Electronic learning device for an interactive multi-sensory reading system

An interactive electronic device for receiving a book associated with an interactive electronic learning system responsive to a selector, the device comprising:

• a housing assembly having a book well configured to receive the book;
• a physical user interface in the book well, the physical user interface comprising an arrangement of selectable mode icons;
• an electronic user interface in the housing assembly, the electronic user interface comprising a position sensor having an active range including the selectable mode icons of the book well;
• control electronics in the housing assembly, the control electronics comprising:
• non-volatile memory having therein instructions associated with the selectable mode icons in the book well;
• and
• a controller in electrical communication with the electronic user interface, the controller configured
• a) to operate in accordance with the instructions associated with the selectable mode icon in the book well,
• b) to determine a position of the selector when the selector is within the active range of the position sensor,
• c) to recognize a selection by the selector of the selectable mode icons in the book well, and
• d) to send to the electronic user interface a signal associated with the selection.

An interactive electronic device for receiving a book associated with an interactive electronic learning system responsive to a selector, the book having selectable content and an arrangement of selectable mode icons, the device comprising:

• a housing assembly having a book well configured to receive the book;
• an electronic user interface in the housing assembly, the electronic user interface comprising a position sensor and a visible signal generator, the position sensor having an active range including the selectable content and the arrangement of selectable mode icons when the book is in the book well, wherein the visible signal generator is an arrangement of light emitting diodes and each of the selectable mode icons of the book is in registry with one of the light emitting diodes when the book is in the book well;
• control electronics in the housing assembly, the control electronics comprising:
• non-volatile memory having therein instructions associated with the selectable content and the selectable mode icons;
• and
• a controller in electrical communication with the electronic user interface, the controller configured
• a) to operate in accordance with the instructions in the non-volatile memory,
• b) to determine a position of the selector when the selector is within the active range of the position sensor,
• c) to recognize a first selection by the selector of one of the selectable mode icons and send to the visible signal generator a first signal corresponding to the first selection, and
• d) to recognize a second selection by the selector of the selectable content and send to the electronic user interface a signal associated with the second selection,
• wherein the visible signal generator is an arrangement of light emitting diodes and each of the selectable mode icons is in registry with one of the light emitting diodes.

An interactive electronic learning device for receiving a book associated with an interactive electronic learning system responsive to a selector, the book having a predetermined orientation, a two-page spread formed by a first page and a second page connected to the first page by a binding attached to a spine, the two-page spread having opposed side edges distal to the binding, each of the opposed side edges having a setback upper portion, a page identifier, selectable content, a first arrangement of selectable mode icons on the two-page spread, the device comprising:

• a housing assembly having a base with a base-recess and a cover with a cover-recess;
• a hinge assembly connecting the base to the cover, the hinge assembly comprising a first hinge and a second hinge spaced from the first hinge, the first and second hinges having an axis of rotation spaced from the base-recess edge and the cover-recess edge;
• a book well formed by the base-recess and the cover-recess, the book well having sidewalls generally conforming to the two-page spread, the sidewalls configured to receive the book when the book is in the predetermined orientation, a portion of each sidewall in registry with the setback upper portion of the two-page spread having a sidewall setback configured, in conjunction with the setback upper portion of the two-page spread, to facilitate access for page turning;
• a book mounting assembly having a first mounting element integral with the first hinge and a second mounting element integral with the second hinge, the first and second mounting elements configured to releasably retain the book in the book well;
• a physical user interface in the book well, the physical interface comprising a second arrangement of selectable mode icons and an arrangement of selectable indicia;
• an electronic user interface in the housing assembly, the electronic user interface comprising a position sensor and an arrangement of light emitting diodes, the position sensor having an active range including the selectable content of the book when the book is in the book well, each of the selectable mode icons is in registry with one light emitting diode of the arrangement of light emitting diodes;
• a page identification sensor is in the housing assembly;
• and
• control electronics in the housing assembly, the control electronics comprising:
• non-volatile memory having therein instructions associated with each of the selectable mode icons of the first and second arrangements of selectable mode icons and data associated with the selectable indicia and the selectable content;
• and
• a controller in electrical communication with the electronic user interface, the position sensor, and the page identification sensor, the controller configured
• a) to operate in accordance with the instructions in the non-volatile memory,
• b) to determine a position of the selector when the selector is within the active range of the position sensor,
• c) to recognize the page identifier;
• d) to recognize a first selection by the selector of one of the selectable mode icons of the first and second arrangements of selectable mode icons and to energize the light emitting diode in registry with the first selection, and
• e) to recognize a second selection by the selector of the selectable content of the book or the selectable indicia of the book well and send to the electronic user interface a signal associated with the second selection.

An interactive electronic device comprising:

• a housing assembly having a portion of a surface configured to receive a print medium with selectable content;
• a physical user interface on the portion of the surface, the physical user interface comprising a plurality of selectable indicia;
• an electronic user interface in the housing assembly, the electronic user interface comprising a sensor having an active range including the arrangement of selectable indicia, and the selectable content of the print medium when the print medium is on the portion of the surface;
• and
• control electronics in the housing assembly, the control electronics comprising:
• memory having therein instructions associated with the selectable content of the print media and the plurality of selectable indicia;
• and
• a controller in electrical communication with the electronic user interface, the controller configured
• a) to operate in accordance with the instructions in the memory, and
• b) to recognize a selection by a selector of one of the plurality of selectable indicia or the selectable content of the print media when the print medium is on the portion of the surface.