Method and apparatus for creating and executing internet based lectures using public domain web pages

• US 20050158698A1
• Filed: 03/15/2005
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: NQP Industries LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Boys, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/350
• 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: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

An Internet-enabled subscription teaching service system has an Internet-connected lecture server executing a software suite, one or more teacher-author stations coupled to the Internet-connected lecture server, having input and display apparatus, and including lecture-authoring software, and one or more Internet-capable lecture client stations having lecture-participation software. Teacher-authors use the teacher-author stations to prepare lectures through the lecture-authoring software, the lecture server stores prepared lectures and provides lectures on a pre-determined schedule to lecture clients at the lecture client stations, and the lecture clients follow the provided lectures at the lecture client stations through the lecture-participation software. Some lectures are fully automatic, and some are directed by the teacher-authors in real time. In the real time case recipients are directed to WEB pages in unison, and annotation and commentary is provided by the teacher-author as pages are visited.

Claims

1. An Internet-enabled subscription teaching service system, comprising:

an Internet-connected lecture server executing a software suite;

one or more teacher-author stations coupled to the Internet-connected lecture server, having input and display apparatus, and including lecture-authoring software; and

one or more Internet-capable lecture client stations having lecture-participation software;

wherein teacher-authors using the teacher-author stations prepare lectures through the lecture-authoring software, the lecture server stores prepared lectures and provides lectures on a pre-determined schedule to lecture clients at the lecture client stations, and the lecture clients follow the provided lectures at the lecture client stations through the lecture-participation software.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the teacher-author stations are Internet-capable and wherein the lecture-authoring software cooperates with browser software to enable the teacher-authors to search for and browse candidate WEB pages, to enhance and store selected ones of such pages found, to arrange stored product in an order of desired presentation, and to upload a finished lecture to the lecture server for storage and eventual provision of the lecture to the lecture client stations according to the pre-determined schedule.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein enhancement comprises one or more of masking content, text annotation, attaching audio or video files, or adding graphic elements to the selected page.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the lecture-authoring software further enables the teacher-author to author new pages, and to arrange the new pages in order with the selected WEB pages in creating a lecture.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the lecture authoring software is implemented on the teacher-author station as a browser plug-in.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the Internet-connected lecture server stores prepared lectures and parameters for replaying lectures on the Internet, and accesses and replays stored lectures to pre-determined groups of lecture clients according to the stored parameters.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the lecture server further negotiates with lecture clients for participation in lectures, manages assignment of lecture clients with lectures, and alerts clients as to times for individual ones of the stored lectures.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the lectures provided by the lecture server to clients require client interaction with the lectures, and the lecture clients interact through the lecture participation software.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein lectures require participation by the teacher-author of the lecture, and while a lecture is played, lecture clients are directed to WEB pages in real time, and while viewing pages to which they are directed interact with the teacher author through the lecture-participation and the lecture-server software.

10. A method for on-line teaching, comprising the steps of:

(a) composing a lecture on-line by a teacher-author at a teacher-author station by browsing WEB pages, altering copies of pages found, and saving altered pages in a particular order as a lecture;

(b) uploading the completed lecture to lecture server; and

(c) playing the lecture on the Internet at an agreed-to time to a plurality of lecture clients at Internet-connected client workstations.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein, in step (a) altering copies of WEB pages comprises one or more of masking content, text annotation, attaching audio or video files, or adding graphic elements to the selected page.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein, in step (a), the teacher-author creates new pages, and arranges the new pages in order with the selected WEB pages in creating a lecture.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the teacher author uses lecture-authoring software implemented on the teacher-author station.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the lecture-authoring software is implemented as a WEB browser plug-in.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the Internet-connected lecture server organizes groups of lecture clients prior to playing a lecture to the organized clients on the Internet.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the lecture clients have lecture interaction software executing on the client workstations, and in step (c) the clients interact with lectures through the client-interaction software.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein lectures require participation by the teacher-author of the lecture, and while a lecture is played, lecture clients are directed to WEB pages in real time, and while viewing pages to which they are directed interact with the teacher author through the lecture-participation and the lecture-server software.