GB2186385A - Prompting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Prompting apparatus for a speaker speaking to a relatively small audience has a support 1 having a card holder 9 in which cards 10 are inserted. A mirror 11 reflects an image of the card 10 upwardly and is mounted on the support 1. An angled glass 13 positioned above the mirror 11 reflects an image of a card 10 towards the speaker behind the glass 13. A lens 12 may be disposed in the optical path between the card 10 and the angled glass 13. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Prompting apparatus This invention relates two prompting apparatus.

It has been known for some time to provide prompting apparatus for television performers and public speakers comprising an angled glass through which the performer or speaker looks at the television camera or audience while speaking. A script, usually on an elongate strip orscroll of paper is transported pasta mirror which reflects an image of the script onto the glass at such an angle that it can be seen by the performer or speaker while he is looking at the camera or the audience.

This arrangement works well but does require the entire script to be prepared in advance. This in turn is satisfactory for a television performer or a speaker who has an entire speech prepared but for a public speaker who may only be speaking to a relatively small audience does not wish to prepare every word of his speech in advance, it is impossible to provide a script for him by this method. Traditionally, public speakers prepare notes on wh at they areto speak on cards and these cards are arranged in front ofthe speaker, one behind the other.The speaker arranges his cards so that he is given notes on thevarious pointsaboutwhich he is to speak and having dealt with the points mentioned on one card, he puts that card to the back ofthe pile and speaks about the points on the next card. This does however require the speaker to look at his cards and away from the audience, which is unsatisfactory.

It is an object ofthis invention to provide prompting apparatus suitable for use by a speaker who wishes to have prompting information but does not wish to have a complete script of every word he is to speak.

According to this invention,there is provided prompting apparatus comprising a support, a card holder mounted on the support, a mirrorfor reflecting an image of the card upwards and mounted on the support, and an angled glass positioned above the mirror so as to reflect an image of the card towards the speaker behind the glass.

With this prompting apparatus the speaker can stand or sit behind the glass and looktowardshis audience while in fact reading prompting notes which appear on a card. In use, a number of cards would be positioned in the card holder containing notes on the various subjects aboutwhich the speakerwishesto speak and when the speaker has finished speaking about these subjects mentioned on the card he removes that card from the position in the holder where its image is reflected by the mirror and places it at the back ofthe pile. In thiswaythe speaker can have prompting information from cards supplied by a prompting apparatus to him while he is looking at an audience but does not need to look at the cards himself.

Preferably, the card holder is arranged to hold the cards vertically.

Preferably, a magnifying lens is provided in the optical path between the card holder and the glass.

In one embodiment of the invention, the lens is vertical and is disposed in the optical path between the card holder and the mirror. In a preferred version ofthis embodiment, the card holder and the lens are carried by a frame mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis with respect to the support from a position in which the lens is disposed between the cardholderandthemirrortoa position in which a card in the card holder is readily visible through the lens by a user.

In an alternative embodiment, the lens is disposed in the optical path between the mirror and the glass.

Preferably, the position of the card holder and/or that of the lens is movable in relation to the mirror.

Preferably, the card holder is adjustable for different widths of card.

It would be possible to provide a mechanical device for removing cards from the card holder.

In one prompting apparatus in accordance with this invention, the apparatus is arranged to receive a script cassette, positioned on the opposite side ofthe card holdertothe mirror so that if no card is in the card holder prompting information on a scroll in the cassette is reflected by the mirror so asto be visible afterfurther reflection by the glass by the user.

Such a cassette may have an internal motor.

Alternatively, the support may carry a motor provided with one part of a coupling device, the other part of the coupling device being carried by the cassette, the two parts of the coupling device being arranged to mate when the cassette is inserted into the prompting apparatus.

Prompting apparatus in accordance with this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, ofwhich Figure lisa perspective view of prompting apparatus in accordance with this invention with a cover lifted up so as to render visible the interior of the apparatus; Figure2 is a sectional elevation of an enclosure moulding, showing an active cassette, ofthe prompting apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a passive cassette usable in the prompting apparatus of Figure 1 in place ofthe active cassette shown Figure 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second prompting apparatus in accordance with this invention; Figure 5 is a side section elevation of a third prompting apparatus in accordance with this invention; and Figure 6 is a side sectional elevation showing a detail ofthe prompting apparatus shown in Figure 5.

Referring to Figure 1, the prompting apparatus comprises a generallyflat base 1 from which a vertical telescopic rod 2 projects, the rod 2 being pivoted at3to enablethe rod to be folded parallel to the basefortransport purposes.

The base 2 is an enclosure moulding shown in Figure 2 and has resting in it a cassette 4which carries an elongated scroll carrying prompting information. The two rolls on which the scroll is wound arevisible at 5 and 6. The scroll cassette4 shown in Figure 2 includes an internal motor (not indicated) for driving the scroll at a controllable speed. The scroll extends over the flat uppersurface 7 of the cassette 4 and down along a nearlyvertical surface 8 while being transported from one roll to the other. In Figure 2, cards 9 are shown in a card holder 10 but in the absence of such cards, prompting information on the part of the scroll extending vertically overthe surface 8 is reflected upwardly by a mirror 11 through an enlarged lens 12, also visible in Figure 1.The information is again reflected by an angled glass 13 carried bythe telescopic rod 2. In use, the base 1 is rested on a lectern and a speaker looks at the audience through the angled glass 13 and while looking at the audience can see the script information on the scroll in the cassette 4, assuming no cards 9 are present. What has been designated in both Figures 1 and 2 as rolls 5 and 6 are in fact knob extensions ofthe rolls for adjustment of their position. A control unit 14 is connected by a lead 15 to the motor in the cassette 4 and is operable to set the direction of motion of the scroll and its speed.

When cards 9 are present in the card holder 10, the information in the card holder 9 closest to mirror 12 is reflected upwardly in place of that on the scroll in the cassette 4.

Many speakers preferto use cards on which they only write short notes and like them in the required order. By removing the right-hand card 9, the information on the next card becomes visible to the speaker.

It is highly advantageous to have a relatively flat cassette 4 with a vertical surface over which the scroll passes and from which information is reflected upwardly and that enables a flat base to be provided which can be rested on a lectern.

The cassette 4 may be energised by two downwardly projecting pins designed to be received in sockets in the base 1 (the pins and sockets are not visible).

An alternative passive cassette is shown in Figure 3 and has no internal motor. This cassette is designated at 19 and the scroll 20 is visible as it extends over corner rolls 21 to provide an upperflat surface and a vertical surface ofthe scroll 20. The vertical surface which faces the mirror 11, in use, is thatwhich isseenatthefrontleft-hand cornerof Figure 3. The storage rolls ofthe cassette of 20 are designated at 5 and 6 and are driven via a coupling device in the cassette which engages a coupling device in the base 1 ,the latter coupling device being driven by a motor in the base 1. A passive cassette such as that shown in Figure 3 is obviously substantially cheaperthan an active cassette shown in Figure 2, such a passive cassette being used where there are a considerable number of speakers.

Figure 3 also shows an upper casing member 22to fitoverthescroll 21; slots 23 and 24forthe rolls 5and 6 can be seen. As can also be seen, there is slot 25 through which the optical path between the scroll 21 and the mirror 11 passes.

A casing forthe cassette 20 is indicated at 26 in Figure 3.

Another embodiment is shown in Figure 4 and this is generallysimilarto that of Figure 1 without having any provision for a cassette 4. The card 10 and the card holder 9 can be seen in Figure 4 as can the mirror11 and the glass 12. Instead of being horizontal, the lens 12 is vertical and is positioned between the card holder 10 and the mirror 11 but is not visible in Figure 4.

Referring now to Figure 5, a modification of the arrangement shown in Figure 4 is visible in this modification, the vertical lens 12 can be seen. The prompting apparatus of Figure 5 differs from that of Figure4 in thatthe lens 12 and the card holder 9 are mounted in a frame 27 swingable about a rod 28 in relation to the base 1 to which the rod 28 is fixed. The frame 27 may be swung around the rod 28 to the position shown in dotted outline in Figure 5 and in more detail in Figure 6. In this position, a speaker may directly view a card 10 in thecard holder9 through the lens 12. The position of the lens 12 may be moved in the direction of the arrow 29 for focussing purposes and similar adjustments of the position ofthe lens 29 is possible in the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In a modification of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, the motor control is via a pressure pad on the surface ofthe base 1. A changeover switch is provided for controlling the direction of rotation when the pressure pad is pressed, the speed of rotation being constant. In an alternative arrangement, the speed is dependent on the pressure applied to the pressure pad.

In yet another modification ofthe prompting apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, the motor is voice controlled by a voice actuated circuit.

Claims (9)

1. Prompting apparatus comprising a support, a card holder mounted on the support, a mirrorfor reflecting an image of the card upwards and mounted on the support, and an angled glass positioned above the mirror so as to reflect an image of the card towards the speaker behind the glass.

2. Prompting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the card holder is arranged to hold the cards vertically.

3. Prompting apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a magnifying lens is provided in the optical path between the card holder and the glass.

4. Prompting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lens is vertical and is disposed in the optical path between the card holder and the mirror.

5. Prompting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the card holder and the lens are carried by a frame mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis with respect to the support from a position in which the lens is disposed between the card holder and the mirror to a position in which a card in the card holder is readily visible through the lens by a user.

6. Prompting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lens is disposed in the optical path between the mirror and the glass.

7. Prompting apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 6, wherein the position of the card holder and/orthat of the lens is movable in relation to the mirror.

8. Prompting apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the card holder is adjustablefordifferentwidths of card.

9. Prompting apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.