Textual Content Speed Player

Abstract

A computer program that requires nothing more of a user than to read their choice of textual content in an animated format to increase reading speed via reconditioned reading behavior. The computer program: highlights a word on a page and puts a copy of the word in the center of the page so a reader can fix their eyes on the center of the page and still satisfy the common scanning strategy of repositioning the eyes to project a word on the center of the retina while the reader is reconditioned, by the highlighting of words progressing through the body text, to use the faster scanning strategy of fixing the eyes and changing the position on the retina being read; presents a picture representing the meaning of each word in order to recondition a user to use the faster cognitive strategy of triggering recognition of meaning with a picture; presents textual content with a timing based on syllables in order to create a presentation of textual content in sync with the natural timing of speech; can add a speaking voice to the animated format which enables the non-reader to learn printed language through context alone; can record the audio of an individual word read out loud from a selection of textual content for future playback of any textual content containing the word.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method of presenting textual content, comprising:
 (a) displaying a body of text on a computerized display;   (b) highlighting a word element,   wherein, a word element is selected from the group comprising a word and a word group in the body of text,   wherein highlighting comprises altering aesthetic qualities of a selected section of the body of text on the computerized display in order to make the selected section stand out from an unselected section of the body of text on the computerized display; and   (c) displaying an additional expression of the word element in an additional position on   the computerized display in conjunction with the highlighting of the word element,   wherein said additional expression refers to a copy of a selected series of elements,   wherein said selected series of elements are selected from the group comprising letters, numbers, spaces, symbols and punctuation,   wherein said additional position is a location on the computerized display that is different from a location of said word element;   wherein said highlighting of the word element in the body of text indicates a word element intended to be read presently and relocates to highlight a successive word element after a duration of time repeatedly which culminates in a series of temporarily highlighted word elements that progresses through the body of text.   
     
     
         2 .- 87 . (canceled) 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying an aesthetic variation to one or more font characteristics of said word element, wherein said font characteristics are selected from the group comprising font, font size, font type, font style, font color, font background color, character spacing, baseline shift and capitalization. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alteration of aesthetic qualities comprises altering the word element by applying one or more aesthetic manipulations selected from the group comprising, enclosing the word element in a shape, underlining the word element, applying a textual animation to the word element, and applying a pointer directed at the word element,
 wherein the textual animation comprises continually altering aesthetic qualities of the selected section of the body of text on the computerized display to create a sense of motion.   
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of highlighting the additional expression, wherein highlighting the additional expression comprises altering aesthetic qualities of the additional expression on the computerized display in order to make the additional expression stand out from the unselected section of the body of text on the computerized display. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 90 , further comprising the step of applying an aesthetic variation to one or more font characteristics of said additional expression, wherein said font characteristics are selected from the group comprising font, font size, font type, font style, font color, font background color, character spacing, baseline shift and capitalization. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 90 , wherein the alteration of aesthetic qualities of the additional expression comprises altering the additional expression by applying one or more aesthetic manipulations selected from the group comprising, enclosing the additional expression in a shape, underlining the additional expression, applying a textual animation to the additional expression, and applying a pointer directed at the additional expression.
 wherein the textual animation comprises continually altering aesthetic qualities of the selected section of the body of text on the computerized display to create a sense of motion.   
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the additional expression is displayed in one or more fixed positions. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the body of text is apportioned into one or more sections with each section containing a centrally located fixed position for the display of the additional expression. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 (a) playing a vocal representation of the word element in conjunction with the highlighting of the word element,   wherein a vocal representation is an audible representation of the word element being read presently produced by means selected from the group comprising a computer generated voice and a recording of a human voice.   
     
     
         96 . A computer implemented method of presenting textual content, comprising:
 (a) displaying a body of text on a computerized display;   (b) highlighting a word element,   wherein, a word element is selected from the group comprising a word and a word group in the body of text,   wherein highlighting comprises altering aesthetic qualities of a selected section of the body of text on the computerized display in order to make the selected section stand out from an unselected section of the body of claim text on the computer display; and   (c) displaying a pictorial representation of the word element on the computerized display in conjunction with the highlighting of the word element,   wherein the pictorial representation refers to pictorial digital media selected from the group comprising a still image and a moving image intended to represent the meaning of the word element visually,   wherein said highlighting of the word element in the body of text indicates a word element intended to be read presently and relocates to highlight a successive word element after a duration of time repeatedly which culminates in a series of temporarily highlighted word elements that progresses through the body of text.   
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 96 , further comprising the step of applying an aesthetic variation to one or more font characteristics of said word element, wherein said font characteristics are selected from the group comprising font, font size, font type, font style, font color, font background color, character spacing, baseline shift and capitalization. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 96 , wherein the alteration of aesthetic qualities comprises altering the word element by applying one or more aesthetic manipulations selected from the group comprising, enclosing the word element in a shape, underlining the word element, applying a textual animation to the word element, and applying a pointer directed at the word element,
 wherein the textual animation comprises continually altering aesthetic qualities of the selected section of the body of text on the computerized display to create a sense of motion.   
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 96 , wherein the pictorial representation is displayed with the highlighting of the word element in one or more fixed positions on the computerized display. 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein as said series of temporarily highlighted word elements progresses through the body of text from word element to successive word element the positions on the computerized display that pictorial representations are affixed to relocate. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 100 , wherein as said series of temporarily highlighted word elements moves from word element to successive word element progressing through a line of text a position on the left side of the computerized display that pictorial representations are affixed to relocates starting at the bottom edge of the computerized display and successively relocating upward finishing at the top edge of the computerized display while simultaneously a second position on the right side of the computerized display that pictorial representations are affixed to relocates starting at the top edge of the computerized display and successively relocating downward finishing at the bottom edge of the computerized display. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 100 , wherein as said series of temporarily highlighted word elements moves from word element to successive word element progressing through a line of text a position on the computerized display that pictorial representations are affixed to relocates starting on the left edge of the computerized display and finishing on the right edge of the computerized display with pictorial representations remaining in place as successive word elements are highlighted and their pictorial representation added on the right side of the previous pictorial representation until all the word elements in the line of text have been highlighted creating a series of pictorial representations representing the entire line of text. 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 100 , wherein as said series of temporarily highlighted word elements moves from word element to successive word element progressing through a line of text a position on the computerized display that pictorial representations are affixed to relocates to track the highlighting of the word element,
 wherein track refers to relocating positions pictorial representations are affixed to in order to maintain proximity with successive highlighting of the text element being read presently.   
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 96 , wherein said duration of time is determined by multiplying a user selected duration of time one text element is to be displayed, wherein text elements are selected from the group comprising syllables and words, and a sum of: the number of text elements contained in said word element; the number of spaces in said word element multiplied by a predetermined coefficient that is expressed in units of the selected text element; and each piece of punctuation multiplied by its corresponding predetermined coefficient that is expressed in units of the selected text element. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 96 , further comprising the step of:
 (a) playing a vocal representation of the word element in conjunction with the highlighting of the word element,   wherein a vocal representation is an audible representation of the word element being read presently produced by means selected from the group comprising a computer generated voice and a recording of a human voice.   
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 96 , further comprising the step of:
 (a) recording audio of the word element being spoken in conjunction with the highlighting of the word element.   
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 106 , wherein the recorded audio is associated with the word element in a database.