Classroom polling system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for the two-way communication of vote information, said system comprising of:
- a. a host computer communicating information to a base unit, wherein said host computer includes a control program;
b. said base unit communicating information to said host computer and to at least one remote unit, wherein said base unit comprises;
i. a transmitter module for transmitting information to a remote unit;
ii. a receiver module for receiving information transmitted from a remote unit;
iii. a microcontroller for implementing commands received from a host computer and for supporting information used by said transmitter module or said receiver module; and
c. said at least one remote unit communicating information to said base unit, wherein said remote unit comprises;
i. a transmitter module for transmitting information to a base unit;
ii. a receiver module for receiving information transmitted from a base unit;
iii. a microcontroller for implementing commands received from a base unit and for supporting information used by the remote unit;
iv. memory for storing information generated by a user and information transmitted from a base unit;
v. a visual indicator for displaying status information to a user;
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for an instructor to periodically poll students to ensure that educational material being presented is being comprehended by students. The systems and methods may be utilized at large learning institutions such as universities as the system supports numerous users. The systems and methods provide two-way communication and allow for feedback from students at a reasonable cost.
-
Citations
50 Claims
-
1. A system for the two-way communication of vote information, said system comprising of:
-
a. a host computer communicating information to a base unit, wherein said host computer includes a control program;
b. said base unit communicating information to said host computer and to at least one remote unit, wherein said base unit comprises;
i. a transmitter module for transmitting information to a remote unit;
ii. a receiver module for receiving information transmitted from a remote unit;
iii. a microcontroller for implementing commands received from a host computer and for supporting information used by said transmitter module or said receiver module; and
c. said at least one remote unit communicating information to said base unit, wherein said remote unit comprises;
i. a transmitter module for transmitting information to a base unit;
ii. a receiver module for receiving information transmitted from a base unit;
iii. a microcontroller for implementing commands received from a base unit and for supporting information used by the remote unit;
iv. memory for storing information generated by a user and information transmitted from a base unit;
v. a visual indicator for displaying status information to a user;
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A base unit for the two-way communication of information, said base unit comprising:
-
a. a transmitter module for transmitting information to a remote unit;
b. a receiver module for receiving information transmitted from a remote unit;
c. a microcontroller for implementing commands received from a host computer interface module and for supporting information used by said transmitter module or said receiver module; and
d. a host computer interface module for communicating with said microcontroller and a host computer. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 49, 50)
-
-
9. A remote unit for the two-way communication of information, said remote unit comprising:
-
a. a transmitter module for transmitting information to a base unit;
b. a receiver module for receiving information transmitted from a base unit;
c. a microcontroller for implementing commands received from a base unit and for supporting information used by the remote unit;
d. memory for storing information generated by a user and information transmitted from a base unit; and
e. a visual indicator for displaying status information to a user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for taking attendance using a control program, comprising the steps of:
-
a. transmitting data to a transmitter module in a base unit for transmission to a remote unit;
b. receiving first information from said base unit relating to the status of said remote unit;
c. processing said first information from said base unit and updating an index counter for tracking the number of remote units;
d. transmitting an index counter, some identification information, and an index command to a transmitter module in a base unit for transmission to said remote unit; and
e. receiving second information from said base unit confirming the status of said remote unit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A method for operating a base unit used for two-way communication of information between a plurality of remote units and said base unit, the steps comprising of:
-
a. transmitting a synchronization command from a base unit to a plurality of remote units;
b. simultaneously receiving at said base unit bit values from a plurality of remote units, wherein each remote unit of said plurality of remote units is transmitting the same nth bit of a voting register;
c. selecting one of said bit values from said plurality of remote units as a received bit value, if said bit values from said plurality of remote units are not equal; and
d. transmitting said received bit value from said base unit to said plurality of remote units. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 48)
-
-
30. A method for operating a remote unit used for communicating information between a plurality of remote units and a base unit, the steps comprising of:
-
a. receiving a synchronization command from a base unit;
b. transmitting the value of the nth bit of a voting register to said base unit, wherein said bit value is a transmitted bit value;
c. receiving a bit value from said base unit, wherein said bit value is a received bit value; and
d. comparing said received bit value to said transmitted bit value to determine whether said transmitted bit value was successfully received by said base unit. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A method for communicating vote information to and from a remote unit, the steps comprising of:
-
a. receiving a clear command at a remote unit;
b. receiving a slice command at said remote unit;
c. transmitting vote information from said remote unit to a base unit; and
d. receiving a confirmation command at said remote unit. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
-
Specification