CA2108554A1

CA2108554A1 - Electronic book

Info

Publication number: CA2108554A1
Application number: CA002108554A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Stephen I. Mctaggart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Futech Interactive Products Inc
Priority date: 1991-04-14
Filing date: 1992-04-14
Publication date: 1992-10-16
Also published as: DE69231383D1; WO1992018964A1; EP0582646A4; ATE195827T1; AU664701B2; EP0582646A1; KR930022178A; CN1077555A; AU1784192A; EP0582646B1; US5417575A; JPH06509654A; MX9205737A; US5167508A

Abstract

An electronic book apparatus that comprises multiple pages (122) with printed information (126), visual signal means (125) for identifying the printed information in a sequentially organized manner, synchronized audio signal means (154) for describing and further identifying the information concurrently with the visual signal means, and switching means (127) for electronically controlling the generation and transmission of these signals when each particular page is opened for viewing. Each page of the electronic book includes a laminated sheet (124), on which the printed material is arranged, and an electronic backdrop (121) containing the visual signal means for display through the laminated sheet.
Separaate intelligent electronic means (160) in the spine (140) and top portion (150) of the book, coupled to the switching means, activate the illuminating circuitry and a voice synthesizer (168) that are synchronized and sequenced to produce a concurrent visual and audio enhancement of the printed matter being viewed on the page. The apparatus controls the presentation in a predetermined seqence deemed appropriate to enhance comprehension of the material and, if desired, provide entertainment. In one embodiment of the invention, the user is provided at each page with alternative options to repeat certain sequences or continue through the book.

Description

WO 92/~8964 2 ~ 1 PCI/IJS92/~3056 1 .

ELECTRQNIC BOOK

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U. s.
Application Ser. No. 07/685,278, filed by the same inventor on April 15, 1991, currently copending, which is a 10 continuation-in-part of U. S. ~pplica~ion ',er. No.
07/396,129, filed by the same inventor on August 21, 1989, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF T~IE INVENTION
~5 :
Fiel~_of the Invention This invention relates to the general field of apparatus and methods for co~bining audio and visual signals for displaying information~ Specifically, ~he present invention relates to 20 apparatus and methods for enhancing the compraheniion and retention of information displayed in a book by combining visual and audio messages with the presentation of printed material.

25 Description o~ thç P~io~ Art Comprehension of printed matter is ~ ~igh-priority educatio~al objective of modern society. It is known that comprehension of all printed material depends on the viewer's ability to interpret vi~ually perceivable information in 30 accordance with previously acquired knowledge associated with that informiation. Accordingly, various attempts ha~e been made at producing aids to enhance the process of interpretation of such visually perceived in~ormation in order to improve its comprehension and assimilation.
Among the various devices found in prior art, U.S. Patents ~'092/lX96~ P~ S92/~3o5 ~ 3 2 No. 4,021,932 to Lipps (1977), No. 4,189,852 to Chatlien (1980), No. 4,273,538 to Ross (1981), No. 4,425,098 to Doring (1984), No. 4,752,230 to Shimizu (1988), No. 4,778,3gl to Weiner (198~), and No. 4,809,246 to Jeng (~9~9~ disclose 5 several approaches utilized to provide effective highlighting of printed material, either for amusement purposes or for improving the comprehension and retention of a reader. U.S.
Patent No. 4,809,246, in particular, teaches a sollnd-illustrated book that utilizes a page sens:ing element that 10 triggers an audio recording of a description of the printed matter on the page being viewed.

In U.S. Patent No. 4,703,573 (1987), Montgomery et al.
disclose an electronic book apparatus with audio and visual 15 components for electronically generating and transmitting a combination of sound and electronic images to identify the information displayed on an open sheet. Control circuitry is provided on the sheet to coordinate the functioning of the audio and visual displays according to a pred~termined 20 sequence considered appropriate to enhance undarstanding of the material. Similarly, U.S. Patent No. 4,363,081 to Wilbur (1982) describes the use of light emitting diode (LED) components to highlight drawings and other printed matter in gree~ing cards.
In addition, U.S. Patent No. 4,209,824 to Kauffman (1980) discloses a book comprising pages including electrical circuitry and apertures with light emitting devices in each page to illuminate areas of pictures printed on the page.
30 U.S. Patent No. 3,592.098 to Zadig (1971) teaches a flexible conductive ink which enables the sheet on which the ink is printed to be folded across the ink without breaking the ink circuit. In U.S. Patents No. 1,545,217 (1925) and No.
1,670,254 (1928), Thurber and Gowin show the forming of 35 conventional, non-electronic, books by folding a single sheet in accordion style. Finally, U.S. Patents No. 2,277,318 ~1942~ and No. 2,444,355 (1948) to Grant and Xniznick WOg2/1896~ PCT/~S92/03056 2~ 0 8 ~

illustrate the making of conventional books by folding a plurality of sheets in hal and binding them at the folds to the spine of the book.

5 A review of the prior art shows that mo~t devices developed to date merely present an audio description or lighting of printed matter illustrated on a page. O~her6 appear to limit the audio and~or visual enhancement to ju~it printed words or printsd images. Most importantly, though, the various kinds 10 of apparatu~i used in prior art are not praatical for bound book format b~cause of the space requirements asaociatedi with the use of hED'~i or of conventional illu~iination devices, such as liquid crystal displays (LCD's), for providing the xe~uired visual enhancement. Moreover, the approaches taught 15 in prior art to control the functioning of both the audio and the vlsual displays ars specific to the r~quirements of each page; there~ore, they are not suitable for voluminous multipage applications because o~ the ~xc~ssive space requirements associated with runniny duplicate parallel 20 circuitry from each page to a central control board throuyh the book spine. Finally, no existing electronic book utilizes vi6ual and audio mesi~age~ in interactive fa~hion with the reader to illustrate the printed miaterial.

25 Therefore, there still ~xists a need for practical apparatus wherein visual infor~ation, presented in iany character or image form on a page of a book thereina~ter referred to generally as printed matter, ~aterial, or information), is explain~d, highlighted, or in any way enhanced by 60und an~
30 light displiays systematically synchronized wit~ the information to stress its meaning and improve co~prehension and retention on the part of a reader. In particular, there is a need ~or a compact method of ~anufacturing that is ~ .
suitable for as~embling ~any pages into a single bound book 35 in an economical and practical manner.

WO 92/lU'~6-l p~T/US92/03056 SUM~ARY C)F THE I~ENTION

5 In view of the foregoing, the pri.mary objective of this invention is to provide an electronic book apparatus that produce~ visual and audio enhancement of print~d information.

Anokher objective of the invention is to provide an 10 electronic book apparatus that pr~duces visual signals in .
conjunction with the di6play of the printed information in the book in order to highlight and draw attention to it.

A further goal of the inventi3n is to provide an el~ctronic 15 book apparatus that also produces an audio ~ignal, or mes~age, in conjunction with the display of the printed information in the book in order to describe and facilitate the reader's recognition and understanding of the material and to further highlight its pre~ence on a page.
2~
Another goal of the invention i~ to provide synchronization between the audio and visual signals in connection with any portion of the printed in~ormation to which thPy pertain, so as to clearly focus the attention of the viewer on the 25 particular portion of interest and i~prove his or her co~prehension of the material viewed. ~ : -Still another objective i5 the sequential delivery of the ~:
synchronized audio and visual ~essages according to a 30 predetermined 6chedule appropriately cho~en for ~ducational or entertainment purposes.

A related object of the invention is an interactive system whereby the r~ader of the book can chose between alternatives 35 to be~t suit his or her interest, so that the reader's attention can be further ~timulated by direct involvPment in the viewing progression through the material in the book.

W092/l896~ 2 1 0 ~ PCT/US92/0305~

A further objective of the invention is the ability to apply the same general concept in a variety of designs and physical embodiments to fit different implementation formats, as may 5 be desired for differen-t kinds of printed information. To that end, the apparatus described herein can be implemented in modular form, wherein each page of a book constitutes a modular component of the overall apparatus.

lO A further goal of the invention is an apparatus that is suitable for as~e~bly in voluminous form and wherein the visual and audio display o~ each page can be controlled directly from a central control board and independently of the other pages.
Yet another objective of this invention is the reali~ation of the a~ove mentioned goals in an economical and commercially viable manner. T~is is done by utilizing ~imple components and methods of manufacture that are either already available 20 in the open market or can be developed at competitive prices.

In accordance with these and other objectives J one embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic book apparatus that comprises multiple pages with printed 25 information, visual signal means ~or identifying the printed information in a sequentially organized manner, ~ynchronized audio signal me~ns for describing or further identifying the information concurrently with the visual signal means, and electrical or photo-~ensitive means for electronically 30 control]ing the generation and transmission cf these signals when each particular page is opened for viewing. Each page of the electronic book includes a laminated sheet, on which the printed material is arranged, and an electronic backdrop containing the visual signal means for display through the 35 laminated sheet. Circuitry in the spine of the book couples the electronic backdrop of each page, including the electrical or photo-sensitive control means, to separate ': . .
.' .

WO92/1896~ PcT/us92/o3~s6 intelligent electronic ~eans for activating the illuminating circuitry and a voice synthesizer that are synchronized and sequenced to produce a concurrent vis~al and audio enhancement of the printed matter being viewed on the page.
5 The apparatus controls the presentation in a predetermined sequence dee~ed appropriate to enhance comprehension of the material and, if desired, provide entertainment. In the preferred emhodiment of the invention, the user is provided at each page with alternative options to repeat certain lO sequences or continue through the book.

Various other purposes and advantages of the invention will become clear from its description in the specifications that follow, and from the novel ~eatures particularly pointecl out 15 in the appended claims. Therefore, to the accomplishment of the objectives described above, this invention consists of the features hereinafter illustrated in the drawings, fully described ln the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and particularly pointed out in the claim~.
20 However, such drawings and description disclose only one of the various ways in which the invention may be practiced.

: ' , . . : , ' , WO 92/1896~1 2 1 ~ 8 ~ ~ ~ P~IUS9~/030~/j BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 i5 a perspective view of the general features of an 5 embodiment of the present invention showing the general configuration oE the electronic book and illustrating an open spread with alphabet letters and pictorial representations of related subject matter.

}0 Figure 2 illustrates the laminated construction of a book page exposing a circuit board layer sandwirhed between a top sheet bearing visual information and a bottom support sheet.

Figure 3 i5 a block diagram illustrating the electronic 15 components of the intelligen~ circuitry of the book of t:he invention.

Figure 4 is a per&pective view of a continuous core shaet used to form the leaves of the electronic book according ko.
20 one embodiment of the invention.
:
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the continuous core sheet of Fig. 4 aPter assembly into book-leaf fo~m. :~

25 Figure 6 is a cross-~ectional view of a portion of the core sheet of the invention illustrating the construction o~ a light emitting diode directly on the page of the book. :.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a modular core ~heet used 30 to form one lea~ correspondincJ to two opposite pages of the electronic book according to another embodiment o~ the invention.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the modular core sheet of 35 Fig. 7 after assembly into a modular book leaf.

Figure 9 is a plan v~ew of an example of a circuit board W092/1896~ PCr/US92/030i6 layer printed on the modular core sheet of Fig. 7 showing conductive paths through the center fold for connection, through the spine of the book, to intelligent electronic circuitry housed in the book cover.

Figure 10 is a perspect.ive view of a Ean-like spine for receiving each modular ~ook leaf, as shown in Fig. 8, between flaps that contain corresponding connections to the control circuitry of the book.
Figure 11 shows a perspective view of an el~odiment of the invention manufactured according to the sp:ine and modular leaf approach illustrated in Figures 8 and 10.

15 Figure 12 is a perspective view of another kind of core sheet used to form adja~ent modular book spreadr-, each corresponding to two facing pages, of the electronic book according to yet another embodiment of the invention.
Figure 13 is a perspective view of the modular core sheets of ; .
20 Fig. 12 after assembly into a book leaf and two corresponding book spreads.

Figure 14 is a perspective view o~ a ~an-like spine for receiving each modular book spread while being combined to 25 form book leaves, as shown in Fig. 8, between flaps that contain corresponding connections to the control circuitry of the book, wherein the spine is partially extracted for illustration.
' "
30 Figure 15 is an illustration of the electrical pa~hs used to :~
route the circuitry of the book of Fig. 12 through the last book-spread module to the terminal board of the invention.

Figure 16 illustrates the exact layout of the circuit board 35 layer of the preferred emhodiment of the core sheet sho~n in -~-Fig. 12.

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WO9~/18964 2 ~ O ~ PCT/US~2/03056 Figure 17 shows the exact layout of the circuit board layer of the single-sheet last segment in the preferred embodiment of the invention, featuring the same set of connections of the circuit board layer of Fig. 16.

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WO 92/1896~ Pcr/uss2/

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVEN'rION

The heart of this invention lies in the novel method of 5 manufacture of an electronic book that permits the combination of visual and audible signal circuitry in compact format for use in voluminous publications. In one embodiment, the book consists of a continuous sheet of circui.try folded in accordion fashion and bound at one end to 10 form leaves and corresponding pages. In the preferred embodiment, the circuitry corresponding to each pair of facing pages (spread) or, in the alternative, to each book -.
leaf (opposite pages on one sheet) constitutes a module that is made functional by connection with control electronics in 15 the head portion of the book through flexible printed circuitry in the spine of the book.

~eferring now to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated throughout with like numeral~ a~d symbols, Figure 20 1 illustrates the general features of an embodiment of an electronic book 100 according to the present invention. The : .
book comprises a cover 110 for covering and binding a multiplicity of laminated leaves 120 bound at the inside ~ :
margin 130 to form a spine 140. The cover 110 includes a : -25 head portion 15V that incorporates the electronic control circuitry (intelligent electronic circuitry) of the hook (not shown in Fig. 1), a battery compartment 152, and a speaker 154. Each page 122 of the book 100 consists of a laminated : .
assembly, as illustrated in Figure 2. A top sheet 124 in the .:
30 laminated assembly bears visual info~mation 126 in the ~orm :
of printed images, alphabetical characters or other material :~
suitable for affixation to a book page. A bottom or core sheet 121 bears a circuit board layer 123 attached to the face of the sheet itself and including light emitting diodes .. .. .
35 ~LED's) 125 corresponding to either translucent portions or apertures 12~ in the top sheet 124 for visual accessibility :
when the page 122 is assembled in its laminated form.
., ' .

21 ~ 8 ~ a ~
WO92/18964 PCT/US92/03~56 Although obviously not visible in the figure, the page on the back side of Fig. 2 consists of the same structural components and also has a two-sheet laminated configuration, with a top s~eet bearing printed information and a ~ottom 5 sheet, normally the other side of the same core sheet forming the opposite page, bearing a corresponding circuit board layer.

As explained in detail in the reerenced copending 10 applications and in se~eral prior art patents, the circuit board layer 123 is provided with electromechanical contact switch elements 127 that extend throug~ the top sheet lZ4 to initiate the operation of the electronic book lO0 when the book is opened to the corresponding page. Equivalent 15 pressure or photo-s~nsitive switch elements could be used to perform the ~aMe function, thu~ activating the ~witch by applying pressure or by exposing it to light upon opening of the ~ook, respectively. The swit~h element 127 on the page electronically generates and transmits an identifying signal 20 (such as an open or a closed circuit 5ignal) through that page's circuit board layer 123 to the separate electronic circuitry 160 ~tor~d in the head portion 150 of the book. As shown in block form in Figure 3, this circuitry comprises a power ~ource 162 (provided in the form of a battery stored in 25 compartment 152 of the book) which, through the switch elements 127 in each page, energizes ~e~uencer means 164, ~ynchronixer means 166, and voice synthesizer means 168 coupled to audio ~eans 170, which normally consists of a speaker 154 (illustrated in Fig. 1). The power source 162 30 and the audio means 1~0 are preferably packagffd inconspicuously in the head portiun 150 of the book and are ~lectrically coupled to the electronic circuitry 160 and to the circuit board layer 123 of each page through appropriate interconnecting circuitry described belowO The audio means 35 170 may consist of headphones (also not shown) for personal private listening while viewing the material contained in the book.
',:

W092/~896~ PCr/US92/03056 ~ 12 In operation, using con~act switch elements for example, whenever the book 100 is opened between two adjacent pages of a spread, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the contact between the 5 switch elements 127 on the two adjacent pages is automatically interrupted, sending a signal to the electronic c.ircuitry 160 that activates its control function to begin a sequence of vis~al and audible signals associated with the material presented on the left page of that spread. The ~o activating switch elements 127 may function strictly by contact, as illustrated by the switch elements on the opposite pages of Fis. 1, so that an open circuit is created by 6eparating the pages and separating adjacent components that otherwise form a normally-closed switch assemblyO On 15 the other hand, each switch element 127 could consist of a spring-loaded or of a pressure sensitive switching device triggered by the opening of the book at the correspond:ing page; or it could consist of a photo-electric element responsive to the light received when the book is opened 20 (this e~bodiment, of course, would not work in the dark)O As illustrated in tha preferred embodiment descrihed below, each switch element 127 may ~imply consist o~ a pres~ure switch incorporated in tha circuitry of each page and manually operated by the viewer to activate the audio and vi~ual ..
25 functions of that page. On the other hand, when the activation is achieved automatically by opening the book at any point, thus exposing the content of a spread of adjacent pages, the activation of the pair of switch elements 127 on such adjacent pages first triggers the operation of the 30 circuitry on the left page. The sequencer 164 and synchronizer 166 cause the identification and highlighting of .
selected portions of the printed matter 126 on that page by means of corresponding LED's 125 situated next to that matter; concurrently, they cause the delivery of voice 35 messages for further identification and interpretation of the printed matter through the voice synthesizer 168 and the audio means 170, all in accordance with a predetermined order W O 92/1896~ 2 ~ ~ 8 ~ ~ ~ PC~rlUS92/03056 and interval of presentation programmed in the electronic circuitry 160. The layout of the circuit board layer 123 corre~ponding to the activated left page determines the exact physical location on the page of the visual signals produced 5 by tha LED's and visible through the translucent portions or apertures 128 in the top sheet 124 of that page. Of course, these locations may be the same or vary from page ko page according to the specific requiremen~s for thP material being displayed. In fact, the sequencer and synchronizer can be 10 programmed through micro-chip integrated circuitry, according to methods well known in the art of integrated circuitry, t~
perform any sequence of visual and audio signal combinations in a manner tailored to produce maximum enhancement of the material presented. In addition, the programmed display may 15 include .interactive alternative or repetitive sequences for the viewer' 8 c}loice, to be i~plemented by pressure switches 129 incorporated into the circuit board layer 123 of each page. Thus, for instance, at a certain point in the sequence o~ signal delivery, an audible message would infor~ the 20 reader of alternative progression choices in response to specific in6tructions co~municated by the reader through the pressure ~witch 129 (which, in turn, could correspond to a recogniza~le feature in the displayed printed material). For example, a~ter a ~eries of light and sound signals associated 25 with the display of the printed image of a bear on the page, a message would be heard instructing the viewer to press the bear's nose once to repeat, twice to play a game, or not at all to continue to the next page. The game could consist of any light and sound co~bination of signals deemed appropriate 30 for the desired purposes and any level of interaction could be designed into the programmed sequence by requiring appropriate responses through additional pressure switches 129 similarly located to correspond to points of interest throughout the page. These various alternatives are matters 35 of design choices concerning the aud.io and visual content of each book. Their implementation is a matter of programming electronic circuitry designed for the specific desired .:

WO92/18~6~ PCT/US92103056 purpose, according to methods and apparatus that are well known in the art of speech synthesis and seqllential light emission and that are not within the inventive scope of this specification. Therefore,~the details of such implementation 5 are not addressed here.

When the logic of possibilities on the left page is exhausted, as determined by the specific program designed for the book, the sequencer 164 automatically starts a similar 10 seri~s of audible and visual signals for the adjacent right page in conjunction with the presentation of its printed material. The sequence of signals for each page may be the same or different, depending on the preprogrammed instructions, but it always contains light and sound signals 15 designed to maximize the reader's under~tanding and retention of the print~d material. At the conclusion of the sequence for the right page, the apparatus stops (unless forced to repeat by the reader in response to an available option, as described above for the left page) until a ~ew pair of switch 20 elements 127 is activated by the opening of the book at another page.

While audio and visual displays similar to the one described above are known in the art, the method and apparatus of the 25 present invention are particularly suitable for multi-leaf compilation. The approach used here utilizes novel methods for connecting the circuit board layer 123 of each page to the intelligent electronic circuitry 1601 which results in a more compact design and added versatility. A novel approach 30 is al~o utilized in placing LED's in the circuit board layer of each page in a way that reduces manufacturing costs and minimizes the ~pace between pages occupisd by the ~ED's.

As illustrated in Figure ~ for the first embodiment of the 35 invention, a continuous circuit board layer 186 for the :
entire book is printed on one side (the top side in Fig. 4 of a continuous core sheet 180 by means of flexible . .

WO9~ 964 2 ~ ~ 8 ~ a ~ PCT/US92/0305~

conductive ink. The core sheet 180 is then fold~d into equal segments in accordion ~ashion to form book leaves consisting of pairs of adjacent segments, of which the inside folds 184 are bound to constitute the book's spine 140, while ~he 5 outside folds 182 constitute the outer edges of the book~s pages. Figure 5 illustrates the way the continuous sheet 180 is assembled into ~ook-leaf form. As seen in both Figures 4 and 5, a terminal board 188 is provided to connect ~he circuit board layer 186, which passes through the last 10 segment L1 of the core sheet 180, to the intelligent electronic circuitry 160 housed in the head portion 150 of the ~ook's cover. The function o~ the ter~inal board 1~8 is to provide a convenient point of connection with the multi-terminal circuitry 160, whether by direct connection with 15 electronic devices in the circuitry or by connection with a master board (not shown in the figures~ containing such devices and having terminal leads for connection with the terminal board 188. LED's 125, contact or photo-sensitive switches 127, and pressure switche~ 129 are incorporated into 20 the continuous circuit board layer 186 in the same manner as in the individual page application d~scribed in Fig. 2; that is, the circuitry of each page is independently connected to the electronic circuitry 160 by ~eparate conductive paths that run all the way from the particular page to last segment 25 L1 through the entire portion of the core sheet in between.
The last segment L1 i~ then connected to electronic circuitry 1~0 via the terminal board 188.

Finally, each page formed by ~olding the continuous core 1~0 30 as an accordion is laminated with matching printed material with transluc~nt portions or apertures 128 corresponding to each LED in the circuit board layer of the book. Thus, the circuit board layer 186 is covered throughout the book by sheets 124 containing printed material and translucent 35 portions or apertures 1~8 for each underlying LED.
Obviously, the continuous core 180 must be made of nonconductive material capable of accepting flexible W~92/1896~ PCT/US92/03056 2~ " 16 conductive ink, as taught in the prior art. Any material suitable for making book leaves, such as paper or thin plastic, which can be folded without breakage, is acceptable.
Typically, the fold lines are provided through what is 5 referred to in the art of book-ma~ing as "living-hinge"
technology, which involves the formation of a hinge line by scoring it or compressing it onto the materlal constituting the leaf of the book. The material used may vary from pure paper to pure synthetic substances, inclucling a variety of lO composite materials. ~or example, the prvducts sold by Paper Sources International under the trademark "Chromolux" and by thP Champion International Corporation undler the trademark "Cromekote" consist of paper coated on both sides with a layer of synthetic material, available in over~ll thicknesses 15 from approximately 6 to l8 thousands of an inch. The product marketed by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation under the trademark "Kimdural' consists entirely of synthetic paper, a polypropylene material, available in thicknesses ranging from about 3 to 12 thousands of an inch. ~he materials marketed 20 by the Spring Hill Paper Company under the trademar}c nClaycoat'l and by the ICI Company of England under the tradiemark 'IMelinex" consiist of a polyester su~strate. These materials are all suitable to practice the invention and can all be folded for long-term durability by means of living 25 hin~es.

In a second embodiment of the invention, an equivalent confi~uration not shown in the figures, the circuit board layer 186 is printed on the back side o~ the continuous core 30 ~ihieet 180, so that it lays entirely on the hack, instead of the front, of each core segment corresponding to a page. In that case, the circuitry becomes sandwiched between pages in the interior of each leaf and, as a result, the LED's are not directly accessible from the front side, which is where the 35 top sheet with printed material is laminated onto the core sheet. Therefore, it is necessary to provide perforations in the core sheet corresponding to each LED, so that it becomes WO9~/1896~ PCr/US92/030~6 2~3~ ~L

visible throu~h the core sheet and, consequently, through the top sheet carrying printed information. Since this configuration causes adj~cent portions o~ the circuit board layer to be in direct contact with one another because 5 sandwiched between segments of the board, it is also necessary to protect the circuit board layer by coating it with a layer of flexible dielectric paint, ,such as the product marketed by Olin Hunt Specialty Products Inc., a subsidiary of the Olin Corporation of Ontario, California, lO under the name "37AC22 W Curable Spacer'l or equivalent insulating mat~rial.

The circuit elements of the ~equencer 164 and synchrcnizer 166 are well known commercially available components and, 15 therefore, are not herein described in detail. For example, three 16-to-1 analog multiplexers, suc~ as sold hy the Motorola Corporation of Chicago, Illinois, are per~ectly suitable to provide the sequencer and synchronizer ~unctions required to practice the in~ention. Note that the sequencing 20 and synchronous control functions may be included in a single integrated microproces60r, according to techniques that are al~o well known and within the skills of an artisan in the trade. Similarly, the voice synthesizer 168 may be one of several available speech synthesizers requiring the use o~ a 25 microprocessor with a memory for storing the speech code, as well a~ a memory ~or storing t~e control code for displaying the visual ~ignals~ In the preferred embodiment of the invention, which is detailed below, the sequancer, synchronizer and synthesizer functions are provided by a 30 Texas Instruments TSP-50C~ll speech synthesizer in combinati~n with a SignetiGs CD694067 decoder/multiplexer~expansion sequencer, and a lO MHz synchronization crystal, which are programmed to perform the desired functions as the circuitry of each page is activated 35 according to the packaging described herein.

Commercially available LED's, such as those used in prior art 2 ~ pCT/US92/03056 devices that affix LEn~s to a supporting page, are available in a variety of thicknesses approximately in the 20 to 50 thousands of an inch range. For example, Instruments De~ign Engineering Associates, Inc. of Br~a, California, sells an 5 LED approximately 50 -thousands of an inch (1.3 mm) thick, which is suitable to practice this invention. A much thinner, and therefore preferable, LED is sold by Citizens Electronic Company of Japan as Part No. CL-lgOYG-X, believed to be approximately 20 thousands of an inch thicko Another novel characteristic of this invention, suitable for embodiment in any of the configurations adopted for assembling the electronic book, lies in the method of manufacture of the LED structure within the circuit board 15 layer 186, whereby each LED component is formed directly in the core æheet 180 of the book. Instead of mounting commercially available LED's into the network of the circuit, it is found that construction of each LED structure 125 directly into the circuit ~oard layer o~ each page results in 20 significantly lower manufacturing cost and lower overall thickness of the page. Thus, as illustrated in the greatly enlarged cross-sectional view in Figure 6 of an LED site within a leaf of the core sheet 180, using techniques similar to well known methods employed for mass production of LED's, ~-25 a semiconductor die chip 192 is deposited directly into each LED site in the circuit board layer 186 of the continuous core sheet 180. A base is ~irst prepared for each LED by laying a small length of conductive tape 191 across each set of LED terminals in the circuit board lRyer 186. The tape 30 191 is adhesive on both sides and laminated on the top side with copper foil 193, appropriately scored in the middle to form two electrically separate copper strips. This kind of conductive adhesive tape is available commercially in a vari~ty of forms produced by the 3M Company of Saint Paul, 35 Minnesota, such as copper-foil-backed 9703 Transfer Conductive Adhesive. The section of tape used on each LED
site is oriented so that each copper strip covers one of the WO92/1896~ PCT/~S92/030~6 2108~5~

terminals in the circuit board layer 186. The conductivity of tape l91 is directional only, so that a current can flow across but not along the plane of the tape; therefore, the two copper strips 193 are initially electrically insulated 5 from one another, but are connec-ted through the tape 191 to the corresponding circuit board layer terminals on which they lie, thus forming suitable electrodes for integrating the semiconductor die into the circuit board layer. A
semiconductor die chip 192 is then placed on the cathode side 10 and electrically connected and bonded to the anode side by a strand o~ conductive epoxy resin 195 deposited on the anode side and stretched to make contact wi~h the die chip. In practice, this bonding operation is per~ormed simultaneously on multiple die chips on the tape, which is then cut to yield 15 individual LED components. Each component is then affixed with the appropriate electrical orientation to the terminals in the LED sites of the circuit board layer and covered with a sufficient amount of non-conductive epoxy resin 196 to bond it to the core sheet 180 and to the conductive ink of the 20 circuit board layer 186. In addition, the resin 1~6 covering the site tends to acquire a curvature that forms a lens over the light emitting diode, thus further enhancing its effect in providing visual signals to the reader of the book. ~s explained above, if the circuit board layer 186 is printed on 25 the back side of the core sheet 180 and each LED .is thus constructed on the back side of each segment constituting a page ~as illustrated in Fig. 6), a corresponding perforation 194 on the adjacent segment of core sheet (both segments forming a book leaf) is required to make the LED visible ~rom 30 the front side of such adjacent segment. In that case, in order to properly coordinate the functioning of the visual display, the circuitry and the LED's corresponding to each page would have to be placed on the back of the segment of core sheet corresponding to the opposite page (i.e., the back 35 of the adjacent segment). This way, the LED can be seen through the perforation 194 placed on the page to which the LED pertains (i.e., the page on the adjacent segment).

WO92/189~ PCT/U~92/~30S6 ~$ 20 :~

The ~ED manufacturing industry provides standard equipment that can be used to manufacture the LED's of the invention directly on the circuit board layer, as described above.
5 Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, provide several die bondersl such as the Models 6490 and 6491 Semiautomatic Die Bonders, that have prnven suitable for the task. The average combined thickness of the conductive tape 191 and copper foil 193 used in the preferxed 10 embodiment of the invention (the 3M 9703 ~rransfer Conductive Adhesive mentioned above~ is approximately 1.4 thousands of an inch; the semiconductor LED die chip 192, a product marketed by Hewlett-Packard, National Semiconductor, and other companies, is less than five thousands of an inch 15 thick, depending on the specific product used; and the ~.
conductive strand 195, formed using LED wire bond material as available from Kulicke and Soffa Industries, is also approximately 5-10 thousands of an inch thick, depending on how it is laid. The nonconductive protective resin 196 (also 20 available form Kulicke and Soffa Industr.ies) that is used to : ~:
cover the assembly of the other parts varies in thickness as needed. Therefore, the overall thickness of an LE~ so constructed is approximately 10-20 thousands of an inch, even including the arbitrary thickness of the protective lens 196. :~
25 This constitutes a thickness reduction with respect to most standard LED's, which can reduce the overall thickness of each page and permit the construction of an electronic book containing a large number of pages.

30 In a third embodiment of the invention, the circuit board layer of each page is further simplified by a modular appro~ch to the construction of each book leaf. This approach can also take different configurations depending on whether the circuit board layer is printed on the front or 35 the back side of the core sheet for each page. When printed on the front side, as shown in Figure 7, each leaf of thP
book consists of one core sheet 116 corresponding to two W092/1896~ 21 0 8 ~ 5 ~ PCT/USg2/0305b opposite pages on the same leaf, referred to in the figure as o and E for odd and even with ref~rence to conventional page numbering. Each core sheet 116 bears a ci:rcuit board layer 112 corresponding to the specific display re~uirements of the 5 two pages 0 and E, with the same general characteristics describe~ above for the continuous core sheet 180 of FigO 4.
That is, the circuitry of each individual page (containing the LED's 125, the switch element 127, and the pressure switches 12g for that page) is self-containe~, independent of 10 the circuitry in any other page, and connected to the separate intelligent electronic circuitry 160 through conductive paths ori~inating in the connections 113 across the center fold 114 of the modular core sheet (which becomes a common edge between the two opposite pages after folding of 15 the core sheet and becomes part of the spine of the book after assembly into book format). Thus, the circuitry of each page is connected to the electronic circuitry 160 in parallel to the circuitry of each other page, and it is controlled directly by the circuitry 160 throug~ separate 20 connecting terminals. By folding each core she~t 116 in two backwards, in the direction of arrows A1 and A2 and along the center fold 114, a book lea~ 116 is formed wherein the edge corresponding to the center fold 11~ constitutes the inside margin of each opposite page 0 and E (and the common edge of 25 t~e folded module), and wherein each page contains the half of the circuit board layer 112 that pertains to its printed material, as illustrated in Figure 8. By properly positioning the connections 113, which span the fold 114 of the circuit board layer 112, these connections can be used, 30 through corresponding connections 223 in a specially constructed spine 221 of the book (shown in Figure 10), as :~
the conductive paths to the intelligent electronic circuitry 160 housed in the head portion 150 of the book's cover. An example of one such circuit board layer 112 is shown in 35 Flgure 9, wherein each LED site is shown with two LED's.

As illustrated in Figure 10, the specially constructed fan-., .. ~ ... . , ,. . . , ; , . ,. . . . ~ . , .

~'092/1896~ ~ PCT/US92/03056 2~ :
like spine 221 is provided for receiving eac~ book l~af 116 sandwiched between flaps 222 that contain connections 223 configured to correspond and become coupled to the connections 113 oE each leaf to fvrm a conductive path to the 5 main brain of khe book through a last segment L2 tequivalent to the last seqment L1 of the core sheet :180 shown in Figures 4 and 5). Like the continuous core sh~et 180, the spine 221 is constructed by printing on a single sheet, by means of flexible conductive inkr a continuous circuit board layer 286 10 converging to the segment L2, which is designed for coupling with the intelligent electronic circuitry 160 housed in the head portion 150 of the book's cover through the terminal board 188. The continuous sheet of the spine 221 is folded (except for the segment 1-2) into equal narrow segments or 15 flaps 222 in accordion fashion to form the spine 221 shown in Fig. 10. A specific conductive path goes from each connection 223 to the last segment L2 through the accordion- :
folded spine and there it is routed to a common terminal board 188. Therefore, once inserted into the spine and 20 coupled to the connections 223 between each pair of flaps 222, the connections 113 of each modular book leaf 116 are directly connected to the terminal board 188 (and therefore to the electronic circuitry 160) through the continuous circuitry printed on the continuous core sheet of the spine 25 221. Thus, all modules are coupled to the control circuitry 160 through correspondiny connections 223 and each module becomes independently functional when the corresponding switch element 127 contained in its circuit board layer 112 is triggered by the opening of the book at the corresponding 30 place. Of course, as explained above, when that happens the electronic circuitry 160 first activates the circuitry on the lef-t (even) page and then that on the right ~odd) page.
Figure 1~ shows a perspective view of an e~bodiment 200 of the invention manufactured according to the spine and modular 35 leaf approach just described.

One of the advantages of this modular approach is that each W092/l8964 2 1 0 8 ~ ~ ~ PCT/US92/03056 pair of pages o and E on the opposite sid~s of each leaf can be designed independently of the rest of the book, the only constraint being in the points of connection 223 through the spine 221. In addition, if the same visual display 5 configuration is used for all pages in the book, the modular approach ma]ces it possible to use the same core sheet (116 for example) for the entire book, identical in all respects except for one identifying connection 113, laminated with different printed material for different pages, thus greatly lO decreasing the cost o~ printing individual circuit board layers for each page. By comparison, the versatility of the accordion approach of the first e~b~diment is limited by the requirement that all electrical pa~hs for the entire set of pages be cumulatively run through the continuous core sheet 15 to the last page for connection with the terminal board 188.
This means that the complexity of each individual page is necessarily reflected in progressively crowded circuitry toward the last page, where it all converges for connection wi~h the terminal board. Therefore, the complexity of the 20 circuitry on each page is necessarily limited by corresponding physical space requirements. ~oreover, the accordion approach reguires that any modification to the circuit board layer 186 be reflected in a manufacturing change to the entire continuous core ~heet 180, instead of 25 only one core sheet 116, with obvious cost and versatility drawbacks.

In a fourth embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 12, when the modular approach .is u~ed with the circuit board 30 layer printed on the back side of the core sheet for each page, each spread ~instead of leaf) of the book consists of one core sheet 216 corresponding to two facing pages on adjacent leaves, again referred to in the figure as E and O
for even and odd with reference to conventional page 35 numbering. Thus, by combining each pair of core sheet modules 216 so that the back sides of opposite pages come together and sandwich their respective portions of the ' '', ' '' ~'092/1896~ PCT/US~2/03056 ~ 2~
circuit board lay~r 21~, a leaf 215 is formed, as illustrated in Figure 13. of course, perforations 227 co~responding to each LED on the sandwiched back side of each page must be provided for visibility. As shown in the right hand page of 5 Fig. 13, a top sheet 224 bearing printed matter and light apertures 228 (or corresponding translucent portions) is t~en affixed to each page to complete the laminated ass~mbly.

In this configuration of the modular approach, each modular 10 core sheet 216 (a spread of the ~ook) bears a circuit board layer 212 corresponding to the specific display requirements of the corresponding pages, again with the same general characteristics described above for the continuous core sheet 180 of Fig. 4. By folding each core sheet 216 in two 15 forward, in the direction oE arrows A3 and A4 and along a center fold 214, as seen in Fig. 12, and by joining adjacent modules, as shown in Fig. 13, book leaves 215 are formed wherein the center folds 214 constitute the inside margins of each facing page E and O, and wherein the back of each page 20 contains the half of the circuit board layer 212 that pertains to the printed material of its opposite page. Thus, each half of the circuit board layer printed on the back of each spread is connected to the other half by connections 213 along the fold corresponding to the outside edge of each 25 center fold 214. For example, as shown in Fig. 12, the circuitry on the back of the odd page O on the left module in the figure corresponds to the printed material on the front of the even page E of the right module; similarly, the circuitry lnot seen in the figure) on the back of the even 30 page E on the right module necessarily corresponds to the printed material (also not seen) on ~he front of the odd page O of the left module. Since this configuration causes portions of the circuit board layers on adjacent core sheets to ba in direct contact with one another because sandwiched 35`between segments of adjacent spreads to form book leaves, it may also be necessary to protect the circuit board layers by coating them with a layer of flexible dielectric paint, such WO92/lg96~ ~ 1 0 8 7.~l~ PCT/US92/03056 as the Olin Hunt "37AC22 W Curable Spacer" product mention~d above, or equivalent insulating material.

In a manner equivalent to th0 method descr.ibed above, by 5 properly positioning ~he connections 213 o:E each circuit board layer 212 to overlap corresponding connections 223 (see Fig. lO), each core sheet 216 can be plugged in modular form into a matching spine 220 (fieen in Fig. 14) equivalent to the spine 221 of Fig. 10. of course, though, as shown in Fig. 14 10 where the spine 220 is only partially enmeshed with several core modules for illustration purposes, each module received between sets of flap~ consisks of one spread of facing pages, rather than one leaf of opposite pages. I'he spine of the book remains the point of connection for each page and each 15 connection 223 in the spine is tied to a conductive path that is routed through the last segment L3 of the spine to the terminal board 188 (not seen in Fig. 14), which is in turn coupled to the intelligent electronic circui.try 160 housed in the head portion 1~0 of the book's cover.
As for the modular leaf approach of the third embodiment, the advantages of this modular approach include the ~act that each pair of pages E and o on facing sides of each spread can be designed independently of the rest of the book, the only 25 constraint being in the points of connection through the spine. In addition, if the same circuit-board-layer layout is used for all spreads in the book, the modular approach makes it possible to u~e the same core sheet 216 for the entire book, with a single different connection 213 in each 30 circuit board layer for identification purposes, laminated with different printed material for different pages, thus again greatly decreasing the cost of printing individual circuit board layers.

35 In yet another, fifth, embodiment of the invention, the accordion-type spine illustrated above as 220 (or 221) may be physically eliminated from the structure of the book, if the ...

WO92/1~96~ PCT/US92/030~6 connections 213 (or 113) in adjacent modules overlap one another, because the abutting connections 213 (or 113) provide sufficient electrical contact, when bound together, to form the required electrical paths to the last segment of 5 the circuit (illustrated in the figures as L3 and L2 for the two embodiments, respectively). Thus, as seen in Figure 15, the spine assemblies 220 and ~21 may be functionally replaced by a single-sheet last ~egment L4 containing electrical paths 386 that coup]e each connection 213 (or 113) on the last 10 module ~16 (or 116) with the terminal board 18~. Fig. 15 illustrates the coupling hetween electrical connections 213 in a modular spread 216 and corresponding connections 313 in the last segment L4, wherein the connections are shown slightly apart for clarity. OE course, every other 15 connection 213 (or 113) in the adjacent modules becomes also connected to the terminal board 188 ~y virtue of the contact between abutking connect ons 213 (or 113). That is, all modules become connected in parallel to the electronic circuitry 160. Note that the single-sheet segment L4 could 20 also be eliminated altogekher by connecting the terminal board 188, or any equivalent terminal layout used for coupling the modules with the intelligent alectronic circuitry 160, directly to the connections 213 (or 113) in the spine of the book.
In order to improve the contact between abutting connections 213 (or 113) in this fifth embodiment of the invention, it is found that the use of anisotropic conductive material may be useful in the construction of the book oE the invention.
30 This material, also referred to in the industry as a z axis conductiYe membrane, is characterized by its directional electric conductivity across its thickness (the z axis) and by its otherwi~e insulating characteristics in any other direction. It is available in tape form, such as the Scotch 35 Brand 9703 Conductive Adhesive Transfer Tape sold by the 3M
Company of St. Paul, Minnesota; or in liquid form, as the Anisotropic Heat-Seal Coating 41DJB130 sold by the Olin Hunt WO 92/1896~ 2 ~ 0 8 ~ ~ '1 PC~/US92/0~056 company of Ontario, California. In eit~er form; the ani~otropic conductive material i~ laid on the circuit board layer 212 (or 112) to cover the connections 213 (or 113), and it is sandwiched between the modules to provide electrical 5 contact between each pair of abutting connections without causing electrical shorting with the adjacent circuitry.
Some of these products (e.g., the Scotch t:ransfer tape) are placed on the circuit board layer as tapP, which is cut to cover the desired portions of the board. Others (e.g., the 10 Olin Hunt coating) are spread as a thin layer of paint or glue (0.5 to 1.5 mils in thickness), and are then heated to cure into a membrane with the required anisotropic characteristics. In any event, with or without the aid of anisotropic conductive material, the book of the invention 15 can he bound according to conventional book binding procedures, requiring an adhesive (6uch as one of the poly-urethane glues normally used in book-binding) to form a spine holding the modular leaves or spreads together.

20 It has also been found that variations of the book ~ay employ thermochromic print in lieu of some of the light emitting diodes used in the di~play of the invention. Thermochromic printing is a well known technique and it is accomplished by screen printing a layer of thermochromic paint or ink and 25 then superimposin~ a layer of conductive material, such as screen printable carbon, between two conductive leads on a support foundation. When electric current is passed through the conductive material from the leads to which it is connected, the heat genarated by the current causes the 30 thermochromic paint to change color, normally from an unobtrusive grey to a bright color of choice. Thus, this technique is particularly suitable to supplement or replace the use of LED's for this inv~ntion. Just as detailed above and illustrated in Fig. 6 for ~ED's, the two layers of 35 thermochromic paint and conductive material can be laid `
across each set of terminals in the circuit ~oard layer 186 to form a thermochromic element. Screen printable ~'092/~64 PCT/US92/03056 ~o~5 ~ 28 -thermochromic paint is available in various colors from the Murfin Division of the Menasha Corporation of Neeha, Wisconsin; and screen printable carbon is available from Olin Hunt under the name "Advanced Thermoset Polymer Thick Film 5 IL-1 Graphite Conductor."

Thermochromic inks are normally offered in two for~ats. In one format the ink changes color when heated a~ove a certain temperature and returns to its original color when cooled 10 down. In the other format the ink is transformed into an almost transparent state by heat and returns to the original color when cooled down. The cycle can be r~peated each time as the temperature is increased or decreased and is the same for both color-to-color and color-to-colorless options.
15 There are several different types of thermochromic inks (12 offered by Menasha) with threshold temperatures ranging from -3 C to 58C. Similarly, original and changed colors can be specified within a wide range of colors, including colorless among the latter, which can be used to expose a printPd 20 design underneath the origin~l color. Finally, thermochromic inks can be printed on moæt ordinary printable surfaces.

Another application that is ideal for this invention is the use of electro-illuminating ink, which can be laid between 25 terminals in the circuit board layer of the invention in the same way that has been detailed for LED's and thermochromic print. This ink is conductive, like the ink used to form the circuit board layer 1~6, but it becomes luminous when current flows through it. There~ore, it affords an easy tool for 30 illuminating the printed matter in the book with a variety of ~lowing colors. Electro-illuminating ink is available in different colors, for example, from the Murfin Division of the Menasha Corporation.

35 It should be noted that the modular approach illustrated in Figures 12-15 is suitable ~or using a single source of ~isual enhancement (whether LED, thermochromic element, or electro-W O 92/18964 21 0 ~ ~ 5 4 PC~r/US92/03056 illuminating ink site) for two opposite pages. Bysandwiching the visual e~hancement source between two per~orations 227 on opposite pages and connecting it to the circuitry of both pages, the same source becomes a~ailable 5 for the function of the circuit board layer for each page. A
lens of the type formed with the non-conductive epoxy resin 196 shown in Fig. 6 should be used on both sides o~ the visual enhancing source to protect it from damage through the perforations 227. In the case of thermochromic elements, two 10 different paints can be used around a single conductive strand of carbon to produce different colors on eash side.
Obviously, any combination of LED's, electro-illumlnating ink, and thermochromic elements can be used throughout the circuit board layer of the invention without affecting any of 15 the features described in this specification.

It should also be noted that, as indicated above, the switch elements 127 that automatically initiate the visual and audio display sequence when the book is opened at a given page may 20 be repliced by manually operated switches, such as pressure switches 129 incorporated in the circuit board layer 112 or 212 of the pa~e, to be activated by a user at will. Figure 16 illustrates the exact layout of a circuit board layer 212 ~i. e., used in the modular configuration described in the 25 ~ourth and fifth embodiments) t~at is preferred at this time.
In this preferred embodiment the switch ele~ents 127a and 127b for each page consist of a sonductive pad that is designed to abut a corresponding pad in the circuit board layer of the opposite page on the same leaf, the two pads 30 being separated by a pressure sensitive dialectric medium, such as the Olin Hunt 37AC22 W Curable Spacer product mentioned above. The dialectric is laid in grid form between conductive surfaces. Depending on the denseness of the grid, the conductive surfaces can be forced to come into contact 35 through the dialectric grid by pressing against it. By choosing the appropriate grid, the dialectric medium thus ~ecomes conductive (or, more precisely, its insulating W092/l896~l PCT/~S92/~3~56 ~ 30 function is bypassed) when a certain level of pressure is exerted upon it, thus connecting the two pads and activating the switch formed by them. For the purposes of this invention, it is recommended that the dialectric be screened 5 over the printed circuit board layer in a grid that becomes conductive under approximately 7 ounces per square inch of pressure. Thus, the two switches formed by the switch element pairs 127a and 127b are utilized as pressure switches to activate the odd and even page, respectively, of the leaf.
10 The pressure switches 129 for interactive sequences controlled by the viewer are also implemented by pressure switch elements 129a and 129b incorporated into each half of the circuit board layer. Thus, by combining adjacent modules in the manner shown in Figures 12 and 13, the circuit board 15 layer 212 of Fig. 16 forms switches 127 and 129 sandwic:hed in each leaf 215 that are used to interact with the electronic control circuitry 160 to activate and control the progression of the various display functions program~ed for each page on that leaf.
In the preferred emkodiment, the LED's 125 (or, equivalently, any of the other visual signal means discussed above~ are mounted on one half only of the circuit ~oard layer and each LED is used for both of the opposite pages of the leaf within 25 which it is sandwiched. Perforations or translucent portions 227 on both sides of the LED make it visible to both pages.
~hus, the same general layout shown in Fig. 16 is used for all modules of the preferred embodiment of the invention/ the only variation from module to module consisting in one 30 different connection 213 for coupling with a matching individual connection 313 in the last segment L4 and, therefore, with a different terminal in the intelligent electronic circuitry 160 (so that each module is connected and can be activated independently). Using the binding 35 techni~ue described for the fifth embodiment (without a fan-like spine), each of the free connections 213 in each module (in the drawing of Fig. 16 for example, 25 connections are WO92/1896~ 2 ~ O ~ ~ ~ PCT/US92/03056 shown as free, i. e., not connected to the circuit board layer 212~ serves as a bridge, through abutting connections in all adjacent m~dules, to a corresponding connection in a module where it is used as a path connecting the circuit 5 board layer of that particular module to the terminal board.
Thus, all modules feature the exact same set of connections 213, but each module uses one di.f~erent connec~ion for coupling with the intelligent circuitry. Figure 17 shows the exact layout of the last segment L4 in the preferred 10 embodiment of the invention, featuring the same set of connections 213 for coupling with the modules 216 in the manner shown in Fig. 15. Multiple pressure switch elements 1~9 are also added to the circuitry. By covering all ~he switch elements 129 with the pressure-sensitive di~lectric 15 medium described above and by folding the segment L4 along a center fold 314 r matching pairs of switch elements 129 form manually actuated pressure switches that give the viewer game options to enhance the recognition of printed materi.al superimposed on each switch. For example, pressing the 20 letter B placed over one switch may initiate a repe-tition of the audio display used before in the book to illustrate the letter B in conjunction with the picture of a bear, and so on.

25 ~hile the present invention has been shown and described herein in what is believed to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures can be made therefrom within the scope o~ the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but i5 to :.
30 be accorded the full scope vf the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent apparatus.

;~ '' '

Claims

I claim:

1. An electronic book for identifying and highlighting printed information by visual signals in a sequentially organized manner, comprising:
(a) a multiplicity of modular core sheets, each bearing a circuit board layer printed by means of flexible conductive ink and having electrical connections positioned in overlapping relationship with corresponding electrical connections in adjacent modular core sheets;
(b) printed information sheets laminated onto said modular core sheets for communicating visual information to a user;
(c) a multiplicity of visual signal means incorporated into said circuit board layer and visible to a user through said printed information sheets;
(d) a power source;
(e) sequence control means, coupled to said visual signal means, for sequentially energizing said visual signal means to highlight said printed information being viewed by the user according to a predetermined sequence;
(f) switching means in said circuit board layer electrically connected to said power source and said sequence control means for activating said sequence control means to highlight and describe the printed information being viewed by the user; and (g) means for binding said multiplicity of modular core sheets into multi-leaf book format;
wherein said multiplicity of modular core sheets is assembled into book format by joining all modular core sheets so that said electrical connections positioned in overlapping relationship with corresponding electrical connections in adjacent modular core sheets come together to form a book spine; and wherein said electrical connections electrically coupled to corresponding electrical connections in said adjacent core sheets in the book spine form continuous electrical paths to terminals connected to said power source, sequence control means and synchronization control means.

2. An electronic book for identifying and describing printed information by audio signals in a sequentially organized manner, comprising:
(a) a multiplicity of modular core sheets, each bearing a circuit board layer printed by means of flexible conductive ink and having electrical connections positioned in overlapping relationship with corresponding electrical connections in adjacent modular core sheets;
(b) printed information sheets laminated onto said modular core sheets for communicating visual information to a user;
(c) a power source;
(d) voice synthesizer means containing audio information corresponding to said printed information;
(e) audio signal means coupled to said voice synthesizer means for communicating said audio information to the user, said audio signal means being responsive to a drive signal from said voice synthesizer means;
(f) sequence control means, coupled to said voice synthesizer means, for sequentially activating said voice synthesizer means to identify and describe said printed information being viewed by the user according to a predetermined sequence;
(g) switching means in said circuit board layer electrically connected to said power source and said sequence control means for activating said sequence control means to identify and describe the printed information being viewed by the user; and (h) means for binding said multiplicity of modular core sheets into multi-leaf book format;
wherein said multiplicity of modular core sheets is assembled into book format by joining all modular core sheets so that said electrical connections positioned in overlapping relationship with corresponding electrical connections in adjacent modular core sheets come together to form a book spine; and wherein said electrical connections electrically coupled to corresponding electrical connections in said adjacent core sheets in the book spine form continuous electrical paths to terminals connected to said power source, sequence control means and synchronization control means.

3. An electronic book for identifying and highlighting printed information by visual signals in a sequentially organized manner and for further identifying and describing such printed information by synchronized audio signals, comprising:
(a) a multiplicity of modular core sheets, each bearing a circuit board layer printed by means of flexible conductive ink and having electrical connections positioned in overlapping relationship with corresponding electrical connections in adjacent modular core sheets;
(b) printed information sheets laminated onto said modular core sheets for communicating visual information to a user;
(c) a multiplicity of visual signal means incorporated into said circuit board layer and visible to a user through said printed information sheets;
(d) a power source;
(e) voice synthesizer means containing audio information corresponding to said printed information;
(f) audio signal means coupled to said voice synthesizer means for communicating said audio information to the user, said audio signal means being responsive to a drive signal from said voice synthesizer means;
(g) sequence control means, coupled to said visual signal means and to said voice synthesizer means, for sequentially energizing said visual signal means to highlight said printed information being viewed by the user and for activating said voice synthesizer means to describe said printed information according to a predetermined sequence;
(h) synchronization control means, coupled to said visual signal means, said voice synthesizer means and said sequence control means, for synchronizing the operation of said sequence control means so that the energizing of said visual signal means and the activation of said voice synthesizer means are synchronized according to a predetermined schedule of delivery;
(i) switching means in said circuit board layer electrically connected to said power source, said sequence control means and said synchronization control means for activating said sequence and synchronization control means to highlight and describe the printed information being viewed by the user;
and (j) means for binding said multiplicity of modular core sheets into multi-leaf book format;
wherein said multiplicity of modular core sheets is assembled into book format by joining all modular core sheets so that said electrical connections positioned in overlapping relationship with corresponding electrical connections in adjacent modular core sheets come together to form a book spine; and wherein said electrical connections electrically coupled to corresponding electrical connections in said adjacent core sheets in the book spine form continuous electrical paths to terminals connected to said power source, sequence control means and synchronization control means.

4. The electronic book described in Claim 3, wherein said multiplicity of modular core sheets consists of a multiplicity of book leaves assembled into book format, each leaf comprising one modular core sheet completely folded backwards to form two opposite book pages separated by a common edge at the fold; and wherein said circuit board layer is printed on the front side of each of said modular core sheets by means of flexible conductive ink and has electrical connections across the common edge between said two opposite pages, said electrical connections being positioned in overlapping relationship between adjacent modular core sheets.

5. The electronic book described in Claim 3, wherein said multiplicity of modular core sheets consists of a multiplicity of book spreads assembled into book format, each spread comprising a modular core sheet folded forward to form two facing book pages separated by a common center fold; and wherein said circuit board layer is printed on the back side of each of said modular core sheets by means of flexible conductive ink and has electrical connections across the outside edge corresponding to the common center fold between said two facing pages, said electrical connections being positioned in overlapping relationship between adjacent modular core sheets.

6. The electronic book described in Claim 3, wherein said multiplicity of modular core sheets is combined to form a single continuous core sheet folded in accordion fashion to form pairs of adjacent segments, wherein the inside folds of said continuous core sheet are bound to constitute the book's spine, while the outside folds constitute the outer edges of the book's pages; and wherein a single continuous circuit board layer is printed on one side of said continuous core sheet by means of flexible conductive ink.

7. The electronic book described in Claim 6, wherein said continuous circuit board layer is printed on the front side of said continuous core sheet by means of flexible conductive ink.

8. The electronic book described in Claim 6, wherein said continuous circuit board layer is printed on the back side of said continuous core sheet by means of flexible conductive ink, and wherein perforations are provided in said core sheet matching the sites of said multiplicity of visual signal means to make them visible from the front side.

9. The electronic book described in Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8, wherein each of said multiplicity of visual signal means incorporated into said modular circuit board layer and visible to a user through said printed information sheets is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diodes, thermochromic elements, and electro-illuminating ink.

10. The electronic book described in Claim 9, wherein said visual signal means incorporated into said modular circuit board layer and visible to a user through said printed information sheets consists of light emitting diodes that are manufactured by bonding semiconductor die chips directly into said circuit board layer.

11. The electronic book described in Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8, wherein said printed information sheets laminated onto said modular core sheets for communicating visual information to a user feature apertures overlapping said multiplicity of visual signal means, thereby rendering said visual signal means visible to the user through said apertures.

12. The electronic book described in Claim 11, wherein said apertures are replaced by translucent portions in said printed information sheets overlapping said multiplicity of visual signal means, thereby rendering said visual signal means visible to the user through said translucent portions.

13. The electronic book described in Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8, further comprising:
a multiplicity of pressure switches incorporated into said circuit board layer for connection with said sequence control means to provide the user with predetermined alternative progression options selected by applying pressure on recognizable features corresponding to said pressure switches in said printed information sheets.

14. The electronic book described in Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8, further comprising:
anisotropic conductive material laid on said circuit board layer to cover said electrical connections sandwiched between said modular core sheets to provide electrical contact between each pair of abutting connections in said spine.

15. The electronic book described in Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, further comprising;
a fan-like spine having flexible conductive circuitry printed thereon for receiving said multiplicity of modular core sheets, each core sheet being sandwiched between corresponding flaps in said spine, wherein said electrical connections in each core sheet are coupled to corresponding electrical connections in said fan-like spine, and wherein the flexible conductive circuitry in said fan like spine forms continuous electrical paths to said power source, sequence control means and synchronization control means.

16. The electronic book described in Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8, wherein said power source consists of a battery.

17. The electronic book described in Claim 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8, wherein said audio signal means coupled to said voice synthesizer means for communicating said audio information to a user consists of a speaker.

18. The electronic book described in Claim 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8, wherein said audio signal means coupled to said voice synthesizer means for communicating said audio information to a user consists of headphones.

19. The electronic book described in Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8, wherein said switching means for activating said sequence control means at a page being viewed by a user consists of an electromechanical switch that extends from said circuit board layer through said printed information sheet laminated onto said core sheet to initiate the operation of the electronic book when it is opened at that page.

20. The electronic book described in Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8, wherein said switching means for activating said sequence control means at a page being viewed by a user consists of a photo-sensitive switch that extends from said circuit board layer through said printed information sheet laminated onto said core sheet to initiate the operation of the electronic book when it is opened at that page.

21. A method for constructing an electronic book for identifying and highlighting printed information by visual signals in a sequentially organized manner and for further identifying and describing such printed information by synchronized audio signals, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a multiplicity of modular core sheets;
(b) printing a circuit board layer on each of said modular.
core sheets by means of flexible conductive ink, said circuit board layer having electrical connections positioned in overlapping relationship with corresponding electrical connections in adjacent modular core sheets;
(c) laminating printed information sheets onto said modular core sheets for communicating visual information to a user;
(d) incorporating a multiplicity of visual signal means into said circuit board layer printed on each modular core sheet, wherein said visual signal means are visible to a user through said printed information sheets;
(e) providing a power source;
(f) providing voice synthesizer means containing audio information corresponding to said printed information;
(f) providing audio signal means coupled to said voice synthesizer means for communicating said audio information to the user, said audio signal means being responsive to a drive signal from said voice synthesizer means;
(g) providing sequence control means, coupled to said visual WO 92/l8964 PCT/US92/03056 signal means and to said voice synthesizer means, for sequentially energizing said visual signal means to highlight said printed information being viewed by the user and for activating said voice synthesizer means to describe said printed information according to a predetermined sequence;
(h) providing synchronization control means, coupled to said visual signal means, said voice synthesizer means and said sequence control means, for synchronizing the operation of said sequence control means so that the energizing of said visual signal means and the activation of said voice synthesizer means are synchronized according to a predetermined schedule of delivery;
(i) providing switching means in said circuit board layer electrically connected to said power source, said sequence control means and said synchronization control means for activating said sequence and synchronization control means to highlight and describe the printed information being viewed by the user; and (j) binding said multiplicity of modular core sheets into multi-leaf book format;
wherein said multiplicity of modular core sheets is assembled into book format by joining all modular core sheets so that said electrical connections positioned in overlapping relationship with corresponding electrical connections in adjacent modular core sheets come together to form a book spine; and wherein said electrical connections electrically coupled to corresponding electrical connections in said adjacent core sheets in the book spine form continuous electrical paths to said power source, sequence control means and synchronization control means.

22. The method described in Claim 21, wherein said multiplicity of modular core sheets consists of a multiplicity of book leaves assembled into book format, each leaf comprising one modular core sheet completely folded backwards to form two opposite book pages separated by a common edge at the fold; and wherein said circuit board layer is printed on the front side of each of said modular core sheets by means of flexible conductive ink and has electrical connections across the common edge between said two opposite pages, said electrical connections being positioned in overlapping relationship between adjacent modular core sheets.

23. The method described in Claim 21, wherein said multiplicity of modular core sheets consists of a multiplicity of book spreads assembled into book format, each spread comprising a modular core sheet folded forward to form two facing book pages separated by a common center fold; and wherein said circuit board layer is printed on the back side of each of said modular core sheets by means of flexible conductive ink and has electrical connections across the outside edge corresponding to the common center fold between said two facing pages, said electrical connections being positioned in overlapping relationship between adjacent modular core sheets.

24. The method described in Claim 21, wherein said multiplicity of modular core sheets is combined to form a single continuous core sheet folded in accordion fashion to form pairs of adjacent segments, wherein the inside folds of said continuous core sheet are bound to constitute the book's spine, while the outside folds constitute the outer edges of the book's pages; and wherein a single continuous circuit board layer is printed on one side of said continuous core sheet by means of flexible conductive ink.

25. The method described in Claim 24, wherein said continuous circuit board layer is printed on the front side of said continuous core sheet by means of flexible conductive ink.

26. The method described in Claim 24, wherein said continuous circuit board layer is printed on the back side of said continuous core sheet by means of flexible conductive ink and wherein perforations are provided in said core sheet matching the sites of said multiplicity of visual signal means to make them visible from the front side.

27. The method described in Claim 21, 22, 23, 25 or 26, wherein each of said multiplicity of visual signal means incorporated into said modular circuit board layer and visible to a user through said printed information sheets is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diodes, thermochromic elements, and electro-illuminating ink.

28. The method described in Claim 27, wherein said visual signal means incorporated into said modular circuit board layer and visible to a user through said printed information sheets consists of light emitting diodes that are manufactured by bonding semiconductor die chips directly into said circuit board layer.

29. The method described in Claim 21, 22, 23, 25 or 26, further comprising the step of providing apertures in said printed information sheets laminated onto said modular core sheets for communicating visual information to a user, wherein said apertures overlap said multiplicity of visual signal means, thereby rendering said visual signal means visible to the user through said apertures.

30. The method described in Claim 21, 22, 23, 25 or 26, further comprising the step of providing translucent portions in said printed information sheets laminated onto said modular core sheets for communicating visual information to a user, wherein said translucent portions overlap said multiplicity of visual signal means, thereby rendering said visual signal means visible to the user through said translucent portions.

31. The method described in Claim 21, 22, 23, 25 or 26, further comprising the step of providing a multiplicity of pressure switches incorporated into said circuit board layer for connection with said sequence control means to provide the user with predetermined alternative progression options selected by applying pressure on recognizable features corresponding to said pressure switches in said printed information sheets.

32. The method described in Claim 21, 22, 23, 25 or 26, further comprising the steps of applying anisotropic conductive material on said circuit board layer to cover said electrical connections, and sandwiching said anisotropic conductive material between said modular core sheets to provide electrical contact between each pair of abutting connections in said spine.

33. The method described in Claim 21, 22, or 23, further comprising the steps of providing a fan-like spine having flexible conductive circuitry printed thereon for receiving said multiplicity of modular core sheets, and of sandwiching each core sheet between corresponding flaps in said spine, whereby said electrical connections in each core sheet become coupled to corresponding electrical connections in said fan-like spine, and whereby the flexible conductive circuitry in said fan-like spine forms continuous electrical paths to said power source, sequence control means and synchronization control means.

34. The method described in Claim 21, 22, 23, 25 or 26, wherein said power source consists of a battery.

35. The method described in Claim 21, 22, 23, 25 or 26, wherein said audio signal means coupled to said voice synthesizer means for communicating said audio information to a user consists of a speaker.

36. The method described in Claim 21, 22, 23, 25 or 26, wherein said audio signal means coupled to said voice synthesizer means for communicating said audio information to a user consists of headphones.

37. The method described in Claim 21, 22, 23, 25 or 26, wherein said switching means for activating said sequence control means at a page being viewed by a user consists of an electromechanical switch that extends from said circuit board layer through said printed information sheet laminated onto said core sheet to initiate the operation of the electronic book when it is opened at that page.

38. The method described in Claim 21, 22, 23, 25 or 26, wherein said switching means for activating said sequence control means at a page being viewed by a user consists of a photo-sensitive switch that extends from said circuit board layer through said printed information sheet laminated onto said core sheet to initiate the operation of the electronic book when it is opened at that page.

39. A method for incorporating a light emitting diode into the pages of an electronic book having a core sheet bearing a circuit board layer with light-emitting-diode sites consisting of two open terminals, a cathode and an anode terminal, comprising the following steps:
(a) laying a length of conductive tape across each light-emitting-diode site in the circuit board layer, said tape being adhesive on both sides and laminated on the top side with copper foil appropriately scored in the middle to form two electrically separate copper strips, and said tape being oriented so that each copper strip covers one of the terminals in the site;
(b) depositing a semiconductor die chip directly into the cathode terminal of each site in the circuit board layer and electrically connecting and bonding said die chip to the anode terminal by depositing a strand of conductive epoxy resin on the anode terminal and stretching said strand to make contact with the die chip; and (c) affixing each component with the appropriate electrical orientation to the printed circuitry of the circuit board layer by covering the site with a sufficient amount of non-conductive epoxy resin to bond each component to the core sheet and to the circuit board layer.