WO2002075695A1

WO2002075695A1 - System and a method of presenting information, as well as a program code and a storage device including the program code

Info

Publication number: WO2002075695A1
Application number: PCT/DK2002/000180
Authority: WO
Inventors: Niels Uldall-Hansen
Original assignee: Niels Uldall-Hansen
Priority date: 2001-03-19
Filing date: 2002-03-19
Publication date: 2002-09-26
Also published as: DK200100457A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for presenting electronic information to a user. The system comprises inter alia a memory including the information segments of a predefined sequence and a plurality of additional information segments. These segments are attached to level values reflecting the grade level of the information therein. In addition, the memory includes relational data associating the individual segments of a plurality of segments in the sequence to at least one of the additional sequences. The control unit is adapted prior to the presentation of an instantaneous segment in a sequential presentation of segments to select a segment among the instantaneous segmentand the additional segments associated with said instantaneous segment, where the level value of said selected segment corresponds to or approximately corresponds to a desired understandability, viz. grade level. The selected segment or a representation thereof is subsequently presented to the user. The invention relates furthermore to a method of presenting electronic information to a user, as well as to a program code and a storage device including a program code which can make a computer carry out a method according to the invention.

Description

Title: System and a method of presenting information, as well as a program code and a storage device including the program code-

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system for presenting electronic information to a user, where the system comprises an output unit, such as a computer screen, adapted to present information; a memory including a predefined sequence of information segments; an input unit, such as a keyboard or a computer mouse, adapted to receive input from the user; as well as a control unit, such as a CPU, adapted to continuously read the individual segments of the sequence from the memory and to present said segments or a representation thereof through said output unit; and where the memory includes a plurality of additional information segments; a plurality of level values attached to the segments of the sequence and to the additional segments; said level values reflecting the understandability, viz. the grade level, of the information contained in said segments; as well as relational data associating each segment of a plural- ity of segments in the sequence with at least one of the additional segments.

Back round Art

In connection with education a demand applies for instance for a possibility of using systems which can present electronic information to a user. Such a presentation is desired in various situations, such as in connection with the education at a school, in connection with distance education via a network or the like, in connection with dissemination of information to the staff of a company, or in other situations where it is desired to present electronical information to a user. Thus systems for presenting electronic information can be used when a user or a student is to read a text in connection with reading practice, language teaching or when said user looks for information concerning a specific subject, hus the systems for presentation can advantageously be used for education, but it should be underlined that these systems can, of course, be used in other situations as well where it is desired to present electronic information to a user, such as when a user wants to read or reread a text.

It is well-known to use systems which are able to continuously present information to a user, said information being in form of a sequence of information segments stored in a memory in the system or in form of a representation of said information segments. An information segment can include text information, such as one or more words, one or more sentences or one or more text segments. Beyond being in form of text, the information can also be in form of sound, images and film cuts or a combination thereof. Thus it is well known in connection with education to present multimedia informa- tion where a combination of text, sound and images are presented to a user.

It is well known to structure a system of this type in connection with a control unit, such as a central control unit or CPU, and for instance to implement said system in a computer comprising an output unit, such as a computer screen; a memory, such as a hard disk; a CD-ROM drive; a floppy drive and an input unit, such as a keyboard or a computer mouse. Thus the memory of the system can include a predefined sequence of information segments and a program code which can instruct the computer to present said segments or a representation thereof to a user via the output unit.

The system can be adapted to present an information segment or a representation thereof on an output unit each time the user instruct the system to do so via the input unit of said system. Alternatively, the system can automatically carry out a continuous presentation of the sequences of a selected information sequence, pauses of a predetermined length being encoded at suitable intervals during the presentation in such a manner that the user has time to receive and understand the information presented.

US-PS No. 6,091,930 describes an information presentation system of the type men- tioned in the preamble of claim 1. The system includes information in form of a plurality of subject-related sequences comprising a plurality of chapters. Each sequence has been categorized in predetermined knowledge levels reflecting the technical level of the chapters in the sequence. Thus the system is adapted in such a manner that during a presentation the user can dynamically interrupt the running presentation so as thereby to select another sequential presentation.

Although the above systems of the prior art have proven suitable for presenting information to a user, the object of the invention is to provide an improved system of the type indicated in the preamble of claim 1.

Brief Description of the Invention

The object of the invention is obtained by the additional segments including the same or at least approximately the same information content as the associated segment; and by the control unit being adapted prior to the presentation of an instantaneous segment in the sequence during said continuous presentation to select a segment among the instantaneous segment and the additional segments associated with said instantaneous segment, where the level value of said selected segment matches or approximately matches a desired level of understandability, viz. grade level; and to present said selected segment or a representation thereof instead of the instantaneous segment in the sequence.

As a result, the system can present a text with a desired grade level to a user, which in turn implies that the system can continuously present information to a user where the information is of a grade level reflecting the wishes and requirements of the user. It should be noted that the level of understandability, viz. the grade level, of a text can for instance be determined as a so-called LIX value. LIX or readability index is a method of determining how easy or difficult a text is fo read. It should be noted that LIX is nothing but an example of a measure of the grade level and that other measures can be used as well. In this connection it is possible in connection with the determination of the grade level to take into account for instance the speed at which the data are pre- sented to the user. A suitable structure of the information segments in the system allows said system to present for instance text with a predetermined information content to various users having different reading skills. In this manner several users can be presented to the same or approximately the same information content, but presented in different ways in such a manner that each user benefits from the presentation. The latter is particularly advantageous in connection with education because students having various skill levels and being at various educational levels can easily and quickly receive information exactly corresponding to the skills of each student.

Finally, the system benefits from the fact that the users can easily be presented to information of a desired grade level without necessitating various searches and a possible transmission of information of an undesired grade level, for instance via a computer network, such as the internet. As a result, a reduced load of the system or an improved utilization of the resources of the system is obtained, which is particularly advantageous in connection with a multiuser system suffering from a limited capacity.

According to a preferred embodiment, the memory includes a plurality of predefined grade level values reflecting the desired grade level for the segments of the sequence, and the system is adapted to continuously adjust the desired grade level on the basis of said grade level values with the result that said grade level can be changed during the presentation of the sequence. In this manner it is possible to change the grade level so as to match a predefined progress during the presentation of the sequence. The latter is for instance particularly advantageous in the situation where for instance easily understandable text data are advantageously presented in form of segments of an increased grade level, whereas text data difficult to understand, such as complicated specialist literature, are advantageously presented in form of segments of a reduced grade level so as to ensure that the user benefits from the text to a maximum. As the text is typically of a varying degree of readability, i.e. some chapters are easier to understand than other chapters, it is often advantageous to adjust the grade level of the text while the presentation is running. As a result, it is very easy and fast for the user to read and understand the information presented. Corresponding circumstances apply to other types of data beyond text data, such as speech data.

According to another preferred embodiment, the system is adapted to continuously determine a plurality of grade level values reflecting the desired grade level of the segments in the sequence; and to continuously adjust the desired grade level on the basis of said grade level values. As a result, a flexible system is obtained because the directions for determining the desired grade level can easily be changed in such a manner that the progress of the grade level during a presentation can for instance be adapted to any user or any user profile.

In addition, it is advantageous to change the grade level during a presentation because typically the desired or optimum grade level of a user varies during a presentation. The latter is due to the fact that usually the user must read for some time before he or she has become familiar with the structure and language of the text, and furthermore because usually the concentration of the user varies during the reading. Finally, the user increases his or her knowledge while the presentation is running, in particular in connection with long presentations with the result that it is in fact possible to increase the grade level of the text. In this manner the user benefits in an improved manner from the text, such as in connection with reading practice or language teaching.

In addition to the above advantages, a considerable reduction of the requirements presented to the storing capacity of the system is obtained because the information segments stored and their relation can be utilized for generating a high number of text segments with approximately the same information content, but with a grade level varying in various ways. If all these presentations where to be stored in a conventional manner, such a storing would require a high storing capacity and involve a very re- source-requiring search for texts of a predetermined progress with respect to the grade level. In addition, such a system is very dynamic because the data presented are easily selected with the result that a desired progress of the grade level is obtained. According to a preferred embodiment, the system is adapted to continuously adjust the desired grade level on the basis of a signal from the input unit. As a result, it is possible to continuously adjust the grade level in such a manner that said level is adapted to the instant requirements of the user. The user can for instance indicate that the grade level is a little too high whereafter the system can downgrade said grade level. In this manner the user can interactively communicate with the system in such a manner that an optimum grade level is always ensured for the user.

A particularly advantageous combination is obtained, viz. that the system is adapted to adjust the progress of the desired grade level continuously during the sequence on the basis of predefined values, and that the system is also adapted to continuously adjust the desired grade level on the basis of input from the input unit. As a result the user can both follow a presentation with a predefined grade level progress and change said grade level, such as in form of an adjustment, whereby said grade level meets the wishes and requirements of the user.

According to a further preferred embodiment, any additional segment associated with an instantaneous segment is attached to a level value differing from the level value of the segment in the sequence to which the instantaneous additional segment is attached. As a result, the system can replace information from any segment by information of a different grade level.

A further preferred embodiment is characterised in that all the segments in the sequence are attached to the same or approximately the same level value; that all the segments in the sequence are associated with the same plurality of additional segments; as well as that the additional segment(s) associated with a first segment in the sequence is/are attached to the same level values as the ones attached to the additional segment(s) associated with any other segment in the sequence. As a result, a uniform presentation is obtained because any grade level can be maintained in large or small sequences of the presentation according to desire. The invention relates also to a method of presenting electronic information to a user via an output unit of a system in which a plurality of segments from a predefined sequence of information segments stored in said system are continuously presented.

The method according to the invention is characterised by comprising the steps of:

- determining a desired grade level on the basis of input from the user,

- prior to the presentation of the individual segments in the sequence, selecting a segment among the instantaneous segment and a plurality of additional segments associated with said instantaneous segment, where said instantaneous segment and said additional segments have the same or at least approximately the same informa- tion content; in such a manner that a level value attached to said instantaneous segment or to an additional segment matches or approximately matches the desired level of understandability, viz. the grade level; and

- presenting the selected segment or a representation thereof to the user.

As described above in connection with the mention of a system according to the inven- tion, the user can present a text of a grade level adjustable to his or her wishes and requirements with respect to the grade level of the data. The latter is particularly advantageous in connection with education where the user can focus on the data presented while the selection of data of a suitable grade level can be carried out quickly and easily even by a user without a previous knowledge of computer technique.

The claims 8 to 10 indicate particularly advantageous embodiments of a method according to the invention.

Finally, the invention relates to a program code and a storage device including said program code which can instruct a computer to carry out the method as claimed in one or more of the claims 7 to 10. Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 illustrates a system for presenting electronic information,

Fig. 2 shows a sequence of information segments,

Fig. 3 shows an example of a relation between a plurality of information segments in a system according to the invention,

Fig. 4 illustrates a possible running of a presentation according to the invention,

Fig. 5 illustrates a method of presenting electronic information,

Fig. 6 illustrates an identification of a user,

Fig. 7 illustrates a presentation of information,

Fig. 8 illustrates the continuous selection of segments to be presented, and

Fig. 9 illustrates how a user can be tested with respect to his or her knowledge of the previously presented information.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the system 101 comprises an output unit 102, such as a computer screen. A computer screen is usable in connection with presentation of electronic information in form of text information or another graphic information. Another type of output unit can, of course, also be used in situations where another type of output unit is more advantageous. When the information is in form of sound, such as speech information, a loudspeaker is advantageously used as output unit. The system 101 comprises also a memory 103 including a predefined sequence of information seg- ments. These information segments are described in greater detail below. It should be noted that an educational system is described below as an example of a system according to the invention.

The memory 103 is advantageously a hard disk, but other storage devices or a combination of storage devices can be used for storing the sequence of information segments or portions thereof. As mentioned above, the storage device can include a hard disk, but also a CD-ROM drive, a floppy drive, ROM, RAM or another type of memory. Thus the memory can be placed internally in a local computer, but it can also be externally placed, such as on another computer connectable to the computer of the user via a modem, network or the like means. Thus the information presented to the user can for instance be centrally stored and transmitted to the user via the internet in connection with the presentation. As illustrated in the Figure, the educational system 101 also includes an input unit 104, such as a keyboard, a computer mouse or a video camera adapted to receive input from a user. It should be noted, that it can, of course, be advantageous to use other types of input units as well. Finally, the educational system 101 comprises a control unit 105, such as a central control unit or a CPU adapted to control the working of the educational system and to continuously read the individual segments of the sequence from the memory as well as to present said segments or a representation thereof via said output unit 102.

In the illustrated embodiment, the system 101 has been implemented in a computer, and the control unit 105 is adapted to run the continuous presentation of information segments by collecting information from these segments in the associated memory 103 and to present the information or a representation thereof on the associated output unit 102. In addition to a sequence of information segments, the memory 105 in the system 101 according to the invention comprises a plurality of additional information segments associated with one or more of the above segments. Each additional information segment is attached to level values reflecting the grade level of the information therein. These additional information segments and their relation to the segments in the sequence as well as their attached level values are described in greater detail below.

Before an instantaneous segment is presented in the sequence during a continuous presentation, the control unit 105 is adapted to select a segment among the instanta- neous segment and the additional segments associated with said instantaneous segment. This selection is carried out on the basis of the level value attached to the instantaneous segment and to the additional segments associated with said segment. The selection is carried out in such a manner that the level value of the selected segment matches or at least approximately matches a desired grade level. Then the selected segment or a representation thereof is presented to the user. When the instantaneous segment has a level value matching the desired grade level, the data of this segment or a portion of these data are presented to the user. However, when one of the associated additional segments has a level value presenting a better match or at least approximately corresponding to the desired grade level, then the data or a representation thereof is pre- sented to the user. In other words, a segment is selected among an instantaneous segment and the additional segments associated with said instantaneous segment, where the selected segment is attached to a level value matching or approximately matching a desired grade level. The information from the selected segment is presented to the user.

Fig. 2 shows a sequence 201 of information segments 204, 205, 206, 207. According to the prior art it is well known to present a user to a sequence of information segments 201 in such a manner that the user is continuously presented to an information segment. As illustrated in the Figure, the user can thus initially be presented to the information in the information segment 204 and subsequently to the information in the information segment 205, the information in the information segment 206 and finally to the information in the information segment 207. The information represented in connection with the presentation of the information from an information segment is the information from the information segment in question or a representation thereof.

In connection with education it is well known to present multimedia information where a combination of text, sound and images are presented to a user. Thus an information segment 204, 205, 206, 207 can include text information in form of one or more words, one or more sentences or one or more text segments, but it can also include sound, images and film cuts or a combination thereof. The educational system can be adapted to present an information segment or a representation thereof via the output unit each time the user instruct the system to do so by means of the input unit of said system. Alternatively, the system can automatically run a continuous presentation of the sequences of a selected information sequence, pauses of a predetermined length being encoded at suitable intervals during the presentation in such a manner that the user has time to receive and understand the information presented.

Thus, the pauses are advantageously encoded between the presentation of the individual segments, but they can also be encoded during the presentation of a single segment.

It is known to store several sequences of information segments in such a manner that a user can select one of these sequences and subsequently be presented to the informa- tion included therein. Thus a user can search for a sequence, he or she wants to be presented to, said sequence for instance having a desired grade level.

Fig. 3 illustrates the relation between the segments in a sequence of segments stored in the memory 103 of the information. Thus as illustrated in the Figure, the memory 103 comprises a sequence 202 of information segments 208, 209, 210, 211. The mem- ory 103 includes also a plurality of additional information segments 204, 205, 206, 207 shown at the top of the Figure, and aplurality of additional information segments 212, 213, 214, 215 shown at the bottom of the Figure. The memory 103 includes relational data associating each segment of a plurality of segments in the sequence 202 with at least one of the additional segments. The latter has been illustrated in Fig. 3 by for instance the information segment 208 being connected to the additional segments 204 and 212. The connections 220 and 221 illustrate these relations. Correspondingly, the information segment 209 is associated with the additional segments 205 and 213, the segment 211 is associated with the additional segments 207 and 214, and the segment 210 is associated with the additional segments 206 and 214. It should be noted, that all the segments associated with additional segments in the illustrated example are associ- ated with exactly two additional segments. The association of each segment with exactly two additional segments in this manner only serves illustrational purposes, and it should be underlined that a segment in the sequence of information segments can be associated with an arbitrary number of information segments.

The block 230 surrounding the segments 206 and 210 in Fig. 3 is an example of the fact that all the segments need not necessarily be associated with the same number of additional segments. As illustrated, the segments 206 and 210 can for instance be replaced by the single segment 230 including information which is presented in the situation where the information from the segment 206 and 210 would have been presented. In other words, the segments 206 and 210 include the same information, but result in reduced storing requirements when said information is associated with each segment 230 instead of with both segments 206 and 210.

When the electronic information stored in the memory 103 is presented, the educational system 101 runs a continuous presentation of information segments. Accordingly, before an instantaneous segment is presented, the control unit 105 is adapted to select a segment among the instantaneous segment and the additional segments associated with said instantaneous segment. Initially, the control unit selects for instance a segment among the segment 208 and the associated additional segments 204 and 212. The selection is carried out on the basis of level values attached to the individual segments and the individual additional segments. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the segment 204 is attached to a level value 204 A, whereas the additional segment 212 is attached to a level value 212A, and the segment 208 is attached to the level value 208A. Correspondingly, the remaining segments and additional segments in the memory are at- tached to a level value although it has not been illustrated in the Figure.

In the preferred embodiment, the attached level values are represented by integers reflecting the grade level of the data in the segment in question. However, other representations, such as sets of numbers, real numbers and others can, of course, also be used according to desire. LIX is advantageously used as a measure of the grade level, but other measures can, of course, be used. An integer in the range of from 0 to 40 is for instance used, where 0 is used as level value for an easily understandable text presenting a LIX-number within a predetermined range, whereas 40 is used as level value for a text being difficult to understand. The values 1 to 39 are used for a suitable levelling of the grade level range between the extreme points attached to 0 and 40, respectively.

When the first segment, viz. the segment 208, in the sequence is presented, the system according to the invention carries out a comparison of a desired grade level with the level values attached to the segment 208 and to the additional segments 204 and 212, respectively. Among the segment 208 and the associated segments, the user is presented to the segment having the level value mostly matching the desired level value. In a preferred embodiment, the desired grade level is stored in the memory 103 of the system, i.e. advantageously in the RAM of the system, and this value represents the grade level of the information which the user wishes to be presented to.

It should be noted that segments not associated with at least one additional segment need not necessarily be attached to a level value.

The value of the desired grade level can for instance be encoded by the user prior to the presentation of the information, or it can be initialised by the system to have a predetermined initial value. As described below, the value of the desired grade level is advantageously determined by a plurality of predefined grade level values reflecting the desired grade level of the individual segments in the sequence in such a manner that the system can continuously adjust the desired grade level on the basis of these predefined grade level values. In this manner it is possible to change the grade level so as to correspond to a predefined progress during the presentation of the sequence. As also described below, a continuous adjustment of the desired grade level is according to a preferred embodiment carried out on the basis of input from the input unit, i.e. on the basis of input from the user. As a result, it is possible to continuously adjust the grade level in such a manner that said level is adapted to the instant wishes and requirements of the user.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the two solutions just described are combined in such a manner that the system can continuously adjust the desired grade level during the sequence on the basis of predefined values, and further in such a manner that the system is adapted to adjust the desired grade level on the basis of input from the input unit. As a result, the user can change the grade level of the information presented, and thus for instance adjust said grade level relative to the predefined progress of said grade level.

Fig. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a system according to the invention, where the memory 103 of the system comprises a plurality of information segments 302, 303, 304, 305 including information which the system can present to a user. The system is adapted to run a sequential presentation of the information segments, where the presentation of the information in the segment 302 is followed by the presentation of the information in the segment 303 etc. The latter has been illustrated by means of the arrows 310 in Fig. 10. Each information segment 302, 303, 304, 305 comprises a plurality of subsegments 306, and the system is adapted to run the sequential presentation by selecting a single subsegment from each of the information segments 302, 303, 304, 305 and to present the sequence of the selected subsegments to the user. The system can for instance be adapted to initially select a subsegment from the information segment 302 and to present the contents thereof to a user. Subsequently, the system performs a corresponding selection of a subsegment from the information segment 303, and the information contained therein is presented to a user. Thus the latter sequential presentation can continue until the information contained in the last segment 305 in the sequence has been presented or until the presentation is interrupted. In the illustrated example, the sequence comprises four segments 302, 303, 304, 305, but the system can, of course, be implemented in such a manner that it comprises a sequence with an arbitrary number of segments.

The selection of a subsegment 306 from the individual information segments 302, 303, 304, 305 can be carried out in various ways. The selection can, for instance, be carried out as described in connection with Fig. 3, but it can also be carried out by initially assigning each subsegment 306 a value calculated on the basis of a level instruction. The value assigned to each subsegment 306 is shown by means of circles 311 in Fig. 10. The level instruction can be adapted to the characteristics of each user. The structuring of text can for instance include parameters, such as cognitive capacities, degree of dyslexia and development of perception. In this manner the level value of each subsegment 306 can for instance be determined in such a manner that it reflects the grade level of the information contained therein and understood by each user. The instructions determining the level values can be determined in advance, but they can also be adjusted during the dissemination of the information because the observations of the system are set to activate an adjustment when necessary.

The control unit 105 of the system is adapted to select a subsegment among the subseg- ments of the individual information segments 306 on the basis of the level values assigned to the subsegments 306. The latter procedure is advantageously carried out by a continuous selection of the subsegment 306 to be presented to the user and followed by a presentation to the user of the information contained in said selected subsegment 306. The selection can for instance be carried out on the basis of a selection instruction determining an initial value. The initial value is for instance adjusted continuously on the basis of the observations of the system. Based on the assigned values, a subsegment 306 is selected by means of a selection instruction indicated by means of the arrows 313 in Fig. 10. It should be noted that the system can be adapted to allow the unconventional use of the system as well, whereby a user can go back a number of segments during the sequential presentation. As a result, the user can for instance be presented to previously presented information, where said information is presented to the user with the same or another grade level than the one used by the previous presentation of these segments. In addition, the user can use this function in connection with a repetition of a previously interrupted presentation, and accordingly the users can be quickly introduced to the subject by running a repetition of the presentation of one or more segments before the presentation is started of the segments not yet presented. Furthermore, the system can be adapted in such a manner that a user can upgrade or downgrade the grade level of the presented information by forcing the value of the selection upwards or downwards. It should be noted that the system can comprise an input unit 104 and an output unit 102 as well, cf. the description referring to Fig. 1. However, these units 102 and 104 are not shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 4 is a graphic view of an example of the running of a presentation, said Figure showing an example of the contents in the memory 103 of the educational system 101 according to the invention. The memory 103 includes a number of information segments illustrated in the Figure in form of aplurality of blocks Al, A2, ... A4, Bl, B2, ...B4, Cl..., etc. In the illustrated example, the blocks Al to A4 are conceived to include information, such as text information, with the same or almost the same informa- tion contents, whereas the grade level of the information contents in the individual segments is conceived to differ. As mentioned above, each block or segment is attached a grade level value reflecting the grade level of the information contained in the segment. Thus, when the information is in form of text, Al of the illustrated example is conceived to include an information of a higher grade level, i.e. is more difficult to read, than the information included in the memory A3. Correspondingly, the information stored in A3 is conceived to be of a lower grade level than the information stored in A2 and so on with the result that the information stored in A4 is conceived to be of a lower grade level than the information stored in the segments Al, A2 and A3. The latter has been illustrated by means of the scale to the right of the Figure, said scale illustrating that the information stored in the segment Al is attached a grade level 4, whereas the information stored in the segments A2, A3 og A4 is attached grade levels of 3, 2 and 1 , respectively. The same applies to the segments Bl to B4, Cl to C4, Dl to D4 and El to E4. As illustrated in the structure, all these segments are conceived to be interrelated in the same manner as the relation between the segments A 1 to A4. In other words, all the segments Cl to C4 are for instance conceived to include information with the same information content or approximately the same information content, whereas the grade level from Cl to C4 decreases continuously from the grade level 4 to the grade level 1.

In the illustrated example, the desired grade level is conceived to vary throughout the presentation of the sequence of information segments in the manner indicated by means of the curve DL. An observation of the grade level scale n to the right of the Figure reveals that initially the desired grade level from the left to the right assumes a value corresponding to level 2 of the grade level value, whereas subsequently said grade level goes up to level 3 of the grade level value and then drops to the level 1 of the grade level value so as finally to end up on level 2 of the grade level value. As the information presentation system according to the invention is adapted to continuously present information from segments of an attached grade level value matching or at least approximately matching the desired grade level value, the sequence of segments pre- sented to the user is the segment A3 followed by the segments B2, C2, D4 and E3, cf. the Figure.

The progress of the desired grade level value is continuously determined by the control unit 105 on the basis of information from the memory 103 and/or input from the input unit 104. When the control unit 105 is adapted to continuously adjust the desired grade level value on the basis of input from the input unit 104, the educational system 101 carries out a continuous adjustment of the desired grade level value on the basis of said input which reflects the grade level perception of the user concerning the information just presented to him or her.The control unit carries out a determination of the desired grade level on the basis of the latest input from the user and optionally on the basis of a plurality of previously received input from said user.

The input unit 104 can for instance be a keyboard with the result that the user can indicate in a simple manner that the information presented is too easy or too difficult. When the system detects that the information is too easy, such as when the user for instance presses the button provided for this purpose on the keyboard, then the control unit reduces for instance the size of a value placed in the memory 103. When this value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control unit downgrades the desired level of the grade level. A preferred embodiment includes the memory 103, a progress defined in advance of the desired grade level value, such as a progress corresponding to DL. Such an embodiment is for instance advantageous when the information content varies heavily with respect to the understandability of the contents in the information. The progress through a selected sequence is for instance such that the information presented for instance in the A-segments of Fig. 4 includes easily understandable contents, such as the introduction to the subj ect presented, whereas the contents of the information included in the following segments are difficult to understand. In the latter case where the information is easily read by the user, the grade level is advantageously downgraded with respect to the segments including contents which are difficult to understand relative to the first segments including the contents which are easily read.

As mentioned above, it is highly advantageous to combine these two situations in such a manner that the information is continuously selected and presented on the basis of a predetermined progress of the desired grade level value. In addition, it is advantageous that the user is allowed to change the progress by indicating for instance his or her perception of the grade level in the reading unit 104. As a result, the user can adjust the grade level of the information presented, and for instance adjust said grade level in such a manner that it is always ensured that the grade level is adapted to the actual wishes and requirements of the user. The adjustment of the grade level is described in greater detail below.

According to a preferred embodiment, the information from two or more of a segment and the segments associated with said segment can be presented during the running of the presentation. The latter is for instance carried out by setting the system in a particular state, such as by pressing a button provided for this purpose, and the particular presentation can then be carried out in this state of the system. It is for instance conceived that the system is set in this particular state after the presentation of the information in the segment B3 in Fig. 4. Subsequently, if the user indicates that he or she wishes to be presented to information of a higher grade level, then the information of the segment B2 or Bl is presented in response to the segment thereof including the information of a grade level which discloses the best match with the grade level desired by the user. In this particular state, the information from several segments can thus be presented on the basis of input by the user. The latter solution is advantageous because firstly the user can be presented to the information in several different ways which facilitates the understanding, and secondly the user can quickly find a suitable grade level of the information being presented. Subsequently, the ordinary presentation can continue in such a manner that the presentation is advantageously continued with the desired grade level selected by the system in the particular presentation state. The system is for instance activated to leave the particular state when the user presses on a button provided for this purpose on the input unit. When the presentation is continued with a relatively low grade level, the further advantage is obtained that it is easy for the user to form a general view of the information being presented. The latter possibility can for instance be utilized by the user for searching through the information. When the information searched for has been found, the user can for instance change the desired grade level again so as to match a level suitable for the user. Fig. 5 illustrates a method of presenting electronic information in an educational system. In step 501 the user is identified, which is particularly relevant to the selection of the initially desired level of the grade level. However, it should be noted that the system can, of course, be implemented without an initial identification of the user as stated in step 501. Then the identification of the user can be replaced by an initial assigning of the desired grade level with a predefined or an arbitrarily selected value within a predetermined range of grade levels.

The identification of the user in step 501 is followed by a selection of information in the step 502. In this step the user is allowed to select a text among a plurality of texts, and in this step is is for instance possible to run a search for texts in a manner Icnown per se. When the desired information has been selected by the user in step 502, the actual presentation of the information is continued in step 503. In this connection it should be underlined that the particular presentation of the information in step 503 forms a central part of the educational system according to the invention. Therefore this presentation is described in greater detail below, in particular in connection with Fig. 7. When the user no longer wishes to be presented to the selected information in step 503, the user can interrupt said presentation. When the user interrupts the presentation of the information in Fig. 503, such as by using the input unit 104 where the user for instance presses on a button provided for this purpose, the procedure is continued in step 502, cf. the Figure, where the user can select information again. When the presentation of the information is not interrupted, said presentation is followed by step 504 where the user is asked whether he or she wishes to be tested concerning his or her knowledge on the information just presented. When the user wishes to run a test, the procedure is continued in step 505, but when the user does not wish to run the test, the procedure is continued in step 506.

In step 505 the user runs a test or a so-called self test described in greater detail in connection with Fig. 9. The presentation of the self test in step 504 is followed by step 506 where it is decided whether or not the user wishes to stop or to be presented to further information. In the latter case, the procedure is continued in step 502, or the presentation is terminated. In step 506 the user is allowed to indicate via the input unit 104 whether or not he or she wishes to continue in the same manner as i connection with step 504.

Fig. 6 shows an example of how the identification of a user in step 501 can be carried out. In step 601 the user is allowed to introduce him or herself by for instance entering a user name via the input unit 104, and in step 602 it is checked for instance by an inquiry in a database whether the user has used the system previously and so as to determine whether it is a question of a known user. When the user is Icnown, the proce- dure is continued in step 603 where a grade level stored for the user is read from the memory 103. The memory 103 can for instance include a database, whereby it is possible to make an inquiry on the basis of a user name indicated by the user and thereby to extract a desired grade level specific to said user or to extract a progress for a desired grade level specific to said user and which should be used in the following presentation. After step 603 , the system is ready to run the actual presentation, and thus the procedure can be continued in step 502, cf. Fig. 5. When the user is unknown, the step 602 is followed by step 604 where a new user is established in such a manner that the above database is for instance updated so as to allow an inquiry therein later on based on the user name of the new user. Then follows step 605 where a desired grade level should be associated with the new user, and the information is stored, and the procedure continues in step 603. The step 605 can optionally be followed by a selection of the information which is desired to be presented, i.e. step 605 can for instance be followed by step 502 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 shows how the information is presented in the above system. In step 701 the information to be presented to the user is structured, i.e. the segment to be presented is selected and the information is extracted from said segment in such a manner that said information can be presented to a user. The presentation per se is run in step 702, where the information contained in the instantaneous segment is presented to the user in a desired manner, such as in form of sound or in form of text information. During the presentation in step 702, suitable pauses are also encoded in such a manner that the user has time to read or hear the information at a suitable speed and to think over the information as long as necessary. In step 703, it is checked whether all the segments in the sequence of segments have been presented, and if not, i.e. more data remain, to allow the procedure to continue in step 704. When all the segments in the sequence of segments have been presented, the procedure is continued as indicated in Fig. 5 with a user test as described in connection with step 504. In step 704 it is checked whether the user has indicated that he or she wishes to adjust the grade level, and in the affirma- tive the procedure is continued in step 705. When the user does not wish to adjust the grade level, the procedure is continued in step 701 where the next segment in the sequence is selected, i.e. a new structure of information is carried out. Like previously, the level adjustment in step 705 is carried out by the input of the user being converted into a desired grade level value and by the resulting value being advantageously stored as user data as indicated in the Figure. It has also been indicated in Fig. 7 that input from the user has an effect on the branching carried out in step 704. In addition, the user is advantageously allowed at suitable intervals during the presentation to interrupt the presentation. The latter has for instance been indicated in connection with step 702, where input from the user via the input unit 104 can interrupt the presentation of the information in step 702, whereafter the procedure is continued in step 502, cf. Fig. 5, i.e. the presentation of information is run again. Furthermore, an advantageous embodiment includes a number of auxiliary functions, which have also been indicated in connection with step 702.

Fig. 8 illustrates how the structuring of the information is carried out and accordingly the structure of step 701 in Fig. 7 in greater detail. In greater details it can be said that Fig. 8 illustrates the continuous selection of segments being made during the presentation. Each time a new segment is to be selected, the following procedure is followed for selecting the next segment. Each time it is desired to be presented to a segment, a segment must be selected among the segments with the same or almost the same infor- mation contents, but with varying levels of understandability. The selection is carried out by an initializing being made in step 801 where the values n, h, v are for instance set to be 1, 100 and 0, respectively. The fact that n is set to be 1 corresponds to the segment with the lowest grade level being selected as initial segment. The fact that h is set to be a high value and here to be 100 reflects the fact that h is initialized to a value definitely exceeding the grade level values appearing in practice. It should be noted that h is used for storing the grade level value of the segment having a grade level value matching or mostly matching the desired grade level. In addition it should be noted that v stores the level number of the best segment among the tested segments, i.e. this variable is used for continuously controlling that the segment of the possible segments run so far does present a grade level value matching the desired grade level to an optimum. The fact that v is initialised to the value 0 merely reflects the fact that at first a segment has not been selected among the possible segments. Finally it should be noted that the value r has been initialized before a segment is selected, i.e. before the presentation shown in Fig. 8 has been run, said value r being set to be 0 once and for all, such as in step 603. Further it should be noted that the value LIXB is set to correspond to the desired grade level of the user. As previously mentioned, the latter procedure is carried out in step 603. r stores an accumulated difference between LIXB, viz. the desired grade level of the user, and the grade level of the selected segment calculated with signs. It should be underlined that these value settings demonstrate a preferred embodiment, but that other suitable settings may, of course, also be selected.

The initializing in step 801 is followed by a check in step 802 of whether the absolute difference between the grade level (LIXB) desired by the user and the grade level of the instantaneous segment (LIXSN) is less thanh, whereby the accumulated difference reflected in the value r is also considered. In the illustrated embodiment the latter procedure is for instance always followed during the first running because h has been set to be sufficiently high, and then the procedure continues in step 803. If the latter procedure does not apply, the procedure is continued in step 804. In step 803 h is updated in such a manner that it is set to be equal to the absolute value of the difference between the grade level desired by the user and the grade level of the instantaneous segment, or in other words h is set to be equal to the error between the desired grade level and the actual grade level of the instantaneous segment. In step 803 v is also updated in such a manner that the selected segment is singled out by the value of n. Subsequently, the procedure is continued in step 804 where it is checked whether n is identical with the number of possible selectable segments. When n is not identical with the latter number, n is incremented by 1 in step 806 and the procedure is again continued in step 802. In this manner it is again checked whether the next segment is to be selected as the best possible segment. However, if it is determined in step 804 that n is in fact identical with NMAX, i.e. that no more segments are selectable among the remaining available segments, the procedure is continued in step 805. Here the value of r is updated in such a manner that r is set to be equal to the previous value of r, and the difference between the desired grade level, viz. LIXB, and the actual grade level of the selected segment is added to r. Then the selected segment, viz. the segment singled out by the value of v, is presented. In other words, the procedure is continued in step 702.

Fig. 9 shows a presentation of a number of tests, and thus it shows the structuring of step 505 in Fig. 5 in greater detail than in Fig. 5. In step 901 a presentation of a test of the user is run, such as in form of a question to the subject matter of the information presented. The user can indicate an answer to the individual questions of the test by means of the input unit 104. During the test, the user can, of course, interrupt said test in case he or she is no longer interested in making the test, which has been indicated in the Figure. After completion of the test the procedure is continued in step 902 where the user is asked whether he or she is interested in receiving an answer to or an evalua- tion of the test just made. In the affirmative, the answer is presented in step 903, such as in form of a presentation of the answers of the user compared to one or more correct or possible answers to the questions presented in step 901. Then the procedure is continued in step 904 where it is checked whether the user wishes to run yet another self test or to repeat the self test just made, and if so the procedure is continued in step 901. Otherwise, the self test is stopped, i.e. the procedure is continued in step 506 in Fig. 5. When the user does not wish to receive a feedback concerning his or her test, the procedure continues from step 902 directly to step 904.

Fig. 11 shows an example of the structure of an information segment including a plurality of additional segments or subsegments. As illustrated in the Figure, the information segments 401, 405 and 406 include at least one subsegment 404. The information segment 401 includes a plurality of subsegments which can include the same information contents, but with varying grade levels. The information segment 405 includes also a plurality of subsegments 404 of various levels. As illustrated in the Figure, two of the levels in the segment 405 are further spread into a plurality of segments. Thus the advantage is obtained that difficult data can be selected in a specific manner so as to achieve the total grade level as close to the desired grade level as possible. The information segment 406 is particular in including only a single subsegment.

In addition, Fig. 11 illustrates how the selection of subsegments for the presentation can be made during a presentation. Thus the running 407 is a first example of running a presentation among a multitude of possible runnings of presentations where a sequential presentation is run of the information from the segments 401, 405 and 406. As illustrated in the Figure, the running 407 involves a selection of subsegments of a varying grade level. The second selection running 408 shows how the segments can be selected during the easiest running of the presentation.

Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, the protection is not limited thereto, but covers also other embodiments. It is for instance possible to store the actual progress of the desired grade level during one or more presentations in such a manner that said progi'ess can be used by a subsequent presentation. The progress of the desired grade level for any user can for instance be stored in such a manner that these values are associated with said user with the result that this progress can be reused by a subsequent presentation to the same user. The latter is a particularly advantageous feature when typical patterns apply to the progress of the desired grade level. It should be noted that these patterns can be associated with the individual users in such a manner that these patterns vary from user to user. In addition, such an association can optionally be made to many or few users, such as all the users of the system in the situations where particular patterns apply in general. The latter situations apply in particular to the conventional user situations where at first the desired grade level is for instance typically slightly lower than the desired grade level once the user has settled down to being presented to the information.

Claims

1. System for presenting electronic information to a user, where the system comprises an output unit, such as a computer screen, adapted to present information; a memory including a predefined sequence of information segments; an input unit, such as a keyboard or a computer mouse, adapted to receive input from the user; as well as a control unit, such as a CPU, adapted to continuously read the individual segments of the sequence from the memory and to present said segments or a representation thereof through said output unit; and where

the memory includes a plurality of additional information segments; a plurality of level values attached to the segments of the sequence and to the additional segments; said level values reflecting the understandability, viz. the grade level, of the information contained in said segments; as well as relational data associating each segment of a plurality of segments in the sequence with at least one of the additional segments, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in

that the additional segments include the same or at least approximately the same information content as their associated segment, and

that the control unit is adapted prior to the presentation of an instantaneous segment in the sequence during said continuous presentation to select a segment among the instantaneous segment and the additional segments associated with said instantaneous seg- ment, where the level value of said selected segment corresponds to or approximately corresponds to a desired understandability, viz. grade level; and to present said selected segment or a representation thereof instead of the instantaneous segment in the sequence.

2. System as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the memory includes a plurality of predefined grade level values reflecting the desired grade level for the segments of the sequence, and that the system is adapted to continuously adjust the desired grade level on the basis of said grade level values.

3. System as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the system is adapted to continuously determine a plurality of grade level values reflecting the desired grade level of the segments in the sequence; and to continuously adjust the desired grade level on the basis of said grade level values.

4. System as claimed in one or more of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the system is adapted to continuously adjust the desired grade level on the basis of a signal from the input unit.

5. System as claimed in one or more of the claims 1 to 4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that any additional segment associated with an instantaneous segment is attached to a level value differing from the level value of the segment in the sequence to which the instantaneous additional segment is attached.

6. System as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that all the segments in the sequence are attached to the same or approximately the same level value; that all the segments in the sequence are associated with the same plurality of additional segments; as well as that the additional segment(s) associated with a first segment in the sequence is/are attached to the same level values as the ones attached to the additional segment(s) associated with any other segment in the se- quence.

7. A method of presenting electronic information to a user via an output unit of a system in which a plurality of segments from a predefined sequence of information segments stored in said system are continuously presented, characterised by comprising the steps of: - determining a desired grade level on the basis of input from the user, - prior to the presentation of the individual segments in the sequence, selecting a segment among the instantaneous segment and a plurality of additional segments associated with said instantaneous segment, where said instantaneous segment and said additional segments have the same or at least approximately the same informa- tion content; in such a manner that a level value attached to said instantaneous segment or an additional segment matches or approximately matches a desired level of understandability, viz. grade level; and

- presenting the selected segment or a representation thereof to the user.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the desired grade level is continuously adjusted on the basis of a plurality of predefined grade level values reflecting the desired grade level for the segments of the sequence.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that a grade level value of one or more of the segments in he sequence are determined continuously, and that the desired grade level is continuously adjusted on the basis of said grade level values.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the desired grade level is continuously adjusted on the basis of a signal reflecting input from the user.

11. A storage device including a program code which can instruct a computer to carry out the method as claimed in one or more of the claims 7 to 10.

12. A program code which can instruct a computer to carry out the method as claimed in one or more of the claims 7 to 10.