WO2005093553A2

WO2005093553A2 - Electronic & accoustic reading of printed material

Info

Publication number: WO2005093553A2
Application number: PCT/IB2004/003802
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Harvey Rines
Original assignee: Robert Harvey Rines
Priority date: 2004-03-24
Filing date: 2004-11-19
Publication date: 2005-10-06
Also published as: WO2005093553A3; GB2428505A; GB0620673D0; GB2428505B; GB0819479D0

Abstract

A technique and apparatus for supplementing different subjects-matter book passages at the option of the reader with external pictorial, visual or video supplementary material, (optionally accompanied by audio), relating to the corresponding respective different subject matters, through using coded indicia provided at or in said book passages, which the book reader may select or scan with an electronic reader that, in turn, controls a visual/audio player wand for accessing corresponding coded tracks of a storage medium at the player, thereby to play such supplementary material pre-recorded in the storage medium and corresponding to the respective selected code indicia in the book. As an aleternative to the electronic reader, the coded indicia provided at said passages may be readable and vocally pronouncable by the book reader and thereupon remotly received and voice-recognized by the storage-medium palyer, for accessing the playing of such corresponding supplementary material from corresponding coded tracks of the medium.

Description

Electronic & Acoustic Reading of Printed Material

The present invention relates to supplementing the written or printed

descriptions read by a reader of books and the like, with video screen

presentations and illustrations and related displays of supplemental materials

that may be viewed by the book reader and that specifically relate to and

supplement the specific subject matter of the respective written descriptions

or passages on a page or pages - all at the option and will of the reader. The

invention is particularly directed to bringing the written words "alive"

through enabling contemporaneous viewing of pre-assembled and stored

illustrations with or without sound description, such as video, motion picture

or other illustrative or documentary materials and the like, that can provide a

"live" video/audio played-back supplement to the content of the specific

passages read by the reader for enriching the reading process. That reading

process can then continue after the relevant supplementary material has been

accessed and viewed as on a CD or DVD player or the like.

Background

Since the invention of the printing press, for many centuries, books have

been published and disseminated with all kinds of illustrations, drawings and even separate supplementary materials. Often books are accompanied by

records and tapes and videos which can be supplementary to the material in the

text or used in parallel therewith, such as for singing or playing successive songs,

the words of which may be in the printed text, or other such interaction or

entertainment.

In the computer area, electronic links are provided in the textual

electronically printed or displayed written text material or screens for

electronically linking to other "pages" of stored material as in the web and

otherwise, so that a reader of the screen text can obtain supplementary materials

and information, often animated or audibly or visually active.

The problem of the reader associating such supplementary and illustrative

and played-back performing materials from stored materials has not, however,

heretofore been totally integrated with the text material or the normal reading

thereof, or for repeated accessibility and in any order and at any time, and in a

user- friendly and flexible manner - aE under the reader's control.

It is to these considerations that the present invention, accordingly, is

primarily directed; it being conceived mat the reader of a book or other textual

material may wish readily to access, re-access (and in any order), and view

supplemental related subject matter illustrations, photographs, audio and visual

supplementary information expanding upon the read passages after or while

reading such particular passages of title text. If the reader desires to exercise such an option, the invention enables the reader right then and there, and with immediate association with the textual material that has been read and as to

which the reader would like further supplementary related stΛbject-matter visual and audio materials, to depart from the reading of the book arid automatically

view relevant recorded analog or preferably digital tracks of a. CD or DVD or other similar medium that builds upon the written textual passage or portion of the book that has just been read - and to do so at any time and in any accessing

order.

This enables much more material to be available than the practical

preparation of a book and its printing can accommodate, and, in addition,

provides a very inexpensive and potentially large library of such supplementary

illustrative materials which just cannot be published in any one book or even

collection of books, economically or physically. In preparing a book or a text,

furthermore, copious editing is required which is time-consuming and expensive

and invariably results in required omissions of materials dictated by the

limitations of the production and commercial nature of the booxk or other

publication. The use of DVD, CD or other storage memories, however, is ideal

for massive track-coded storage of accumulated supplemental data — photo

albums, illustrations, videos, movies, documents, audio and oftier visual material

storage — even in unedited form — which are still extremely interesting to the

reader who elects to supplement the reading of specific subject-anatter written

passages of the text with contemporaneous viewing and hearing of such a

collection of subject-matter-related memorabilia and illustratiorrs. The "live" access to the contemporaneous reproducing of such pre-recorded supplemental

materials provides an enjoyable addition and informational supplement to the specific material read in the book passage. This then provides an inexpensive and instantly subject-matter accessible coded "album" available to the book

purchaser which is not currently available when books are published and distributed for reading.

The invention, furthermore, provides for a very user-friendly and compact

supplementary means for the reader to continue in the mode of centuries in

picking up a book and reading anywhere at all - but being provided with access

to such relevant supplementary remotely stored materials simply by visual code,

link or similar representations or indicia printed in the margin of the book in

association with the text passages describing a particular subject matter or

events, and which indicia the reader can instantly electronically scan and

automatically thereby communicate for remote access to coded recorded tracks,

corresponding to the respective coded indicia, of the conventional CD, DVD

player or similar media player, including the before-mentioned material storable

on the internet web, to which the book reader invariably has access in the home

or other location.

While this invention is particularly useful for the commercial book and

related publishing business, the invention is also useful for the family and the

amateur wishing to organize all of the photographs, videos, movies and other

materials of meaning to the family as a diary or other record of f mily events for reliving recollections of family history and events. Again, for the use of CD,

DVD or other similar coded-track storage of all of the familial photographs and

videos, memorabilia and so forth, editing and even chronology are not required.

The coded indicia placed in the margin of the books, diary or other records will

be keyed to particular correspondingly coded tracks or areas of the recorded

supplementary CD, DVD or other material, which greatly simplifies and obviates

the need or indexing and the time and effort involved in the preparation of the

same.

While reference has been made herein to "books'' or computer or other

electronic "screens", diaries or other physically printed or written or

electronicaEy printed and displayed text materials and the like, all such shall be

understood to be generically sometimes referred to herein as simply "books" and

embraced within that term; similarly, the electronic media for storing and then

replaying the relevant before-mentioned remotely stored supplementary

material, photographs, documents, audio - video tapes, movies, web etc. are also

hereinafter sometimes generically referred to as supplementary pre-recorded or

stored visual or video/audio materials and the like.

Objects Of Invention

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to expand the

access to information and supplementary information that a reader of the book

may be interested in pursuing upon reading a particular portion or passage of the book and contemporaneously desiring to view and hear supplementary

material specifically related to or expanding upon the specific subject matter of

the read portion or passage; the invention providing a novel method of and

apparatus for expanding the reading enjoyment and education of the book

reader in a user-friendly manner and without departing from the centuries old

format of a book (or the format of electronic printed materials and computer and

other screen displays).

A further object is to provide such a novel method that simplifies the

necessity or indexing of supplementary materials or the chronological ordering

of such in supplemental media and the like for use with the book through the use

of appropriate code indicia actually printed or impressed or otherwise marked

on the margin or free space of the book in apposition to or near or in the specific

passage(s) text material, the specific subject matter of which, the reader opts to

seek visual/ audio supplementation, and in any order and with infinite repetition

or timing to increase enjoyment and understanding.

Still an additional object is to provide a new and improved "book" or the

like that inherently links to external supplemental pre-recorded materials that

the publication of the book did not physically or economically permit to be

included therein.

Other and further objects will be explained hereinafter and will be pointed

out particularly in connection with the appended claims. Summary

In summary, however, from one of its important aspects, the invention

embraces in one of its most general and preferred ormats, a method of

supplementing the materials of various passages of different printed book

descriptive materials during a reader's reading of the same, with visual

supplemental materials, optionally with audio, coreespondingly specifically

related to and/ or expanding upon the specific subject matter of the various

passages of printed descriptive materials, that comprises, electronically storing

on tracks of a recorded storage medium, pluralities of such visual supplemental

information, each so related specifically to the subject matter of a different

corresponding passage of the printed descriptive material in the book, and

provided with accessing coding specific to each such track of the medium;

printing or otherwise applying and displaying on the pages of the book

alongside each of the various descriptive material passages, an electronically

readable code indicia corresponding specifically to that coded track of the

medium containing the recorded specific visual/ audio supplemental material

related to the corresponding specific printed descriptive material passage;

providing an electronic wand for remotely selectively accessing the respective

tracks of a medium player available to the book reader, and conteolling the

visual/ audio playing of the same for displaying/reproducing to the reader said

supplemental visual information recorded on the respective tracks; and further

providing to the book reader an electronic reader of said coded indicia, adapted to actuate the electronic wand to play back respective coded tracks of the

medium in the player in accordance with the book reader applying the electronic

indicia reader to the respective code indicia in the book, thereby to enable the

book reader, contemporaneously with reading, to watch/listen to the played-

back visual/ udio supplemental material and while, if desired, continuing the

facility for simultaneously re-reading the corresponding printed passage in the

book during, be ore or after such playback,

As later discussed, the electronic reader and communicator for storage

medium track selection may, in some instances, be replaced by voice command

communication and recognition for achieving such storage-medium track

selection.

Preferred and best mode designs and implementations of the invention

are later fully detailed,

Drawing

The invention will now be described in connection with the

accompanying drawings, Figure 1 of which provides a schematic diagram of a

preferred implementation of the invention, and Figure 2, a modification adapted

for voice-command control.

Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, conventional facing pages of a

printed book B are shown having textual written or printed portions T that a

reader may read in the conventional use of the book. Should the reader desire to see pictures or other visual materials, videos or movies, or to hear audio tapes or

records, or to see supplementary documents or the like that specifically relate to

or supplement specific subject-matter passages or portions of this textual portion

T, such as the upper left-hand passages P2 or the lower right - hand passages PI,

for example, of specific different respective subject matter, the invention

provides for respective coded indicia or markers, C2, CI, etc. as in the margins of

the book adjacent or near the respective subject matter T passages P2, PI, etc.

These coded indicia may be printed in barcode or other coded format link which

is keyed to respective coded tracks T2, TI, etc, of a CD, DVD or the like

containing corresponding respective subject-matter supplemented material pre¬

recorded on a storage medium , such as on a CD disc or DVD or the like,

The disc or other track-coded storage medium is shown within a player P,

shown remote but accessible to the book reader and with conventional visual

(video)/audio or (sound) reproducing and display screens, including, computer

and television interfacing. The operation actuation of the medium track is

effected from a wand W controlling the accessing and live playing back of the

respective tracks TI, T2, etc. of the storage medium M by wired, remote or

wireless communication, schematically represented at C, as is well known. Suitable wand types, for example, may be the Radio Shack (2004) infrared remote models 15-2116, 15-2129 and 15-2138 among others.

' The control of the wand W to playback the respective tracks of the medium M containing respective pre-recorded supplemental material related to or expanding upon the specific corresponding respective subject matters of the passages PI, P2, etc. is, in turn, controlled by an electronic code indicia reader R

provided to the book reader and which activates the wand W, again by wired,

remote or wireless communication, schematically indicated at O.

Thus, once the book reader has read the particular subject matter of, say,

passage PI and desires to view/ hear supplemental material as to that specific

subject matter - r example, pictures or a video clip with sound — the book

reader thereupon scans with the hand-held reader R the code indicia CI (bar

code unique symbol or the like) printed or otherwise affixed in the margin near

the passage PI, as shown, and thereby activates the wand W to communicate

with and select and trigger the playback on the player P of the corresponding

visual/ audio supplemental material as to that specific matter described in

passage PI that has been pre-recorded on the corresponding track TI of the

medium M. Similarly, the book reader, having earlier read about different

subject matter in written passage P2, may wish to view/hear supplemental

material as to that subject matter that has been pre-recorded on corresponding

coded track T2 of the medium . This is effected by the reader scanning the electronic reader R over the coded indicia P2 that will cause the wand W to access the corresponding coded track T2 of the medium M on which has been

stored the corresponding supplemental material relating to or expanding upon

the specific subject matter of the passage P2.

The book reader, moreover, may repeatedly access such supplemental

material, and may access at any time and in any order whatsoever, as desired.

The invention, in summary, thus provides a cooperative method and

apparatus for supplementing the materials of various passages of different

printed book descriptive materials PI, P2, etc. during a reader's reading of the

same, with visual supplemental materials and optionally with audio,

correspondingly specifically related to and/or expanding upon the specific

different subject matters of the various different passages PI, P2, etc. of the

printed (written) descriptive materials T. As previously described, the electronic

prerecording in the storage medium M, of corresponding pluralities of such

visual supplemental information, each related specifically to the subject matter of

a different corresponding passage PI, P2, etc. of the printed descriptive material

T in the book B, is stored along correspondingly recorded tracks of the recorded

storage medium M — with coding - specific conventional wand-accessing to each

such corresponding track TI, T2, etc. of the medium M. On the pages of the book

alongside each of the various descriptive material passages PI, P2, etc., as earlier

explained, there has been printed or applied or displayed electronically readable

code indicia CI, C2, etc. corresponding specifically and respectively to the coded

tracks TI, T2, etc. of the medium containing the recorded specific visual supplemental material related to the corresponding specific printed descriptive

material passage. The electronic wand W thus remotely selectively accesses the

tracks TI, T2, etc. of the playback displayer P and controls the visual/audio

playing of the same for reproducing and displaying to the book reader the

appropriate related supplemental visual information upon the playback

displayer. The book reader, with the hand-held electronic reader R, simply scans

the desired coded indicia CI, C2, etc., thereby controlling the wand W to actuate

the corresponding playback tracks TI, T2, etc, of the medium in the player P

and thereby enable the book reader to watch "live" and listen to the appropriate

played-back visual supplemental material If desired, moreover, the reader may

maintain the continued facility for simultaneously re-reading of the

corresponding printed passages PI, P2, etc. during, before, or after such playback

- - all at the option of and under the control of the book reader.

In practical implementations, the electronic reader R may be a portable

hand-held miniaturized element as shown, communicating with (commanding)

the wand W, with the wand in any of wired, remote or wireless communication

with the player P as is widely done today. If desired, the electronic reader R and

wand W may be integrally packaged as a single hand-held longitudinal tool,

storable with the book B or connected by a cord thereto (not shown) or

detachably held.

As before explained, the underlying concept of the invention is not, however, restricted to the format of a conventional book, as shown for illustrative purposes- printed, handwritten or having other impressed text. A computer or other television or monitor screen format on which the text is

electronically printed or displayed, schematically indicated in dotted lines as CS,

is also a possible "book" format for which the invention is most useful, and

wherein, the electronic indicia reader R may conveniently assume the form of a

"mouse" - like overlay or the user's finger or an implement for touch-screen

activation of the coded indicia. In such a use, the player P may be incorporated

in the computer or monitor system.

A modification of the present invention, presented in Figure 2, may also

achieve the same broad objectives and advantages, but can do so without

requiring either an electronic coded-indicia reader or the wireless electronic

wand communication components or their functions to access the desired

recorded track of the player, as above-described — in fact, requires no auxiliary

components whatsoever for the book reader — only ύie book itself.

This novel result is achieved in the present invention, by applying coded

indicia in the book that are visually readable and also are vocally and uniquely

pronounceable by the book reader, so as to transmit the vocal acoustical

pronouncement of the indicia word(s) or phrases or numbers or sound(s) or

combination thereof, for remote reception and recognization by a remote voice-

recognition switch controlling the medium player track selection. While I have

earlier proposed the use of appropriate voice commands by a vehicle driver,

automatically through such voice-recognition switahing, selectively to turn on entertainment deck and cell phone instruments in vehicles so as to avoid driver distraction_/ *&> *^or example, in US Patent No.6,002,558, this type of concept, appropriately modified, can now enable a book reader, merely by pronouncing the code word(s) or number or other indicia displayed in the book margin or the

like, to cause a remote voice-command recognition switch at the player to access

the corresponding recorded coded track and to trigger or control its playing of

the selected corresponding supplemental visual material for the reader.

As earlier stated, the use of such remote voice switching relieves the book

reader of the necessity for any auxiliary equipment (code indicia reader, remote-

control communication wand) other than the book itself, to access the display of

related supplemental material.

It is a further object of the present invention, accordingly, to provide a

new and improved method of and apparatus for providing a book reader with

visual material or other supplementation of the book passages by mere reader

voice command communication -- the mere audible pronouncing of coded or

selected words or the like (indicia) printed in the book in relation to the selected

read book passage(s), for remote voice-recognition switching control of the

selected pre-recorded coded tracks stored at the player for thereupon providing

the book reader with the corresponding visual material supplementations to the

selected book passage content afforded by the playing and display of such selected visual materials on the reader's desktop or other computer or TV or

other disc player display.

' In this orm of the invention, there are placed on the pages, respective

voice-pronounceable coded indicia corresponding to the respective various

subject-matter passages in the book, thereby to enable the book reader,

contemporaneously with reading, to vocally pronounce selected indicia. There is

then remote recognizing of the reader's voice pronouncement at the player to

access the corresponding coded track and thereby enable the book reader to

watch/listen to the played-back visual/ audio supplemental corresponding

material and while, if desired, again continuing the facility for simultaneously re¬

reading the corresponding printed passage in the book during, before or after

such playback.

Referring to the modification of Figure 2 of the drawings, conventional

facing pages of a printed book B are again shown having textual written or

printed portions T that a reader may read in the conventional use of the book.

Should the reader desire to see pictures or other visual materials, videos or

movies, and/or to hear audio tapes or records, or to see supplementary

documents or the like that specifically relate to or supplement specific subject-

matter passages or portions of this textual portion T, such as the upper left-hand

passages P2 or the lower right - hand passages PI, for example, of specific

different respective subject matter, this modification of the invention provides

also for respective coded indicia or markers, C2, CI, etc. as in the margins of the book adjacent or near or even in or within the respective subject matter passages

P2, P , etc. These coded indicia may be printed or otherwise applied in

accordance with the present invention, and are made not only readable by the

reader, but must be vocally pronounceable by the reader, and they are keyed to

respective coded tracks T2, TI, etc, of a CD, DVD or the like containing

corresponding respective subject-matter supplemented material pre-recorded on

a storage medium M, such as on a CD disc or DVD or the like and including the

be ore-mentioned material from web storage; and the term "indicia" is herein

used in a generic sense, also, as in the case of Figure 1, to embrace symbols,

words, numbers, phrases or combinations thereof including words of the

selected text passages themselves, if desired.

The disc or other track-coded storage medium is shown within a player P

accessible to the book reader and with conventional visual (video)/audio or

(sound or acoustic) reproducing and display screens, including computer and

television interfacing as in Figure 1. The operational actuation of the medium

track is effected conventionally, but in accordance with this version of the

present invention, under the control of voice-recognition chips at the remote

player that receive and recognize the respective reader-spoken words, numbers,

phrases, etc. representing the corresponding code indicia in the book (as in the margin or, if desired, within the text passage), selected and vocally read off by

the book reader. This, in response to the reader's vocally pronounced coded

indicia, enables the automatic remote accessing and live playing back of the respective correspondingly coded tracks TI, T2, etc. of the storage medium M in well-known fashion.

' Thus, once the book reader has read the particular subject matter of, say,

passage PI and desires to view/hear supplemental visual material as to that

speci ic subject matter — for example, pictures or a video clip with sound — the

book reader thereupon reads and speaks out loud the code indicia "CI" printed

or otherwise presented near or within the passage PI and thereby activates the

remote voice-recognition switch selection and triggering of the playback on the

player P of the corresponding visual/ audio supplemental material as to that

specific matter described in passage PI that has been pre-recorded on the

corresponding track TI of the medium . Similarly, the book reader, having

earlier read about different subject matter in written passage P2, may wish to

view/hear supplemental material as to that subject matter that has been pre¬

recorded and stored on corresponding coded track T2 of the medium M. This is

effected by the reader audibly pronouncing the coded indicia "C2". This will be

received and voice-recognized at the player to access the corresponding coded

track T2 of the medium on which has been stored the corresponding

supplemental material relating to or expanding upon the specific subject matter

of the passage P2.

The reader of the book, moreover, may repeatedly thus vocally access

such supplemental material, and may access at any time and in any order whatsoever, as desired. Both versions of the invention, in summary, thus provide the before-

described cooperative method of and apparatus for supplementing the materials

of various passages of different printed book descriptive materials PI, P2, etc.

during a reader's reading of the same, with visual supplemental materials and

optionally with audio, correspondingly specifically related to and/ or expanding

upon the specific different subject matters of the various different passages PI,

P2, etc. of the printed (written) descriptive materials T. As previously described,

the electronic prerecording in the storage medium M of corresponding pluralities

of such visual supplemental information, each related specifically to the subject

matter of a different corresponding passage PI, P2, etc. of the printed descriptive

material T in the book B, is stored along correspondingly recorded tracks of the

recorded storage medium M — with coding - specific electronically recognized

(Figure 1) or voice-recognition reader-spoken instruction or voice-command

recognized (Figure 2) accessing to each such corresponding coded track TI, T2,

etc. of the medium M On the pages of the book alongside or within each of the

various descriptive material passages PI, P2, etc., as earlier explained, there has

been provided either electronically readable and electronically or wireless

communicated command code indicia (Figure 1), or spoken voice recognizable

command (Figure 2) code indicia CI, C2, etc. corresponding specifically and respectively to the coded tracks TI, T2, etc. of the medium M containing the

recorded specific visual supplemental material related to the corresponding

specific printed descriptive material passage. The received and recognized electronically read and communicated command codes (Figure 1), or the reader-

spoken voice command communicated codes (Figure 2) selectively access the

tracks TI, T2, etc. of the playback displayer P and control the visual/ audio

playing of the same for reproducing and displaying to the book reader the

appropriate related supplemental visual information upon the playback

displayer; thereby enabling the book reader to watch "live" and listen to the

appropriate played-back visual supplemental material. If desired, moreover, as

earlier noted, the reader may maintain the continued facility for simultaneously

re-reading of the corresponding printed passages PI, P2, etc, during, before, or

after such playback - - all at the option of and under the control of the book

reader.

In practical implementation of the embodiment of Figure 2, suitable voice-

command recognition switches and controls may be, for example, of the types

described in said U.S. patent, and other voice-recognition and responding

controls such as effected in ScanSσft Inc. of Peabody Massachusetts "Dragon-

Naturally Speaking" software, version 7.0.

Further modifications will also occur to those skilled in this art and such

are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in

the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of supplementing the materials of various passages of different

printed book descriptive materials during a reader's reading of the same, with

visual supplemental materials, and optionally with audio, correspondingly

specifically related to and/ or expanding upon the specific subject matter of the

various passages of printed descriptive materials, that comprises, electronically

storing on tracks of a recorded storage medium pluralities of such visual

supplemental information, each so related specifically to the subject matter of

different corresponding passages of the printed descriptive material in the book,

and provided with accessing coding specific to each such track of the medium;

printing or otherwise applying and displaying on the pages of the book

alongside each of the various descriptive material passages, an electronically

readable code indicia corresponding specifically to that coded track of the

medium containing the recorded specific visual/ audio supplemental material

related to the corresponding specific printed descriptive material passage;

providing an electronic wand for remotely selectively accessing the respective

tracks of a medium player available to the book reader, and controlling the visual/ udio playing of the same for displaying/reproducing to the reader said

supplemental visual information recorded on the respective tracks; and further

providing to the book reader an electronic reader of said coded indicia, adapted

to actuate the electronic wand to playback respective coded tracks of the medium

in the player in accordance with the book reader applying the electronic indicia

reader to the respective code indicia in the book, thereby to enable the book

reader, contemporaneously with reading, to watch/listen to the played-back

visual/ udio supplemental material and while, if desired, continuing the facility

for simultaneously re-reading the corresponding printed passage in the book

during, before or after such playback.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronically readable code indicia are

applied in the book to the unprinted margins or spaces of the book pages near

the corresponding printed passages.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the book reader's application of the electronic

code indicia reader to a selected book coded indicia, automatically also actuates

the wand in turn to actuate the player to select and play the respective recorded

track on the medium corresponding to the book reader's selected book indicia,

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic reader is a portable hand-held

miniaturized element in wired, remote or wireless communication with the

wand, and the wand is in wired, remote or wireless communication with the player.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic reader and wand are integrally

packaged.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least the electronic reader is provided with

the book.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the coded indicia comprise barcodes.

8. A method of supplementing the material of various passages on pages of

descriptive -written materials with corresponding visual, optionally with audio,

supplemental materials specifically and respectively related to and/ or

expanding upon the subject matter of said passages, that comprises, recording

for playback: on a player such supplemental materials and in respective subject-

matter coded tracks; placing on the pages, coded indicia corresponding to said

coded tracks of the supplemental recorded materials and near the regions of the

respective corresponding subject-matter written passages; and electronically

reading the indicia at the selected passages, automatically to actuate the playback

of the player of the supplemental recorded material tracks corresponding to the

respective selected written passages.

9. Apparatus for supplementing the materials of various passages of different

printed book descriptive materials during a reader's reading of the same, with

visual supplemental materials, optionally with audio, correspondingly

various passages of printed descriptive materials, having, in combination, an

electronically recorded storage medium storing tracks of pluralities of such visual supplemental information, each so related specifically to the subject

matter of a different corresponding passage of the printed descriptive material in

the book, and provided with accessing coding specific to each such track of the

medium; electronically readable code indicia printed or otherwise applied and

displayed on the pages of the book alongside each of the various descriptive

material passages, the indicia corresponding specifically to that coded track of

the medium containing the recorded specific visual/audio supplemental

material related to the corresponding specific printed descriptive material

passage; an electronic wand for remotely selectively accessing the respective

tracks of a medium player available to the book reader, and or controlling the

visual/ audio playing of the same for displaying/ reproducing to the reader said

supplemental visual information recorded on the respective tracks; and an

electronic reader of said coded indicia, adapted for the reader to actuate the

electronic wand to play back respective coded tracks of d e medium in the player

in accordance with the book reader applying the electronic indicia reader to the

respective code indicia in the book, thereby to enable the book reader,

contemporaneously with reading, to watch/listen to the played-back

visual/ audio supplemental material and while, if desired, continuing the facility

for simultaneously re-reading the corresponding printed passage in the book during, before or after such playback,

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the electronically readable code indicia

are applied in the book to the unprinted margins or spaces of the book pages

near the corresponding related printed passages.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein means is provided for the book reader's

application of the electronic code indicia reader to a selected book coded indicia,

automatically also to actuate the wand in turn to actuate the player to select and

play the respective recorded track on the medium corresponding to the book

reader's selected book indicia.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the electronic reader is a portable hand¬

held miniaturized element in wired, remote or wireless communication with the

wand, and the wand is in wired, remote or wireless communication with the

player.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the electronic reader and wand are

integrally packaged.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein at least the electronic reader is provided

with the book.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the coded indicia comprise barcode.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein either the electronic reader alone or the

reader and wand are packaged in the form of a hand-held tool.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the hand-held package is of longitudinal shape storable with the book.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the hand-held package is connected by a

cord to the book.

19. ^' The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the tool is detachably connectable to the

book.

20. Apparatus for supplementing the material of various passages on pages of

descriptive written materials with corresponding visual pictorial supplemental

materials specifically and respectively related to and/ or expanding upon the

subject matter of said passages, that comprises, a recorded storage medium for

playback on a player of such supplemental materials recorded in respective

subject-matter coded tracks; coded indicia corresponding to said coded tracks of

the supplemental recorded materials placed on the pages near the regions of the

respective corresponding subject-matter written passages; and an electronic

reader or reading the coded indicia at the selected passages, automatically to

effect actuation of the playback of the player of the supplemental recorded

material tracks corresponding to the respective selected written passages,

21. A method of supplementing the material of various passages on pages of

descriptive written materials with corresponding visual pictorial or video

supplemental materials specifically and respectively related to and/ or

expanding upon the subject matter of said passages, that comprises, storing for playback on a player such supplemental pictorial or video materials and in

respective subject-matter coded tracks; placing on the pages, coded indicia

corresponding to said coded tracks of the supplemental stored materials and near or in the regions of the respective corresponding subject-matter written

passages; and enabling a reader of the written materials to communicate selected

indicia to the player, automatically to actuate the playback of the player of the

supplemental stored pictorial or video, material tracks corresponding to the

respective selected written passages.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the reader communication to the player of

reader-selected indicia is effected by the reader initiating electronic reading of

the indicia and thereupon communication thereof to the player.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the player is remote from the reader and the

communication is wireless.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the pictorial or video material storage is

effected on one or more of CD, DVD and web media.

25. A method of supplementing the material of various passages on pages of

descriptive written materials with corresponding visual supplemental materials

specifically and respectively related to and/ or expanding upon the subject

matter of the respective passages, that comprises, recording and storing for

playback on a player such supplemental materials and in respective subject-

matter coded tracks; placing on the pages, respective voice-pronounceable coded

indicia corresponding to the respective passages in the book, thereby to enable

the book reader, contemporaneously with reading, vocally to pronounce selected

coded indicia; remotely recognizing the reader's voice pronouncement at the

player to access the corresponding coded track and thereby enable the book reader to watch/listen to the played-back visual/audio supplemental material

and while, if desired, continuing the facility for simultaneously reading or re¬

reading the corresponding printed passage in the book during, before or after

such playback.

26. A method of supplementing the materials of various passages of different

printed book descriptive materials during a reader's reading of the same, with

visual supplemental materials, and optionally with audio, correspondingly

storing on tracks of a recorded storage medium pluralities of such visual

supplemental information, each so related specifically to the subject matter of

and provided with accessing coding specific to each such track of the medium;

printing or otherwise applying and displaying on the pages of the book

alongside or within each of the various descriptive material passages, reader

readable and vocally pronounceable code indicia corresponding specifically to

that coded track of the medium containing the recorded specific visual

supplemental material related to the corresponding specific printed descriptive

material passage; providing voice-recognizing controls remotely at a medium

player for responding to the reader's vocally communicated pronounced code

indicia and selectively accessing the respective coded tracks of the medium

player available to the book reader, and controlling the visual/ audio playing of the same for thereupon displaying/ reproducing to the reader said supplemental

visual information recorded on the respective tracks, thereby to enable the book

reader, contemporaneously with reading, to watch/listen to the played-back

visual supplemental material.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the readable code indicia are applied in

the book to one or more of the unprinted margins or spaces of the book pages

near the corresponding printed passages, or within the same,.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the book reader's speaking of a selected

book coded indicia, communicates with and actuates the voice-recognition

control at the player to select and play the respective coded recorded track on the

medium corresponding to the book reader's selected book indicia.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein said indicia comprise one or more of the

group consisting of symbols, words, numbers, and phrases or combinations

thereof.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said indicia are presented in unprinted

regions of the book near said corresponding material passages, or within said

passages.

31. Apparatus for supplementing the materials of various passages of

different printed book descriptive materials during a reader's reading of the same, with visual supplemental materials, optionally with audio,

correspondingly specifically related to and/ or expanding upon the specific

subject matter of the various passages of printed descriptive materials, having, in combination, an electronically recorded storage medium storing tracks of

pluralities of such visual supplemental information, each so related specifically

to the subject matter of a different corresponding passage of the printed

descriptive material in the book, and provided with accessing coding specific to

each such track of the medium; reader readable and vocally pronounceable code

indicia printed or otherwise applied and displayed on the pages of the book

alongside, near or within each of the various descriptive material passages, the

indicia corresponding specifically to the corresponding coded track of the

medium containing the recorded specific visual supplemental material related to

the corresponding specific printed descriptive material passage; voice-

recognizing control means remotely at a medium player available to the book

reader for responding to the reader's vocally pronounced and communicated

code indicia and selectively accessing the respective coded tracks of the medium

player, and for controlling the visual playing of the same for thereupon

displaying/ reproducing to the reader said supplemental visual information

recorded on the respective tracks.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the readable code indicia are applied in

^■the book to the unprinted margins or spaces of the book pages near the

corresponding related printed passages, or within the same.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the book reader's speaking of a

selected book coded indicia, communicates and actuates voice-recognition control at the player to select and play the respective recorded track on the

medium corresponding to the book reader's selected book indicia.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the reader-readable and pronounceable

coded indicia are selected words, numbers, phrases, sounds, or combinations of

the same.

35. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said indicia comprise one or more of

the group consisting of symbols, words, numbers and phrases or combinations

thereof.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said indicia are presented in unprinted

regions of the book near said corresponding material passages or within said

passages.

37. Apparatus for supplementing the material of various passages on pages of

descriptive written materials with corresponding visual supplemental materials,

optionally with accompanying audio, specifically and respectively related to

and/ or expanding upon the subject matter of said passages, that comprises, a

recorded storage medium for playback on a player of such supplemental

materials stored in respective subject-matter coded tracks; coded indicia, reader-

readable and vocally pronounceable, corresponding to said coded tracks of the

supplemental recorded materials and placed on the pages near or within the

regions of the respective corresponding subject-matter written passages; and

voice recognition switch control means at the player for receiving and

recognizing the reader-pronounced selected coded indicia provided at the selected passages, automatically to effect actuation of the playback of the player

of the supplemental recorded material tracks corresponding to the respective

selected indicia and written passages.

38. A method of supplementing the material of various passages on pages of

descriptive written materials with corresponding visual supplemental materials

specifically and respectively related to and/ or expanding upon the subject

matter of the respective passages, that comprises, recording or playback on a

player such supplemental materials and in respective subject-matter coded

tracks; placing on the pages, coded indicia corresponding to said coded tracks of

the supplemental recorded materials and near or at the regions of the respective

corresponding subject-matter written passages; and enabling a reader of the

written materials to communicate selected indicia at corresponding selected

passages to the player by vocal pronunciation of the selected indicia for remote

voice recognition at the player and automatic actuation of the playback of the

player of the supplemental recorded material tracks corresponding to the

respective selected indicia,

39. The method of claim 21 wherein the reader communication to the player

of reader-selected indicia is effected by vocal pronunciation of the selected

indicia.

40. A method of supplementing the material of various passages on pages of

descriptive written materials with corresponding visual, pictorial, or video

supplemental materials specifically and respectively related to and/ or expanding upon the subject matter of respective of said passages, that comprises,

electronically storing in a storage medium of a playback system such

supplemental materials and in corresponding respective subject-matter coded

the supplemental materials stored in the storage medium, and near the regions of

the respective corresponding relevant subject-matter written passages; and

enabling a reader to select written materials and to communicate the

corresponding selected indicia to the storage medium playback system,

automatically to actuate said system to play back from the storage medium for

viewing on the playback system by the reader, the supplemental stored material

of the respective tracks corresponding to the respective selected written

passages.

41, The method of claim 24 wherein the reader communication to the storage

medium playback system of reader-selected indicia is effected by the reader

initiating reading of the indicia at said written passages, and communication

thereof to the storage medium playback system.

42, The method of claim 25 wherein said indicia reading is effected by

electronic scanning by the written material reader.

43, The method of claim 24 wherein the storage medium playback system is remote from but visible to the reader of the written material, and the

communication thereto is wireless.

44. The method of claim 24 wherein the storage medium playback system

comprises a CD, CD player and display screen.

45. The method of claim 24 wherein the storage medium playback system

comprises a DVD, DVD player and display screen,

46. The method of claim 24 wherein the storage medium playback system

comprises computer-accessible web storage and display screen.

47. The method of claim 24 wherein the storage medium playback system

comprises a computer with internal storage and playback capability upon a

display