Reader device having various functionalities

• US 8,787,672 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2008
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: In-Dot Limited
• Original Assignee: In-Dot Limited
• Inventors: Raichman, Yossef, Ben-Tolila, Itsick, Cohen, Moshe
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOLDEMARIAM, AKLILU K
• Application Number:
  US12/530,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20100104201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,325 Days
• Field of Search: 382/181, 235/470, 235/469, 235/454, 235/462
• US Class Current: 382/181
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/02 Methods for producing synthetic speech; Speech synthesisers

Abstract

A reader device for identifying a label associated with a section of a printed publication and presenting first information adjusted for the section. The device comprises a sensing unit for reading a unique machine-readable representation of the first information from the label, a voice recognition unit for intercepting a voice message having a related audio signature associated with second information, a processing unit for identifying the first information according to the representation and the second information according to the related audio signature, and a presentation unit configured for presenting the first and second information.

Claims

1. A reader device comprising:

a recording unit configured to record content records, each of said content records selected from the group consisting of;

an audio recording, a video recording and an audio and video recording;

a repository configured to store (a) said content records, and (b) unique codes associated with the content records;

a sensing unit configured to read printed labels located in or on a printed publication,

wherein each of said printed labels (a) is associated with a section of the printed publication, (b) encodes one of said unique codes, and (c) is selected from the group consisting of a color label, a monochrome label, a mark, a spot, a label having a unique color combination, and a label having a unique shades of gray color combination;

a presentation unit configured to play said content records, wherein each of said content records is associated with a specific one of said unique codes; and

a processing unit configured to (a) identify one of said unique codes when said sensing unit reads one of said printed labels, and (b) instruct said presentation unit to play one of said content records which is associated with the identified one of said unique codes.

2. The reader device of claim 1, further comprising a voice recognition unit configured for intercepting a voice message having a related audio signature associated with one of said content records, wherein said processing unit is further configured for identifying one of said content records according to said related audio signature.

3. The reader device of claim 2, wherein said voice message being a possible answer to a question recorded in one of said content records.

4. The reader device of claim 2, wherein said voice message being instructions to said processing unit, said processing unit further configured for identifying said instructions according to the related audio signature.

5. The reader device of claim 2, wherein each of said content records comprises a respective identifier, said identifying being performed by matching said related audio signature with said respective identifiers, thereby determining one of said plurality of content records.

6. The reader device of claim 2, wherein said voice recognition unit is configured for identifying a user according to a voiceprint in said voice message, said processing unit configured for identifying the second information according to the related audio signature and said user.

7. The reader device of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface for communicating with an additional reader device.

8. The reader device of claim 1, wherein said label is presented on a screen display.

9. The reader device of claim 1, wherein said label is a sticker.

10. The reader device of claim 1, wherein each of said content records comprises a member of the following group:

a translation of the section, an answer that matches a question in the section, a description of the section, a description of the label, a description of the color of the section, a description of the color of the label, and an outcome of an exercise in the section.

11. The reader device of claim 1, wherein said sensing unit comprises a light source unit configured for emitting a light beam toward the label, the label comprising photoluminescent components, said light beam causing a photoluminescent excitation of said photoluminescent components, and a photoelectric sensor configured for intercepting at least a portion of the emission of said photoluminescent excitation and thereby reading one or said plurality unique machine-readable representations from the label.

12. The reader device of claim 11, wherein said label is imperceptible when said photoluminescent excitation decreases below a related excitation threshold.

13. The reader device of claim 1, wherein said sensor is usable for at least one member of the group consisting of:

receiving configuration instructions for said reader device, communicating with an additional reader device, and choosing a working mode of said reader device.

14. The reader device of claim 13, wherein said member is choosing a working mode of said reader device, said sensor is an image sensor for intercepting light, said image sensor choosing said working mode according to the intensity of said light.

15. The reader device of claim 13, wherein said content record have a respective identifier, said identifying being performed by matching said representation with said respective identifiers, thereby determining which one of said plurality of content records is said first information.

16. The reader device of claim 13 wherein said member is communicating with an additional reader device, said sensor comprises an image sensor for intercepting light, said image sensor being configured for receiving light flickering, said processing unit configured for determining the information according to said light flickering.

17. The reader device of claim 13, wherein said sensor further comprises a light emitting element for transmitting light flickering, said flickering represents instruction for said additional reader device.

18. A system for allowing a user to interactively read a book, said system comprising:

a plurality of labels configured to be associated with sections of the book, wherein each of said plurality of labels encodes a unique code and is selected from the group consisting of a color label, a monochrome label, a mark, a spot, a label having a unique color combination, and a label having a unique shades of gray color combination;

a repository having a plurality of content records each associated with a different one of said unique codes, wherein each of said plurality of content records is selected from the group consisting of;

an audio recording, a video recording and an audio and video recording; and

a first reader device configured for reading said respective unique code of each said label and presenting a first content record from said plurality of content records in response.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a second reader device configured for reading said respective unique code of each said label and presenting a second content record from said plurality of content records;

wherein said first and second reader devices are respectively configured for reading a first group and a second group of said labels, said respective unique code of members of said first group being adjusted for said first reader device, said respective unique code of members of said second group being adjusted for said second reader device.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said first and second content records are different.

21. A method for identifying and presenting information using a label, the label encoding a unique code, the label being associated with a section of a printed publication and is selected from the group consisting of a color label, a monochrome label, a mark, a spot, a label having a unique color combination, and a label having a unique shades of gray color combination, the information being adjusted for the section, said method comprising:

a) reading the unique code from a label using an image sensor of a reader device;

b) recording by a user a first content record comprising a voice message from a user using an microphone of said reader device;

c) associating said content record with said unique code;

d) rereading said unique code using said image sensor of said reader device;

e) identifying said content record in response to said rereading; and

e) presenting said content record to said user using said reader device.