Integrating Machine- and Human-Interpretable Symbols

Abstract

Toward the memorization of diverse metadata associated with a given kanji ideogram, a package is conceived wherein printed cards branded with QR codes on the card or directly on the kanji ideogram are read with the camera of a mobile device and the user is then furnished with metadata about the kanji ideogram germane to learning about the ideogram, as enabled by a software tool installed or available to the mobile device user, this software processing the QR code to reproduce the reading and other metadata. In place of a printed card, an electronic facsimile on the mobile device could also be used, wherein the QR code is sensed by the software tool.

Claims

1. A paper card, adorned with the printed image of an Asian kanji ideogram has a QR or other computer-sensible code on the same face as the ideogram, and, recognition of that QR code by a device such as a mobile phone connected to an app or web-app informs a user of information on the recognized kanji ideogram, including but not limited to, reading pronunciations in audio format, reading pronunciations in text form, meaning in a plurality of languages, writing stroke order, stroke count, lead component, memorization aid mnemonic, older versions of the kanji ideogram, origin in nature, standardized ordinals for education, standardized ordinals for computer standards, and equivalent ideograms in other languages that also use ideograms.

2. As in claim 1, excepting that the QR code or similar code is imprinted directly onto the body of the kanji ideogram.

3. As in claim 2, excepting that the character appears as a computer-based image on a screen, wherein: software reads that QR code to redirect upon request to a software containing kanji ideogram metadata as described in claim 1.

4. A paper card, adorned with the printed image of an Asian kanji ideogram on a first side of the card, has a QR or other computer-sensible code on a second or opposite side of the card, and, recognition of that QR code by a device such as a mobile phone connected to an app or web-app informs a user of information on the recognized kanji ideogram, including but not limited to, reading pronunciations in audio format, reading pronunciations in text form, meaning in a plurality of languages, writing stroke order, stroke count, lead component, memorization aid mnemonic, older versions of the kanji ideogram, origin in nature, standardized ordinals for education, standardized ordinals for computer standards, and equivalent ideograms in other languages that also use ideograms.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention:

[0009] FIG. 1 shows branding of a card printed of a kanji ideogram with a QR code;

[0010] FIG. 2 shows direct branding of a kanji ideogram on a printed card with QR code;

[0011] FIG. 3 shows branding of a kanji ideogram on a printed card with QR code printed on the reverse side of the card;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In some embodiments, aspects of the invention described in this Application comprise a package with at least two components: kanji or other ideogram cards, and an app or web-app installable on a mobile or other data processing device equipped with a camera that can read QR and or other machine-interpretable codes, eliciting metadata retrieval and display or other reproduction by means of an app or web-app installed on said mobile device to aid user(s) of the device(s) in the memorization of a plurality of metadata associated with the ideograms.

[0013] In FIG. 1, a card 2 is imprinted with a kanji ideogram 1 and a QR code 3 is also imprinted on the same side of the card. This enables the user to scan the code with a mobile device equipped with a camera. An app or web app is provided and installed on the mobile device and is configured to access one or more data sets associated with the QR code 3 and display or otherwise provide reading(s) or interpretation(s) associated with the ideogram and/or other metadata in a user-configured order.

[0014] In FIG. 2, a card 2 is imprinted with a kanji ideogram 1 and a smaller QR code 4 is superimposed upon or otherwise also imprinted on the ideogram 1, on the same side of the card. This enables the user to scan the code with a mobile device equipped with a camera. An app or web app is provided and installed on the mobile device and is configured to access one or more data sets associated with the QR code 3 and display or otherwise provide reading(s) or interpretation(s) associated with the ideogram and/or other metadata in a user-configured order.

[0015] Preparation of virtual and/or other computer-based kanji ideograms for display or other presentation on a computer with QR codes embedded in the pixels of the characters themselves enables a similar elicitation of metadata reproduction. Instead of the computer program, also known as app or web-app, recognizing the characters themselves, the link between the ideogram and educational information is the QR code rather than recognition of the shape of the character. This allows the kanji ideogram to be read using metadata encoded in the QR code in a manner pre-configured by the user. One example of configuration would be to specify that the Chinese-derived reading or on-yomi is read both in its standard form plus a non-standard but also common reading that occurs in a common jukugo noun pair of kanji ideograms, as in the example for the first kanji ideogram in the common word houken or feudal versus the fuu reading found in fuutou or envelope, when and only when such a choice exists.

[0016] Through this use of the QR code branding the kanji ideogram, a range of learning tools from paper cards to facsimiles of cards within an application can be produced, all making use of recognition of the accompanying QR brand toward elicitation of educational metadata concerning that kanji ideogram in the memorization process, in a manner highly configurable depending on the learning style of the user.

[0017] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a virtual or physical instructional card 2 comprising a kanji ideogram 1 on a first side (side (a)) of the card 2 and a QR code or other machine-interpretable code 3 imprinted on the reverse side (b) of the card 2. Such embodiments can for example be useful by pairs or other pluralities of users to help each other in interpreting ideograms 1. For example a first user can be presented with the kanji ideogram on side (a), and quizzed by a second or third user as to any one or more of its interpretations. The first user's interpretation(s) can be checked, coached, or otherwise assisted by one or more second or thirds user by, for example, use of a mobile or other device to read a code 3 provided on side (b) and access data representing interpretations and other information associated with the ideogram 1 without the first user being tempted or otherwise enabled to check the card him/herself, so that he/she is required to put a desired amount of effort into interpreting the ideogram before being provided with the answer. Any desired reward(s) can be offered by the second or third users for successful performance by the first user, and/or any desired form of negative reinforcement can be provided in case of failure.

[0018] While computerization of kanji ideograms has enabled elaboration of learning strategies, the ability to store values for multiple fields associated with a kanji ideogram on a computer with a screen does not relieve the rote nature of learning encountered in learning software for kanji ideograms. The element of fun and games can enhance learning tools, and the use of a QR code embedded into the front or back of a card printed with a kanji ideogram provides a means by which one of many learning games can be enabled for fun learning. An example presented in this Application is a tile accretion game, where the kanji ideogram card decorated with a QR code acts as a game tile or playable piece. A player holding a kanji card guesses at the agreed kanji ideogram value for the game, for example, Japanese pronunciation. Players of differing Japanese fluency can be programmed to be tested on different kanji ideogram values of differing difficulty, for example, stroke count instead of Japanese pronunciation. Fellow players can check the correctness of the answer offered by the first player with a QR code reading application in a device including but not limited to a smart phone with a camera, or a card QR code checking device supplied as part of a game package. If successful, the holder of the kanji ideogram card just successfully identified can use this card as an accretive tile in a tile-type game played on a surface. A kanji ideogram card correctly identified in this way can be termed to have been empowered, or any descriptor indicating utility for the next phase of the game play.

[0019] The game example suggested here is similar to many tile accretion games, but using a principle to link tiles, here, kanji ideogram cards, that is peculiar to kanji ideograms. The reason why tile word games do not exist in Japanese is that the majority of words composed of multiple kanji ideograms are only two characters in length, which would lead to a dull tile accretion game if simple word making were the point of the game. However, every kanji ideogram is built up of recognizable sub-components, for example, sub-components meaning water, or grass, or soil. This sub-component matching principle can be used in a tile accretion game, where the tiles are empowered cards. Empowered cards can be matched, on the appropriate side of a kanji ideogram card already laid down, where a sub-component of a newly empowered kanji ideogram card matches a previously kanji ideogram card laid down, for example water sub-component to water sub-component. In this fashion, lines of tiles can be built up in a manner similar matching dot numbers in dominoes, while retaining educational value similar to spelling games through both the QR reading code component just described, as well as by identification of common sub-components through the tiles. Length of lines of joined tiles would depend on chance in kanji ideogram card selection.

[0020] The Invention, including for example a printed or virtual pack of kanji ideogram cards, is unique and novel owing to the branding of the cards, or of the ideograms themselves, printed or virtual, with QR codes that enable recognition of the ideograms and their associated metadata.