System for administration of remotely-proctored, secure examinations and methods therefor

• US 5,915,973 A
• Filed: 03/11/1997
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prometric, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sylvan Learning
• Inventors: Nguyen, Christopher L., Hoehn-Saric, Rudolph Christopher, Stevens, Patrick D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US08/816,039
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/169, 434/219, 434/236-238, 434/258, 434/307 R, 434/308, 434/322-324, 434/336, 434/350-365, 707/104, 704/1, 705/12, 705/11, 395/927, 706/927
• US Class Current: 434/350
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/927 Education or instruction

Abstract

A system for controlling the administration of remotely proctored, secure examinations at a remote test station, and a method for administering examinations. The system includes a central station, a registration station and a remote testing station. The central station includes (a) storage device for storing data, including test question data and verified biometric data, and (b) a data processor, operably connected to the storage device, for comparing test taker biometric data with stored, verified biometric data. The remote test station includes (a) a data processor, (b) a data storage device, operably connected to the data processor, for storing input data, (c) a biometric measurement device for inputting test taker biometric data to the processor, (d) a display for displaying test question data (e) an input for inputting test response data to the processor, (f) a recorder for recording proctoring data of a testing event, and (g) a communication link for communicating with the central station, for receiving test question data from the central station, and for communicating test taker biometric data, test response data, and proctoring data to the central station. Verification of the test taker and validation of the results can be performed either before or after the testing event.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the administration of remotely proctored, secure examinations at a remote test station, comprising:

(1) a central station including (a) a storage device which stores data, including test question data and verified biometric data, and (b) a first data processor, operably connected to said storage device, for comparing test taker biometric data with said verified biometric data; and

(2) a remote test station comprising (a) a second data processor, (b) a data storage device, operably connected to said second data processor, which stores input data, (c) a biometric measurement device which generates said test taker biometric data (d) a display which displays test question data, (e) an input for inputting test response data (f) a recording device generating proctoring data of a testing event, and (g) communicating circuitry which communicates with said central station, for receiving test question data from said central station, and for communicating said test taker biometric data, said test response data, and said proctoring data to said central station, wherein said biometric measurement device, said display, said recording device and said communication circuitry are operatively coupled to and controlled by said second data processor.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said proctoring data comprises audio/visual data of said testing event.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said proctoring data includes an audio/visual record of (a) input of said test taker biometric data and (b) input of said test response data.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said proctoring data further includes a still picture of a test taker.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a registration station, comprising:

(a) a third data processor for processing and verifying registrant data;

(b) a registration storage device which stores data sufficient to verify registrant data and subsequently generated verified test registration data operably connected to said third data processor;

(c) a biometric measurement device for inputting registrant biometric data to thereby generate verified biometric data; and

(d) communication means for communicating said verified test registration data, including verified biometric data to said central station for storage in said storage device.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said registration station and said testing station are in the same place.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said testing station is a self-contained unit, inaccessible without input of test registration data.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said recording device generating proctoring data of a test event includes a video camera disposed inside said unit.

9. The system according to claim 7, further comprising dedicated circuitry for permitting a test taker to communicate with said central station.

10. A method for controlling the administration of remotely proctored, secure examinations at a remote testing station comprising the steps of:

(a) storing verified biometric data at a central station;

(b) storing test question data at said central station;

(c) inputting test taker biometric data at the remote testing station to begin a testing event;

(d) communicating said test taker biometric data to the central station and comparing said test taker biometric data with said verified biometric data to thereby verify said test taker biometric data;

(e) making test question data from the central station available at the remote test station;

(f) storing test response data, input in response to said test question data;

(g) recording and storing audio/video proctoring data of said testing event;

(h) ending said testing event; and

(i) validating said testing event by reviewing said proctoring data for invalidating events.

11. The method according to claim 10, further including the step of assigning an unique identifier to said testing event.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step (a) of storing said verified biometric data further comprises the steps of qualifying a registrant for a particular test, recording biometric data, collecting payment, and transmitting the recorded biometric data to the central station for storage as said verified biometric data.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of issuing a registration card containing registration data.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein step (c) cannot be performed until said registration data is transmitted to the central station.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of printing a record of said testing event including said identifier and said registration data.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein said step (e) comprises communicating said test data from the central station to the remote test station.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein said step (e) comprises unlocking test data already at the remote test station.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein said step (c) further comprises inputting other registrant data.

19. The method according to claim 10, wherein step (e) is carried out only if said test taker biometric data is verified in step (d).

20. A method for controlling the administration of remotely proctored, secure examinations at a remote testing station comprising the steps of:

(a) storing verified biometric data at a central station;

(b) storing test question data at the central station;

(c) inputting test taker biometric data at the remote testing station to begin a testing event;

(d) communicating said test taker biometric data to the central station and comparing said test taker biometric data with said verified biometric data to thereby verify said test taker biometric data;

(e) communicating test question data from the central site to the remote testing station;

(f) storing test answer data input in response to said test question data;

(g) recording and storing audio/video proctoring data of the testing event, assigning an identifier to said proctoring data;

(h) reviewing said proctoring data during said testing event for indications of invalidating events; and

(i) ending said testing event.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of assigning an unique identifier to said testing event.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the step (a) of storing verified biometric data further comprises the steps of qualifying a registrant for a particular test, recording biometric data, collecting payment, and transmitting the recorded biometric data to the central station for storage as said verified biometric data.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of issuing registration card containing registration data.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein step (c) is not performed until said registration data is input and transmitted to the central station.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of printing a record of said testing event including said identifier and said registration data.

26. The method according to claim 20, wherein steps (e) through (i) are carried out only when said test taker biometric data is verified in step (d).

27. A system for controlling the administration of remotely proctored, secure examinations at a remote test station connected to a central station by at least one communication channel, comprising:

said central station, comprising;

means for storing data including test question data, verified biometric data, test response data and proctoring data;

means for comparing test taker biometric data generated at said remote station with said verified biometric data and for generating a control signal when said test taker biometric data matches said verified biometric data; and

means for downloading the test question data to said remote test station responsive to said control signal; and

at least one said remote test station, comprising;

means for processing data;

data storage means for storing data including the test question data downloaded from the storage means of the central station;

means for measuring said test taker biometric data;

means for recording said test response data and said proctoring data corresponding to a testing event; and

means for communicating with said central station and operatively connected to the communications channel for uploading said test taker biometric data to said central station, for downloading said test question data from said storing means of said central station when said test taker biometric data matches said verified biometric data, and for uploading said test response data and said proctoring data to said storing means of said central station, under control of said processing means.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said proctoring data comprises audio/visual data of said testing event.

29. The system according to claim 27, wherein said test taker biometric data comprises a fingerprint.

30. The system according to claim 27, wherein recording means further comprises means for recording the generation of said test taker biometric data.

31. A method for controlling a testing system administered from a central station and providing remotely proctored, secure examinations at a remote testing station, said method comprising the steps of:

storing verified biometric data at the central station;

storing test question data at the central station;

generating test taker biometric data at the remote testing station at the beginning of a testing event;

providing the test taker biometric data to the central station;

comparing the test taker biometric data with the verified biometric data; and

when the test taker biometric data matches the verified biometric data, making the test question data from the central station available at the remote test station to thereby continue with the testing event.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

recording and storing audio/video proctoring data of the testing event;

completing the testing event; and

validating the testing event by reviewing the proctoring data for invalidating events at the central station.

33. A method for controlling a testing system administered from a central station and providing remotely proctored, secure examinations at a remote testing station, said method comprising the steps of:

storing verified biometric data at the central station;

storing test question data at the remote testing station;

generating test taker biometric data at the remote testing station at the beginning of a testing event;

providing the test taker biometric data to the central station;

comparing the test taker biometric data with the verified biometric data; and

when the test taker biometric data matches the verified biometric data, transmitting key data for unlocking the test question data stored at the remote test station to thereby continue with the testing event.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

generating proctoring data of said testing event;

validating said testing event by reviewing the proctoring data for invalidating events at the central station;

completing said testing event; and

immediately issuing a validated test report.

35. A method for controlling a testing system administered from a central station and providing remotely proctored, secure examinations at a remote testing station, said method comprising the steps of:

storing verified biometric data at the central station;

storing test question data at one of the central station and the remote testing station;

generating test taker biometric data at the remote testing station at the beginning of a testing event;

providing the test taker biometric data to the central station;

making the test question data available at the remote test station to thereby permit completion of the testing event;

comparing the test taker biometric data with the verified biometric data; and

when the test taker biometric data does not match the verified biometric data, invalidating the testing event.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

recording and storing audio/video proctoring data of the testing event;

completing the testing event; and

validating the testing event by reviewing the proctoring data for invalidating events at the central station.

37. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein all of the recited steps are performed in the recited order.