Patent · US Expired

Methods and systems for read-aloud books

US7261612B1 · kind B1 · utility

126Cited by
75References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 8, 2000
Grant dateAug 28, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 16, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA63H2200/00
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The pages of a children's book are marked in a machine-readable manner (e.g., by imperceptible digital watermark technology). When such a page is shown to a camera-equipped computer device, the watermark is decoded, and the story text from that page is read aloud to a child. A number of variants are contemplated, including using book pages as entry points to corresponding videos; using books to link to corresponding interactive web sites or multi-player games; incorporating the camera in a plush toy; evoking different responses from the system by using the book to convey gestures to the camera; providing such functionality in cell phones, set top boxes, and Bluetooth-equipped devices; customizing read-aloud stories using words provided by the child or a parent; etc.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.