GB2352543A

GB2352543A - Electronic dictionary with vocabulary learning function

Info

Publication number: GB2352543A
Application number: GB0007877A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yasuhiro Mori; John Dudley
Original assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc
Current assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc
Priority date: 1999-03-31
Filing date: 2000-03-31
Publication date: 2001-01-31
Also published as: JP2000284680A; GB0007877D0

Abstract

An electronic dictionary provided with a learning function of asking the questions that are suitable for a user's ability is disclosed. An electronic dictionary comprises data storing means for previously storing therein word data in which words are classified into levels in order of how frequently the words appear in books or the like.

Description

2352543 ELECTRONIC DICTIONARY WITH VOCABULARY LEARNING FUNCTION The

present invention relates to an electronic dictionary provided with a vocabulary learning function.

In the field of electronic dictionaries, conventionally, there have been known electronic dictionaries provided with a vocabulary learning function in which a user selects a level to learn the vocabulary at that level. In this case, a user repeatedly answers to questions that have been given at random, or questions that have been selected from a certain level.

Now, in the learning function included in the conventional electronic dictionaries as described above, the questions are given only either at random or only from a certain level.

While the classification method in which the conventional level, for example, is "a level of junior high school students" is adopted, this is not necessarily the better method. That is, since even at a level of university students, some of words that are widely and generally known are present, whereas even at a level of junior high school students, some of the words that are not used so frequently are present. Accordingly, there is a necessity to review the classified levels of the respective words.

In the conventional f orm of asking a question, when a question is given at random, a user can not intensively learn the words at the level at which a user wants to carry out the learning. On the other hand, when questions are issued from a certain level only, a user can not judge his/her level unless the user tries several levels. As a result, the user can not carry out the effective learning. For that reason, there is required a method for deciding a level for every user at which a user wants to learn the words, or of discriminating a current level of a user.

In the conventional form of question, even if dif f erent users use the electronic dictionary, the setting of a question or a level thereof is fixed. Thus, an effective learning can not be carried out for every user. Accordingly, a function with which every user can carry out a suitable learning is desired.

Irf addition, in a question in which a right answer is selected from among a plurality of choices, if candidates other than the right answer can be readily judged as the wrong answers, then the remaining one will be judged as the right answer. In such a case, since the right answer is not selected out on the basis of proper understanding, the learning effect is not improved. Therefore, there is required an electronic dictionary having functions such 2 that questions themselves are made to be more dif f icult so as to candidates other than the right answer are more likely to be mistaken for the right answer; a question asking format is employed so t hat, when a wrong answer is given, a user can understand why the answer is wrong; and the questions can be made while providing an assistance of the hint function in order to promote the better understanding.

In the light of the foregoing, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems associated with the conventional electronic dictionary with a learning function, and in addition thereto, for a user to carry out effectively the learning that is suitable for every user, and objects of the present invention are therefore as follows.

(1) To provide an electronic dictionary provided with a learning function of asking words classified into levels according to their frequencies.

(2) To provide an electronic dictionary provided with a selection function with which a plurality of users can carry out the learning at different settings with a single electronic dictionary.

(3) To provide an electronic dictionary provided with a function of carrying out a trial examination with which the level 3 of a user's ability can be quickly judged.

(4) To provide an electronic dictionary provided with a learning function of asking the questions that is suitable for a user's ability.

(5) To provide an electronic dicti onary provided with a function of enhancing a learning effect.

In order to attain the above-mentioned objects, an electronic dictionary with a vocabulary learning function according to the present invention includes data storing means for previously storing therein a word data in which words are classif ied into levels in order of how frequently the words appear in books, newspapers or the like.

The present invention further includes:

wrong answer generating means for generating a confusing wrong answer which is likely to be mistaken for the right answer; hint means for assisting a user to answer and understand the questions; wrong answer selection time erasing means for erasing only that wrong answer f rom the display when the wrong answer is selected; pace automatically changing means for changing a pace of advancement of the levels of the questions in accordance with a rate of past right answers by a user; dif f iculty automatically changing means for changing a degree of difficulty of the questions in accordance with a rate of past 4 right answers by a user; level judging means for carrying out a trial examination to judge the level of a user; and plural setting storing means by which a plurality of users can carry out the learning at different settings using a single electronic dictionary, whereby the various forms can be constructed.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of further example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-.- Fig. I is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front view showing the external appearance of the embodiment of the present invention; Fi-g. 3 is a f low chart showing the flow of an operation of retrieving the wrong answer word of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the contents of the rule data of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the contents which are displayed on a display device of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the contents which are displayed 1 on a display device of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the contents relating to the question setting pace of the present invention; Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the flow of an operation of the automatic level judgment of the present invention; and Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the contents which are displayed on a display device of the present invention.

An embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the embodiment, a description will hereinbelow be made of a learning function of carrying out a synonym-four choices quiz in which a synonym of word which has been asked is selected among the choices to give an answer thereto.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a hardware of an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing an external appearance of the embodiment of the present invention.

In Fig. 1, an input unit 101 constituting input means includes side function keys 202 to 207 shown in Fig. 2. The input unit 101 is electrically connected to a central processing unit 102 (hereinafter, referred to as a "CPU"). Also, results of the past 6 quizzes for a user, and hysteresis and respective setting values of the questions that have been made in the past are stored in a random access memory 110 (hereinafter, referred to as a "RAM") which is electrically connected to the CPU 102. Electricall y connected to the CPU 102 are read only memories 104 to 109 (hereinafter, referred to as "ROMs") in which a program (the ROM 104), and a word level data (the ROM 105), a definition data (the ROM 106), a thesaurus data (the ROM 107), a rule data (the ROM 108) and a pace data (the ROM 109), which are. respectively independent of one another are stored. The CPU 102 is operated in accordance with the contents of the program. The word level data (the ROM 105) is constituted by -a word data having the values of the levels in which the words are arranged in such a way, on the basis of researching the frequencies of the basic words written in the books and the like, that the level of a word having the maximum frequency is made lowest, while the level of a word having the minimum frequency is made highest. This word level data (the ROM 105) has the structure in which the levels are respectively given to the words and the words are paired with the levels, respectively. The definition data is constituted by the dictionary (definition) data in the word level data. The thesaurus data is constituted by the data stored every similar group of words in the word level data. The rule data is constituted by the rule data that is used to derive the confusing wrong answer. The pace data i's constituted by the data relating 7 to a pace of the advancement of questions (the skip rate of the questions). In addition, a display device 103 constituting a display means is electrically connected to the CPU 102. Then, the data stored in the ROMs 105 to 109 is retrieved, and any of the questions that have been calculated by the CPU 102 is displayed on the display device 103. Also, a user selects the question through the input unit 101 to give an answer thereto.

The wrong answer generating means, the hint means, the wrong answer selection time erasing means, the pace automatically changing means, the difficulty automatically changing means, the level judging means, and the plural setting storing means are all realized on the basis of the operation of the CPU 102.

The CPU realizes the wrong answer generating means by retrieving the word level data, the thesaurus data and the rule data.

In addition, the CPU realizes the hint means by retrieving the definition data.

Further, the CPU realizes the wrong answer selection time erasing means by erasing only the selected word from the display when the wrong answer is selected.

Still further, the CPU realizes the pace automatically changing means by retrieving the results of the past quizzes and the pace data for a user which are stored in the RAM 110 to calculate the pace of advancement to the next quiz.

8 In addition, the CPU realizes the difficulty automatically changing means by changing a degree of dif f iculty on the basis of the pace that has been determined by the pace automatically changing means.

Also, the CPU realizes the level judging means by extracting the questions at the levels to give the questions thus extracted to judge the level of a user on the basis of the result thereof.

Furthermore, the CPU realizes the plural setting storing means by storing the settings of a plurality of users in the RAM 110.

Next, an operation of the present invention will be described every step of the operation according to the embodiment of, Fig. 2 with reference to Figs. 3 up to 9. In this embodiment, the word as a question is determined, and candidates of the right answer and the wrong answers thereof are retrieved to display as the question, and then a user gives an answer thereto. From the result thereof, the tendency of the subsequent quizzes is changed.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing the flow of the operation of retrieving the candidates of the wrong answer. Fig. 4 is a table of the rules that are used in Fig. 3. These rules are previously stored in the form of the rule data (the RAM 108). Hereinafter, a description will be made of the f low chart shown in Fig. 3.

In Step 1, a word as a question which has been calculated on the basis of the level that has been already set and the result 9 of the past quizzes for a user which has been stored in the RAM 110 to become the next question is determined and at the same time, the word of the right answer is also determined by selecting one word among the similar words of the word as the question in the thesaurus data (the RAM 107.). Next, the word of the wrong answer other than the word of the right answer must be derived. Then, in the case of the f irst retrieval, the candidate retrieval is carried out in accordance with a f irst rule (4 0 1) f rom the table shown in Fig. 4 in the rule data (the RAM 108) (Step 3). Now, the rules will hereinbelow be described. While the first rule (401) of Fig. 4 is I' la", this means that the antonym of the word in the 1st synonym group of the question word is retrieved. Likewise, a next rule (407) 'Irla" means that the antonym of the word in the Ist synonym group of the rhyming of the question word is retrieved. In such a way, each of the rules is constituted by the various combinations of an antonym (a), a conf usable word (c), a rhyming (r), a homonym (h), a heteronym (t), a 1st synonym group (1), a 2nd synonym group (2), a 3rd synonym group (3), the words which are divided into the partial expressions (pl to p3) in the case of the idiomatic phrase, a word of the same part of speech (POS) at a level higher than that of the question word, and the like. When the candidates of the wrong answer are found in Step 4, it is judged in Step 5 whether or not the candidates of the wrong answer are found out by the necessary number. Then, when all of the candidates of the wrong answer have 10 become complete, the retrieval is completed to display the question. In any of the cases other than that case, retrieval is continued until all of the candidates of the wrong answer become complete.

Fig. 5 shows a state in which a question to be asked is displayed and a case where a hint is selected.

If a key D 205 is pressed down in the state in which the set question is being displayed (501), then it is possible to refer to the definition of the question word which is stored in the definition data (the ROM 106) (502). In addition, if the key D 205 is pressed down once again, then the processing can be returned back to the quiz.

Fig. 6 shows an operation in the case where a wrong answer is selected in the process in which a user gives successively an answer.

First of all, a key B 203 is pressed down in the state in which the set question is being displayed (601). At this time, when a user gives a wrong answer, the candidate of the key B is erased in the di-splay device 201 (602). Likewise, when a user gives a wrong answer again, the candidate thereof is erased in the display device 201 (603). Since in this state, the remaining two candidates are the right answer and the wrong answer, respectively, after the next selection has been carried out, the answer is displayed irrespective of the right answer and the wrong answer (604).

Next, a description will hereinbelow be given with respect

11 - to the pace automatically changing means. Pace is meant the skip rate of the set questions. Then, when the pace is high, some new questions are skipped to set the question of interest. Conversely, when the pace is low, the number of new questions is decreased, and the questions which are stored in the RAM 110 and which were set in the past are repeatedly set.

Next, a description will hereinbelow be given with respect to an embodiment of the method of calculating the pace. The average with respect to the quizzes which are stored in the RAM 110 and which were carried out in the past is calculated, and the pace is determined on the basis of the average thus calculated to be stored in the RAM 110. When the average is 100 marks, the pace is set to 20 (701), and when the average is 80 marks, the pace is set to 10 (702), and also when the average is equal to or lower than 62 marks, the pace is set to 1 (703). In such a way, the average f or the quizzes on the basis of which a user had given the answers in the past is calculated at all times, and along therewith, the pace is also changed at all times.

Fig. 7 shows the operation of skipping the questions in the paces. In the figure, Average (704) is the average of the past quiz results which are stored in the RAM 110. Pace (705) is the value of the pace that is calculated on the basis of Average (704). Difficulty (706) is the difficulty of the question that is determined on the basis of Pace (705). Skip rate (707) is the skip 12 rate of the questions, which is determined on the basis of Pace (705). Past question rate (708) is the rate of the past questions which are set in the next one set of quizzes. Also, New question rate (709) is the rate of the new questions which are set in the next one set of quizzes. In this example, it is assumed that the number of set questions for one set of quizzes is constituted by 20 questions, and a description will hereinbelow be given with respect to the 40 words in which the levels of the words which are stored in the word level data (the RAM 105) are in the range of 1 to 40. The mark x represents the number of questions to be made. When the pace is 20 (701), the skip rate is 50% and the processing proceeds with every other question being skipped. As a result, the set of the 20 questions results in that the processing proceeds by the 40 questions. In addition, when the pace is 10 (702), the skip rate is 0% and hence the set of the 20 questions results in that the processing proceeds by the 20 questions without skipping over any of the questions. In addition, when the pace is 1 (703), since 96% of the set questions are set from the questions which are stored in the RAM 110 and to which a user had given the answers in the past, and also 10% of the set questions are set from the new questions without skipping, the set of the 20 questions results in that the processing proceeds forwardly by only the 2 questions.

In such a way, when the marks are high with respect to the past average of a user, the processing proceeds speedily to the 13 next level one after another by skipping over the questions, while when the marks are low with respect to the past average of a user, the past questions are repeatedlyset.

Next, a degree of dif f iculty will be described. The degree of difficulty is the factor that determines whether the level of the word of the right answer to the question is made higher or lower. The dif f iculty is determined on the basis of the pace and when the pace is high, the dif f iculty also becomes high, while when the pace is low, the difficulty also becomes low. In the example, when the pace is in the range of 18 to 20, the dif f iculty is set to "Challenge" and the word of the right answer is selected f rom the level above the question word, while when the pace is in the range of 1 to 17,, the dif f iculty is set to "Normal", and the word of the right answer is selected from the level below the question word.

Fig. 8 shows an operation of the level judgment made by a user with respect to the trial examination which is carried out when a user gives an answer to the quiz for the first time. In this example,'the highest level is assumed to be 16,000. First of all, the trial examination begins with an intermediate level (801) of the whole. Now, the quiz is carried out with 10 questions as one set, and as a result, if 80 marks or higher is obtained, then the level is made higher and the quiz is carried out again (802). As a result, if 80 marks or lower is obtained, then the level is made lower and the quiz is carried out again (803). As a result, if 80 14 marks or higher is obtained, then the level is made higher and the quiz is carried out again (804). As a result, if 80 marks or lower is obtained, then the level is judged to be 11,000 (805), and then the level of a user is determined. In such a way, the quiz in which if the marks are high, then the question at higher level is set, while if the marks are low, then the question at the lower level is set is repeatedly carried out several times. Thus, the level of the question is gradually brought closer to the level of a user and finally, the current level of a user is determined.

Fig. 9 shows an operation of the plural setting storage.

If "Log-in" is selected in a setting screen (901), then a plurality of user names are displayed thereon (902). For a plurality of users, individual settings can be stored.

As described above, since the present invention includes data storing means for previously storing therein the word data that are classified into the levels in order of their frequencies, the following effect can be obtained.

The conventional level had been conceived as basically school work such as "the junior high school student's level", though this is not necessarily said as to be the better classification method in the actual daily lif e. For example, even in the case of the words at the university student Is level, some of them are widely general since they are usually often used, while even in the case of the words at the junior high school student's level, some of them are 15 hardly usually used. Then, the classification of the words into the levels is carried out on the basis of the frequencies of the words which are written in the newspapers, the books and the like, and the data thereof is used, whereby it is possible to carry out the ef f ective learning close to the daily lif e.

In addition, when the present invention further includes:

wrong answer generating means for generating the confusing wrong answer which is likely to be mistaken for the right answer; hint means for assisting a user to answer and understand the question; wrong answer selection time erasing means for erasing only that wrong answer when the wrong answer is selected; pace automatically changing means for changing a pace of advancement of the levels of the questions in accordance with a rate of past right answers by a user; dif f iculty automatically changing means f or changing a degree of difficulty of the questions in accordance with a rate of past right answers by a user; level judging means for carrying out a trial examination to judge a level of a user; and plural setting storing means by which a plurality of users can carry out the learning at different settings using a single electronic dictionary, the following effects can be obtained. 16 In the question in the learning function of the conventional electronic dictionary, since the candidates of the wrong answer can be clearly discriminated and the right answer can be selected without understanding why the answer is right, the learning ef f ect may not be enhanced in some cases. However, in the present invention, the candidates of the wrong answer other than the right answer are easy to be confused with the right answer, and also the right answer can not be given unless the question is sufficiently understood, whereby it is possible to enhance the learning effect.

In the learning function of the conventional electronic dictionary, since the question is merely set and then the answer is only given, this results in that a user can not sufficiently understand the question and hence the learning effect therefor is not enhanced. However, in the present invention, since the electronic dictionary is provided with a function of displaying the translation of the word as a hint, and a user can carry out the learning while sufficiently comprehending, it is possible to effectively enhance the academic ability.

In addition, in the present invention, when a user selects the wrong answer, only the wrong answer thus selected is erased, and a user can be forced to further think about the word to make another selection. Therefore, since when confusing the right answer with the wrong answer, a user can carry out the learning while sufficiently understanding why he/she had wrongly gave the 17 answer, it is possible to effectively enhance the academic ability. In addition, in the learning function of the conventional electronic dictionary, even when a user is changed over to another user, the question setting and the level are not substantially changed, which results in that the learning which is suitable for the individual users can not be carried out and also is not ef f ective. However, in the present invention, the question setting, the level, the pace of the advance, the difficulty and the like are changed in accordance with the level and the ability of a user. Therefore, since the effective learning that is suitable for the individual users can be carried out, it is possible to effectively enhance the academic ability.

Further, while a unit that can set the level of a user is present, even in the learning function of the conventional electronic dictionary, a user can not understand his/her level and also can not discriminate his/her level unless various levels are tried any number of times. However, in the present invention, even if a user'does not understand his/her level when using the electronic dictionary of the present invention, the trial examination is carried out in order to discriminate the level, whereby the user's level can be speedily discriminated and the learning can be carried out therefrom. Therefore, an effective learning can be started.

Moreover, in the conventional electronic dictionary having a learning function, a plurality of settings cannot be stored in 18 a single electronic dictionary, and also a plurality of users cannot carry out the learning at the dif f erent settings. However, in the present invention, since the settings can be stored for individual users by one electroni. c dictionary of the present invention, a plurality of users can carry out the learning at respective settings.

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Claims

1. An electronic dictionary with a vocabulary learning function, having means for asking and displaying a question and means for inputting an answer to the question by a user, characterized in that said electronic dictionary comprises data storing means for previously storing therein a word data in which words are classified into levels in order of how frequently the words appear in books or the like.

2. An electronic dictionary with a vocabulary learning function according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic dictionary further comprises wrong answer generating means having a rule data table for generating a confusing wrong answer that is likely to be mistaken for a right answer, and that said question is a choice question in which the right answer and the wrong answer are choices.

3. An electronic dictionary with a vocabulary learning function according to claim 2, further comprising wrong answer selectio"n time erasing means for erasing only that wrong answer from the display when the wrong answer is selected.

4. An electronic dictionary with a vocabulary learning function according to claim 1, further comprising pace automatically changing means for changing a pace of advancement of the levels of the questions in accordance with a rate of past right answers by a user.

5. An electronic dictionary with a vocabulary learning function according to claim 1, further comprising difficulty automatically changing means for changing a degree of difficulty of the questions in accordance with a rate of past right answers by a user.

6. An electronic dictionary with a vocabulary learning function according to claim 1, further comprising hint means for assisting a user to answer and understand the questions.

7. An electronic dictionary with a vocabulary learning function according to claim 1, further comprising level judging means f or carrying out a trial examination to judge a level of a user's ability.

8. An electronic dictionary with a vocabulary learning function according to claim 1, further comprising plural setting storing means by which a plurality of users can carry out the learning at different settings using a single electronic dictionary.

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