RESPONSE SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH DYNAMIC PERSONALITY ASSIGNMENT

• US 20060072497A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fleetwood Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fleetwood Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Ramon, David L., Glass, Michael S., Buehler, William S., Hall, Michael B., Derks, Harry G., Redder, Troy A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/08 providing for individual presentation of information to a plurality of student stations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/10 all student stations being capable of presenting the same information simultaneously G09B5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/12 different stations being capable of presenting different information simultaneously G09B5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/07 providing for individual presentation of questions to a plurality of student stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

A response system and method of retrieving user responses from a plurality of users includes providing a plurality of base units and a plurality of response units, each of the response units adapted to receive a user input selection and to communicate that user input selection with at least one base unit utilizing wireless communication. Personality data is provided for the response units. The personality data facilitates communication with a particular base unit. The personality data of a particular one of the response units is changed in order to change which of the base units that response unit communicates. This allows a response unit to become grouped with a particular base unit at a particular time and become grouped with another base unit at another particular time. The personality data may be obtained from a database.

Claims

1. A response system, comprising:

a plurality of base units;

a plurality of response units, each of said response units adapted to receive a user input selection and to communicate that user input selection with at least one of said base units utilizing wireless communication;

each of said response units including personality data, said at least one of said base units communicating with each of said response units according to the personality data of the particular one of said response units; and

wherein personality data of a particular one of said response units is adapted to be changed in order to change which of said base units that particular one of said response units communicates.

2. The response system of claim 1 wherein the personality data of said particular one of said response units is changed in response to a message sent from that particular one of said response units or a message sent to that particular one of said response units.

3. The response system of claim 1 including a database, said database relating said base units with at least one chosen from said response units and users at particular times.

4. The response system of claim 3 wherein said database resides at one chosen from i) a host computer system communicating with said base units, ii) a computer connected with a particular one of said base units, and iii) each of said response units.

5. The response system of claim 1 wherein personality data is changed by at least one chosen from i) said at least one base unit, ii) a proximity transmitter adapted to communicate with one of said response units at close proximity, iii) a wide area transmitter adapted to transmit to more than one of said response units, and iv) an identity card associated with the respective one of said response units.

6. The response system of claim 1 wherein the personality data comprises at least one chosen from i) an address, ii) a communication timeslot, iii) a spread spectrum setting, iv) a base unit association, v) a serial number, vi) ability to communicate with a particular base unit, vii) ability to communicate with more than one base unit, and viii) setting related to mode of operation.

7. The response system of claim 1 wherein the personality of a particular one of said response units is changed in response to at least one event chosen from i) the response unit being powered up, ii) the response unit detecting a transmitted command from said means, iii) a user entering a JOIN command at the particular one of said response units, iv) an identity card being plugged into or scanned with the particular one of said response units, v) analysis of a class schedule, and vi) acceptance of a default setting.

8. The response system of claim 1 wherein each of said response units is adapted to communicate a user input selection with said at least one of said base units synchronously in response to a polling signal from said at least one of said base units.

9. The response system of claim 1 wherein each of said response units is adapted to communicate a user input selection with said at least one of said base units asynchronously.

10. A response system, comprising:

a plurality of base units;

a plurality of response units, each of said response units adapted to receive a user input selection and to communicate that user input selection with at least one of said base units utilizing wireless communication;

wherein said at least one of said base units communicates with said response units utilizing a standard protocol in order to retrieve user input selections from response units joined with that base unit and wherein said at least one base unit communicates with said response units utilizing a join protocol in order to join response units with that base unit.

11. The response system of claim 10 wherein said standard protocol causes response units joined with that base unit to transmit a response.

12. The response system of claim 10 wherein said join protocol includes said at least one base unit transmitting identities of response units and personality data for use with said standard protocol.

13. The response system of claim 12 wherein a response unit responds to receipt of its personality data in said join protocol by transmitting an acknowledge message to said at least one of said base units.

14. The response system of claim 10 wherein said at least one of said base units and said response units communicates with time-division multiplex communication and wherein said personality data includes a base unit identification and a communication timeslot.

15. The response system of claim 10 wherein said at least one base unit communicates with said standard protocol and said join protocol according to a particular proportion, wherein said proportion changes with time.

16. The response system of claim 10 wherein each of said response units is adapted to communicate a user input selection with said at least one of said base units synchronously in response to a polling signal from said at least one of said base units.

17. The response system of claim 10 wherein each of said response units is adapted to communicate a user input selection with said at least one of said base units asynchronously.

18. A response system, comprising:

a plurality of base units;

a plurality of response units, each of said response units adapted to receive a user input selection and to communicate that user input selection with at least one of said base units utilizing wireless communication;

wherein the transmission power level of said at least one of said base units is adapted to be adjusted as a function of a parameter of a space in which said at least one of said base units is utilized to reduce interference with other ones of said base units.

19. The response system of claim 18 wherein said at least one of said base units sends data to response units communicating with said at least one of said base units and wherein said response units communicating with said at least one of said base units communicate at a transmission power level that is a function of data sent from said at least one of said base units.

20. The response system of claim 18 including a database of base unit transmission power levels and wherein said base units transmit at the particular power levels set forth in the database.

21. The response system of claim 20 wherein said database resides at one chosen from i) a host computer system communicating with said base units, ii) a computer connected with a particular one of said base units, and iii) each of said response units.

22. A response system, comprising:

a plurality of base units;

a database correlating base units with at least one chosen from users and response units at particular times;

a plurality of response units, each of said response units adapted to receive a user input selection and to communicate that user input selection with at least one of said base units utilizing wireless communication;

wherein a response unit becomes grouped with at least one of said base units at a particular time and becomes grouped with at least one other of said base units at another particular time at least partially as a function of data in said database.

23. The response system of claim 22 wherein a response unit becomes grouped with said at least one of said base units and said at least one other of said base units by changing of personality data of that response unit, the personality data facilitating communication with a said base unit.

24. The response system of claim 22 wherein said database resides at one chosen from i) a host computer system communicating with said base units, ii) each of said base units, and iii) each of said response units.

25. The response system of claim 22 wherein said base units communicate with said response units utilizing a standard protocol in order to retrieve user input selections from response units grouped with that base unit and wherein said base units communicate with said response units utilizing a join protocol in order to group response units with that base unit.

26. The response system of claim 22 wherein each of said response units is adapted to communicate a user input selection with said at least one of said base units synchronously in response to a polling signal from said at least one of said base units.

27. The response system of claim 22 wherein each of said response units is adapted to communicate a user input selection with said at least one of said base units asynchronously.

28. A method of retrieving user responses from a plurality of users, comprising:

providing a plurality of base units and a plurality of response units, each of said response units adapted to receive a user input selection and to communicate that user input selection with at least one of said base units utilizing wireless communication;

providing personality data for said response units, said personality data facilitating communication with a particular one of said base units; and

changing personality data of a particular one of said response units in order to change which of said base units that particular one of said response unit communicates.