Interactive multimedia book

Abstract

An interactive multimedia book provides hands-on multimedia instructiion to the user in response to voiced commands. The book is implemented on a computer system and includes both text and audio/video clips. The interactive multimedia book is accessed by voiced commands and natural language queries as the primary user input. The displayed text is written in a markup languate and contains hyperlinks which link the current topic with other related topics. The user may command the book to read the text and, as the text is read by the voice synthesizer, a word which is also a hyperlink will change its attributes upon being spoken. The user will be able to observe or hear this and simply utter the word which is the hyperlink to navigate to the linked topic.

1 - 15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . A computer system comprising: 
 a system unit having a generally rectangular shape;    a display hinged at one edge of the system unit, said display being rotated away from the system unit when the computer system is in operation and rotated against the system unit when the computer system is not in operation;    detecting means associated with the display for detecting when a user wants to operate the computer system and when the user wants turn the computer system off; and    an automatic on and off function implemented on the computer system and responsive to said detecting means for turning on said computer system and performing an initial program load of an operating system installed on the computer system when the display is rotated away from the system unit and for initiating a shut down procedure of any open applications and the operating system when the display is rotated against the system unit.    
   
   
       17 . The computer system recited in  claim 16 , wherein the computer system may optionally be placed on a horizontal work surface or mounted under a cabinet or shelf, the computer system further comprising orientation means for detecting an orientation of the computer system as either on a horizontal work surface or mounted under a cabinet or shelf, said automatic on and off function being further responsive to said orientation means for rotating display information to the display during the initial program load of the operating system so that a displayed image is oriented right side up.  
   
   
       18 . The computer system recited in  claim 16 , wherein the detecting means detects a position of the display as either rotated away from the system unit, indicating that the computer system is to be turned on, or rotated against the system unit, indicating that the computer system is to be turned off.  
   
   
       19 . The computer system recited in  claim 16 , wherein the display is hinged along a front edge of the system unit.  
   
   
       20 . The computer system recited in  claim 19 , further comprising a protective cover hinged along a back edge of the computer system, the protective cover being rotated to cover and protect the display when the display is rotated against the system unit and rotated away from the system unit to allow the display to be rotated away from the system unit.  
   
   
       21 . The computer system recited in  claim 20 , wherein the detecting means is actuated by movement of the protective cover.  
   
   
       22 . The computer system recited in  claim 21 , wherein the computer system may optionally be placed on a horizontal work surface or mounted under a cabinet or shelf, the computer system further comprising orientation means for detecting an orientation of the computer system as either on a horizontal work surface or mounted under a cabinet or shelf, said automatic on and off function being further responsive to said orientation means for rotating display information to the flat panel display during the initial program load of the operating system so that a displayed image is oriented right side up.  
   
   
       23 . The computer system recited in  claim 16 , further comprising a single user interface button on a front surface of the system unit, the user interface button allowing a user to control functions of software running on the computer system by a combination of single and double presses of the user interface button.  
   
   
       24 . The computer system recited in  claim 23 , wherein the software includes a multimedia presentation and the single and double presses of the user interface button control pause, resume and stop functions of the multimedia presentation.  
   
   
       25 . The computer system recited in  claim 23 , wherein the software presents a user with choices for making a selection in a displayed image on the display and the single and double presses of the user interface button control movement among the displayed choices and selection of one of the displayed choices.  
   
   
       26 . The computer system recited in  claim 23 , further comprising a slot on the front face of the computer system for receiving computer readable media and an eject button for ejecting computer readable media currently in the slot.  
   
   
       27 . The computer system recited in  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 an internal microphone and an internal speaker providing a audible interface with a user;    a wireless headphone and microphone set providing an alternative audible interface with the user;    a wireless transceiver attachable to the computer system and communicating with the wireless headphone and microphone set; and    means in the computer system for detecting attachment of the wireless transceiver to the computer system and inhibiting operation of the internal microphone and internal speaker.    
   
   
       28 - 68 . (canceled)  
   
   
       69 . The computer system recited in  claim 16 , further comprising an internal microphone and an internal speaker providing an audible interface with a user, said system unit have voice recognition and voice synthesis application software for supporting said audible interface.  
   
   
       70 . The computer system recited in  claim 69 , further comprising a single user interface button on a front surface of the system unit, the user interface button allowing a user to control functions of software running on the computer system by a combination of single and double presses of the user interface button.  
   
   
       71 . The computer system recited in  claim 70 , wherein the software includes a multimedia presentation and the single and double presses of the user interface button control, pause, resume and stop functions of the multimedia presentation.  
   
   
       72 . The computer system recited in  claim 70 , wherein the software presents a user with choices for making a selection in a displayed image on the display and the single and double presses of the user interface button control movement among the displayed choices and selection of one of the displayed choices.  
   
   
       73 . A method of operating a computer system which comprises a system unit having a generally rectangular shape and a display hinged at one edge of the system unit, the display being rotatable away from the system unit when the computer system is in operation and rotated against the system unit when the computer system is not in operation, the method comprising the steps of: 
 detecting when the display is rotated away from the system unit, indicating that a user wants to operate the computer system, and detecting when the display is rotated against the system unit, indicating that the user wants to turn the computer system off;    automatically turning on said computer system and performing an initial program load of an operating system installed on the computer system when the display is detected to be rotated away from the system unit; and    automatically initiating a shut down procedure of any open applications and the operating system when the display is detected to be rotated against the system unit.    
   
   
       74 . The method of operating a computer system recited in  claim 73 , further including the steps of: 
 detecting an orientation of the system unit when the display is rotated away from the system unit either in an upward or a downward rotation; and    rotating display information to the display during the initial program load of the operating system so that a displayed image is oriented right side up.    
   
   
       75 . The method of operating a computer system recited in  claim 73 , wherein the computer system has an internal microphone and an internal speaker providing an audible interface with a user, the method further comprising the steps of: 
 responding to audible commands received by the internal microphone from a user to perform predetermined functions by the operating system or applications running on the computer system; and    generating audible speech output by the internal speaker in response to questions or commands from the user.    
   
   
       76 . The method of operating a computer system recited in  claim 75 , wherein the computer system has a single user interface button on a front surface of the system unit, further comprising the step of performing functions of software running on the computer system in response to a combination of single and double presses of the user interface button.  
   
   
       77 . The method of operating a computer system recited in  claim 76 , wherein the software includes a multimedia presentation, the step of performing functions including functions of pause, resume and stop of the multimedia presentation.  
   
   
       78 . The method of operating a computer system recited in  claim 76 , wherein the software presents a user with choices for making a selection in a displayed image on the display, further comprising controlling movement among the displayed choices and selection of one of the displayed choices in response to single and double presses of the user interface button.