Letter manipulative identification board

Abstract

A set of letter manipulatives and a board on which said letter manipulatives may be placed, where the board comprises an identification module that can identify the letter manipulatives placed on the board and communicate the identification to a computing device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 movable letters; and   a letter identification device comprising:
 a receptacle region configured to receive any one movable letter of the movable letters; 
 a light sensor configured to detect light reflected by a movable letter moved into the receptacle region from among the movable letters; and 
 one or more processors configured to perform operations comprising:
 identifying the movable letter in the receptacle region based on the light reflected by the movable letter. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the light sensor of the letter identification device includes at least one of a red light sensor, a green light sensor, or a blue light sensor.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the identifying of the movable letter is based on at least one of a first amount of red light reflected by the movable letter, a second amount of green light reflected by the movable letter, or a third amount of blue light reflected by the movable letter.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the letter identification device further comprises a light source; and   the light sensor is configured to detect light reflected by the movable letter from the light source to the light sensor.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the light source includes at least one of a red light source, a green light source, or a blue light source.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the light sensor is configured to detect at least one of a first amount of red light reflected by the movable letter, a second amount of green light reflected by the movable letter, or a third amount of blue light reflected by the movable letter.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the movable letters includes a corresponding bottom surface with a different corresponding color.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the identifying of the movable letter is based on the corresponding color of the corresponding bottom surface of the movable letter.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the light sensor includes a camera aimed at the receptacle region of the letter identification device.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the letter identification device is further configured to communicate with a computing device; and   the operations further comprise:
 communicating an identity of the identified movable letter to the computing device. 
   
     
     
         11 . A letter identification device comprising:
 a receptacle region configured to receive any one movable letter of a set of movable letters;   a light sensor configured to detect light reflected by a movable letter moved into the receptacle region from among the set of movable letters; and   one or more processors configured to perform operations comprising:
 identifying the movable letter in the receptacle region based on the light reflected by the movable letter. 
   
     
     
         12 . The letter identification device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the light sensor of the letter identification device includes at least one of a red light sensor, a green light sensor, or a blue light sensor.   
     
     
         13 . The letter identification device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the identifying of the movable letter is based on at least one of a first amount of red light reflected by the movable letter, a second amount of green light reflected by the movable letter, or a third amount of blue light reflected by the movable letter.   
     
     
         14 . The letter identification device of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a light source; and wherein:   the light sensor is configured to detect light reflected by the movable letter from the light source to the light sensor.   
     
     
         15 . The letter identification device of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the light source includes at least one of a red light source, a green light source, or a blue light source.   
     
     
         16 . The letter identification device of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the light sensor is configured to detect at least one of a first amount of red light reflected by the movable letter, a second amount of green light reflected by the movable letter, or a third amount of blue light reflected by the movable letter.   
     
     
         17 . The letter identification device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 each of the movable letters includes a corresponding bottom surface with a different corresponding color; and   the identifying of the movable letter is based on the corresponding color of the corresponding bottom surface of the movable letter.   
     
     
         18 . The letter identification device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the light sensor includes a camera aimed at the receptacle region.   
     
     
         19 . The letter identification device of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a communication interface configured to communicate with a computing device; and wherein:   the operations further comprise:
 communicating an identity of the identified movable letter to the computing device. 
   
     
     
         20 . A set of movable letters, the set comprising:
 movable letters each configured to be moved into a receptacle region of a letter identification device that includes:
 a light sensor configured to detect light reflected by a movable letter moved into the receptacle region from among the movable letters; and 
 one or more processors configured to perform operations comprising:
 identifying the movable letter in the receptacle region based on the light reflected by the movable letter.