Electric probe used to activate correct and incorrect response areas in an instructional apparatus

• US 4,802,092 A
• Filed: 06/20/1985
• Issued: 01/31/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harte J. Richard
• Original Assignee: Harte J. Richard
• Inventors: Harte, J. Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/746,851
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 364/410, 364/411, 364/580, 434/320, 434/334, 434/338, 434/339, 434/340
• US Class Current: 434/340
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/063 with hand-placed probe or plug

Abstract

This invention provides the user with immediate feedback as to the correctness or incorrectness of their respones to multiple choice, true - false, and cross matching questions by the use of a hand held electric probe that produces a magnetic field; where said magnetic field is picked up by at least one of the linear electroconductive elements in each of two sets of electroconductive elements. These two sets of electroconductive elements are arranged one immediately above the other in two parallel planes that are located immediately beneath a holding frame that accurately positions instructional sheets on its upper surface. Located on the instructional sheets are answer response areas that immediately overly some of the points where one strip in the top set passes over one of the strips in the bottom set of electroconductive elements. When the user believes that he has found a correct answer, he places the electric probe over that response area on the instructional sheet. The electrical field generated by the probe energizes one conductive strip from each of the two sets of conductive strips, and a circuit in each set is activated, which locates the point where the probe was placed. This information is sent to a linked computer which uses an internal program to evaluate the response, and feed information back to the user as to his correct and incorrect responses. The computer also retains this information in its memory.

Claims

1. An instructional and testing apparatus comprising:

an instructional or testing sheet having answer response areas thereon,

first and second, generally planar sets of elongated conductive elements underlying said sheet, electrically insulated from each other and arranged in a crossing pattern to present points of intersection as viewed orthogonally,

holding means for receiving said sheet and aligning the same relative to said pattern with said response areas in register with corresponding points of intersection therebeneath,

a hand-held probe having a tip and means for producing a magnetic field projecting from said tip,

a programmable digital computer,

circuit means operably interconnecting said first and second sets of elements and said computer for identifying individual points of intersection energized by the user positioning said probe tip at selected response areas and for inputting the point identification information to the computer, and

said computer being programmed to respond to the input point identification information and determine the correctness or incorrectness of the user'"'"'s answers.

2. The apparataus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means operably coupled with said computer and responsive to the determination of the correctness or incorrectness of the user'"'"'s answers for giving feedback to the user with respect to the correctness or incorrectness of responses, whereby the apparatus may be used in an instruction only mode.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said computer has a memory for retaining a record of the user'"'"'s answers for later evaluation, processing and analysis, whereby the apparatus may be used in an instruction and evaluation mode.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computer has a memory for retaining a record of the user'"'"'s answers for later feedback to the user, whereby the apparatus may be employed in a test only mode.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second sets of elements extend beyond the overlying instructional or testing sheet to present additional points of intersection clear of said sheet, said holding means being provided with a surface overlying said additional points having alpha-numeric or other indicia thereon corresponding to the underlying points, and wherein said indicia represent relevant input data that may be selected by said probe including identification of the user and the instructional or testing sheet to which the user is responding, said circuit means having means for identifying said additional points energized by user selection with said probe and for inputting such identification to said computer.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ciruit means has means responsive to energization of said elements by said magnetic field for identifying the element of each of said first and second sets receiving the strongest field excitation.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elements of each of said sets are substantially straight and parallel to one another to define a grid presenting said pattern.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elements of one of said sets extend in directions such that said pattern has a non-grid configuration.