PARTICIPANT RESPONSE SYSTEM EMPLOYING BATTERY POWERED, WIRELESS REMOTE UNITS

• US 20100281287A1
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Doerksen, Hannah, Boyle, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,639,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/073 all student stations being capable of presenting the same questions simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions

Abstract

A participant response system (50) comprises at least one host computer (52) and a plurality of battery-powered remote units (62) communicating wirelessly with the host computer (52). Each remote unit (62) executes a diagnostic routine in response to a received status request broadcast by the host computer (52) to detect the status thereof. Any remote unit (62) that detects an unhealthy state, returns health information to the host computer (52).

Claims

1. A participant response system comprising:

at least one host computer; and

a plurality of battery-powered remote units communicating wirelessly with said host computer, each said remote unit executing a diagnostic routine in response to a received status request broadcast by said host computer to detect the status thereof, any remote unit detecting an unhealthy state returning health information to said host computer.

2. A participant response system according to claim 1 wherein status requests are broadcast by said host computer at intervals.

3. A participant response system according to claim 2 wherein any remote unit detecting a healthy state also returns health information to said host computer.

4. A participant response system according to claim 1 wherein said host computer uses said returned health information to identify the remote units that are in an unhealthy state.

5. A participant response system according to claim 4 wherein said host computer maintains a list of the remote units, the list being updated to identify the remote units that are in an unhealthy state.

6. A participant response system according to claim 4 wherein said host computer generates a prompt in response to returned health information identifying each remote unit that is in an unhealthy state.

7. A participant response system according to claim 6 wherein said prompt is a pop-up window displayed on a monitor of said host computer.

8. A participant response system according to claim 6 further comprising an interactive whiteboard coupled to said host computer, said prompt being a pop-up window displayed on said interactive whiteboard.

9. A participant response system according to claim 8 wherein said popup window is also displayed on a monitor of said host computer.

10. A participant response system according to claim 6 wherein said prompt is selectively generated.

11. A participant response system according to claim 10 wherein said prompt is generated at the start of a significant event.

12. A participant response system according to claim 11 wherein said significant event is at least one of participant response system power up, the start of a diagnostic process and the start of an assessment.

13. A participant response system according to claim 1 wherein the health information returned by remote units that are in an unhealthy state comprises at least one of a low power message and a low signal strength message.

14. A participant response system according to claim 13 wherein the health information returned by remote units that are in an unhealthy state comprises a low power message.

15. A participant response system according to claim 14 wherein the low power message signifies a remote unit battery power level below a threshold value.

35. A participant response system according to claim 1 wherein health information returned by a remote unit is sent directly to said host computer.

36. A participant response system according to claim 1 wherein health information returned by a remote unit is sent indirectly to said host computer.

16. A participant response system comprising:

at least one host computer; and

a plurality of battery-powered remote units communicating wirelessly with said host computer, each said remote unit executing a diagnostic routine at regular intervals to detect the status thereof, and in response at each interval returning health information to said host computer.

17. A participant response system according to claim 16 wherein said host computer uses said returned health information to identify the remote units that are in an unhealthy state.

18. A participant response system according to claim 17 wherein said host computer maintains a list of the remote units, the list being updated to identify the remote units that are in an unhealthy state.

26. A participant response system according to claim 16 wherein the health information returned by remote units that are in an unhealthy state comprises at least one of a low power message and a low signal strength message.

27. A participant response system according to claim 26 wherein the health information returned by remote units that are in an unhealthy state comprises a low power message.

28. A participant response system according to claim 27 wherein the low power message signifies a remote unit battery power level below a threshold value.

29. A participant response system according to claim 16 wherein the remote units execute the diagnostic routines in response to receipt of status requests broadcast by said host computer at said intervals,

37. A participant response system according to claim 16 wherein health information returned by a remote unit is sent directly to said host computer.

38. A participant response system according to claim 16 wherein health information returned by a remote unit is sent indirectly to said host computer.

19. A participant response system according to wherein said host computer generates a prompt in response to returned health information identifying each remote unit that is in an unhealthy state.

20. A participant response system according to claim 19 wherein said prompt is a pop-up window displayed on a monitor of said host computer.

21. A participant response system according to claim 19 further comprising an interactive whiteboard coupled to said host computer, said prompt being a pop-up window displayed on said interactive whiteboard.

22. A participant response system according to claim 21 wherein said popup window is also displayed on a monitor of said host computer.

23. A participant response system according to any one of claims 19 to 22 wherein said prompt is selectively generated.

24. A participant response system according to claim 23 wherein said prompt is generated at the start of a significant event.

25. A participant response system according to claim 24 wherein said significant event is at least one of participant response system power up, the start of a diagnostic process and the start of an assessment.

30. A method of notifying a host computer of low battery conditions in hand-held wireless devices communicating with said host computer, comprising:

monitoring the status of the battery of each wireless device at regular intervals; and

at each interval, sending a battery status message from each wireless device to said host computer, each battery status message identifying one of a normal battery condition and a low battery condition.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising displaying a prompt identifying each remote unit sending a battery status message to said host computer that identifies said low battery condition.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said prompt is a pop-up window.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said pop-up window is displayed only at times signifying significant events.

34. The method of further comprising prior to said monitoring, broadcasting status requests by said host computer at said regular intervals and in response to said status requests, performing said monitoring.