Teaching facility with communication device

• US 20050112540A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James Whaley
• Original Assignee: James Whaley
• Inventors: Whaley, James
• Application Number:
  US10/997,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20050112540A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/365
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

A teaching facility includes a central room or area from which an instructor can teach a plurality of classes. The classrooms adjoin the central room and students within each classroom are positioned to view the instructor in the central room. The teaching facility also includes a communication device with at least one computer teaching board. At least one of the central room and the classrooms include the computer teaching board. The computer teaching board includes a surface on which the instructor can write. Either the board or a stylus used with the board includes an input device feature that senses the writing and conveys an electronic form of the writing to a computer. The computer converts the signal from the input device into machine-readable data. The data preferably is output via one or more output devices, which are networked with the computer teaching board to form at least a portion of the communication device.

Claims

1. A teaching facility comprising:

a central area from which an instructor can teach;

a plurality of classrooms each adjoining the central area such that students in each classroom can view the central area; and

a communications device comprising at least one teaching board being disposed in at least one of the classrooms and the central area, the teaching board comprising a surface on which the instructor can write, either the teaching board or a stylus used with the teaching board including an input device that senses the writing and conveys an electronic form of the writing to a computer, the computer being configured to convert the signal from the input device into machine-readable data, and at least one output device configured to communicate the writing in a human-readable form to at least some of the students in at least one of the classrooms.

2. The teaching facility of claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a display of a size visible by the students in the classroom.

3. The teaching facility of claim 1, wherein the output device comprises individual computers that communicate with the computer of the teaching board.

4. The teaching facility of claim 3, wherein each individual computer is configured to display emails to the student sent by the instructor.

5. The teaching facility of claim 3, wherein each individual computer includes a display screen and each individual computer is configured to display the writing on the teaching board to a student viewing the display screen.

6. The teaching facility of claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a printer connected to the computer.

7. The teaching facility of claim 1, wherein the teaching board additionally comprises an editing device that communicates with the computer in a manner permitting the data received by the computer to be edited or supplemented using the editing device.

8. The teaching device of claim 7, wherein the editing device comprising a keyboard.

9. The teaching facility of claim 1, wherein the teaching board additionally comprises a display.

10. The teaching facility of claim 9, wherein the teaching board additionally comprises an audio output device.