Abstract:
A method of learning a second language through the guidance of pictures that enables users to learn multiple languages through computers. 
     After users input a plurality of words, a picture/text interface will display the plurality of input words, a plurality of output words, and a plurality of pictures. The plurality of output words represent the plurality of input words in another language, and the plurality of pictures represent the plurality of input words.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a method of learning a second language through the guidance of pictures, more particularly, to a method of learning a second language under the guidance of pictures especially suitable for children. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Statistically, most people tend to first notice pictures over text and have more lasting impressions of images. Consequently, typical language learning materials or software use a combination of pictures and text. 
         [0005]    The language learning software currently in use has the following characteristics:
       a. The language learning software displays a word in one language with a corresponding picture;   b. The corresponding picture is only shown for one word; if a user inputs a plurality of words, no corresponding picture is provided. Thus, the design of current language learning software utilizes the concept of a searching technique—after a user inputs one word, the corresponding picture for that word is displayed; after the user inputs next word, a picture corresponding to that word replaces the previous picture.   c. Some language learning software, which are used for translation purposes only, translate the text input by a user from a first language (such as Chinese) to a second language (such as English) and simultaneously display the texts of both languages on a screen without showing a corresponding picture at the same time.   d. After a user has input text in the first language and text in the second language has been displayed, the user cannot replace the text in the second language with text in another language, such as Spanish. Thus, this conventional design is inconvenient for people who learn multiple foreign languages.       
 
         [0010]    It is therefore desirable to provide a method for learning a second language through the guidance of pictures that mitigates and/or obviates the aforementioned problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The main objective of the present invention is to provide a method of learning a second language through the guidance of pictures, which can facilitate children&#39;s learning processes in particular. The present invention is characterized by its picture displaying; in addition, texts of two different languages can be shown above or below a picture, strengthening users&#39; text learning process of two languages through the assistance of pictures. 
         [0012]    The present invention relates to a method of facilitating user to learn multiple languages through computers. In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the method of the present invention comprises:
       providing a text input interface allowing users to input a plurality of input words;   providing an input language option interface capable of displaying a plurality of input languages from which users can choose one as an appointed input language of the input words aforementioned;   searching for pictures corresponding to the plurality of input words, wherein the plurality of pictures are used to express the input words;   providing an output language option interface capable of displaying a plurality of output languages from which users can choose one as an appointed output language of the output words aforementioned;   searching for output words corresponding to the plurality of input words, wherein the plurality of output words are used to express the plurality of input words; and   providing a picture/text interface capable of displaying the plurality of input words, the plurality of output words, and the plurality of pictures, wherein the plurality of input words and the plurality of output words are placed below or above the pictures.   When the picture/text interface displays the plurality of input words, the plurality of output words, and the plurality of pictures, users can switch the language of the input words and the output words, enabling them to view the words in other languages.       
 
         [0020]    Furthermore, the present invention can also play the audio data of the input words or the output words so as to facilitate the learning process. 
         [0021]    Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a hardware architecture diagram of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is an embodiment of a word database of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is an embodiment of a picture database of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is an embodiment of an audio database of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 6˜FIG .  8  show embodiments according to the flowchart shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  shows a first embodiment of a picture/text interface. 
           [0029]      FIG. 10A ,  FIG. 10B , and  FIG. 10C  show different arrangements of input words and output words displayed at different positions in a picture. 
           [0030]      FIG. 11A  and  FIG. 11B  show embodiments changing words and output words at the picture/text interface. 
           [0031]      FIG. 12  shows a second embodiment of the text input interface and the picture/text interface. 
           [0032]      FIG. 13  shows an embodiment having a picture with a plurality mark. 
           [0033]      FIG. 14  shows an embodiment having a picture with a past tense mark. 
           [0034]      FIG. 15  shows an embodiment having a picture with a present continuous tense mark. 
           [0035]      FIG. 16  shows an embodiment having a picture with future tense marks. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0036]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which is a hardware architecture diagram of the present invention. A second language learning system  10  comprises a processor  11 , a memory  12 , a screen  13 , a storage device  14  and an input device  15  (such as a keyboard or a mouse). The second language learning system  10  may therefore be used in a typical personal computer or a PDA (personal digital assistant). 
         [0037]    In the present invention, the storage device  14  comprises a language learning main program  30 , a word database  81 , a picture database  82 , and an audio database  83 . The language learning main program  30  comprises an input language option interface  31 , an output language option interface  32 , a text input interface  33 , a picture/text interface  34 , a picture option interface  35 , an audio option interface  36 , a predictive input text interface  37 , and a searching program  39 . The above-mentioned programs and databases will be explained with the following flowchart. 
         [0038]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a flowchart of an embodiment of the present invention. Please also refer to  FIG. 3˜FIG .  14 . 
       Step  201 : 
       [0039]    A user selects a specific input language  41   a.    
         [0040]    Please refer to  FIG. 6˜FIG   8 .  FIG. 6  shows the initial condition of all interfaces. The interfaces include: the input language option interface  31 , the output language option interface  32 , the text input interface  33 , the picture/text interface  34 , the picture option interface  35 , the audio option interface  36 , and the predictive input texts interface  37 . 
         [0041]    The user clicks on the language option interface  31 , and the input language option interface  31  displays a plurality of input languages  41 , such as Chinese, English, Japanese, French, German, and Spanish. The user selects a specific input language that he/she prefers from the plurality of input languages  41 ; as shown in  FIG. 8 , “Chinese” is chosen by the user as the specific input language  41   a.    
       Step  202 : 
       [0042]    The user selects a specific output language  42   a.    
         [0043]    Please refer to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . The user clicks on the output language option interface  32 , and the output language option interface  32  displays a plurality of output languages  42 , such as Chinese, English, Japanese, French, German, and Spanish. The user selects a specific output language that he/she prefers from the plurality of output languages  42 ; as shown in  FIG. 8 , “English” is chosen by the user as the specific output language  42   a.    
       Step  203 : 
       [0044]    The user selects a specific output audio language  46   a.    
         [0045]    Please refer to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . The user clicks on the audio option interface  36 , and the audio option interface  36  displays a plurality of audio languages  46 , such as Chinese, English, Japanese French, German, and Spanish. The user selects a specific output audio language  46   a  that he/she prefers from the plurality of audio languages  46 ; as shown in  FIG. 8 , “English” is chosen by the user as the specific output audio language  46   a.    
         [0046]    Moreover, since the specific output audio language  46   a  may be identical to the specific output language  42   a , the audio option interface  36  is not a necessary component. 
       Step  204 : 
       [0047]    The user selects a specific picture format  45   a.    
         [0048]    Please refer to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . The user clicks on the picture option interface  35 , and the picture option interface  35  displays a plurality of picture formats  45 , such as “drawing” and “photo.” The user selects a specific picture format that he/she prefers from the plurality of pictures format  45 ; as shown in  FIG. 8 , “drawing” is chosen by the user as the specific picture format  45   a.    
         [0049]    However, if there is only one picture format, the picture option interface  35  is not a necessary component. 
         [0050]    The above-mentioned steps  201 ˜ 204  are all configuration steps; if the input language option interface  31 , the output language option interface  32 , the picture option interface  35 , and the audio option interface  36  have displayed the correct specific language or picture format, the user can start from step  205 . 
       Step  205 : 
       [0051]    The user provides the input word  51 . 
         [0052]    Please refer to  FIG. 9 , the user may input a plurality of input words  51 , such as “I like to eat apples”, at the text input interface  33 , wherein the input words  51  are entered in the specific input language  41   a.    
       Step  206 : 
       [0053]    Displaying predicted input word  55 . 
         [0054]    In order to facilitate the user&#39;s inputting, a predictive text input interface  37  provides predicted input words. If the user inputs “apple”, the predictive text input interface  37  lists predicted input words  55  (such as apple, apple pie, apple juice) and the corresponding pictures  60  of the predicted input words  55 . 
       Step  207 : 
       [0055]    Finding the corresponding output word  52  and picture  60  according to the input words  51 . 
         [0056]    In this embodiment, the picture/text interface  34  displays a plurality of input words  51  (for example:          ), the corresponding pictures  60 , and a plurality of output words  52  (for example: “I like eat apple”). The plurality of output words  52  are in the specific output language  42   a , and the plurality of output words  52  are used to express the plurality of input words  51 . 
         [0057]    In addition, the present invention does not focus on providing correct translation, but on simultaneously showing the input words  51 , the corresponding output words  52 , and the pictures  60 . In this embodiment, the input words  51  are below the pictures  60 , and the output words  52  are above the pictures  60 ; however, other arrangements are possible as well. As shown in  FIG. 10A , the input words  51  may be located above the pictures  60 , and the output words  52  may be located below the pictures  60 . As shown in  FIG. 10B , the input words  51  and the output words  52  may both be located below the pictures  60 ; finally, as shown in  FIG. 10C , the input words  51  and the output words  52  may both be located above the pictures  60 . 
         [0058]    The searching program  39  is used to find the output words  52  and pictures  60  corresponding to the input words  51 . Please refer to  FIG. 3˜FIG .  5  for the word database  81 , the picture database  82  and the audio database  83 . 
         [0059]    The word database  81  includes words of more than one language, such as Chinese and English used in this embodiment. The word database  81  comprises a connection index row  811 , a Chinese row  812  and an English row  813 . Words having a same meaning but in different languages are connected by the connection index row  811 ; for example,           and “Apple” are words having a same meaning but in different languages;           and “Apple” are thus both connected to a same connection index: “001234”. Moreover, the “word” used in this document can be a vocabulary (such as          , “dog”), a phrase (such as “         ”, “wine bottle”), or a simple sentence (such as          , “How are you?”). 
         [0060]    Words in different languages may have more than one connection; for example, the connection index “001234” may correspond to “Apple”, and the connection index “001234p” may correspond to “Apples”; however, in Chinese, there are no plural nouns or past tenses, future tenses, or present continuous tenses. 
         [0061]    Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is an embodiment of a picture database  82  of the present invention. The picture database  82  comprises a plurality of pictures; in this embodiment the plurality of pictures are stored in the storage device  14  as a plurality of picture files (such as jpg files), and picture filenames  821  of the picture files may be identical to the corresponding connection index; for example, the picture filename  821  of the file “001234.jpg” is “001234”, and the file “001234.jpg” is the corresponding picture of           and “Apple”. Thus, the corresponding “picture” of a “word” can be found. 
         [0062]    In this embodiment, there are two picture formats: “drawing” and “photo”. Pictures belong to the “drawing format” are stored in a “picture-drawing” folder, and pictures belong to the “photo format” are stored in a “picture-photo” folder. The file named “001234.jpg” in the “picture-drawing” folder may be in “drawing format”, and the file named “001234.jpg” in the “picture-photo” folder may be in “photo format”. The picture filename  821  may be different from the connection index of the corresponding word; for example, the corresponding picture file “001234.jpg” of “Apple” may also be named “picture-001234.jpg”. Since “picture-001234.jpg” still has the connection index “001234”, it can be found through the connection index “001234”. Of course, the corresponding picture file “001234.jpg” of “Apple” may also be named “apple.jpg” or even irrelevantly “abcd.jpg”, as long as a relation table (not shown, which is a relation table of “word” and “picture filename”) is established in the database. 
         [0063]    Preferably, each word has its corresponding picture; however, since some words are abstract in nature (such as “really?”, “nanometer”), they may have no corresponding picture. 
         [0064]    Please refer to  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  is an embodiment of an audio database  83  of the present invention. The audio database  83  comprises a plurality of audio tracks and has a structure similar to that of the picture database  82 . The filename of the audio track  831  is related to the “connection index” of the corresponding word; for example, the Chinese pronunciation of           is stored in a file “001234.wav” in an “audio-Chinese” folder, and the English pronunciation of “Apple” is stored in a file “001234.wav” in an “audio-English” folder. If the learning system  10  provides ten different languages, there may be ten folders. Each language may provide more than one kind of pronunciation; for example, if the Chinese includes two kinds of pronunciation “male voice” and “female voice”, there may be a “male voice audio-Chinese” folder and a “female voice audio-Chinese” folder. 
         [0065]    The searching program  39  performs the searches according to the connection relationships between the text, pictures, and audio tracks, and the main point here is the “connection index”. 
         [0066]    Preferably, each word has its corresponding audio track; however, since some words do not exist in other languages, or one word may be connected to two audio tracks (feminine and masculine), the words and the audio data do not necessarily have a one-to-one correspondence with each other. 
       Step  208 : 
       [0067]    Playing the audio track. 
         [0068]    The user presses a “speak” button  361  to play the audio track, which is the specific output audio data  46   a . Please refer again to step  203 . 
         [0069]    Please refer to  FIG. 11A . In the process of inputting the input words  51  or after the process of inputting input words  51 , the user can change the specific input language  41   a  or the specific output language  42   a  whenever he/she wants through the input language option interface  31  and the output language option interface  32 . For example, in  FIG. 9 , the interfaces originally show “English” and “Chinese”; the user can use the mouse to select (block) the portion he/she wants to change (as shown by the dashed line) and change the specific input language  41   a  to “English” and the specific output language  42   a  to “Japanese”, as shown in  FIG. 11B . 
         [0070]      FIG. 12  shows another embodiment of the text input interface and the picture/text interface. In  FIG. 12 , in comparison with  FIG. 7˜9 , the text input interface  33  is merged with the picture/text interface  34 ; therefore, when the user inputs the input word  51 , the input word  51  is displayed on the picture/text interface  34 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 12 , the user has inputted           and           and is inputting          , and the picture for           has not yet shown. In  FIG. 12 , there is no audio option interface  36 ; when the user presses the “speak” button  362 , the audio data of the specific input language  41   a  is pronounced; when the user presses the “speak” button  363 , the audio data of the specific output language  42   a  is pronounced. 
         [0071]    Some languages may have different word conjugations, and the present invention may add marks on displayed pictures  60 . 
         [0072]    Please refer to  FIG. 13 . If the user inputs “apples”, the picture  60  may additionally include a plurality mark  71 . 
         [0073]    Please refer to  FIG. 14 . If the user inputs “ate”, the past tense of “eat”, the picture  60  may further include a past tense mark  72 . 
         [0074]    Please refer to  FIG. 15 . If the user inputs “eating”, the present continuous tense of “eat”, the picture  60  may include a present continuous tense mark  74 . 
         [0075]    Please refer to  FIG. 16 . If the user inputs “will eat”, the future tense of “eat”, the picture  60  may include a future tense mark  73 . 
         [0076]    The word database  81  can be used to store the information of the marks (please refer to  FIG. 3 ). If, for example, the connection index  811  of “Apple” is “001234”, and the connection index  811  of “Apples” is “001234p”, even through “apple” and “apples” share the same picture, the language learning program  30  can add the plurality mark  71  based upon the extra “p” due to that the connection index “001234p” has one more “p” than the connection index “001234”. In the same manner, the past tense mark  72 , the future tense mark  73  and the present continuous tense mark  74  can be provided as well. 
         [0077]    Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.