Multimedia distribution system for instructional materials
First Claim
1. An information distribution system for the presentation and management of instructional materials, said system comprising:
- a plurality of workstations for presenting and managing instructional materials, each of said workstations having a computer with a video output, a single video monitor coupled to said video output of said computer, and video switching means coupled between said computer and said video monitor, wherein said video switching means comprises;
a tuner having a video input, a control input, and a video output, said video output being coupled to said video monitor for said workstation, anda data port having an input coupled to said computer for said workstation and an output coupled to said control input of said tuner, said data port being configured to receive control data which identify one of a plurality of video channels;
a data network for transmission of computer data among said workstations, said data network being coupled to each of said computers of said workstations;
a file server means coupled to said data network, said filer server means being configured to store and supply instructional computer programs to said workstations; and
a video network for transmission of a plurality of video signals from a video source means to said workstations, said video network being coupled to said tuner video input of each of said workstations, and said video network being configured to simultaneously transmit said plurality of video signals over said plurality of video channels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated classroom which integrates sources of video instructional materials, such as TV, CATV, VCR, video disk players, closed circuit TV, and the like, with sources of computer-based instructional materials is disclosed. Modulated video sources are converted to baseband and applied, along with baseband video sources, to a multichannel modulator or headend. The headend drives a local video network (LVN) which couples to a plurality of student workstations and to an instructor workstation. In addition a local area network (LAN) couples to the student workstations, the instructor workstation, and to a file server. Each of the instructor and student workstations includes a computer, a monitor control unit (MCU), a video display, and an audio transducer. The workstation computers couple to the LAN and the workstation MCU'"'"'s couple to the LVN. A curriculum delivery system (CDS), located on the file server, causes computer-based instructional materials to be transferred from the file server through the LAN to selected ones of the student workstations, in which case such student MCU'"'"'s route computer-based video and audio to their associated video displays and audio transducers. Additionally, under the control of the CDS through student computers and student MCU'"'"'s, video instructional materials from the LVN may be displayed on video displays and audio transducers of selected ones of the student workstations. As a result of this system, student learning is interactive, individualized, and personalized in a multi-media environment.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An information distribution system for the presentation and management of instructional materials, said system comprising:
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a plurality of workstations for presenting and managing instructional materials, each of said workstations having a computer with a video output, a single video monitor coupled to said video output of said computer, and video switching means coupled between said computer and said video monitor, wherein said video switching means comprises; a tuner having a video input, a control input, and a video output, said video output being coupled to said video monitor for said workstation, and a data port having an input coupled to said computer for said workstation and an output coupled to said control input of said tuner, said data port being configured to receive control data which identify one of a plurality of video channels; a data network for transmission of computer data among said workstations, said data network being coupled to each of said computers of said workstations; a file server means coupled to said data network, said filer server means being configured to store and supply instructional computer programs to said workstations; and a video network for transmission of a plurality of video signals from a video source means to said workstations, said video network being coupled to said tuner video input of each of said workstations, and said video network being configured to simultaneously transmit said plurality of video signals over said plurality of video channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification