WO2015001549A1 - An apparatus and methods thereof for efficient reading and feedback of textual digital content - Google Patents

Abstract

Textual digital content is provided today for reading on electronic readers (e-readers or e Books), personal computers, tablet computers, smartphones and the likes. Users of such devices need to be able to increase their reading speed to consume the vast amount of textual content provided. The apparatus and methods thereof address this by determining the reading profile of the user of the apparatus and thereafter presenting a cursor with respect of the textual content that moves at a speed that is above the determined reading speed of the user. The speed of the cursor is adjusted based on the profile throughout the reading period, as well as an adjustment of the profile over time to better follow the user's actual reading capabilities whether increasing or decreasing. Respective of this information and actual progress of reading the apparatus and methods enable automatic changing of pages as reading progresses as well as providing time estimations respective of completion of the reading of a page, a chapter and the remaining textual digital content. In one embodiment the ability to predict future reading speed allows for accurate page changes.

Description

AN APPARATUS AND METHODS THEREOF FOR EFFICIENT READING AND FEEDBACK OF TEXTUAL DIGITAL CONTENT

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.

61/842,117 filed on July 2, 2013, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/842,122 filed on July

2, 2013, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[002] The invention generally relates to devices for determination of reading speeds and more specifically to devices and methods for monitoring and improving reading speeds.

BACKGROUND

[003] As vast amounts of textual content are made available to consumers of such content the challenge is to be able to consume the textual content fast and effectively. Courses for teaching people how to increase their reading skills and reading speed without loss of comprehension are available in abundance with different degrees of success. Different learning aids have been developed over the years to assist persons seeking such reading improvements in achieving their goals. Some of the solutions provide built-in text an guide users through the lines of the textual content provided at a desired speed, preferably above the current reading speed of the trainee. In many cases the text is highlighted, or a cursor is provided in a technique known as meta guiding.

[004] As electronic readers become ubiquitous people are moving towards reading books and other textual content such as the Kindle® and nook® e-readers. In fact, today, some providers report the sales of more digital formats of textual content than printed content in traditional printed media. Such textual content may be read not only on e-readers but also on the likes of personal computers (PCs), tablet computers, notebook computers, smartphones, and other textual content delivery devices that poses the capability to display content on one type of a screen or another. Therefore the need for speed, that is, speed reading, is increasing in volume and is not adequately addressed by the prior art. Users of devices such as e-readers are also eager to estimate the time that it would take them to complete the reading of a page, a chapter or the remaining of a book or another textual content. However, the state-of-the-art solutions base the estimation on static data which is at best respective of the average speed the user currently is reading, which is insufficient to provide any kind of accurate prediction, as reading speeds tend to change over time.

[005] It would be therefore advantageous to provide a solution to allow a user of an apparatus displaying textual content for reading, such books, academic papers, magazines, and the likes, that will effectively address the unmet need to effectively increase reading speed.

SUMMARY

[006] Certain embodiments disclosed herein include a method

[007] Certain embodiments disclosed herein also include an apparatus for.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[008] The subject matter disclosed herein is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[009] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0010] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0011] Figure 3 is a flowchart of learning reading speed according to an embodiment.

[0012] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a time to end of page determination and display thereof according to an embodiment.

[0013] Figure 5 is a flowchart of a page change signal generation to cause moving from a current page to the next page of a textual content according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] It is important to note that the embodiments disclosed herein are only examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general, statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily limit any of the various claimed inventions. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others. In general, unless otherwise indicated, singular elements may be in plural and vice versa with no loss of generality. In the drawings, like numerals refer to like parts through several views.

[0015] Textual digital content is provided today for reading on electronic readers (e-readers or eBooks), personal computers, tablet computers, smartphones and the likes. Users of such devices need to be able to increase their reading speed to consume the vast amount of textual content provided. The apparatus and methods thereof address this by determining the reading profile of the user of the apparatus and thereafter presenting a cursor with respect of the textual content that moves at a speed that is above the determined reading speed of the user. The speed of the cursor is adjusted based on the profile throughout the reading period, as well as an adjustment of the profile over time to better follow the user's actual reading capabilities whether increasing or decreasing. Respective of this information and actual progress of reading the apparatus and methods enable automatic changing of pages as reading progresses as well as providing time estimations respective of completion of the reading of a page, a chapter and the remaining textual digital content. In one embodiment the ability to predict future reading speed allows for accurate page changes.

[0016] Reference is now made to Fig. 1 which is an exemplary and non-limiting schematic diagram of an apparatus 100 according to an embodiment. The apparatus 100 comprises a processing element 110, a memory 120, a display unit 130 and an input/output (IO) interface 140. The memory 120 contains a first portion 122 that is used for the operation of the apparatus 100, that is, a scratch pad memory of sorts for writing and reading data. The memory further contains a second portion 124 which contains instructions that are executed by the processing element 110 that is communicatively coupled to the memory 120 by interface 150. The instructions in the second portion 124 may be hard coded, that is, not erasable, or, contained in a non-erasable portion of the memory 120 that may be erased under certain conditions. Hence memory 120 may comprise of random access memory (RAM) and non-volatile memory (NVM), each comprised of appropriate memory types such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), Flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), and the likes. Upon execution of the instructions stored in the second portion 124 by the processing element 110, the apparatus is capable of learning the reading profile of a user that is reading textual content displayed on the display unit 130. The display unit 130 is communicatively coupled to the interface 150 and receives display elements that it displays for the user to view, for example, the current page of the textual content that is to be displayed. Receiving controls through the 10 interface 140 the user may provide the apparatus 100 instructions such as to move a page forward or backwards, select the desired textual content, or otherwise cause one or more applications respective of the textual content and that are stored in the memory 120 to operate respective thereto. According to the invention, and as further explained herein, the user reading profile is stored in memory 120 and is used to determine the speed of a guiding cursor that guides the user's eye when reading the displayed textual content at a speed that is faster by a predetermined factor over the profile speed determined for the user.

[0017] According to an embodiment the profile reading speed of a user contains at least a reading speed determined for the user, which is determined as explained herein. In another embodiment, the user reading profile may contain at least two different reading speeds. For example, the apparatus may determine over time that a user begins to read relatively slowly at a first reading speed, then increases the reading speed for another period of time, and then, tiring down, the reading speed decreases to a third reading speed. By tracking the user's reading speed profile over time, it is possible to more accurately provide efficient training for speed reading without going out of the comfort zone of the person reading the textual content by not addressing the real reading habits and rather operating in a static manner seen in certain prior art solutions.

[0018] Fig. 2 is an exemplary and non-limiting flowchart 200 of the operation of the apparatus 100 according to an embodiment. In S210 a selection for display of a certain textual content is received and the textual content is displayed on a display unit, for example, display unit 130. In S220 it is checked whether there is already a user reading profile in memory, for example memory 120, and if so, execution continues with S240; otherwise, execution continues with S230 where generation or update of a user reading profile takes place, and as further explained herein, after which execution continues with S220. In S240 a cursor is moved over the text at a speed that is higher than the speed determined for the user of the apparatus 100. The increase may be done by a predetermined factor that may be fixed or user adjustable. The cursor may be an underline appearing under characters, or groups of characters, respective of the textual content displayed on the display unit 130. In S250 an input may be received from the user, for example, an unexpected early forward moving of a page, indicating a faster than expected speed of reading and in such a case execution continues with S230 for update of the user profile stored in memory 120; otherwise, execution continues with S260 that checks if there is a need to continue with the operation and if so execution continues with S240; otherwise, execution terminates. In one embodiment of the invention, upon determination the reading speed of a user, pages may be moved forward automatically without receiving an input from the user, and as further described herein. However, if the user returns back, this would be considered a need to change a profile (e.g., S250) and therefore a profile update may take place (e.g., S230). One of ordinary skill in the art would readily appreciate that as the cursor is fully synchronized with the displayed text, that when there is a change in the font size and the displayed page is now different from the previously displayed page in the original font size, the displayed page still contains the text marked by the cursor. This unique feature is done as according to the invention the cursor is synchronized with the text displayed thereby allowing for maintaining the position of the text marked by the cursor as part of the currently displayed page.

9] Fig. 3 is an exemplary and non-limiting flowchart S230 of learning reading speed according to an embodiment. In S230-10 there is received an indication of a motion to a new page on the display unit, for example display unit 130. In S230-20 the number of characters in the displayed page is determined and in S230-30 a timer is started. In S230-40 it is checked whether a subsequent indication of a page turn has occurred and if so execution continues with S230-50; otherwise, execution continues with S230-40. In S230-50 at least the reading speed for the displayed page is determined. However, other parameters may be determined too, for example, and without limitation, the average reading speed for the document from the start of reading, any reading speed at any desired interval, for example, pages 1-10, pages 11-20, etc., or according to selected periods of time lengths, and so on and so forth. In S230-60 it is checked if the learning should continue and if so execution continues with S230-20; otherwise, execution terminates. It should be understood the learning may take place either as a onetime event for the user, as a repeated even for each new textual document read, continuous learning, and other modes of operation, all without departing from the scope of the invention. [0020] Reference is now made to Fig. 4 depicting an exemplary and non-limiting flowchart 400 of a time to end of page determination and display thereof according to an embodiment. In S410 the number of characters from the current cursor position to the end of the displayed page on the display unit, for example display unit 130, is determined. In S420 the current speed of the cursor is retrieved. In S430 the estimated time to reaching the end of the page is determined based on at least the number of characters remaining to the end of the page, the current speed of the cursor and data from the user reading profile. By using the data from the user reading profile it is possible to estimate respective to the current status of the user with respect of the reading what to expect as far as this particular reader reading habits. This may depend on the amount of pages or content read up to the point of determination, with tendency to accelerate of decelerate reading depending of the particular user reading profile characteristics. Using this additional data to provide such estimations or predictions result in more accurate time estimations. In S440 the time estimation to reach the end of the displayed page is displayed at a desired location of the display unit. In S450 it is checked whether the estimation process should continue and if so, execution continues with S410; otherwise, execution terminates. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily appreciate that the principles taught herein may be adapted to support the case of time estimation to reach the end of a chapter, where in S410, instead of determining the number of charters to the end of the displayed page, the number of characters until the end of a chapter is to be determined. Similarly, time estimation to the end of the textual content can be also estimated by determining the number of characters to the end of the textual content. Moreover, other such time estimations from a current location of the textual content to another location to be read in the future in the textual content may be estimated. For example, in one embodiment a user may provide an arbitrary position, which is not necessarily on an obvious or otherwise predetermined boundary of the textual content, to which determination of estimated time may be provided on the display unit.

[0021] Fig. 5 shows an exemplary and non-limiting flowchart 500 of a page change signal generation to cause moving from a current page to the next page of a textual content according to an embodiment. As can be seen in Fig. 5, S510 through S540 are identical to S410 until S440 discussed hereinabove with respect of Fig. 4, and therefore their functionality is not repeated here. In S550 it is checked if the estimated time (Te) to the end of page is below a predetermined threshold (Th), the threshold being close enough to zero so that for all practical purposes it is clear that the reader has reached the end of the page, and if so, execution continues with S560; otherwise, execution continues with S570. In S560 the display unit is provided with textual content of the immediately subsequent page to be displayed on the display unit. In S570 it is checked whether the estimation process should continue and if so, execution continues with S510; otherwise, execution terminates.

[0022] The various embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as hardware, firmware, software or any combination thereof. Moreover, the software is preferably implemented as an application program tangibly embodied on a program storage unit or computer readable medium. The application program may be uploaded to, and executed by, a machine comprising any suitable architecture. Preferably, the machine is implemented on a computer platform having hardware such as one or more central processing units ("CPUs"), a memory, and input/output interfaces. The computer platform may also include an operating system and microinstruction code. The various processes and functions described herein may be either part of the microinstruction code or part of the application program, or any combination thereof, which may be executed by a CPU, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown. In addition, various other peripheral units may be connected to the computer platform such as an additional data storage unit and a printing unit. Furthermore, a non-transitory computer readable medium is any computer readable medium except for a transitory propagating signal.

[0023] All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the disclosed embodiment and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for efficient reading of displayed text comprising: determining textual content to be displayed on a display unit; determining a speed in which a cursor, displayed on the display unit, should move with respect of charters of the displayed textual content, the determination performed respective of at least a user reading profile stored in memory; and causing an appearance of motion of the cursor at the determined speed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cursor may be at least one of: an underline, a highlight.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining if a user reading profile exists for the user reading from the display unit; and generating a user reading profile upon determination that a user reading profile does not exist.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein generating a user reading profile comprises: determining the user reading speed by at least dividing a number of characters read by the user by a time period in which the number of characters was read; and increasing the cursor speed to a speed that is above the user reading speed by a

predetermined speed increase factor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the increased cursor speed is limited to a predefined maximum speed.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the user reading speed is performed

continuously while the user reads the textual content.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the user reading profile contains at least a first reading speed and a second reading speed, the first reading speed being indicative of a time closer to the user starting to read the textual content and the second reading speed being indicative of a time farther from the user starting the reading.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cursor speed is respective of the first reading speed in a first time period and is respective of the second reading speed in a second time period.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the number of characters read by the user further comprises at least: determining the number of characters in a page displayed on the display unit.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the time period in which the number of characters was read is determined based on a time elapsed between starting to read a first page and a time to read a subsequent page.

11. An apparatus for efficient reading of displayed text comprising: a processing element; a display unit communicatively coupled to the processing element; an input interface for receiving at least an input from a user of the apparatus; and a memory communicatively coupled to the processing element, the memory having a first portion for data and a second portion containing instructions that when executed by the processing element: determine textual content to be displayed on a display unit; determine a speed in which a cursor, displayed on the display unit, should move with respect of charters of the displayed textual content, the determination performed respective of at least a user reading profile stored in memory; and, cause an appearance of motion of the cursor at the determined speed.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cursor may be at least one of: an underline, a

highlight.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the display element may further comprise a touch screen element as an input interface.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory's second portion further contains

instructions that when executed by the processing element: determine if a user reading profile exists for the user reading from the display unit; and generate a user reading profile upon determination that a user reading profile does not exist.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein generating a user reading profile comprises:

determination of the user reading speed by at least dividing a number of characters read by the user by a time period in which the number of characters was read, and increase the cursor speed to a speed that is above the user reading speed by a predetermined speed increase factor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the increased cursor speed is limited to a predefined maximum speed.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein determination of the user reading speed is performed continuously while the user reads the textual content.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the user reading profile contains at least a first reading speed and a second reading speed, the first reading speed being indicative of a time closer to the user starting to read the textual content and the second reading speed being indicative of a time farther from the user starting the reading.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cursor speed is respective of the first reading speed in a first time period and is respective of the second reading speed in a second time period.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein determination of the number of characters read by the user further comprises at least determination of the number of characters in a page displayed on the display unit.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the time period in which the number of characters was read is determined based on a time elapsed between starting to read a first page and a time to read a subsequent page.

22. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is one of: e-reader, eBook, personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone.

23. A method for efficient reading of displayed text comprising: determining textual content to be displayed on a display unit; determining a speed in which a cursor should move with respect of charters of the displayed textual content, the determination performed respective of at least a user reading profile stored in memory; determining a time estimation for an elapsed reading time from the current cursor position on a page displayed on the display unit until reaching a future position within the textual content; and displaying the time estimation on the display unit.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the future position is one of: end of a page currently displayed on the display unit, an end of a chapter of the textual content, the end of the textual content, an arbitrary position with the textual content.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein upon determination that proximity in time to the end of a page has reached causing display of a page subsequent to a currently displayed page of the textual content.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising: receiving the arbitrary position.

27. An apparatus for efficient reading of displayed text comprising: a processing element; a display unit communicatively coupled to the processing element; an input interface for receiving at least an input from a user of the apparatus; and a memory communicatively coupled to the processing element, the memory having a first portion for data processing and a second portion containing instructions that when executed by the processing element: determine textual content to be displayed on a display unit; determine a speed in which a cursor should move with respect of charters of the displayed textual content, the determination performed respective of at least a user reading profile stored in memory; determine a time estimation for an elapsed reading time from the current cursor position on a page displayed on the display unit until reaching a future position within the textual content; and, displaying the time estimation on the display unit.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the future position is one of: end of a page currently displayed on the display unit, an end of a chapter of the textual content, the end of the textual content, an arbitrary position with the textual content.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the memory's second portion further contains

instructions that when executed by the processing element: cause display of a page subsequent to a currently displayed page of the textual content upon determination that proximity in time to the end of a page has reached.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the memory's second portion further contains

instructions that when executed by the processing element: receive the arbitrary position.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the apparatus is one of: e-reader, eBook, personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone.