Abstract:
Content is displayed in an apparatus, such as a book, using an input device, an electromechanical device, a light emitting device and an audio device. A user selects an input device coupled with the apparatus. In response to the selection, an object is moved within the apparatus with the electromechanical device while simultaneously flashing light from the light emitting device and playing a sound with the audio device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This application relates to presenting content and more specifically providing an audio and visual presentation in a book, calendar, games or any printed publication. 
         [0002]    Books are constructed with textual material and may include graphical illustrations on their cover. Other books, called pop-up books have graphical content that pop out of the book when the book is open. 
         [0003]    Greeting cards are available with a sound chip built into the card. When the card is open, a song or other audible greeting will be played. 
         [0004]    These books and cards only provide an audio or a visual experience. In these devices, there is no relation between the visual experience and any audio experience. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In one implementation, a method for presenting content in a text book is disclosed. The method includes a text book having an input device, an electromechanical device, a light emitting device and an audio device. An electric signal is provided to start an event in response to selection the input device. In response to the signal, an object is physically moved within the book with the electro-mechanical device while simultaneously flashing a light with the light emitting device and playing a sound with the audio device. 
         [0006]    In another implementation, a book is provided. The book includes a movable object having a surface in which characters within a book are attached. An electro-mechanical device is attached to the book to move the object to change an orientation or position of the characters. The book includes a light emitting device and an audio device. A processing device is incorporated in the book to simultaneously activate the electro-mechanical device, the light emitting device and the audio device. 
         [0007]    In another implementation, an apparatus containing textual content may be provided. The apparatus incorporates a movable object, an electro-mechanical device, one or more light emitting devices, an audio device, and a processing circuit. The movable object has a surface in which graphic images are attached. The electro-mechanical device is coupled with the apparatus to move the object to change an orientation or position of the graphic images. The light emitting devices are electrically activated. The processing circuit simultaneously activates the electro-mechanical device, the lighting devices and the audio device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference number in different figures indicates similar or identical items. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary book cover that incorporates sound, light, and mechanical movement in accordance with the claimed embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of the components that are used to construct the exemplary book cover shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of the components that are used to construct the exemplary electrical mechanical device shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0012]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  illustrates exploded views of a book cover shown in  FIG. 1  incorporating an exemplary disk with embedded content. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates a schematic diagram of a circuit that includes a processing device for controlling the electrical mechanical device, audio components and light emitting device shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  illustrates a flow diagram of a process implemented by the processing device shown in  FIG. 5  to produce synchronized sound, light, and mechanical movement. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    This disclosure is directed to displaying an animating content. Aspects of the disclosure will be described with content being animated on a cover of a book. However, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to a cover of a book and the animation of content may be applied to devices that are incorporated into other objects, such as one or more pages of a book, a calendar, or a board game. 
         [0016]    The book would include a movable object, a light emitting device, and an audio device. The object would have a surface in which characters are displayed. An electro-mechanical device could also be attached to the book to move the object to change an orientation or position of the characters on the objects surface. Although an electro-mechanical device is discussed which rotates a disk, the electro-mechanical device may move other objects. For example the electro-mechanical device may rotate a display wheel in two directions, drive a flap to continuously open and close, drive an object to continuously move back and forth in two directions, cause object to pop-up out of a page, or cause a valve or curtain to open and close. 
         [0017]    The light emitting devices would flash and the audio device would emit a sound while the positions of the characters are changed. The devices could be positioned away from the moving disk or moving objects to illuminate through the apertures on a book page/cover. The devices could also be positioned behind the moving disk or objects. A processing device is connected to the light emitting device, the audio device and the electro-mechanical device to simultaneously activate and de-activate the electro-mechanical device, the plurality of lighting devices and the audio device. 
         [0018]    These techniques help provide an audio and visual experience for a book reader. Various examples of the construction of the device to provide the audio and visual experience are described below with reference to  FIGS. 1-6 . 
       Example System Architecture 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example an exemplary book cover  100  that incorporates sound, light, and mechanical movement. The book cover  100  includes a binding  102  having an opening  104  through which an object  106 , such as a rotating or moving disk, is displayed. Object  106  is moved by an electrical mechanical device (not shown). Disposed on the surface of the object  106  are multiple characters  108 . Located on book cover  100  are small openings  110  though which a light emitting device  112  flashes light. Light emitting device  112  may include fiber optic cables (not shown) connected to a light source. The cover (or page) of the book may also display text or other graphics images  114 . An audio device  116  may be positioned behind binding  102  to play audio. 
         [0020]    An input device, such as switch  118 , may be integrally connected to the adjacent a side, front or any other the portion of book cover  100  and may be activated by the reader of the book depressing the input device. When switch  118  is activated (e.g. by being pressed or touched by a user), an event is activated. In one embodiment, this event may include an electromechanical device moving object  106  to display different characters. Alternately, this event may include a light source emitting light through the cover. The light source may include many light sources that may individually be turned off and on to simulate movement. 
         [0021]    The switch  118 , when pressed, may further result in the activation of the audio device  116  and activation of the light emitting device  112 . Although the electromechanical device, audio and light emitting device is described as being activated in response to the switch  118  being pressed, such devices may also be activated by opening a cover of the book or a book reader changing a page in the book to trigger the sensor. In one implementation, when switch  118  is pressed a second time, the movement of electrical mechanical device, the sound emanating from audio device  116  and the light from light emitting device  112  are terminated. 
         [0022]    Light emitting device  112  may be configured in the book cover as a series or combination of lights which are used to pinpoint positions on a map of the earth or sky. Such lights may be accompanied by a sound illustration and/or voice description activated by user operated switches (e.g. switch  118 ) incorporated into either book cover  100  or as additional foldout features. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of the components that are used to construct the exemplary book  200  (referred to as  100  in  FIG. 1 ). The exemplary book  200  includes a cover binding  202 , a back binding  203  and an electrical mechanical device  204   a  and  204   b  (collectively referred to herein as electrical mechanical (or electro-mechanical) device  204 ). The electrical mechanical device  204  is sandwiched between the bindings  202  and  203  and holds a device, e.g. content disk  206 . Content disk  206  has characters or other content  208  engraved on or attached to its surface. 
         [0024]    Electrical mechanical device  204  is connected to an audio device or speaker  210 , contains a rotational assembly  212 , a motor  213 , a circuit  214 , an input device, e.g. switch component  216 , a light source  222 , a battery compartment  218  for powering device  204 , circuit  214 , the light source  222  and the audio device  210 . Further details of mechanical device  204  are described in  FIG. 3 . Further details of circuit  214  are described in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0025]    Cover binding  202  has apertures  218  through which fiber optic cables  220  are connected. Cables  220  receive light from light source or emitter  222  and radiate the received light through apertures  218 . Alternately emitter  222  may be positioned behind disk  206  to light individual characters embedded on disk  206 . Light source  222  is activated by circuit  214 . Cover binding  202  includes an opening  224  through which disk  206  and the content  208  on disk  206  appear. 
         [0026]    During operation and in response to the input device  216  being pressed by the book reader (also referred to herein as “a user”), circuit  214  transmits a signal to electrical mechanical device  204  to indicate to mechanical device  204  to rotate and/or move disk  206 . Simultaneously circuit  214  provides a signal to play a song or other sounds via audio speaker  210  and provides a signal to light emitter  222  to provide light via fiber optic cables  220  to apertures  218  on cover  202 . 
         [0027]    When disk  206  is moved, characters on the disk  206  appear through opening  224 . In one implementation, the disk  206  rotates in a circle. In another implementation, disk  206  moves back and forth. Disk  206  continues to rotate for a predetermined period of time, e.g. the length of a song, or until the input device  216  is again activated. Although disk  206  is shown to rotate, other implementations may be envisioned that do not include a rotating disk but rather contain an object having multiple lights that flash to simulate rotation, a back and forth action or other movement. These lights could be synchronized with the audio to flash at specific times in the audio. It is also envisioned that other objects besides disk  206  could be moved by the electrical mechanical device, (e.g. a curtain, or a flap or any other object, such as the objects mentioned previously herein). 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of the components that are used to construct the exemplary electrical mechanical device  300  ( 204  in  FIG. 2 ). Device  300  includes a front portion  302  and a rear portion  304 . Disposed in mechanical device are gears  306  and motor  308  to turn gears  306 . Audio speaker  310  (speaker  210  in  FIG. 2 ) is mounted in the front portion  302 . Circuit  312  (circuit  214  in  FIG. 2 ) is also mounted between front portion  302  and rear portion  304 . An object, e.g. disk  206  ( FIG. 2 ), is mounted to an axis of one of the gears  306 , e.g. gear  314 . Gears  306  rotate when motor  308  is activated to turn disk  206 . Gears  306  may turn disk  206  so that disk rotates completely in a circle around a center point, or may be activated so that disk  206  rotates in a first direction and then reverses and rotates in the opposite direction. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  illustrates exploded views of a book cover  400  ( 100  in  FIG. 1 ) incorporating an exemplary object or disk  402  ( 106  in  FIGS. 1 and 206  in  FIG. 2 ) containing content. The disk  402  is shown mounted to electromechanical device  404  between a front portion  406  of cover  400  and a back portion  406  of cover  400 . Although disk  402  and electromechanical device  404  are shown mounted to the front portion  406  of book cover  400 , they may be mounted to one or more pages of the book or the rear cover  410 . Disk  402  may be mounted such that characters  414  are viewed through opening  412  in the cover. When disk  402  is rotated, new characters  414  on the disk  402  appear through the opening while other characters on disk  402  are rotated behind the cover so that they are no longer able to be viewed. Light emitting devices (not shown) may be positioned behind disk  402  to illuminate the characters on the disk. Such light emitting devices may be turned off and on at specific times in the audio to illuminate the characters. For example the light emitting devices may be turned on when a sound of thunder occurs in the audio to light up a jagged character line on the disk to simulate lightning. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  illustrates a schematic diagram of a circuit  500  that includes a processing device  502  for controlling the electrical mechanical device  504 , audio device  506  (such as a speaker) and light emitting device  508  (such as a light emitting diode (LED). Processing device  502  is also connected to an input device, such as switch  510 , which may be activated by the book reader. Processing device  502  may activate other light emitting devices, such as LEDs  512 , to indicate that power is present or that circuit  500  is running. 
         [0031]    Processing device  502  includes a memory (not shown) for holding a program to simultaneously active the audio, light emitting device and activating the electrical mechanical device  504 . Processing device  502  may internally store data such as an encoded audio signal. Thus when device  502  is activated, it may play a song, generate a particular sound or provide an audio voice. An exemplary program executed by processing device  502  is described in  FIG. 6 . 
       Exemplary Process 
       [0032]    Exemplary methods are described below that implement an adaptation algorithm to reduce collisions. However, it should be understood that certain acts need not be performed in the order described, and may be modified, and/or may be omitted entirely, depending on the circumstances. Moreover, the acts described may be implemented by a computer, processor or other computing device based on instructions stored on one or more computer-readable media. The computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computing device to implement the instructions stored thereon. 
         [0033]      FIG. 6  shows one example implementation of a process  600  implemented using the processing device  502  ( FIG. 5 ) to produce synchronized sound, light, and mechanical movement on the book. 
         [0034]    In block  602 , the processing device  502  makes a determination whether the input device, e.g. switch  510 , has been activated. The processing device  502  continues to repeat block  602  until the input device is activated. If the input device, e.g. switch  510 , has been activated by the book reader, the processing device  502  indicates a first event has begun by providing a signal in block  604  to light up the light emitting devices  508 , e.g. the LED. The processing device simultaneously provides a signal to electromechanical device  404  to begin to turn the disk in block  606  and provides a voice, audio sound or other melody in block  608  to the audio device  506 . The disk may be rotated so that objects to appear on a page in the book related to words in song. For example if the word “cow” was announced in a song, a “cow” character may appear through the opening in the book. Alternately the specific characters on the disk may be specifically illuminated by the light emitting devices (positioned behind the disk). The characters may be illuminated at specific times in the audio. Further if subsequent characters were announced in a song, the disk may be rotated, moved and/or synchronized with the audio so that those characters would appear. 
         [0035]    In block  610 , a determination is made whether the input device, e.g. switch  510 , has again been activated by the book reader. If the input device has been activated (“Yes” in block  610 ), then the light emitting device  508 , the audio device  506  and the electromechanical device  404  are stopped in block  612 . If the input switch has not been terminated (“No” in block  610 ), a determination is made, whether a second event has occurred. Examples of such a second event include a song has completed, or a certain amount of time has elapsed since the first event. If such second event has occurred, the light emitting device  508 , the audio device  506  and the electromechanical device  404  are stopped in block  614 . In one implementation, the object movements, the audio and the light flashing may be terminated in response to a closing of the cover of the book. 
         [0036]    After block  612  or  614 , the process  600  repeats in block  602  where a determination is made whether the input device has been selected. 
       CONCLUSION 
       [0037]    In closing, although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claimed invention.