WO2008066361A1

WO2008066361A1 - Language learning contents provider system

Info

Publication number: WO2008066361A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/006186
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jae Bong Choi
Original assignee: Jae Bong Choi
Priority date: 2006-12-01
Filing date: 2007-12-03
Publication date: 2008-06-05
Also published as: KR100821380B1

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a language learning content providing system. The language learning content providing system is implemented through a server for providing learning content, including target learning sentences and an entire image corresponding to each of the target learning sentences, to learners' user devices. When the learning content is provided to the user devices, the server synchronizes object-oriented diagrams, indicating objects to be represented by the target learning sentence, with the target learning sentence, and sequentially displays the object-oriented diagrams corresponding to the target learning sentence in the entire image in conformity with a sequence of development of the target learning sentence.

Description

[DESCRIPTION]

[invention Title]

LANGUAGE LEARNING CONTENTS PROVIDER SYSTEM

[Technical Field] The present invention relates to a language learning content providing system and, more particularly, to a language learning content providing system that displays object-oriented diagrams on an image in the word sequence of English and enables a learner to easily understand the principle of the construction of English.

[Background Art]

It is a well-known fact that methods and materials for learning English as a first foreign language are being supplied to learners to such an extent that it is not an exaggeration to say that the supply is a flood. It is true that, over time, several English learning methods have appeared and disappeared, and there are English learning methods that are still selected by the majority even after many years have elapsed. The goal of English learning is to enhance one's ability to speak, write, hear and read English naturally like a native English speaker. However, most Koreans who learn English as a foreign language do not realize their educational goals, with the exception of a minimal number of persons, and consume a lot of money and time while undergoing a plurality of challenges and failures in order to master English. We understand our native language sequentially as soon as we read it, comprehend our native language sequentially as soon as we hear it, and speak our native language sequentially as soon as we think it. It would be apparent that this is the case with native English speakers . The present invention is based on one discovery related to English. The core of the discovery is the proposition that "an English sentence has a structure in which it sequentially expands temporally and spatially on the basis of the subject thereof." In greater detail, English has a structure in which respective words and paragraphs are arranged through thoroughly logical steps in sequence from a physically close location to a physically remote location on the basis of the subject of a sentence, that is, a subject that is a basis. Postpositional words have developed in Korean and Japanese. Since a postpositional word makes the position and use of the corresponding word clear, there is no significant problem with the transmission of the meaning of a corresponding sentence, even though the word sequence of the sentence is changed. However, since English does not have postpositional words, the meaning to be transmitted is distorted or becomes ambiguous when the word sequence is changed. Accordingly, in English, the positions and sequence of words decisively play important roles. The following examples will help to more intuitively understand the above fact .

^g- fflcl-fl A}^.%-φ4 John Wendie loves €S8Γ 4^4 ^c]-I- John loves Wendie €^# 4%-W ^c: Wendie loves John 3Mϊ €Nlr ^A\%^r Wendie John loves Λ>%?}-4 €Nr €^-l- loves John Wendie Λ>%W €^H €Nfr loves Wendie John As can be seen from the above examples, in English, the word sequence plays a very important role in the transmission of an idea, so that it can be seen that English sentences have a structure in which information should be expressed and understood sequentially. It would be apparent that English learning for naturally hearing, speaking, writing and reading English requires recognition of "the significance of sequence" and "sequence"-based learning training.

The cited prior art Korean Patent Application No. 10- 2001-0005314 relates to an English lecturing method. This patent discloses that the meanings of sounds constituting respective English words are naturally understood by finding out a method of including meanings in the sounds of each English word, mentions the sequence of solving the word sequence of English in pictorial symbols, and presents a method of solving the problem of the word sequence "a subject + a verb" among the word sequence problems of English using hieroglyphic characters. Korean Patent Application No. 10-2001-0052657 relates to an English teaching method using picture making. This patent presents a method of teaching English using a method of allowing a learner to determine the sequence in which a picture, which is produced in conformity with the flow of the learner's thoughts corresponding to a relevant English expression before expressing English, is drawn, to draw the picture, and to match the English expression to the drawn picture. However, with regard to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2001-0052657, figures merely illustrate a sentence or the unit elements of the sentence, but do not transmit information about the flow, sequence and connection relationship of the overall sentence corresponding to the figures, and are not helpful in improving hearing, speaking, reading and writing English in the sequence of expression of English, like native English speakers, using the figures.

Accordingly, the present applicant intends to propose a language learning content providing system that indicates object-oriented diagrams in an image in the sequence of the action of a subject and the sequence of the influence of action on the subject and enables a learner to easily understand the principle of the construction of English through the object-oriented diagrams.

[Disclosure] [Technical Problem]

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a language learning content providing system, which helps to understand a language in the sequence of native English speakers having a word sequence, which is affected or influenced by the behavior of a subject on the basis of the subject of English.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a language learning content providing system, in which an image (a moving image or a still image) and object-oriented diagrams are combined together and the object-oriented diagrams are presented on the basis of a subject, thereby enabling the principle of the construction of English to be easily understood.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a language learning content providing system, which combines images with terms and displays the terms corresponding to descriptions of the situations of images on a user device in real time, thereby helping a learner overcome the habit of reinterpreting an English sentence after completely reading it. Yet another object of the present invention is to present a language learning content providing system in which learning content is created by dividing an image frame into a plurality of image frames and including object-oriented diagrams in the image frames, thereby- enabling content for language learning to be easily created using neighboring illustrations, photographs, or moving images .

[Technical Solution] The above-described objects of the present invention are accomplished by a language learning content providing system, wherein the language learning content providing system is implemented through a server for providing learning content, including target learning sentences and an entire image corresponding to each of the target learning sentences, to learners' user devices; and when the learning content is provided to the user devices, the server synchronizes object-oriented diagrams, indicating objects to be represented by the target learning sentence, with the target learning sentence, and sequentially displays the object-oriented diagrams corresponding to the target learning sentence in the entire image in conformity with a sequence of development of the target learning sentence. Each of the object-oriented diagrams may be displayed for any one of a noun, a preposition, a conjunction, a relative and a participle included in the target learning sentence .

Preferably, the target learning sentence is in English.

Each of the object-oriented diagrams may be any one of a figure, an arrow, a straight line and a curve.

Preferably, the learning content further includes voice data corresponding to the target learning sentence. The server may synchronize the target learning sentence with the voice data so that the voice data is played when words constituting the target learning sentence are played on the user device.

The elements of the target learning sentence, which are synchronized with the voice data, may be emphasized and displayed on the user device, and each of the elements is any one of a word, a phrase and a clause.

Preferably, the image is any one of a photograph, a single image, a still image, a moving image and a Flash image.

One of a word, a phrase and a clause of the target learning sentence, which is synchronized with the object- oriented diagram, may be emphasized and displayed on the user device. Any one of a font, a letter size, a letter thickness, a letter incline, an underline, shading and a color of the word, phrase or clause may be emphasized by differentiating it from that of surrounding words, phrases or clauses.

The above-described objects of the present invention are accomplished by a language learning content providing system, including a section setting module for partitioning an image frame for describing a single sentence into at least two sections; and a diagram combination module for matching an image frame, corresponding to each of the partitioned sections, to an object-oriented diagram corresponding to the image frame; wherein the diagram combination module matches a time period in which the object-oriented diagram is played to a time period of a section in which the image frame for the section is played, and the object-oriented diagram corresponds to a word, a phrase or a clause of the sentence and is displayed in conformity with a flow of development of the sentence.

Preferably, the language learning content providing system further includes a highlighting module for emphasizing the sentence displayed when the image frame is played and differentiates any one of a letter color, a letter size, a font, a letter thickness, a letter incline, an underline and shading of any one of a word, a phrase and a clause of the sentence from that of surrounding words, phrases or clauses in conformity with a section of the played image frame.

The object-oriented diagram is any one of a figure, an arrow, a straight line and a curve.

Preferably, the language learning content providing system further includes a voice combination module for combining voice, which describes a situation of the image frame, with the image frame in conformity with playback of the image frame .

The above-described objects of the present invention are accomplished by a language learning content providing system, including a diagram combination module for creating learning content by overlaying object-oriented diagrams for describing an image on the image for describing a single sentence; and a voice combination module for adding voice to the overlaid images; wherein the learning content in which the sentence, the images and the voice are combined together is transmitted to a user device over a network; and wherein the learning content is configured to display the object-oriented diagrams based on content of representation of the voice by overlaying the object- oriented diagrams on the image in conformity with a sequence in which the voice is played in the user device.

The diagram combination module may partition the content of representation of the voice into a plurality of sections and create overlay images for respective sections with respect to the object-oriented diagrams corresponding to the respective sections.

The overlay images may have a file form, and the diagram combination module may match object-oriented diagrams, selected by the user device connected to the diagram combination module over a network, to the sentence.

Preferably, the language learning content providing system further includes a highlighting module for highlighting a word corresponding to each of the sections.

The highlighting module may differentiate any one of the color and size of an element of the sentence, corresponding to the section, from that of surrounding words.

The highlighting module may increase the size of a word, corresponding to the section, compared to that of surrounding words .

The highlighting module may process only a word, a phrase or a clause of the sentence in a section corresponding to the voice data so that only the word, the phrase or the clause can be displayed.

The object-oriented diagram may be any one of a figure, an arrow, a straight line and a curve. The object-oriented diagrams may have a file format, and the diagram combination module may combine the object- oriented diagram with a file provided for the object- oriented diagram from the user device and supply combination results to the user device. Preferably, the diagram combination module provides the user device with two or more object-oriented diagrams that can correspond to any one of a word, a phrase and a clause of the sentence, the user device selects any one of the object-oriented diagrams presented by the diagram combination module, and the diagram combination module combines the object-oriented diagram, selected by the user device, with any one of the word, the phrase and the clause of the sentence.

The above-described objects of the present invention are accomplished by a language learning content providing system, including a diagram combination module for including object-oriented diagrams for describing a moving image in the moving image for describing a single sentence; and a voice combination module for adding voice to the moving image including the object-oriented diagrams; wherein learning content in which the sentence, the image and the voice are combined together is transmitted to a user device over a network; and wherein the moving image, which is combined with any of the voice and the object- oriented diagrams, is a Flash image. In existing learning materials for learning English through images or photographs, a single piece of learning content is generally caused to correspond to a single image. In this case, there is no structural correspondence indicating that respective elements of the entire image are associated with respective parts of a sentence, thus making it impossible to systematically understand how a single image is connected to the entire sentence. Furthermore, images, such as photographs or figures, are generally used only for auxiliary, passive, and non-positive purposes, such as descriptions of English sentences or English paragraphs.

In order for English to be uttered through the mouth naturally and sequentially, 1) the overall flow of content, 2) the part being currently uttered, and 3) the part to be immediately connected to the currently uttered part must be connected well and organically in the mind. If not, the natural development of each English sentence cannot be smoothly performed.

The purpose of learning is to enable a learner to easily study and express the entire sentence when the entire image is presented. In the prior art, since the entire sentence simply corresponds to the entire image, all of the elements of the sentence must be understood at one time, so that the given entire image does not contribute to sequential speaking or writing of the sentence.

[Advantageous Effects]

When the spirit of the present invention applies, a language learning content providing system according to the present invention combines images with terms and displays the terms corresponding to descriptions of the situations of images on a user device in real time, thereby helping a learner overcome the habit of interpreting an English sentence in a reverse sequence from the back to the front of the sentence after fully reading it.

When the spirit of the present invention applies as described above, a learner can recognize how the elements of a sentence and actual objects (images, screens, entities shown to the eyes, and entities occurring in the learner's mind) correspond to one another, and thus the user can associate the recognition of actual objects, the flow of perceptions and the elements of the sentence with one another. That is, when the elements of the sentence appear sequentially, corresponding actual objects are brought to the learner's mind sequentially. Accordingly, the learner can speak or express the sentence correspondingly to the sequence in which actual objects are recognized by the eyes or in the head. Through this, the learner can learn the method by which native English speakers understand and take their language, and the problem in which English is interpreted, written, and spoken and heard reversely from the back to the front thereof, which is the detrimental defect of Korean- style English learning, can be overcome.

Furthermore, the present invention combines images (moving images, or still images) with object-oriented diagrams and helps a learner understand the sequential flow of a sentence as the object-oriented diagrams are sequentially displayed. The language learning content providing system according to the present invention combines images with sentences and enables a sentence corresponding to a description of each situation of an image to be displayed on a user device in real time, thereby enabling a learner to overcome the habit of reinterpreting an English sentence after completely reading the sentence.

The language learning content providing system using image parts according to the present invention creates learning content by dividing an image frame into a plurality of image frames and including an object-oriented diagram in each of the image frames, so that content for language learning can be easily created using neighboring illustrations, photographs and moving images. Furthermore, since users can directly create object- oriented diagrams or object-oriented diagrams generated by third parties can be applied to the present learning content providing system, learners can come into contact with various object-oriented diagrams, and thus the learning effect can be increased.

[Description of Drawings]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are views showing an example of learning content that is provided by a language learning content providing system according to the present invention to user devices; FIG . 3 is a conceptual block diagram of a language learning content providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG . 4 is a view of an embodiment of a screen image in which no obj ect-oriented diagram is indicated;

FIGS . 5 to 10 are views showing embodiments in which the elements of a sentence corresponding to obj ect-oriented diagrams are highlighted;

FIG . 11 is a diagram illustrating an application example of the language learning content providing system shown in FIG. 3 ;

FIG . 12 is a conceptual block diagram of a language learning content providing system according to another embodiment of the present invention; and FIGS . 13 and 14 are views showing an example of learning content in which a moving image and a sentence are combined together.

<Description of reference numerals of principal elements in the drawings> 300 : language learning content providing system 310 : database

320 : diagram combination module 330 : highlighting module

340 : voice combination module 350 : user interface module

360 : streaming transmission module 370 : section setting module

50 : service server 60 : web server 70 : portal company server 10a ~ 1On: user device [Mode for Invention]

FIGS . 1 and 2 show an example of learning content that is provided by a language learning content providing system according to the present invention to user devices. First, FIG. 1 shows learning content that is provided to user devices over a network. In this drawing, reference numeral "100" denotes an image (an image frame, a still image, a moving image or a Flash image constituting a photograph, an illustration or a moving image) displayed on a user device, and reference numeral "200" denotes a sentence configured to describe the image. In this drawing, the subject of the sentence is "She," and the image, shown in FIG. 1, looks similar to that of typical Internet English learning material at a glance. FIG. 2 shows an example in which object-oriented diagrams are formed on an image shown in FIG. 1. As shown in this drawing, object-oriented diagrams 102 to 110 are seguentially displayed on the image in conformity with the flow of the story of a sentence. The types and seguence of the object-oriented diagrams indicated on the image will be described below.

In the present invention, the plurality of object- oriented diagrams 101, 103a 105, 106, and 110, indicating a plurality of image parts,'- is introduced to the entire image, such as an illustration or a photograph. The entire sentence can be divided into a plurality of elements (for example, words, phrases or clauses) of the sentence. Here, "She steps up to the temple seeing her little dog on his hind legs trying to get the bone" displayed in FIG. 2 is the entire sentence. Here, images (images of ^Λshe' , ^Λdog' and ^Λtemple' ) corresponding to the object-oriented diagrams are represented by the object-oriented diagrams in conformity with the flow of the sentence, and thus they are referred to as ^x image parts of the entire image' . Accordingly, in order for a learner to easily recognize image parts corresponding to the elements (for example, a word, a phrase and a clause) of the entire sentence in the entire image, object-oriented diagrams, such as an arrow (for example, reference numeral 104), a circle (for example, reference numeral 105) and a polygon

(for example, reference numeral 103a) , may be indicated for the image parts with reference to the development of the sentence. The so-called "object-oriented diagrams" of the present invention correspond thereto. Taking FIG. 2 as an example, reference numerals 101, 103a 105, 106 and 110 denote object-oriented diagrams. The object-oriented diagrams, having the form of an ellipse, a circle, a closed sguare or a closed figure, are indicated on the entire image. Of the object-oriented diagrams, reference numeral 101 corresponds to "she," reference numeral 103a corresponds to "the temple," reference numeral 105 corresponds to "her little dog," reference numeral 106 corresponds to "his hind legs," and reference numeral 110 corresponds to "the bone . "

When the object-oriented diagrams are displayed on the entire image in the above manner, the elements of the entire sentence can easily correspond to the image parts in a 1:1 correspondence. For this reason, a learner can sequentially bring to his or her mind the elements of the entire sentence, corresponding to image parts, while brining the image parts to his or her mind. Accordingly, the object-oriented diagrams, indicated in the image parts, can greatly contribute to the sequential speaking and writing of the sentence.

Furthermore, through the object-oriented diagrams, a learner can easily understand the development of the content of the sentence.

If a sentence is sequentially displayed or emphasized (for example, when only a portion of the entire sentence to be learned by a learner is highlighted or displayed) , it is preferred that an object-oriented diagram corresponding to the portion of the entire sentence that is sequentially displayed or emphasized be displayed in synchronization with the portion. In other words, it is preferred that an object-oriented diagrams be displayed in synchronization with the target learning term (any one of a word, a phrase and a clause) of a learner. Here, the term "synchronization" means that an element (for example, "she") constituting the sentence is emphasized when the object-oriented diagram 101 is displayed. For example, it means that, when the object- oriented diagram 103a is displayed, "she" is not highlighted, but "the temple" is highlighted.

Here, the emphasis on the elements may be performed using a method of displaying only a target learning object as well as the above-described highlighting method. For example, a method of showing only an element of a sentence corresponding to an object-oriented diagram (or a target learning element) without showing the entire sentence may be included. When only one element of a sentence, rather than the entire sentence, appears visually, the fact that the appearing element is emphasized is used. When a voice corresponding to a sentence is recorded and played, a voice corresponding to an element of the sentence may be played in synchronization with an object-oriented diagram object.

When the system of the present invention applies, a learner can understand the elements of a sentence, which correspond to object-oriented diagrams and image parts, while viewing the connection relationship and sequence of the object-oriented diagrams and the image parts, and can more easily comprehend various situations to be expressed by the sentence. Here, a learner can bring object-oriented diagrams and image parts indicated by the object-oriented diagram to his or her mind while matching the image object- oriented diagrams to the image parts, and can also bring the elements of a sentence corresponding to the image parts. Accordingly, respective elements constituting an English sentence occur to a learner's mind naturally. Further, this enables the elements of a sentence and the connection between respective elements of the sentence to be understood more easily than the case in which a learner learns a sentence while simply viewing it. Accordingly, the ability of dictation can be improved.

One of the reasons why most learners do not naturally speak a sentence continuously is that they do not break the entire sentence into individual elements. Even when a learner breaks and separates respective elements constituting a sentence, the connection between the respective elements is not well performed. This makes it difficult to learn a foreign language (English) . Here, if image parts are used, a learner can understand and speak the entire sentence in the sequence thereof by separating and then understanding the elements of the sentence corresponding to the image parts in the sequence of display of object-oriented diagrams while bringing the image parts to his mind.

Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferred that object-oriented diagrams (for example, reference numerals 104 and 107) having the form of a directional arrow, which display directionality so that the elements of a sentence flow out naturally, be included.

The object-oriented diagrams (for example, reference numerals 104 and 107) having the form of a directional arrow do not directly correspond to the elements of the sentence, but can be displayed in synchronization with corresponding entities when the elements of the sentence (not the entire sentence, but only elements of a sentence constituting the entire sentence) are displayed, the elements of the sentence are highlighted (the entire sentence is displayed and only the specific elements of the sentence are highlighted) , or voice corresponding to the elements of a sentence is played. That is, an object- oriented diagram (for example, reference numeral "104") can be displayed when "seeing" of the elements of the sentence is displayed (or is highlighted) , and an object-oriented diagram (for example, reference numeral "107") can be displayed when an element (for example, "trying") of the sentence appears . In order to naturally connect respective elements of a sentence, connecting elements are necessary. Typically, prepositions and conjunctions function as these elements. People who learn English as a foreign language find it difficult to use prepositions and conjunctions naturally. In particular, unlike conjunctions, which have clear meanings to some extent and are used only to connect phrases, prepositions are used in various elements of sentences in various ways, and thus a number of learners recognize that prepositions must be memorized and used through idioms without understanding specific meanings. Preposition form phrases along with nouns or other elements within a sentence, and play an important role in dividing each English sentence into elements. Typically, learners who study English as a foreign language have a lot of difficulty using prepositions freely and accurately because they do not have prepositions in their native languages, and they do not have instinct sentiments, images, and concepts related to prepositions. Accordingly, learners frequently memorize phrases, including prepositions, through idioms or learn the usage of prepositions from the viewpoint of grammar. However, like Koreans, who freely use postpositional words such as "£," "^-, " "°1," and "?}-," native English speakers, who use English as their native language, can use prepositions naturally even without specially learning the prepositions. Accordingly, the present applicant has discovered that, in order to freely use prepositions like native English speakers, object-oriented diagrams appropriate for sentiments, usages, utilization and situations related to respective prepositions can be indicated in images and learners can enhance the understanding of sentiments, usages, utilization and situations related to the prepositions. Furthermore, the present applicant has discovered that the association between objects can be intuitively recognized only when an object-oriented diagram is displayed along with the objects influenced by a corresponding preposition. That is, a preposition is used in the structure "A + the preposition + B." In an easier way, a preposition is used in the structure "the term A before the preposition + the preposition + the term B after the preposition." For example, in "her little dog + on + his hind legs," the relationship that is formed by a term before a preposition and (or) a term after the preposition and the preposition under a specific situation is important in the use of the preposition. Each object-oriented diagram corresponding to the meaning of each preposition may correspond to the preposition. Each object-oriented diagram must be capable of most intuitively representing the intrinsic usage of a corresponding preposition. The above- described object-oriented diagrams are referred to as prepositional object-oriented diagrams.

The prepositional diagram in the present invention is denoted by reference numeral 109 m FIG. 2. Although not shown in consideration of the complexity of the drawing, a diagram, corresponding to "on" between 105 and 106 and having the form of a red bar, may be a prepositional diagram. When the entire description is given using an example, object-oriented diagrams are sequentially shown in the sequence of the development of the elements of the entire sentence when the sentence "She steps up to the temple seeing her little dog on his hind legs trying to get the bone" and an image corresponding to the sentence are prepared, as shown in the drawings. The action after the subject 101 is "step up," and an object-oriented diagram 102 corresponding to "step up" is displayed in the image 100. Here, a voice corresponding to the action of the shown term may be played along with the object-oriented diagram 102. Thereafter, with regard to "to the temple," an object- oriented diagram 103 is displayed (at this time, the object-oriented diagram 103a may also be displayed) . The object-oriented diagram 104 corresponds to "seeing" or "seeing her little dog," the object-oriented diagram 106 corresponds to "his hind legs," the object-oriented diagram 109 corresponds to "trying to," and the object-oriented diagram 110 corresponds to "bone." Accordingly, the object- oriented diagrams 102 to 110 are displayed in the image in the sequence of words (phrases or clauses) in the sentence. As shown in the drawing, it is to be noted that the object- oriented diagrams 102 to 110 are displayed in the sequence from the subject 101 to the end ("bone") of the sentence. Furthermore, although only the object-oriented diagrams having the form of a straight line, a square or a circle are illustrated in the drawings, it will be apparent that a curve or an arrow can be further used.

Meanwhile, the sentence describing the image 100 is written at the bottom of the drawing. It can be seen that words, a phrase, a clause and prepositions requiring a learner's attention are highlighted in the sentence. The highlighting method may be any one of the following methods :

1) a method of making a word bold and large; 2) a method of increasing the brightness of a word; and

3) a method of differentiating the color of a word from that of surrounding words, and some other method of emphasizing at least one of the font, letter size, letter thickness, letter inclination, underline, shading and letter color of a word.

Meanwhile, when learning content provided to a user device is a moving image, an object-oriented diagram and the moving image can be combined together, or the moving image and a sentence (text) can be combined together. An example in which a moving image and a sentence are combined together is described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show an example of learning content in which a moving image and a sentence are combined together. First, FIG. 13 indicates that a vehicle turns to the right, and FIG. 14 indicates that a vehicle that has turned to the right travels along a road. When the shown moving image is played through a user device, phrases describing the situations shown in the moving image move from the right to the left below the moving image. Terms ( ^Λright at the', and λheads down' ) corresponding to the situations shown in the moving images can be highlighted and displayed.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual block diagram of a language learning content providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated language learning content providing system 300 includes a diagram combination module 320, a database 310, a highlighting module 330, a voice combination module 340, and a user interface module 350. The database 310 contains images, object-oriented diagrams, voice fonts, and text. The database 310 stores learning content in which images, object-oriented diagrams, voice fonts and text are combined together when the learning content is created.

The diagram combination module 320 combines an image (including video) , stored in the database 310, with object- oriented diagrams into one by synchronizing them with each other. When the image is a still image, object-oriented diagrams (for example, 102 to 110) are sequentially implemented in several image frames and are sequentially provided to a user device, so that the object-oriented diagrams can be indicated in the image. A method of implementing object-oriented diagrams through a plurality of image frames is described with reference to FIGS . 4 to 8.

FIG. 4 is a view of a still image in which no object- oriented diagram is indicated.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a screen related to "She steps," which is an element of the sentence. In this drawing, the object-oriented diagram 101, indicating the subject ^λShe' , is indicated, and the term "She steps" is highlighted. In this case, a learner pays attention to the term "She steps" and the screen portion of the entire image in which the object-oriented diagram 101 is indicated, and then intuitively notices that they correspond to each other. FIG. 6 shows a screen related to "up," which is an element of the sentence. In this drawing, the object- oriented diagram 102 for the term "up" is indicated, and the term "up" is highlighted.

FIG. 7 shows a screen related to "to the temple," which is an element of the sentence. In this drawing, the prepositional object-oriented diagram 103 corresponding to the preposition "to" is indicated, and the object-oriented diagrams 103a corresponding to "the temple" is indicated. A learner's eyes are directed to 103a through 103 while viewing the screen. The indication of the object-oriented diagram enables correspondence to the phrase "to the temple" to be intuitively noticed.

Although the separate screens related to "up" and "to the temple" have been described in the above description, it is possible to divide the original phrases into "up to" and "the temple" and display "up to" and "the temple" in different screens. In this case, object-oriented diagrams corresponding to "up to" are 102 and 103, and the highlighting of the term is performed accordingly. An object-oriented diagram corresponding to "the temple" is 103a, in which case "the temple" will be highlighted.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a screen related to "seeing her little dog," which is an element of the sentence. The object-oriented diagram 104 in a directional arrow form corresponds to "seeing" as an object-oriented diagram corresponding to "seeing," and the object-oriented diagram 105 corresponding to "the dog" is indicated. While viewing the screen of FIG. 8, a learner can feel a sense of the direction of "see," as indicated by 104, through the object-oriented diagram in a directional arrow form, such as 104, as soon as the learner hears the word "seeing." Accordingly, the learner can practice combining English terms with intuitional senses. Furthermore, when there is "seeing," a target thereof must exist. As a result, his or her eyes can be directed to the target and the object- oriented diagram 104 is indicated in the target, so that the matching of the expression "see + a seeing target" with actual constructions can be practiced. When such a practice is repeated, the learner can automatically bring the elements of a sentence and actual objects (images, screens, and things shown to the eyes) to his or her mind, or can easily recognize them in a corresponding manner, thereby enabling the learner to learn real English. Here, it will be apparent that the sentence element "seeing her little dog" is highlighted.

FIG. 9 shows a screen related to "on his hind legs," which is an element of the sentence. Although no identification mark for the preposition "on" is shown in FIG. 2 in consideration of the complexity of the drawing, a bar-shaped prepositional diagram, which is located between the identification marks 105 and 106 and indicates contact at the boundary of the identification marks 105 and 106, is indicated. The object-oriented diagram corresponding to the sentence element "his hind legs" is indicated by 106. Here, it will be apparent that the sentence element "on his hind legs" is highlighted. FIG. 10 shows a screen related to "trying to get the bone," which is an element of the sentence. "Trying" is indicated by the object-oriented diagram 107 in a directional arrow form, the sense that the preposition "to" is directed somewhere is represented by the prepositional diagram 108, and the presence of the object of "get" is represented by the object-oriented diagram 110 corresponding to "bone." It will be apparent that the sentence element "trying to get the bone" is highlighted.

Meanwhile, although the diagram combination module 320 according to the present embodiment has been described as displaying words and object-oriented diagrams using a plurality of frames for an image, an image can be created by overlaying object-oriented diagram layers on a still image .

Most VGA graphic cards provided in learners' computers are provided with an overlay function. Various effects can be applied to original images using the overlay function. For example, current graphic cards have a function of overlaying Korean subtitles on a foreign movie (for example, an American movie) while the movie is played, thus displaying the Korean subtitles on a playback window in which the movie is played. The current graphic cards can also perform this processing on still images as well as moving images. Using this, the diagram combination module 320 performs overlay processing on an object-oriented diagram and provides processing results to a learner's device (for example, a learner's computer) along with a still image, such as that shown in FIG. 4, and thus the object-oriented diagrams shown in FIGS. 5 to 10 can be displayed on a monitor provided in the learner's device (for example, a computer) . Of course, the elements of a corresponding sentence may also be displayed along with the overlaid object-oriented diagrams. Furthermore, voice corresponding to the elements of a sentence may be played. This is performed by a voice combination module 340, which will be described later. Object-oriented diagrams (for example, reference numerals 102, 104, 106 and 107) corresponding to voice are sequentially displayed while the voice is played, and words (or phrases, or clauses) corresponding to the displayed object-oriented diagrams are highlighted. Here, since the overlaid object-oriented diagrams may have independent file forms, it is preferred that they be provided in the language learning content providing system 300 in advance. Alternatively, files provided by a learner device may be received and then substituted for those provided in the language learning content providing system 300. Alternatively, several object-oriented diagrams may be provided in the language learning content providing system 300 in advance, and a learner may select desired ones from among the object- oriented diagrams. In this case, the language learning content providing system 300 should present a plurality of object-oriented diagrams, capable of replacing a single object-oriented diagram, to a user. A user can select a desired one from among the plurality of object-oriented diagrams. Of course, overlaid object-oriented diagrams must be synchronized with a target learning sentence. The diagram combination module 320 combines object-oriented diagrams, selected by a learner, with a target learning sentence, and provides combination results to a learner's user device.

Since currently commercialized video editing tools support the synchronization of sentences with images, a detailed description thereof is omitted here. The above- described overlaid object-oriented diagrams created by a learner or a third party may be User Created Content (UCC) . Furthermore, a learner or a third party may also create not only overlaid object-oriented diagrams, but also various pieces of learning content themselves with which the object-oriented diagrams provided by the learning content providing system 300 of the present invention are combined. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the learning content providing system according to the present invention can provide the various pieces of learning content, created by users, over a network so that a number of third parties can use them.

As shown in the drawings, several image frames in which object-oriented diagrams corresponding to respective elements of a sentence are cumulatively indicated in the sequence of the sentence can be created and then sequentially provided to user devices, or layers including object-oriented diagrams (which may or may not include text) can be added to a still image and then be provided to a learner's user device. Accordingly, a learner can understand the structure of English through words appearing after the subject of the sentence. It is apparent that such a screen can be formed of a plurality of Flash files. That is, although the embodiments of the present invention are based on the synchronization of FIG. 4 with the object- oriented diagrams, the object-oriented diagrams appearing in the sequence of FIGS. 5 to 10 can be played in the form of Flash images using the image shown in FIG. 4 as a background. In this case, in the learning content providing system 300, files of the Flash images exist in the database 310, and the Flash image files can be provided to a learner's user device at the request of the learner. Here, the Flash image files may be formed to include one or more images (or one or more moving images) , target learning text, and voice data.

The highlighting module 330 emphasizes a word (or a phrase or a clause; this description will be omitted hereinafter) corresponding to an object-oriented diagram when the object-oriented diagram is displayed in or added to an image frame. Words are emphasized as described in 1) to 3) . A learner comprehends situations while sequentially viewing words appearing in the sequence in which a text is constructed. Learning content presented in the present invention places great emphasis on a method in which a learner takes words appearing after the subject 101 as they are and understands a language, rather than a method in which a learner interprets the meaning of the entire sentence "She steps up to the temple seeing her little dog on his hind legs trying to get the bone" after viewing the entire sentence. In other words, a learner translates text, appearing in the sequence of "She," that is, the subject

101, "steps up," "to the temple," "seeing," "little dog," ^•

• •, word-for-word, but does not refer to the later word

(for example, bone) of the sentence to translate a relevant word. For this purpose, object-oriented diagrams sequentially indicate words, appearing after the subject 101, and images, corresponding to the words, on the basis of the subject 101 (see reference numerals 102 to 110) .

The voice combination module 340 synchronizes voice data with object-oriented diagrams indicated in image frames. The voice data is included in image frames, or is separately transmitted to a user device. The voice combination module 340 combines voice, which is suitable for the situation in which an object-oriented diagram is displayed, with an image frame when the object-oriented diagram is displayed in the image frame (or voice data may be transmitted to a user device along with an image frame) . As a result, a learner views a sentence and an image through a display device provided in a user device, and can understand the principle of construction of English and the principle of learning English based on which English is comprehended in the sequence in which the elements of text appear based on object-oriented diagrams displayed on an image.

The user interface module 350 enables the users of the user devices 10a to 1On, who access the language learning content providing system 300, to set the type and color of object-oriented diagrams. Furthermore, the user interface module 350 is provided with an interface for setting the speed of playback of image frames, the speed of playback of voice fonts, sectional repetition and volume. A learner may change the color of object-oriented diagrams to a desired color and perform inverse image processing through the user interface module 350.

FIG. 11 shows an application example of the language learning content providing system shown in FIG. 3. As shown in this drawing, the language learning content providing system 300 may be connected to a number of user devices through a web server 60, a portal company server 70 or a service server 50. When the language learning content providing system 300 is connected to the service server 50, the language learning content providing system 300 provides created learning content to the service server 50, and the service server 50 provides learning content requested by the user devices 10a to 1On. In this case, the service server 50 may transmit the learning content to the user devices 10a to 1On in a streaming manner. When the language learning content providing system 300 is connected to another web server 60, the language learning content providing system 300 is linked to the web server 60 and can be visited by members of the web server 60. When the language learning content providing system 300 is connected to the portal company server 70, a region of a service web page of the portal company may be leased and learning content may be provided through it . The system described in conjunction with FIGS. 3 and 11 to 12 may be implemented in the form of a program installed in the user devices 10a to 1On of learners or in the form of a program in the language learning content providing system 300.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual block diagram of a language learning content providing system according to another embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated embodiment is similar to that of FIG. 3, but differs from the embodiment of FIG. 3 in that it further includes a section setting module 370 and a streaming transmission module 360. Accordingly, descriptions of the highlighting module 330, the user interface module 350 and the database 310, described in conjunction with FIG. 3, are omitted here.

The section setting module 370 partitions an image (for example, the image shown in FIGS. 1 and 2), corresponding to one sentence (for example, "She steps up to the temple seeing her little dog on his hind legs trying to get the bone"), into two or more image frames. The 'partitioning of an image' refers to the creation of a number of image frames equal to the number of object- oriented diagrams (for example, 102 to 110) required to represent the entire text. The created image frames are combined with object-oriented diagrams (for example, 102 to 110) by the diagram combination module 320. Accordingly, the section setting module 370 created a number of image frames equal to the number of individual object-oriented diagrams 102 to 110. In this case, when an image frame is a moving image, the section setting module 370 converts an image frame, corresponding to the section in which an object-oriented diagram for describing the situation in the moving image is displayed, into an image format such as an MPEG format, and provides conversion results to the diagram combination module 320. The diagram combination module 320 inserts and combines the object-oriented diagram into and with an image frame for each section with which the object- oriented diagram is associated. In this case, the diagram combination module 320 may overlay an object-oriented diagram on an image frame in MPEG format. When the object- oriented diagram is overlaid on the image frame, the image frame and the object-oriented diagram are processed as separate layers.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show the case in which the spirit of the present invention is applied to a moving image. Since a moving image is a sequential combination of a plurality of frame-based images, it will be easy for those skilled in the art to apply object-oriented diagrams according to the present invention to respective frames or respective frame sections. Of course, it will also be easy for those skilled in the art to synchronize the process of highlighting each element of a sentence with each frame or each frame section or to synchronize voice with each frame or each frame section.

Claims

[CLAIMS]

[Claim l]

A language learning content providing system, wherein: the language learning content providing system is implemented through a server for providing learning content, including target learning sentences and an entire image corresponding to each of the target learning sentences, to learners' user devices; and when the learning content is provided to the user devices, the server synchronizes object-oriented diagrams, indicating objects to be represented by the target learning sentence, with the target learning sentence, and sequentially displays the object-oriented diagrams corresponding to the target learning sentence in the entire image in conformity with a sequence of development of the target learning sentence.

[Claim 2]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 1, wherein each of the object-oriented diagrams is displayed for any one of a noun, a preposition, a conjunction, a relative and a participle included in the target learning sentence.

[Claim 3l The language learning content providing system according to claim 1, wherein the target learning sentence is in English.

[Claim 4] The language learning content providing system according to claim 1, wherein each of the object-oriented diagrams is any one of a figure, an arrow, a straight line and a curve.

[Claim 5] The language learning content providing system according to claim 1, wherein the learning content further includes voice data corresponding to the target learning sentence .

[Claim 6] The language learning content providing system according to claim 5, wherein the server synchronizes the target learning sentence with the voice data so that the voice data is played when words constituting the target learning sentence are played on the user device.

[Claim 7]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 6, wherein: elements of the target learning sentence, which are synchronized with the voice data, are emphasized and displayed on the user device; and each of the elements is any one of a word, a phrase and a clause.

[Claim 8]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 1, wherein the image is any one of a photograph, a single image, a still image, a moving image and a Flash image.

[Claim 9]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 1, wherein one of a word, a phrase and a clause of the target learning sentence, which is synchronized with the object-oriented diagram, is emphasized and displayed on the user device.

[Claim 10]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 9, wherein any one of a font, a letter size, a letter thickness, a letter incline, an underline, shading and a color of the word, phrase or clause is emphasized by differentiating it from that of surrounding words, phrases or clauses. [Claim ll]

A language learning content providing system, comprising: a section setting module for partitioning an image frame for describing a single sentence into at least two sections; and a diagram combination module for matching an image frame, corresponding to each of the partitioned sections, to an object-oriented diagram corresponding to the image frame; wherein the diagram combination module matches a time period in which the object-oriented diagram is played to a time period of a section in which the image frame for the section is played, and the object-oriented diagram corresponds to a word, a phrase or a clause of the sentence and is displayed in conformity with a flow of development of the sentence.

[Claim 12]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 11, further comprising a highlighting module for emphasizing the sentence displayed when the image frame is played and differentiates any one of a letter color, a letter size, a font, a letter thickness, a letter incline, an underline and shading of any one of a word, a phrase and a clause of the sentence from that of surrounding words, phrases or clauses in conformity with a section of the played image frame.

[Claim 13] The language learning content providing system according to claim 11, wherein the object-oriented diagram is any one of a figure, an arrow, a straight line and a curve .

[Claim 14] The language learning content providing system according to claim 11, further comprising a voice combination module for combining voice, which describes a situation of the image frame, with the image frame in conformity with playback of the image frame.

[Claim 15]

A language learning content providing system, comprising: a diagram combination module for creating learning content by overlaying object-oriented diagrams for describing an image on the image for describing a single sentence; and a voice combination module for adding voice to the overlaid images; wherein the learning content in which the sentence, the images and the voice are combined together is transmitted to a user device over a network; and wherein the learning content is configured to display the object-oriented diagrams based on content of representation of the voice by overlaying the object- oriented diagrams on the image in conformity with a sequence in which the voice is played in the user device.

[Claim 16] The language learning content providing system according to claim 15, wherein the diagram combination module partitions the content of representation of the voice into a plurality of sections and creates overlay images for respective sections with respect to the object- oriented diagrams corresponding to the respective sections.

[Claim 17]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 16, wherein: the overlay images have a file form; and the diagram combination module matches object- oriented diagrams, selected by the user device connected to the diagram combination module over a network, to the sentence. [Claim 18]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 16, further comprising a highlighting module for highlighting a word corresponding to each of the sections.

[Claim 19]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 18, wherein the highlighting module differentiates any one of a color and a size of an element of the sentence, corresponding to the section, from that of surrounding words .

[Claim 20]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 18, wherein the highlighting module increases a size of a word, corresponding to the section, compared to that of surrounding words.

[Claim 21]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 18, wherein the highlighting module processes only a word, a phrase or a clause of the sentence in a section corresponding to the voice data so that only the word, the phrase or the clause can be displayed. [Claim 22]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 15, wherein the object-oriented diagram is any one of a figure, an arrow, a straight line and a curve .

[Claim 23]

The language learning content providing system according to claim 15, wherein: the object-oriented diagrams have a file format; and the diagram combination module combines the object- oriented diagram with a file provided for the object- oriented diagram from the user device and supplies combination results to the user device.

[Claim 24] The language learning content providing system according to claim 23, wherein: the diagram combination module provides the user device with two or more object-oriented diagrams that can correspond to any one of a word, a phrase and a clause of the sentence; the user device selects any one of the object- oriented diagrams presented by the diagram combination module; and the diagram combination module combines the object- oriented diagram, selected by the user device, with any one of the word, the phrase and the clause of the sentence.

[Claim 25]

A language learning content providing system, comprising: a diagram combination module for including object- oriented diagrams for describing a moving image in the moving image for describing a single sentence; and a voice combination module for adding voice to the moving image including the object-oriented diagrams; wherein learning content in which the sentence, the image and the voice are combined together is transmitted to a user device over a network; and wherein the moving image, which is combined with any of the voice and the object-oriented diagrams, is a Flash image .