WO2019038635A1

WO2019038635A1 - Device to teach an alphabet

Info

Publication number: WO2019038635A1
Application number: PCT/IB2018/056120
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giorgio Eberle
Original assignee: Giorgio Eberle
Priority date: 2017-08-24
Filing date: 2018-08-15
Publication date: 2019-02-28
Also published as: IT201700095800A1; EP3673477A1

Abstract

A device ( 10) is described for teaching word spelling to a child. The device comprises a microprocessor (30), an alphabetic keyboard ( 14), and a video signal generator (22) for driving a display (70). The microprocessor is programmed for - detecting a key selection by a user on the keyboard ( 14) and recognizing a letter (78) associated with the selected key, - searching in a word database words (76) having such as initial such letter, - selecting an image (88) illustrating an object corresponding to a said word having as initial such letter, - driving the signal generator (22) for displaying on the display (70) the letter (78) associated with the selected key, a list of words (76) found in the database, and said corresponding image (88).

Description

Device to Teach an alphabet

The invention refers to a device for learning or teaching an alphabet; in particular it refers to a game to teach children the words of a language.

Today, digital entertainment and interaction are part of daily life in the form of digital television, Internet and related devices, such as smartphones or multimedia tablets. Digital content and entertainment are easily accessible by all age groups and cultures, often making this uncontrolled availability a source of concern for parents, who would like to protect children from inadequate or violent content.

However, technology, if prudent, can guarantee a healthy and safe entertainment - and above all learning - experience for children.

E.g. to teach the ABC or the spelling to a child, the wealth of contents available via Internet is an inexhaustible resource, which can replace dozens of (expensive and cumbersome) books.

A smartphone or tablet is an object that is often expensive and fragile but with performances and functions so powerful that it is difficult to limit for a child the ability to explore content. There are WEB filters to block access to improper sites, but it is very difficult to predict if a program or an app will never behave mischievously (e.g. think of banner ads, unpredictable updates, instant pop-ups or http links of a priori unknown destination).

In light of the above, a safe entertainment learning solution for the whole family, especially for young children and especially for children with learning difficulties, it's for sure advantageous.

Even more advantageous is a device, to teach the spelling to a child, which can exploit in a healthy and appropriate way the multitude of data present on the Internet.

The main object of the invention is to propose a device such as defined in claim 1 which is free of one or more of the problems described.

Another object is to propose a device that gives safe entertainment and learning for children.

Another object is to propose a device to teach the spelling to a child, which can exploit in a healthy and appropriate way the multitude of data present on the Internet.

The device for teaching spelling to a child comprises

- a microprocessor, to which there are connected:

- an alphabetic keyboard, and

- a video signal generator for driving a display,

wherein the microprocessor is programmed for

- detecting a key selection by a user on the keyboard and recognizing a letter associated with the selected key,

- searching in a word database words having as initial such letter,

- (optionally) selecting an image illustrating an object corresponding to a said word having as initial such letter,

- driving the signal generator for displaying on the display

(a) the letter associated with the selected key,

(b) a list of words found in the database, and

(c) said corresponding image.

It is preferable that the microprocessor operates so that as the typing of a word is completed the list of displayed words is updated and reduced, until only the word equal or close to the typed word is shown. Similarly, the microprocessor preferably operates so that the images, corresponding to words no longer matching to the initial letters typed, are updated and deleted. At the end there remains only one, or the, image related the spelled word.

Some advantages of the device are that:

the microprocessor works to filter the images proposed to the child;

the association of a word with the image favours the memorization of the correct spelling;

the search phase of the words by the microprocessor takes place quickly by searching them by the initial, so that the child has a very fast visual feedback on the syllables he is first writing (and usually pronouncing) while he is playing;

the effect of the particular arrangement of the words found together with the one having only the initials is an improvement of the word search. The simultaneous display of the words allows the user to grasp more quickly the meaning of the truncated word (i.e. written only with the initials) and to type the correct word faster by copying it from those in the displayed list. The effect is even clearer as one completes the typed word, because the list of displayed words is reduced or however is populated by words increasingly similar to the truncated word. Therefore the device allows speeding up the user's manual input to get to display in accelerated way and correctly the spelled word.

The alphabetic or alphanumeric keyboard preferably comprises a set of real keys that can be pressed with a finger, to give a physical feeling of tactile feedback. Or such keyboard may comprise a set of virtual keys represented e.g. on the display, which will be e.g. a touch-screen. The keyboard may also comprise numbers, to teach them.

To facilitate learning, preferably the keyboard is not of the QWERTY type but comprises the letters of the alphabet in sequence, from A to Z. Clearly the alphabetical symbols of the keyboard, like all the operation logic of the device, are customizable and/or adaptable to the user's national language.

The device may comprise the display, or - to save on cost and with greater efficiency - may be connected to it e.g. in wired manner or by wireless transmission to take advantage of the display of another device, such as a home TV or the monitor of a PC or a tablet.

The device preferably comprises a memory, accessible to the microprocessor, for storing therein the images to be associated with the words.

The device preferably comprises a memory, accessible to the microprocessor, in which to store images to be associated with the words.

The device preferably comprises a data input interface, e.g. a USB port or a Wi-Fi transceiver. With the data input interface the user can upload e.g. the images and/or the database of words inside the device.

Even more preferably the device comprises, in addition or replacement, an interface for connecting to the Internet and for transceiving digital data, and the microprocessor is programmed for downloading from the Internet via said interface an image illustrating an object corresponding to the word inserted by one initial letter after the other.

The interface for connecting to the Internet may be a (wired or wireless) network card or a GSM communication card for the direct connection to the Internet, or - to save on cost and with greater efficiency - a radio card (e.g. wi- fi or Bluetooth®) capable of connecting to an existing hot-spot, e.g. a wi-fi router or a wi-fi hot-spot of a smartphone.

The word database may already be stored locally in a memory, remote or present in the device, and accessible from the microprocessor. Or - with less limits on the vocabulary - the database may be remote and external to the device, ultimately the entire Internet. Through the interface the microprocessor can consult a database and search the Internet for the words to be shown on the display, but at the same time adopting lexical filters to avoid inappropriate words. In this regard, the microprocessor, for example, may

compare the words found on the network with predefined stored roots or prefixes, in order to exclude inappropriate words (the microprocessor has a sort of "black list" of words or prefixes) and also to speed up the selection of words, and/ or

search for words on the Internet only on predefined and/ or url sites or addresses programmed by parents, in order to minimize the risk of inconvenient words and even speed up the word selection.

The precautions taken on the displayed words are reflected on the appropriateness of the images downloaded from Internet. E.g. the microprocessor may exploit search engines like Google to find the images to be downloaded related to the objects.

Further filters on the graphical content can be implemented with the microprocessor, e.g. through image recognition algorithms. Or the microprocessor can initially alter the image (e.g. its colors and/or orientation and/ or sharpness and/ or resolution) and present it on the display.

Only after a consensus signal from a present (parent) user, given to microprocessor e.g. through an input means present on the device (e.g. a key or by speech recognition), the microprocessor proceeds to display the image as originally downloaded.

An additional effect is that the images are shown on the display and/ or downloaded faster because e.g. their size is compressed.

The microprocessor is preferably programmed to display on the display the letter associated with the selected key and/ or the word in spelling progress by giving it an emphasis, e.g. by magnifying or highlighting it with respect to the context. Thus the user's perception of the output of the device improves, also favouring the visual comparison with the words of the list and therefore the input of the next word to complete the word to be spelled. Note that the input of the next word to complete the word to be spelled also speeds up the next update of the words in the list, therefore the device, with the "help" of the user, converges towards the complete spelled word much more quickly.

The microprocessor is preferably programmed to display on the display the list of words

- according to a geometric order, e.g. in column or in a row, to facilitate the reading to the child and speeding up the convergence towards the complete spelled word; and/ or

- with the same effects, organizing the words according to an order of preference, e.g. presenting first the shorter or longer ones or the ones that respond to predefined and/ or programmable criteria, such as membership to a context or concept (e.g. to display only words from a subset of objects).

To facilitate the user-device interaction and speed up convergence towards the complete spelled word, the microprocessor preferably is programmed to generate sound signals related to what is shown on the display. In particular, the microprocessor is preferably programmed for generating a sound corresponding to the pronunciation of the letter corresponding to the selected key, and / or

of the word or the whole (completed) spelled word.

E.g. by hitting the key of the letter B the sound relative to the pronunciation of the letter "B" is generated.

For this purpose the device preferably comprises a sound emitter (e.g. a loudspeaker), or the microprocessor is preferably programmed to generate the audio signal corresponding to the pronunciation, and to send it to an external device, e.g. the very TV set or tablet whose display is used.

The microprocessor is preferably programmed to display on the display said corresponding downloaded image near the list.

Another aspect of the invention is a program for microprocessor comprising instructions which, when executed, carry out one or each of the operations defined above for the microprocessor. The program is for example an app for smartphone.

Another aspect of the invention is a method for managing a multimedia device in order to teach spelling to a child, especially a method comprising the above steps performed by the microprocessor.

Preferably the method comprises the steps of

detecting the selection by a user of a key on a keyboard and recognizing a letter associated with the selected key,

searching in a database of words words having as initial such letter, selecting an image illustrating an object corresponding to a said word having as initial such letter, and

displaying on a display

the letter associated with the selected key, a list of words found in the database, and said corresponding image.

As preferred steps of the method:

- as typing of a word is completed the list of displayed words updates and reduces, until only the word equal or close to the typed one is shown; and/or

- images corresponding to words no longer matching the entered initial letters are updated and deleted from the display; and / or

- storing in the device images to be associated with the words; and / or

- allowing the loading of images and / or of the database of words inside the device; and/or

- connecting to the Internet and transceive digital data to download from the Internet an image illustrating an object corresponding to the word entered by an initial letter at a time; and/or - storing the database of words locally in a memory of the device, or consulting a remote database of words, external to device; and/or

- comparing the words found on the Internet with predefined roots or prefixes stored in the device, in order to exclude some words (e.g. obscene or related to violence); and/ or

- generating an audio signal corresponding to the pronunciation of the typed letter and/ or of the whole spelled word and/ or of the displayed image.

The advantages of the device will however be clearer from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, referring to the attached drawing in which

- Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of the device,

- Fig. 2 shows a favourite display mask.

A device 10 for teaching the spelling to a child comprises a microprocessor 30 connected to an alphanumeric or alphabetic keyboard 14, a video signal generator 22 for driving a display 70, and a data transmission wireless interface 20. The arrows indicate a data line. The microprocessor 30 is also connected to a memory 32, in turn connected to a data input interface 34, e.g. a USB port.

The aforementioned components are preferably mounted inside a rigid casing (not shown), and the microprocessor 30's actions hereinafter described should be intended as a result of executed instructions of a program.

The video signal generator 22 drives a display 70 of an external device, e.g. a PC monitor. Thus the device 10 does not need on board means for direct displaying. The display 70 may also be mounted on the casing of the device 10.

The wireless interface 20 is used to transceive data from/ to an external device, e.g. a smartphone 80 that shares its Wi-Fi hot-spot with the interface 20 and provides to it remote access to the Internet. So the device 10 does not need on board means for data transmission from/ to the Internet. The device 10 may also comprise on board means for the transmission of data to/ from the Internet.

The microprocessor 30 is also connected to a memory 32, in turn connected to an (optional) data input interface 34, e.g. a USB port. The memory 32 may be ROM or RAM, and the interface 34 serves to a user to write data to the memory 32.

The microprocessor 30's program is contained in the memory 32 or in another dedicated one.

OPERATION The microprocessor 30 controls and performs the functions of the device 10. It is programmed to detect the selection and pressure, by a user, of a key on the keyboard 14 and recognize a letter of the alphabet associated with the selected key.

Then the microprocessor 30 searches in a database of words words having such letter as initial. The database can be contained in the memory 32 and/or in a database external to the device 10 and remote, in which case it is scanned via the interface 20 through the data or telephone channel of the smartphone 80. The Internet access implemented with the interface 20 allows for example to exploit public search engines to find words or for consulting text archives.

At the same time the microprocessor 30 selects or searches an image illustrating an object corresponding to the word having as initial the letter of the pressed key. Images can be contained in the memory 32 and/or in a database external to the device 10 and remote, case in which - as before - it is accessed via the interface 20. Internet access implemented with the interface 20 allows e.g. to exploit public search engines (e.g. Google) to find images.

With the retrieved data, the microprocessor 30 drives the signal generator 22 to display them on the display 70. Fig. 2 shows a favourite display mask. Within a horizontal text field 72, the word sequence 78 typed up to that moment by the user is shown. Just below (or close to) the field 72 there appears a textual pull-down 74 containing a column of words that have as initials the words in the field 72. Below (or close) there appear images 88 corresponding to the words 76 and to a word selected among the words 76. Preferably the field 72, the textual pull-down 74 and the images 88 are all observable at a glance, for maximum reaction speed.

To guarantee an experience of entertainment - and learning - healthy and safe for children, the list of words 76 and the images 88 are filtered and controlled by the microprocessor 30.

E.g. the list of words 76 is pre-stored in the memory 32, or searched over the Internet but subjected to examination by the microprocessor 30 before its output on the display 70. E.g. the microprocessor 30 may eliminate the words that belong to or evoke those in an exclusion "black list" present in the memory 32.

The images 88 are e.g. pre-stored in the memory 32 and/or searched over the Internet but subjected to examination by the microprocessor 30 before the output on the display 70. E.g. the microprocessor 30 may evaluate the images through graphic recognition and discard inappropriate ones. In the first case, instead, the user may load in the memory 32 images to be associated with a word 76 via the interface 34.

The association between a word 76 and an image 88 is made by the microprocessor with various criteria. E.g. an image 88 contains an identification of the word, or in the memory 32 there is an association table or - simply - the microprocessor 30 executes an alphabetical sorting of the images 88 (whose file will have the same name as the word to be illustrated).

Preferably the microprocessor 30 is programmed for

- generating or reproducing an audio signal to be associated with a word 76. Thus the child can hear the pronunciation of the object in the image 88 he sees as well as read its spelling. The sounds are e.g. pre-stored in the memory 32 (such as mp3 audio files) and/or searched over the Internet. The microprocessor 30 may also autonomously generate phonemes and send them to a loudspeaker or sound emitting means; and/ or

- updating the words 76 as the word in the field 72 gets completed. All the updated words 76 have the initials equal to the word in the field 72; and / or

- updating together the images 88. The updated images 88 will match the new words 76 updated and displayed.

Claims

1. Device ( 10) for teaching word spelling to a child comprising

- a microprocessor (30), to which there are connected:

- an alphabetic keyboard ( 14), and

- a video signal generator (22) for driving a display (70),

wherein the microprocessor is programmed for

- detecting a key selection by a user on the keyboard ( 14) and recognizing a letter (78) associated with the selected key,

- searching in a word database words (76) having as initial such letter,

- selecting an image (88) illustrating an object corresponding to a said word having as initial such letter,

- driving the signal generator (22) for displaying on the display (70) the letter (78) associated with the selected key,

a list of words (76) found in the database, and

said corresponding image (88) .

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor (30) operates so that as the typing of a word (78) is completed the list of displayed words (76) is updated and reduced, until only the word equal or close to the typed word is shown.

3. Device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the microprocessor (30) operates so that the images (88), corresponding to words no longer matching the initial letters typed, are updated and deleted.

4. Device ( 10) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a memory (32), accessible to the microprocessor (30), for storing the images (88) to be associated with the words.

5. Device ( 10) according to claim 4, comprising a data input interface (34) adapted for loading the images and/or a word database into the device.

6. Device ( 10) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an interface (20) for connecting to the Internet and for transceiving digital data, and the microprocessor (30) is programmed to downloading from the Internet network via said interface (20) an image (88) showing an object corresponding to the word inserted by one initial letter at a time.

7. Device ( 10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the word database is stored locally in a memory, or the database is remote, external to the device, and can be consulted via the interface (20).

8. Device ( 10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the microprocessor (30) is programmed for

comparing the words found on the network with pre-defined roots or prefixes to exclude some words.

9. Device ( 10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the microprocessor (30) is programmed for generating an audio signal corresponding to the pronunciation of the typed letter and/or of the whole spelled word and/ or of the displayed image.

10. Device ( 10) according to claim 9, comprising a sound emitter to reproduce the pronunciation sound.