The virtual learning system of claim 25, wherein the utterance is a pronunciation of only a portion of the word that identifies the object.

27. The virtual learning system of claim 25, wherein the voice recognition unit is further configured to receive a training command to permanently associate the utterance with the word that identifies the object.

28. The virtual learning system of claim 25, further comprising an electronic answer database communicatively coupled to the computer, wherein the electronic answer database includes a plurality of common inquires about the stored images and respective answers to the plurality of common inquiries about the stored images.

29. The virtual learning system of claim 28, wherein the voice recognition unit is configured to receive a second sound pattern input from the user and provide a second digital recognition output in response to the second sound pattern input, wherein the computer is further configured to compare the second digital recognition output to the plurality of common inquiries and present on the display the respective answer to a common inquiry that matches the second digital recognition output.

30. The virtual learning system of claim 29, wherein the computer is further configured to audibly present the answer to the user.

31. The virtual learning system of claim 30, wherein the computer is further configured to present an image of a human on the display that is synchronized with the presentation of the answer.

32. The virtual learning system of claim 31, wherein the computer is further configured to allow the user to customize at least one of a visual appearance of the image of the human, an audio or voice output for the image of the human, or a personality profile for the image of the human.

33. The virtual learning system of claim 25, wherein the computer is further configured to create a profile for a user, wherein the profile is associated with a particular instruction set that corresponds to the user.

34. The virtual learning system of claim 25, wherein the computer is configured to receive from a user selection of an image that is to correspond to the utterance.

35. A computer-implemented method of teaching a user who is unable to articulate a word normally associated with a given object, the method comprising:

sending, to a voice recognition unit, a training command to associate future inputs of an utterance with a word that identifies an object, wherein the utterance is different from a pronunciation of the entire word that identifies the object;

sending the voice recognition unit a voice input of the utterance that is articulated by a user;

causing the voice recognition unit to associate the utterance with the word that identifies the object according to the training command;

receiving, from the voice recognition unit, a digital recognition result corresponding to the word that identifies the object;

retrieving at least one of an image associated with the word, a textual representation of the word, and an audible representation of the word from a database by comparing the digital recognition result to a plurality of possible results stored in a database; and

presenting the at least one of the image, the textual representation, and the audible representation to the user in response to the utterance using a display.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein sending the voice recognition unit a voice input of the utterance includes sending the voice recognition unit data representing a pronunciation of only a portion of the word that identifies the object.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said sending a training command comprises sending a training command to permanently associate the utterance with the word that identifies the object.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein said sending a training command comprises sending a selection of an image that corresponds to the object from an image library and causing association of the utterance with the word that identifies the image.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

sending a sound pattern input from the user to the voice recognition unit;

receiving a second digital recognition result from the voice recognition unit in response to the sound pattern input;

comparing, by the computer, the second digital recognition result to a plurality of inquiries about the images of object stored in the database;

selecting a respective answer that corresponds to the inquiry that matches the second digital recognition result; and

presenting on the display the respective answer to the inquiry that matches the second digital recognition result.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising audibly presenting the respective answer to the user.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising presenting an image of a human on the display that is synchronized with said presenting the respective answer.

44. A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions for sending, to a voice recognition unit, a training command to associate future inputs of an utterance with a word that identifies an object, wherein the utterance is different from a pronunciation of the entire word that identifies the object;

instructions for sending the voice recognition unit a voice input of the utterance that is articulated by a user;

instructions for causing the voice recognition unit to associate the utterance with the word that identifies the object according to the training command;

instructions for receiving, from the voice recognition unit, a digital recognition result corresponding to the word that identifies the object;

instructions for retrieving at least one of an image associated with the word, a textual representation of the word, and an audible representation of the word from a database by comparing the digital recognition result to a plurality of possible results stored in a database; and

instructions for causing presentation of the at least one of the image, the textual representation, and the audible representation to the user in response to the utterance.