Abstract:
A digital book for providing reading education and amusement to a user. The digital book includes a visual display for displaying visual images and an audio component for broadcasting sound. The digital book includes a memory device for storing display images and a plurality of associated sounds. A processor controls the visual display to display a graphical image in association with a scrollable text segment.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)  
         [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/226,434, filed Aug. 18, 2000, entitled, “DIGITAL BOOK AMUSEMENT DEVICE,” by James R. Hornsby et al.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a digital book amusement device. In particular, the present invention relates to an interactive electronic book capable of displaying both graphical and textural information and broadcasting sound.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Digital books known in the art typically include a visual display for producing a visual output to the user, a memory device for storing the displayed text and graphics, and a controller for controlling the visual display based on the information stored in the memory device. In a typical digital book, a removable memory device, such as a CD-ROM or memory device is used, so that the device may be used to display a wide variety of books. Typically each CD-ROM or memory device contains one book or one package of related content. These devices also generally include some type of interface to allow the user to move forward and backward through the electronic book. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,954 to McMahon. The McMahon device allows a user to select a document from a removable memory source and to step through the various pages of the selected document. The devices known in the prior art typically are difficult to use and require specialized knowledge and experience.  
           [0004]    There is a need in the art for a digital book amusement device which is adapted for use by children. Accordingly, there is a need for a digital book which is durable, inexpensive, and easy to operate. There is a further need for a device which contains multiple modes of operation to retain the interest of the user and to provide the user with reading education.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention, in one embodiment, is a digital book for providing reading education and amusement to a user. The digital book includes a visual display for displaying visual images and an audio component for broadcasting sound. The digital book further includes a memory device for storing display images and associated sounds, and a processor for controlling the visual display, using the display images, to display a graphical image in association with a scrollable text segment.  
           [0006]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the digital book also includes a user interface, such as a keypad, for receiving input from the user. In one embodiment, the user interface includes a mode button, a page forward button, and a scroll button. In another embodiment, the digital book includes a touch screen display for receiving an input from the user.  
           [0007]    One embodiment of the present invention is a method for controlling operation of an interactive digital book in response to an input from a user. In this embodiment, the method includes receiving a mode selection from the user, providing a visual output on a display, providing an audio output on a speaker, and controlling the visual output and the audio output, based on the mode selection.  
           [0008]    While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein is shown and described only the embodiments of the invention, by way of illustration, of the best modes contemplated for carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    FIG. I is a front elevation view of a digital book according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the digital book shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the components of the digital book according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a digital book according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a memory device carrying case. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 shows a front view of a digital book  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the digital book  10  includes a housing  12 , a visual display  14 , a speaker  16 , and a user interface  18 . The housing  12  provides a support for the various components of the digital book  10 , and it acts to protect the various components from damage during use and storage of the device. In one embodiment, the housing  12  also acts to create an attractive visual appearance and configuration. In one embodiment, the housing  12  further includes an overlay  20  which acts to provide an additional visual design to the housing  12 . In one embodiment, the overlay  20  is removable and replaceable such that the user may vary the appearance of the housing  12  by replacing the overlay  20  with one of a different color or design. In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing  12  is constructed of an appropriate polymeric material, such as ABS. In one embodiment, the housing  12  is constructed from an opaque or translucent ABS material.  
         [0015]    The visual display  14  operates to provide a graphical display to the user, which includes both graphical representations or text, or both. In one embodiment, the visual display  14  is an LCD screen, as known in the art. In another embodiment, the visual display  14  is a color display, such as a TFT display. In one embodiment, the visual display  14  includes touch screen capabilities to receive an input from the user based on contact with the touch screen. The speaker  16  is used to broadcast audio to the user. As further shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment, the digital book  10  includes a volume control  22  that controls the output level of the speaker  16 .  
         [0016]    The user interface  18  acts as an input device and provides the user with the ability to control and influence the digital book  10 . In one embodiment, the user interface  18  is a keypad. As shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment, the user interface  18  includes a mode button  24 , an enter button  26 , a page forward button  28 , a page back button  30 , a scroll right button  32 , and a scroll left button  34 . The use of these buttons will be described in further detail below. In other embodiments of the present invention, the user interface  18  includes other combinations of keys or buttons to allow user input. In one embodiment, the digital book  10  includes additional inputs, such as buttons, gravity sensor or switch, keyboard, joystick, touch pad, or microphone, in communication with the microprocessor  52 , to allow further interactivity with the user. In one embodiment, the operation of the digital book  10  does not require input from the user, and thus no user interface  18  is included.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the digital book  10  according to one  20  embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the digital book  10  includes a memory port  40 , battery compartment  42 , and an AC/DC adapter input  44 . Also, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the digital book  10  includes a memory device  46 . The memory device  46  is adapted to mate with the memory port  40  and thereby form an electrical connection to a microprocessor of the digital book  10 . The battery compartment  42  and the AC/DC adapter  44  provide two alternative methods for powering the digital book  10 .  
         [0018]    In one embodiment, the digital book  10  does not include a removable memory device  46 , but instead includes a fixed memory device within the housing  12 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the memory device  46  is a cartridge, which the user can readily remove and replace to change the content displayed by the digital book  10 . In one embodiment, the memory device  46  includes one complete electronic book. The memory device  46  includes audio or graphical information, or both, for broadcast or display to the user.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the components of the digital book  10 . As shown in FIG. 3, the digital book  10  includes a control circuit  50 , the visual display  14 , the speaker  16 , the user interface  18 , and the memory device  46 . As further shown in FIG. 3, the control circuit  50  includes a microprocessor  52 , a read-only memory  54  (ROM), and a random-access memory  56  (RAM). In one embodiment the ROM includes a stored set of computer instructions which are to be executed by the microprocessor  52 . In one embodiment, the ROM is a conventional erasable, programmable, read-only memory (EPROM), which allows the stored computer instructions to be reprogrammed. In one embodiment, the control circuit  50  does not include RAM  56 .  
         [0020]    The control circuit  50  is in communication with each of the visual display  14 , the speaker  16 , the user interface  18 , and the memory device  46 . During operation, the microprocessor  52  operates to execute the computer instructions or software stored within the ROM  54 . The microprocessor  52  reads information from the memory device  46 . Based on instructions received from the user through the user interface  18 , the microprocessor generates an appropriate signal to control the visual display  14  and the speaker  16 . In one embodiment, the control circuit  50  does not include a general purpose microprocessor, but instead includes multiple chip sets (such as integrated circuits), each configured to accomplish a specific task. A variety of different configurations of controllers and memory can be used in the control circuit  50 , as known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0021]    The computer instructions or software included in the digital book  10  includes suitable modules for performing a number of data processing functions in connection with operation of the device. Potential functions include receiving and processing user input, producing or controlling audio output, producing and displaying visual outputs, and recording or downloading data. The configuration of the software can be varied in accordance with the desired functions. In one embodiment, one or more of the software modules are stored on the memory device  46 , such that the functions of the digital book  10  may vary depending on the book associated with the memory device  46 .  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the digital book  10 , according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, after the user activates the digital book  10  by pressing the power switch, the software stored in the ROM  54  operates to generate “start-up,” “animation” and “sound” (block  60 ). In one embodiment, the start up animation includes a graphical display on the display device  14 . In one embodiment, it also includes a textural display, such as a text message. In one embodiment, the start-up routine also includes broadcast of sound from the speaker  16 . After digital book  10  has completed the start-up animation and sound, it enters the main menu (block  62 ).  
         [0023]    The digital book  10  then waits for the user to select a mode (block  64 ). The user then uses the mode button  24  and the enter button  26  to select the desired operating mode. In one embodiment of the present invention, the modes include a reading mode (block  66 ), a narration mode (block  68 ), and a movie mode (block  70 ). In other embodiments of the present invention, the digital book  10  includes only one, or any combination, of these three modes. If the user does not make a mode selection within a certain time period (block  72 ), the digital book  10  shuts down (block  74 ). In each of these modes, the actual audio or visual content is drawn from the memory device  46 . In the embodiment in which the memory device  46  is removable, each memory device  46  may contain one or multiple digital books of information.  
         [0024]    If the user selects the reading mode, the microprocessor  52  executes a set of computer instructions stored in the ROM  54  associated with the reading mode. In the reading mode, the digital book  10  displays a still graphical image on the visual display  14 , and displays text associated with the graphical image on the digital display  14 . In one embodiment of the reading mode, the microprocessor  52  also controls the speaker  16  to generate background music. In  5  the reading mode, the computer instructions or software allows the user to scroll the line of text displayed in the visual display  14  using the scroll right button  32  or the scroll left button  34 . The line of text associated with the graphical image can be as long as is supported by the memory device  46 .  
         [0025]    After the user has completed reading the text associated with the first still image, the user may move to the next page of the digital book using the page forward button  28 . The user may also move backward during use of the digital book  10  by using the page back button  30 . When the user changes pages within the digital book, using the page forward button  28  or the page back button  30 , a new still graphical image is displayed on the visual display  14  in association with a new scrollable line of text. In one embodiment of the present invention, the background music which plays, also changes as the page of the digital book  10  is changed.  
         [0026]    In one embodiment, to support the reading mode, the memory device  46  includes a digital file including the images associated with each page and a digital file including the text associated with each image. In another embodiment, the memory device  46  further includes a file containing background music.  
         [0027]    If the user selects the narration mode, the microprocessor  52  executes computer instructions associated with this mode. In the narration mode, a still image is displayed on the digital display  14  in association with a scrollable line of text. In the narration mode, however, the speaker  16  is supplied with a signal so that a narrator is heard reading the text displayed on the visual display  14 . In the narration mode, the scroll right and scroll left buttons  32 ,  34  are inactive and the text line scrolls automatically in tempo with the voice of the narrator broadcast by the speaker  16 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the rate at which the text scrolls and the narration is broadcast, is controlled by the user. When the end of the scrollable line of text is reached, the device waits for the user to navigate to another page within the digital book using either the page forward or page back buttons  28 ,  30 . When the user selects a new page, the microprocessor displays the image for that page, again in association with a scrollable line of text. The text automatically scrolls across the visual display  14  while the voice of a narrator is broadcast from the speaker  16 . In one embodiment of the narration mode, the speaker  16  also broadcasts background music, which may vary with each page of the digital book. In one embodiment, the narration mode uses the same digital files, associated with the graphical images and the scrollable text, as is used by the reading mode. The narration mode further includes a digital file containing the audio narration associated with the scrollable text.  
         [0028]    In one embodiment of the present invention, one or both of the reading mode and the narration mode include hidden animations or “hot” spots. In this embodiment, the visual display  14  is a touch screen as known in the art, and when the user touches an activation spot on visual display  14 , the microprocessor operates to play an animation on the visual display  14 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the visual display  14  is a touch screen including a grid of activation spots. This grid, for example, may by five by five, creating a total of twenty-five activation spots. In one embodiment, the hidden animations are associated with one of the activation or hot spots. In another embodiment, a hidden animation is associated with multiple activation or hot spots. In embodiments of the present invention including hidden animations, the memory device  46  includes additional files containing the animation for display on the visual display  14 . In embodiments of the present invention including hidden animations, the memory device  46  further includes a file which provides a map of the touch screen to determine which portions of the screen trigger which hidden animations. In one embodiment, this map is a set of links between positions on the touch screen and corresponding animation files.  
         [0029]    In this embodiment, each page of the digital book may include one or more hidden animations, which may be activated by the user. In one embodiment of the present invention, activation of the hidden animation also triggers the broadcast of sound effects from the speaker  16 . For example, the hidden animation may include a character moving and speaking. In one embodiment of the present invention, the digital book  10  includes a stylus adapted for assisting the user in activating the touch screen.  
         [0030]    If the user selects the movie mode, the microprocessor  52  executes computer instructions associated with this mode. In the movie mode, the digital book  10  plays an animated scene associated with each page of the digital book  10 . In the animated scene, the characters speak by the broadcast of sound through the speaker  16 , and no narration is performed. In one embodiment of the movie mode, background music is broadcast by the speaker  16 . The user may move to the next or the previous animated scene using the page forward button  28  or the page back button  30 . In this embodiment, the audible narration is synched to the animated scene, so that it appears that the animated characters are speaking. In this embodiment, the memory device  46  includes an additional digital file containing an animation scene with synched audio.  
         [0031]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the microprocessor  52  includes prompts for input from the user. The user then must respond through the user interface  18 . This embodiment increases user interaction with the digital book  10 , enhancing its educational and amusement effects. In one embodiment of the present invention, the digital book  10  includes lights attached to the housing  12  near the visual display  14 . In one embodiment the lights are activated by the user to allow the user to operate the device in low light conditions. In one embodiment, the digital book  10  includes luminous or “glow-in-dark” features.  
         [0032]    As shown in FIG. 5, in one embodiment invention, the memory device  46  includes a carrying case  80  adapted to hold the memory device  46  and a book  82 . In this embodiment, the book  82  includes graphical images and text associated with those contained within the memory device  46 . This “hard” copy  5  of the book allows the user to follow along with the digital book  10 .  
         [0033]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.