WO2010062000A1

WO2010062000A1 - Method and system for providing user created contents to be used for study and portable unit for studying user created contents to be used for study

Info

Publication number: WO2010062000A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/007418
Authority: WO
Inventors: Koon Kim
Original assignee: Darkhorse Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2008-11-27
Filing date: 2008-12-15
Publication date: 2010-06-03

Abstract

Provided are a method and system for providing user created contents to be used for a study in which user created contents to be used for a study can be provided and studying is performed based on a partial concealment study in which a question or an answer of a study question of the user created contents to be used for a study is concealed and then is exposed, and a portable unit for studying user created contents to be used for a study.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING USER CREATED CONTENTS TO BE USED FOR STUDY AND PORTABLE UNIT FOR STUDYING USER CREATED CONTENTS TO BE USED FOR STUDY

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method and system for providing user created contents to be used for a study in which studying is performed based on partial concealment of user created contents to be used for a study, and a portable unit for studying user created contents to be used for a study.

Background Art In general, language studying methods or studying methods of preparing various examinations are generally performed by using one-sided lecture and cramming education methods by which on-line education is performed via the Internet or a study is performed using an off-line portable unit. In such conventional studying methods, a user accesses a study program stored in a database (DB) of an on-line server via the Internet, or accesses a study program of a study portable unit or an electronic dictionary portable unit in an off-line so that the user can study by simply seeing study contents according to a study procedure. In addition, in the conventional studying methods, the user studies by manually seeing a correct answer to a question in a study procedure provided from an on-line server or a question provided by a study portable unit or an electronic dictionary portable unit in an off-line and a procedure of solving the question. Meanwhile, in the conventional studying methods, study contents or study questions that are given by skilled lecturers or question-making committee members can be provided to a user in an on-line or off-line so that the user can perform studying based on more objective and specialized data. However, only a function of repeating only study questions of standardized contents regardless of demands for a concentrative study only for a user is performed, and thus, a personal study level or study characteristic is not properly adapted to each user and the efficiency of a study may be lowered.

Thus, an epoch-making studying method by which a user can create contents to be used for a study including contents to be concentratively studied or an efficient studying procedure and open own created contents to the public in a network so that other users can use the user created contents to be used for a study, is direly needed.

Disclosure of the Invention The present invention provides a method and system for providing user created contents to be used for a study in which user created contents to be used for a study can be provided and studying is performed based on a partial concealment study in which a question or an answer of a study question of the user created contents to be used for a study is concealed and then is exposed, and a portable unit for studying user created contents to be used for a study.

The present invention also provides a method and system for providing user created contents to be used for a study in which user created contents to be used for a study can be provided in the form of user created contents (UCC) and studying is performed by using the UCC, and a portable unit for studying user created contents to be used for a study.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing user created contents to be used for a study, the method including: creating and generating user created contents to be used for a study in a form in which a partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, is performed, wherein the creating and generating of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed by a computer terminal; providing the user created contents to be used for a study that are created by the computer terminal, to a portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study; and performing the partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, wherein the performing of the partial concealment study is performed by the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing user created contents to be used for a study, the method including: separately creating user created contents to be used for a study in a form in which a partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, is performed, and transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study to a study contents management server via a network, wherein the creating of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed by at least one or more computer terminals; storing at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study that are created by the at least one or more computer terminals, in a database server, wherein the storing of the at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study is performed by the study contents management server; and downloading study contents that are stored in the database server and created by other users, from the study contents management server and storing the study contents, wherein the downloading and storing of the study contents is performed by any one of the at least one or more computer terminals. According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing user created contents to be used for a study, the method including: separately creating user created contents to be used for a study in a form in which a partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, is performed, and transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study to a study contents management server via a network, wherein the creating of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed by at least one or more computer terminals; storing at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study that are created by the at least one or more computer terminals, in a database server, wherein the storing of the at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study is performed by the study contents management server; and accessing the study contents management server via the network and downloading study contents that are stored in the database server and created by other users, from the study contents management server and storing the study contents, wherein the accessing, downloading and storing of the study contents is performed by a portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study; and performing the partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of each study contents of the user created contents to be used for a study are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, wherein the performing of the partial concealment study is performed by the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing user created contents to be used for a study, the method including: separately creating user created contents to be used for a study in a form in which a partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, is performed, and transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study to a study contents management server via a network, wherein the creating of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed by at least one or more computer terminals; storing at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study that are created by the at least one or more computer terminals, in a database server, wherein the storing of the at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study is performed by the study contents management server; downloading study contents that are stored in the database server and created by other users, from the study contents management server and storing the study contents, wherein the downloading and storing of the study contents is performed by any one of the at least one or more computer terminals; providing the user created contents to be used for a study that are downloaded from the study contents management server, to the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study, wherein the providing of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed by the computer terminal; and performing the partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of each study contents of the user created contents to be used for a study are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, wherein the performing of the partial concealment study is performed by the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study. According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a system for providing user created contents to be used for a study, the system including: a computer terminal creating user created contents to be used for a study in a form in which a partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, is performed, transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study to a portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study, or transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study to a study contents management server via a network, and transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study that are downloaded from the study contents management server, to the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study; a study contents management server receiving the user created contents to be used for a study that are created by the computer terminal, via the network and storing the user created contents to be used for a study, and providing the stored user created contents to be used for a study to the computer terminal or the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study; a database server storing and managing the user created contents to be used for a study; and the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study downloading the user created contents to be used for a study from the computer terminal or the study contents management server and performing the partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of each study contents of the user created contents to be used for a study are selectively and partially concealed and exposed.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a portable unit for studying based on user created contents to be used for a study in which a study is performed by using user created contents to be used for a study that are downloaded from a study contents management server by using a computer terminal or via a network, the portable unit including: a key inputting unit performing a setting key inputting function of setting a study method for a partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study and a key inputting function of performing a study for each study contents of the user created contents to be used for a study; a study database (DB) memory in which the user created contents to be used for a study that are downloaded from the computer terminal or the study contents management server are stored; a program memory in which a system operating a program of the portable unit and an execution program for performing the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study are stored; a data memory in which data generated during the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study are temporarily stored; a microprocessor controlling the portable unit so as to download the user created contents to be used for a study from the computer terminal or the study contents management server and to perform the partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of each study question of the user created contents to be used for a study are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, according to user input manipulation performed by the key inputting unit; an input/output interface performing communication with the computer terminal so as to download the user created contents to be used for a study; a transmitted and received signal processing and signal transmitting and receiving unit performing communication with the study contents management server via the network so as to download the user created contents to be used for a study; a character processing unit performing a graphic character generating process of selectively and partially concealing or exposing a question or an answer of study contents for the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study under control performed by the microprocessor; and a display unit displaying a graphic character of the selective partial concealment study for the question and the answer of the study question that is generated and processed by the character processing unit while displaying the user created contents to be used for a study according to control performed by the microprocessor.

Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a system for providing user created contents to be used for a study according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed structure of a portable unit for studying of the system for providing user created contents to be used for a study shown in FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a structure of a database (DB) of user created contents to be used for a study of the portable unit for studying user created contents to be used for a study shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 illustrates a detailed structure of a study contents management server and a database server of the system shown in FIG.

1 ;

FIG. 5 illustrates a format of a data input document of a glossary file that is created by a user, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6A through 6D show an interface screen on which a partial concealment study is performed by using the portable unit for studying user created contents to be used for a study shown in FIG. 2, according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 7A and 7B show an interface screen on which a normal study in which an answer of a study question is concealed and exposed, is performed by using user created contents to be used for a study, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 8A and 8B show an interface screen on which a reverse study in which a question of a study question is concealed and exposed, is performed by using user created contents to be used for a study, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 illustrates an information processing flow of a method of providing user created contents to be used for a study, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Best mode for carrying out the Invention

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a system for providing user created contents to be used for a study according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the system for providing user created contents to be used for a study according to the present embodiment includes a portable unit for studying 10, a first computer terminal 12, a web server 14, a study contents management server 16, a database server 18, a text-to-speech (TTS) server 20, and a second computer terminal 22.

The portable unit for studying 10 (i.e., a portable unit for studying based on partial concealment) that can be carried by a user, receives user created contents to be used for a study, i.e., "a user created glossary, a user created study note, a user created wrong answer note, and study contents user created contents (UCC)" from the first computer terminal 12 or the study contents management server 16 and stores the user created contents to be used for a study, and performs a partial concealment study in which a question or an answer of a study question is concealed for a predetermined amount of time and then is exposed, on the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note from among the user created contents to be used for a study, and performs reproduction processing for a study on the study contents UCC. A dedicated portable unit for a partial concealment study may be used as the portable unit 10 for studying, and a portable device such as an electronic dictionary portable unit which can be carried by a user and in which remote communication and a partial concealment study can be simultaneously performed, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a ultra mobile PC (UMPC) may be used as the portable unit 10 for studying. The first computer terminal 12 includes a network communication adaptor such as a LAN card or a modem so as to perform multimedia communication via a network, and a web browser program, and after a user created program in which the user created contents to be used for a study can be created in the format of a document in which a study based on partial concealment of study information is performed, is installed on the first computer terminal 12, the first computer terminal 12 creates the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note as user created contents to be used for a study, by using the user created program and transmits the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note to the portable terminal 10 for studying, or accesses a web site of the web server 14 via the network to upload the user created contents to be used for a study. In addition, the first computer terminal 12 allows a user to read user created contents to be used for a study (i.e., the user created glossary, the user created study note, the user created wrong answer note, and the study contents UCC), which are previously created and are opened to the public by other users from the study contents management server 16 that is interlocked with the web server 14, via a web page of the web site served by the web server 14, and allows the user to selectively download desired user created contents to be used for a study.

Contents, such as English contents, for example, TOEIC, TOEFL, SAT, English words for beginners, English conversations, etc., Korean contents, for example, a Korean ability test, Korean school, etc., Japanese contents, for example, basic Japanese words, hiragana, katakana, living Japanese, etc., Chinese contents, for example, Chinese words, living Chinese, etc., and Chinese character contents, for example, a Chinese character ability test, Thousand-Character Text school, etc., contents for students, such as society research for the national college entrance examination, for example, Korean history, world history, modern and contemporary history, politics, economics, society culture, ethics, world geography, Korean geography, etc., science research for the national college entrance examination, for example, physics, chemistry, biology, earth sciences, etc., English for the national college entrance examination, secondary science, secondary Korean history, secondary home economics/society, elementary science, and elementary Korean history, and contents according to subjects of various examinations, such as a public official test, technology examination, policeman examination, etc., may be created as the user created contents to be used for a study.

The web server 14 manages the web site that provides the user created contents to be used for a study. The web server 14 posts a plurality of user created contents to be used for a study, which is interlocked with the study contents management server 16 in real-time and are stored and managed by the database server 18, to be read by other users openly via the web page of the web site, allows the user to download the user created contents to be used for a study that are posted on the web page, by using the first computer terminal 12, the portable unit for studying 10, and the second computer terminal 22, and to upload new user created contents to be used for a study.

The study contents management server 16 is interlocked with the web server 14 in real-time, provides information about the opened user created contents to be used for a study, which is stored and managed by the database server 18, to the web server 14, allows the user to selectively download the opened user created contents to be used for a study, by using the first computer terminal 12, the second computer terminal 22, or the portable unit for studying 10, and to upload the user created contents to be used for a study from the first computer terminal 12 or the second computer terminal 22 and stores the uploaded user created contents to be used for a study, in the database server 18. In addition, when the user created contents to be used for a study is uploaded from the first computer terminal 12 or the second computer terminal 22 or when user created contents (UCC) conversion of the user created contents to be used for a study that has been already uploaded and stored, is requested, the study contents management server 16 converts the user created contents to be used for a study (i.e., the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note) into study contents UCC data and stores the converted user created contents to be used for a study in the database server 18.

In addition, the study contents management server 16 converts the study contents of the user created contents to be used for a study (i.e., the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note) into voice information while being interlocked with the TTS server 20 and allows the converted user created contents to be used for a study to be reproduced in voice in real-time by using the portable unit for studying 10, the first computer terminal 12, or the second computer terminal 22.

The database server 18 stores and manages the user created glossary, the user created study note, the user created wrong answer note, and a UCC file of the study contents converted into UCC data as the user created contents to be used for a study, having a function of studying based on partial concealment of study information. The TTS server 20 is interlocked with the study contents management server 16 and converts text information included in the study contents of the user created contents to be used for a study, into voice.

The second computer terminal 22 is used by other users than a user having the portable unit for studying 10, and can perform creation of user created contents to be used for a study and uploading of the user created contents to be used for a study via the web server 14, and downloading of the desired user created contents to be used for a study, by using the study contents management server 16 like in the first computer terminal 12 that is used by the user having the portable unit for studying 10. FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed structure of the portable unit for studying 10 of the system for providing user created contents to be used for a study shown in FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the portable unit for studying 10 according to the present embodiment includes a key inputting unit 30, a contents memory card 32, a card information processing unit 34, a program memory 36, a data memory 38, a study DB memory 40, a microprocessor 42, a character processing unit 44, a display driving unit 46, a display unit 48, an input/output interface 50, a transmitted and received signal processing unit 52, and a signal transmitting and receiving unit 54.

The key inputting unit 30 include function key buttons for performing a key inputting function of performing a partial concealment study of study contents stored in the contents memory card 32, a function of setting a study method for a partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study, a key inputting function of setting any one of an automatic study mode and a manual study mode, a key inputting function of performing a study of the user created contents to be used for a study, and a key inputting function of performing a confirmation study and a check study according to the result of a study of the user created contents to be used for a study.

The contents memory card 32 is a detachable card information recording medium which has a predetermined memory storage capacity and in which study contents of various study fields are stored. The card information processing unit 34 performs a card reading function of reading and performing the study contents stored in the contents memory card 32, and a card recording function of recording and storing the study contents to be added, in the contents memory card 32.

A system operating program according to the operating system of the portable unit for studying 10, an execution program for performing studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study, a file conversion control program for file converting the user created contents to be used for a study into a compatible format in which studying is performed based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study, from the portable unit for studying 10, a TTS execution program for converting the contents of a text of the user created contents to be used for a study into voice and for reproducing them, a web access adaptor program for network access, and a web browser program for browsing a web page of a web site, are stored in the program memory 36. The execution program includes a Flash execution program in which a contents file in the format of Flash is read and study contents are extracted, a program for executing an Action Script for operating the study contents, and a UCC reproduction driving program for reproducing the study contents UCC. The file conversion control program includes a program for converting the user created contents to be used for a study into a file in the format of Flash such as "*.SOL", so as to execute the user created contents to be used for a study based on a partial concealment study by using the execution program. The TTS execution program converts text parts of the study contents of the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note into voice by a user's request of voice conversion when studying of the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note is performed, and allows the converted voice signal to be outputted to a speaker (not illustrated) or an earphone terminal (not illustrated). Meanwhile, the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note of the user created contents to be used for a study are comprised of a text document file that is created by using an integrated document creation program such as the Microsoft Excel, the Microsoft Power Point, the Microsoft Access, etc.

The data memory 38 stores information data generated during a procedure of performing studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study temporarily.

The study DB memory 40 stores the user created contents to be used for a study that are received from the first computer terminal 12 or the study contents management server 16 and stores the contents of a check study and the contents of a confirmation study that are generated according to proceeding of the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study. Meanwhile, if the user created contents to be used for a study are downloaded from the first computer terminal 12 or the study contents management server 16, data files, such as the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note as the user created contents to be used for a study, are provided in the format of a text file. Thus, the microprocessor 42 converts the user created contents to be used for a study in the format of the text file into a file format (e.g., the format of a Flash file "*.SOL") in which studying is performed based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study by using the portable unit for studying 10, by using the file conversion program of the program memory 36.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the study DB memory 40 stores data files such as the file format-converted user created glossary, the file format-converted user created study note, and the file format-converted user created wrong answer note, respectively, generates a plurality of user created glossary DB 40a-1 through 40a-n, a plurality of user created study note DB 40b-1 through 40b-n, and a plurality of user created wrong answer note DB 40c-1 through 40c-n according to user created contents to be used for a study, and generates a plurality of study contents UCC DB 40d-1 through 40d-n in which the study contents UCC files downloaded from the study contents management server 16 or the first computer terminal 12 are stored.

In addition, the study DB memory 40 may store the contents of the confirmation study that is generated when the partial concealment study of the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note is performed, and the contents of the check study based on user's checking.

The microprocessor 42 controls the portable unit for studying 10 to receive the user created contents to be used for a study from the first computer terminal 12 connected via the input/output interface 50, or to receive the user created contents to be used for a study from the study contents management server 16 by network communication using the signal transmitting and receiving unit 54.

The microprocessor 42 controls the portable unit for studying 10 so that studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study can be performed according to settings by selecting user created contents to be used for a study from among the user created contents to be used for a study stored in the study DB memory 40 and by setting a study of the selected user created contents to be used for a study (that is, the range of study, the number of remembrance, and a concealment portion) and by setting one of an automatic study mode or a manual study mode according to a user's key input performed by the key inputting unit 30.

In addition, the microprocessor 42 controls the portable unit for studying 10 to convert a text of a study portion into voice by operating the TTS execution program of the program memory 36 during the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study and to output the converted voice signal. The microprocessor 42 allows the user created contents provided from the study contents management server 16 via the web site of the web server 14 according to user's manipulation performed by the key inputting unit 30 to be performed based on partial concealment in real-time. Thus, the microprocessor 42 controls the portable unit for studying 10 to receive text contents of the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note, which are converted into voice by using a TTS voice conversion function of the TTS server 20 when the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed via the web site and to output the converted voice signal.

In addition, if studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study is terminated in a complete study state (that is, the state where study of predetermined contents is completed) or in an incomplete study state (that is, the state where the study of the predetermined contents is not completed) according to a user's key input performed by the key inputting unit 30, the microprocessor 42 controls the portable unit for studying 10 so that the contents of the confirmation study of the user created contents to be used for a study and the contents of the check study based on user's checking can be generated to be stored in the study DB memory 40 and the confirmation study and the check study can be performed based on studying based on partial concealment of the study contents according to the contents of the confirmation study and the contents of the check study stored in the study DB memory 40 according to user's selection.

The character processing unit 44 performs a graphic character generating process of selectively concealing or exposing a word question or a study question of a study note, or a question or an answer of a study question of a wrong answer note according to an exposure operation according to study contents based on settings that are set by the user so as to perform the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study, under control performed by the microprocessor 42.

The display driving unit 46 performs a display driving operation of displaying a menu for setting a study and a menu for setting a study mode, of displaying user created contents to be used fro a study for the partial concealment study and a graphic character for a partial concealment operation performed by the character processing unit 44 on the display unit 48, of reproducing the study contents UCC file, and of browsing the contents of the web page of the web site from the web server 14 and displaying the browsed contents on the display unit 48, under control performed by the microprocessor 42.

The input/output interface 50 is connected to the first computer terminal 12 and performs an input/output communication interface operation of downloading the user created contents to be used for a study.

Here, the input/output interface 50 may be a wired serial port such as a universal serial bus (USB) port or an IEEE 1394 port, and may also be a wireless communication port such as Bluetooth or infrared data association (IrDA). The transmitted and received signal processing unit 52 converts an analog data signal received by the signal transmitting and receiving unit 54 into a digital signal, and converts the digital signal from the microprocessor 42 into an analog signal to output the analog signal to the signal transmitting and receiving unit 54. The signal transmitting and receiving unit 54 converts a wireless data signal received from a network due to wireless data communication into a signal band in which signal processing can be performed by the portable unit for studying 10, and converts the data signal from the transmitted and received signal processing unit 52 into a signal that can be transmitted in a wireless manner to transmit the signal in the wireless manner via the network. The transmitted and received signal processing unit 52 and the signal transmitting and receiving unit 54 are hardware modules for web access via the network and wireless data communication of web information data and may be any one of a wireless Internet modem, a Wibro communication module, and a CDMA communication modem.

FIG. 4 illustrates a detailed structure of the study contents management server 16 and the database server 18 of the system shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 4, the study contents management server 16 includes a web interlocking processing module 60 for providing information about the user created contents to be used for a study while being interlocked with the web server 14, a UCC format conversion module 62 for converting text format files such as the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note, which are uploaded from the first computer terminal 12 and the second computer terminal 22, into a UCC file in the format of Flash such as FLV or SOL, by a user's conversion request, and a TTS interlocking processing module 64 for processing information so as to convert text contents included in the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note into voice while being interlocked with the TTS sever 20.

The database server 18 includes a user created glossary information DB 70 for storing and managing user created glossary data uploaded by the user via the web site, a user created study note information DB 72 for storing and managing data of the user created study note, a user created wrong answer note information DB 74 for storing and managing data of the user created wrong answer note, and a UCC information DB 76 for storing and managing study contents UCC data that are UCC-converted from the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note. The database server 18 stores and manages data of the user created contents to be used for a study that are respectively stored in the user created glossary information DB 70, the user created study note information DB 72, the user created wrong answer note information DB 74, and the UCC information DB 76, in a storage space that is allocated by designating a user of each of the user created glossary information DB 70, the user created study note information DB 72, the user created wrong answer note information DB 74, and the UCC information DB 76 as a web site subscriber, and sets whether information is opened to the public or not, or whether information can be downloaded or not, according to user members and according to data and manages the information.

Meanwhile, a user created program for creating the user created contents to be used for a study is installed on the first computer terminal 12 and the second computer terminal 22. Thus, the user created program includes an integrated document creation program such as the Microsoft Excel, the Microsoft Power Point, the Microsoft Access, etc., and has a function of converting a text-based document file that is created by using the integrated document creation program, into a text file (i.e., *.TXT) so as to be converted into a file format (e.g., the format of a Flash file "*.SOL") in which studying is performed based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study by using the portable unit for studying 10.

The user created program has both a function of converting a text-based document file that is created by using the integrated document creation program, into a text file, and a function of directly converting the text file (*.TXT) into a file in the format of Flash (*.SOL) in which the partial concealment study is performed, so that the file in the format of Flash can be downloaded and used without converting the text file provided from the computer terminal by using the portable unit for studying 10. When the user created glossary (English glossary) is created by using the Microsoft Excel, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the text-based user created contents to be used for a study that are created by using the integrated document creation program, allow a document block to be classified into a question (word) and an answer (mean) and allow the user to sequentially input a desired English word (question) and a Korean word (answer) of the English word according to the rule of the classified document block. The document creation rule is used to study the user created contents to be used for a study in the partial concealment study manner by using the portable unit for studying 10.

Meanwhile, the user created study note and the user created wrong answer note may be created by using the same rule as the document creation rule illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIGS. 6A through 6D show an interface screen on which a partial concealment study is performed by using the portable unit for studying 10 shown in FIG. 2, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The portable unit for studying 10 performs the partial concealment study on the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note from among the user created contents to be used for a study. As illustrated in FIG. 6A, when a study of the user created glossary is to be performed, a list of user created glossaries stored in the study DB memory 40 is displayed on a display screen of the display unit 48, and if a predetermined glossary is selected from the list of user created glossaries, study settings for the partial concealment study of the selected glossary are performed according to user's menu manipulation.

In other words, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, setting and selection of study settings such as a study start range used to set the order of study word questions to start, from the order of a plurality of study word questions of the user created glossary, a study termination range used to set the order of word questions to be terminated, based on the study start range, the number of instant remembrance used to set the number of exposure for a remembrance study of each study word question, and selection of a concealment portion in which a portion to be concealed is selected from a question and an answer of each study word question so as to perform a normal study (that is, in the state where a question is exposed and an answer is concealed) or a reverse study (that is, in the state where an answer is exposed and a question is concealed and then is exposed), are performed.

In that state, if setting of the study settings is completed and a study of the user created glossary starts, as illustrated in FIG. 6C, in the state where a study number display item 88 that indicates the number of studies for the glossary, a study range proceeding display item 90 that indicates the proceeding state of the previously-set study range, and an exposure time display item 91 corresponding to the settings of the exposure operation are displayed, a question display item 92 including a question of a study word question, an answer display item 94 including an answer of the study word question, and a check display item 96 that can be checked by the user, are displayed so that studying can be performed based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study.

If the partial concealment study of the user created glossary is terminated, the contents of the confirmation study of the glossary of which study is performed, are generated and are stored in the study DB memory 40, and the confirmation study is performed based on the contents of the confirmation study stored in the study DB memory 40 according to user's selection of the confirmation study, and as illustrated in FIG. 6D, in the state where the question display item 98 is displayed on the display screen of the display unit 48, an example display item 100 that indicates five multi-choice (or four multi-choice) examples for a predetermined question, is represented, and scores are given depending on whether a correct answer is selected from among the examples. The four multi-choice (or five multi-choice) examples during generating of the contents of the confirmation study may be extracted from a question included in the glossary, or may be extracted from a question in the same study field included in the contents memory card 32 and stored.

Meanwhile, the partial concealment study according to the normal study (that is, the state where a question is exposed and an answer is concealed and then is exposed) of the portable unit for studying 10 is performed so that, as illustrated in FIG. 7A, a question display item 92a in the state where the question is exposed, and an answer display item 94a in the state where the answer is concealed, are respectively displayed on the right and left of the display screen of the display unit 48, and a check display item 96a is displayed in a display region of the question display item 92a, and if an exposure time counted in the exposure time display item 91 elapses, the concealed answer of the answer display item 94a is exposed, and if a check input is performed by the user, the check display item 96a is checked and displayed.

In contrary to this, in the case of a reverse study in which a question is concealed and an answer is exposed, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, a question display item 92b in the state where a question is concealed, and an answer display item 94b in the state where an answer is exposed, are respectively displayed on the right and left of the display screen of the display unit 48, and a check display item 96b is displayed in a display region of the answer display item 94b, and if the exposure time counted in the exposure time display item 91 elapses, the concealed question of the question display item 92b is exposed, and if a check input is performed by the user, the check display item 96b is checked and displayed.

In addition, the portable unit for studying 10 reproduces and outputs the study contents UCC stored in the study contents UCC DB of the study DB memory 40, and thus, as illustrated in FIG. 8, in the state where a UCC display unit 102 in which the contents of the study contents are reproduced, is displayed on the display unit 48, the file name of the study contents UCC is displayed on a contents name display item 104.

Subsequently, operations of a method of providing user created contents to be used for a study according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 9.

First, if user created contents to be used for a study, i.e., a user created glossary, a user created study note, and a user created wrong answer note are created by using a user created program in the first computer terminal 12 or the second computer terminal 22, the user created contents to be used for a study created in the study conetns management server 16 are uploaded via the web site of the web server 14 and are registered and stored in the database server 18.

If converting of study contents into a UCC file is requested in the state where the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note as the user created contents to be used for a study are uploaded from the first computer terminal 12 or the second computer terminal 22, the study contents management server 16 converts the study contents into the file of UCC format by using the UCC format conversion module 62 and then stores the converted study contents UCC in the UCC information DB 76 of the database server 18.

In that state, the study contents management server 16 allows information about each user created contents to be used for a study stored in the database server 18 to be opened to the public via the web page of the web site in real-time while being interlocked with the web server 14.

The first computer terminal 12 or the second computer terminal 22 inquires the user created contents to be used for a study that are opened to the public via the web page of the web site, and if desired contents are present, the first computer terminal 12 of the second computer terminal 22 requests downloading of the desired contents, and the study contents management server 16 allows the user to download the user created contents to be used for a study stored in the database server 18.

In addition, the portable unit for studying 10 inquires the user created contents to be used for a study that are opened to the public via the web page by accessing the web site of the web server 14 in a wireless manner via a network, and if desired contents from the opened user created contents to be used for a study are present, the portable unit for studying 10 can request downloading of the desired contents. The study contents management server 16 allows the portable unit for studying 10 to download the user created contents to be used for a study stored in the database server 18.

Meanwhile, the first computer terminal 12 is connected to the portable unit for studying 10 in the state where the user created contents to be used for a study that are downloaded from the study contents management server 16 are stored, and can transmit the user created contents to be used for a study.

The potable unit for studying 10 converts the user created contents to be used for a study that are downloaded from the study contents management server 16, or the user created contents to be used for a study that are transmitted from the first computer terminal 12, into a file format in which studying is performed based on future partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study, and stores and manages the converted contents data in the study DB memory 40. An additional conversion process is not needed for the study contents UCC from among the user created contents to be used for a study.

Next, the portable unit for studying 10 performs a study in which a question or answer portion of the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note stored in the study DB memory 40 is concealed for a predetermined amount of time and then is exposed. In this case, if a user's request of voice conversion is present in the state where a study of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed based on partial concealment, the portable unit for studying 10 converts text parts of the study contents of the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note into voice and outputs the converted voice signal so as to be interlocked with the study contents.

In addition, the portable unit for studying 10 reproduces the study contents UCC stored in the study DB memory 40 and reproduces the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note in a moving picture reproduction manner so as to perform a study.

Meanwhile, the portable unit for studying 10 accesses the study contents management server 16 via the web site of the web server 14 and then performs a study of the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note that are created by other users in a web-accessed state, based on partial concealment, and if a user's request of voice conversion for the study contents is present, the portable unit for studying 10 can reproduce voice for the study contents by performing a process of converting text parts of the TTS server 20 by using the TTS interlocking processing module 64 of the study contents management server 16, into voice.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

Industrial Applicability According to the present invention described above, a user can create study contents so that studying can be performed based on partial concealment of study contents according to study fields, and user created contents to be used for a study are downloaded from a computer terminal or via a network by using a portable unit for studying user created contents to be used for a study based on partial concealment so that studying can be performed based on partial concealment, and studying can be performed by using the user created contents to be used for a study, so that studying can be more efficiently performed according to a user's personal study level or study characteristic and the efficiency of a study can be improved. Furthermore, the user created contents to be used for a study can be uploaded on the network and opened to the public so that other users can use the opened user created contents to be used for a study. Thus, study shapes of more various contents can be experienced, and contents having a study shape that is desired by the user can be easily obtained so that a studying method based on a user's personal characteristic can be widely established.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of providing user created contents to be used for a study, the method comprising: creating and generating user created contents to be used for a study in a form in which a partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, is performed, wherein the creating and generating of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed by a computer terminal; providing the user created contents to be used for a study that are created by the computer terminal, to a portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study; and performing the partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, wherein the performing of the partial concealment study is performed by the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study.

2. A method of providing user created contents to be used for a study, the method comprising: separately creating user created contents to be used for a study in a form in which a partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, is performed, and transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study to a study contents management server via a network, wherein the creating of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed by at least one or more computer terminals; storing at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study that are created by the at least one or more computer terminals, in a database server, wherein the storing of the at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study is performed by the study contents management server; and downloading study contents that are stored in the database server and created by other users, from the study contents management server and storing the study contents, wherein the downloading and storing of the study contents is performed by any one of the at least one or more computer terminals.

3. A method of providing user created contents to be used for a study, the method comprising: separately creating user created contents to be used for a study in a form in which a partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, is performed, and transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study to a study contents management server via a network, wherein the creating of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed by at least one or more computer terminals; storing at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study that are created by the at least one or more computer terminals, in a database server, wherein the storing of the at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study is performed by the study contents management server; and accessing the study contents management server via the network and downloading study contents that are stored in the database server and created by other users, from the study contents management server and storing the study contents, wherein the accessing, downloading and storing of the study contents is performed by a portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study; and performing the partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of each study contents of the user created contents to be used for a study are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, wherein the performing of the partial concealment study is performed by the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study.

4. A method of providing user created contents to be used for a study, the method comprising: separately creating user created contents to be used for a study in a form in which a partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, is performed, and transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study to a study contents management server via a network, wherein the creating of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed by at least one or more computer terminals; storing at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study that are created by the at least one or more computer terminals, in a database server, wherein the storing of the at least one or more user created contents to be used for a study is performed by the study contents management server; downloading study contents that are stored in the database server and created by other users, from the study contents management server and storing the study contents, wherein the downloading and storing of the study contents is performed by any one of the at least one or more computer terminals; providing the user created contents to be used for a study that are downloaded from the study contents management server, to the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study, wherein the providing of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed by the computer terminal; and performing the partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of each study contents of the user created contents to be used for a study are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, wherein the performing of the partial concealment study is performed by the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study.

5. The method of any one of claims 1 through 4, wherein the user created contents to be used for a study comprise at least one of the group consisting of a user created glossary, a user created study note, and a user created wrong answer note.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note are text-based document contents that are created by a document creation program, and the text-based document contents are converted into a Flash-based file format so as to be used for the partial concealment study.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the user created contents to be used for a study comprise user created contents (UCC) that are created based on any one of the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 , 3, and 4, wherein the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed based on study settings comprising at least one of the group consisting of settings of a study start range and a study termination range of the study contents and settings of the number of remembrance that is used to set the number of exposure for a remembrance study of the study contents.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 , 3, and 4, wherein the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed based on any one of a normal study for answer presumption in which an answer is concealed and exposed in the state where a question is exposed, and a reverse study of answer reverse presumption in which a question is concealed and exposed in the state where an answer is exposed.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 , 3, and 4, after the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study is terminated, further comprising: generating contents of a check study for a study question that is checked by a user during the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study and contents of a confirmation study for giving questions of a predetermined study so as to check degree of a study with respect to the study question of the user created contents to be used for a study in which the partial concealment study is terminated; and performing the check study based on the contents of the check study according to user's selection or performing the confirmation study based on the contents of the confirmation study.

11. The method of any one of claims 1 , 3, and 4, wherein the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed by performing a text to speech (TTS) function of converting contents of a text of the user created contents to be used for a study into voice and outputting the converted voice signal.

12. A system for providing user created contents to be used for a study, the system comprising: a computer terminal creating user created contents to be used for a study in a form in which a partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of study contents are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, is performed, transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study to a portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study, or transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study to a study contents management server via a network, and transmitting the user created contents to be used for a study that are downloaded from the study contents management server, to the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study; a study contents management server receiving the user created contents to be used for a study that are created by the computer terminal, via the network and storing the user created contents to be used for a study, and providing the stored user created contents to be used for a study to the computer terminal or the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study; a database server storing and managing the user created contents to be used for a study; and the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study downloading the user created contents to be used for a study from the computer terminal or the study contents management server and performing the partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of each study contents of the user created contents to be used for a study are selectively and partially concealed and exposed.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the user created contents to be used for a study comprise any one of the group consisting of a user created glossary, a user created study note, and a user created wrong answer note.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer terminal creates the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note as text-based document contents by using a document creation program, and the text-based document contents are converted into a Flash-based file format so as to be used for the partial concealment study, by using any one of the computer terminal and the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the study contents management server creates user created contents (UCC) based on any one of the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note, and the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study downloads the study contents UCC and reproduces the downloaded study contents UCC as the user created contents to be used for a study.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein, when the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed, the contents of a text of the user created contents to be used for a study are converted into voice, and the converted voice signal is outputted by using any one of a text to speech (TTS) function of the study contents management server or a TTS execution program of the portable unit for studying based on partial concealment of the user created contents to be used for a study.

17. A portable unit for studying based on user created contents to be used for a study in which a study is performed by using user created contents to be used for a study that are downloaded from a study contents management server by using a computer terminal or via a network, the portable unit comprising: a key inputting unit performing a setting key inputting function of setting a study method for a partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study and a key inputting function of performing a study for each study contents of the user created contents to be used for a study; a study database (DB) memory in which the user created contents to be used for a study that are downloaded from the computer terminal or the study contents management server are stored; a program memory in which a system operating a program of the portable unit and an execution program for performing the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study are stored; a data memory in which data generated during the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study are temporarily stored; a microprocessor controlling the portable unit so as to download the user created contents to be used for a study from the computer terminal or the study contents management server and to perform the partial concealment study in which a question and an answer of each study question of the user created contents to be used for a study are selectively and partially concealed and exposed, according to user input manipulation performed by the key inputting unit; an input/output interface performing communication with the computer terminal so as to download the user created contents to be used for a study; a transmitted and received signal processing and signal transmitting and receiving unit performing communication with the study contents management server via the network so as to download the user created contents to be used for a study; a character processing unit performing a graphic character generating process of selectively and partially concealing or exposing a question or an answer of study contents for the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study under control performed by the microprocessor; and a display unit displaying a graphic character of the selective partial concealment study for the question and the answer of the study question that is generated and processed by the character processing unit while displaying the user created contents to be used for a study according to control performed by the microprocessor.

18. The portable unit of claim 17, wherein the user created contents to be used for a study comprise any one of a user created glossary, a user created study note, and a user created wrong answer note.

19. The portable unit of claim 18, wherein the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note are text-based document contents that are created by a document creation program, and the microprocessor controls the portable unit to convert the text-based document contents into a Flash-based file format so as to be used for the partial concealment study.

20. The portable unit of claim 18, wherein the user created contents to be used for a study comprise user created contents (UCC) that are created based on any one of the user created glossary, the user created study note, and the user created wrong answer note, and the microprocessor controls the portable unit to download the study contents UCC and to reproduce the downloaded study contents UCC as the user created contents to be used for a study.

21. The portable unit of claim 17, wherein a text to speech (TTS) execution program for converting a text into voice is further stored in the program memory, and the microprocessor controls the portable unit to convert contents of a text of the user created contents to be used for a study into voice and to output the converted voice signal by using the TTS execution program when the partial concealment study of the user created contents to be used for a study is performed.