Method of producing voice data method of playing back voice data, method of playing back speeded-up voice data, storage medium, method of assisting memorization, method of assisting learning a language, and computer program

Abstract

A computer-assisted method of assisting a user of a computer to memorize includes steps of displaying an image indicating a content to be memorized, on a left-hand side of a computer screen for a particular period; displaying text data indicating language information related to the image displayed in this displaying step, on a right-hand side of the computer screen for a particular period; and playing back a voice pronouncing the text data displayed in the text data displaying step. The image displaying step, the text displaying step, and the voice playing back step are performed repeatedly, thereby assisting the user of the computer to memorize.

1 .- 31 . (canceled)  
   
   
       32 . A computer-assisted method of assisting a user to memorize, comprising the steps of: 
 displaying an image indicating a content to be memorized, on a left-hand side of a computer screen for a predetermined period of time;    displaying text data indicating language information related to the image displayed in the image display step, on a right-hand side of the computer screen for a predetermined period of time; and    playing back a voice pronouncing the text data displayed in the text data displaying step,    wherein the above three steps are performed repeatedly to successively display a plurality of images and text data and play back voices thereby assisting the user of the computer to memorize.    
   
   
       33 . A method of assisting a user to memorize, according to  claim 32 , further comprising a time parameter adjustment step of adjusting, by the user of the computer, a cycle time of repeatedly displaying images in the image display step, the length of an image display period during which each image is displayed in the image display step, the timing of starting displaying text data in the text display step, and the length of a text display period during which text data is displayed in the text data displaying step, 
 wherein once the adjustment in the time adjustment step is performed by the user of the computer, displaying of the image in the image display step and displaying of the text data in the text data display step are performed in accordance with the conditions set in the time adjustment step.    
   
   
       34 . A method of assisting a user to memorize, according to  claim 32 , further comprising a time parameter adjustment step of adjusting, by the user of the computer, a cycle time of repeatedly displaying images in the image display step, the length of an image display period during which each image is displayed in the image display step, the timing of starting displaying text data in the text display step, the length of a text display period during which text data is displayed in the text data displaying step, and the timing of starting playing back the voice in the voice playback step, 
 wherein once the adjustment in the time adjustment step is performed by the user of the computer, displaying of the image in the image display step, displaying of the text data in the text data display step, and playback of the voice in the voice playback step are performed in accordance with the conditions set in the time adjustment step.    
   
   
       35 . A method of assisting a user to memorize, according to  claim 32 , further comprising a voice playback speed adjustment step of adjusting, by the user of the computer, the speed of playing back the voice in the voice playback step, 
 wherein once the adjustment in the voice playback speed adjustment step is performed by the user of the computer, playback of the voice in the voice playback step is performed in accordance with the condition set in the adjustment step.    
   
   
       36 . A method of assisting a user to memorize, according to  claim 32 , further comprising an area overlap ratio setting step of setting, by the user of the computer, an area overlap ratio indicating the degree of overlapping between an area in which images are displayed in the image display step and an area in which text data is displayed in the text display step, 
 wherein once the setting in the area overlap ratio setting step is performed by the user of the computer, displaying of the image in the image display step and displaying of the text data in the text data display step are performed in accordance with the condition set in the setting step.    
   
   
       37 . A method of assisting a user to memorize, according to  claim 35 , further comprising the step of playing back a natural sound or music such that the natural sound or music is superimposed on the voice played back at the adjusted speed in the voice playback step.  
   
   
       38 . A method of assisting a user to memorize, according to  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of image data are stored in the form of a database; 
 the method further comprises the step of extracting image data categorized by synonym, antonym, grade, type, or the like; and    the extracted image data are displayed in the steps performed repeatedly.    
   
   
       39 .- 48 . (canceled)  
   
   
       49 . A computer program for causing a computer to execute a method of assisting a user to memorize according to one of claims  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37 , or  38 .  
   
   
       50 . A method of assisting a user to memorize according to one of claims  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37 , or  38 , wherein the computer is included in a personal digital assistance (PDA) device, a game machine, or a similar device.  
   
   
       51 .- 52 . (canceled)  
   
   
       53 . A method of assisting a user to memorize according to one of claims  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37 , or  38 , a further comprising an image data modification step performed by the user to add, change, and/or delete image data thereby allowing the user to modify the image data so as to adapt to progress of memorization.  
   
   
       54 . (canceled)