METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE FOR PODCASTING AND VIDEO TRAINING IN AN INFORMATION SEARCH SYSTEM

• US 20080022211A1
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: Cooper, Thomas E., Jones, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,327,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/739
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• 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 method and system for enhancing search skills of human guides in an information search system. The method allows human guides to be trained when they are not particularly busy fielding search queries from information seekers. The method can include determining whether a guide is idle and presenting to a human guide at least one video or audio source for training the human guide. The video training can include a demonstration of the most effective method for providing search results for an information search query, thereby enabling a guide to learn effective strategies and skills for conducting information searching. The training can contribute to the likelihood of the guide being promoted to a level of a more experienced human guide, thereby allowing greater effectiveness in fielding search queries for information seekers.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining whether a guide is idle; and

training an idle guide via training material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said training includes multimedia training.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said multimedia training comprises interactive training materials including scripts and applications.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said training material includes video and/or audio training material.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before said training, sending a message via a pop-up window to alert the guide to participate in training when the guide is logged-in as an apprentice guide.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before said training, sending a message alerting the idle guide to participate in training when the guide is a pro guide.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, after said sending, determining whether the idle guide accepted a training suggestion in said message.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein after said idle guide accepts said training suggestion, searching for training material that relates to keywords and/or categories to which the idle guide is assigned and that is suitable for a ranking of the idle guide.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, after said searching results in location of the video, determining whether the video was previously sent to the idle guide after locating said video from said searching.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said training includes displaying video to said idle guide when said idle guide elects to execute a video online, after said video is located from said searching.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said training includes presenting the idle guide with an opportunity to download a video when said idle guide desires to podcast.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said training, prompting said idle guide for a video rating and comments regarding said training material.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said training material is generated by an idle guide for other guides.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising, after said prompting, entering the video rating and the comments into a video database.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising marking video training as completed for said idle guide.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising updating a training log after said marking.

17. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer including a guide database, comprising:

a guide identification field;

a guide busy status field; and

a training videos presented field.

18. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer including a video training database, comprising:

a video field; and

a comments/video rating field.

19. A system, comprising:

a guide computer system for providing training via a video or audio source; and

a search computer system for controlling operations related to said training, said search computer system communicatively coupled with a guide database and a video database and communicatively coupled to the guide computer system via a network.

20. A method, comprising:

consulting a guide database to monitor busy status of a guide;

determining whether the guide is a pro guide when the guide is idle;

determining whether an apprentice guide is logged-in;

determining whether a training request from a master guide has been received;

alerting a guide to which training is to be provided with a message to participate in video training;

searching a video database or video to obtain a video suitable for guide ranking and keywords or categories to which the guide is assigned;

transmitting a video source to the guide when the guide desires to participate in video training or is selected to participate in video training;

prompting the guide for video rating and comments regarding the video;

entering comments and rating into a video database;

marking video training as completed for the guide; and

updating a training log of the guide to reflect video training time.

21. A system, comprising:

a guide computer system for providing training via a video or audio source;

a search computer system for controlling operations related to said training, said search computer system communicatively coupled with a guide database and a video database and communicatively coupled to the guide computer system via a network,

wherein said search computer system;

consults said guide database to monitor busy status of a guide;

determines whether an idle guide is a pro guide;

determines whether an apprentice guide is logged in;

determines whether a training request from a master guide has been received;

alerts a guide to which training is to be provided with a message to participate in video training;

searches a video database to obtain a video suitable for guide ranking and keywords or categories to which the guide is assigned;

transmits a video source to the guide when the guide desires to participate in video training or is selected to participate in video training;

prompts the guide for video rating and comments regarding the video;

enters comments and rating into a video database;

marks video training as completed for the guide; and

updates a training log of the guide to reflect video training time.