Distributed interactive presentation and response system with translation feature

• US 6,287,125 B1
• Filed: 08/14/1998
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jacques A. Dorcely
• Original Assignee: Jacques A. Dorcely
• Inventors: Dorcely, Jacques A.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Neill, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADAMS, CHANDA L
• Application Number:
  US09/134,715
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 434/350, 434/362, 434/118, 434/169, 434/322, 434/323, 434/157, 348/1, 348/13, 348/14, 348/15, 455/2, 455/6.3, 704/8, 704/270, 704/277
• US Class Current: 434/323
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

A system architecture, and associated methods of operation, are disclosed to support the interactive presentation, examination, and discussion of problem and discussion statements. The system includes a presenter computer operated by a presenter or an instructor, and a plurality of audience computers that are operated by audience members, such as students. The presenter computer and audience computers are linked by a suitable communication network to support the exchange of information between the computers, as required to support the interactive presentation. A large screen display unit is additionally included to enable information to be presented to the entire audience, when necessary. The system further provides for the translation of the information exchanged between the presenter and audience computers into as many languages as is required by composition of the audience.

Claims

1. A method to interactively present subject matter information, including a problem statement, to audience members, the subject matter information presented by employing a presenter computer operated by a presenter and at least one audience computer operated by one or more audience members, the presenter computer having associated therewith a display unit to receive information from the presenter computer for displaying and viewing by the audience members, the method comprising the steps of:

a) generating a problem statement by the presenter to be solved;

b) delivering the problem statement to audience members via at least one of the display unit and respective audience computers being used by associated audience members, the problem statement delivered to the audience computers via a communication network that enables information to be exchanged between the presenter computer and the audience computers wherein the problem statement is translated from a language of the presenter to one or more languages of the audience members before being displayed on the display unit;

c) providing a temporal period for analysis of the problem statement after delivery to the audience members;

d) permitting additional information to be requested by audience members, wherein the requests for the additional information made by audience members are translated to the language of the presenter and then are provided to the presenter;

e) determining and delivering at least one appropriate response to the requests for additional information received by the presenter, when such requests are made;

f) repeating steps d) and e), as required, until audience members are able to attempt an answer to the problem statement;

g) receiving answers at the presenter computer as they are provided by the audience members via the audience computers,

h) displaying the answers for review and analysis by the presenter, via a display included with the presenter computer;

i) discussing and reviewing, if deemed necessary by the presenter, at least one of the received answers from the audience member computers and a predetermined correct answer; and

j) repeating steps a) through i), as required, until all problem statements to be presented to the audience members have been presented, analyzed and reviewed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the requests for additional information are input at the respective audience computers and are translated, if required, from a language of the audience members thereat to a language of the presenter, the translation conducted at one of either the audience computer and the presenter computer.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenter computer includes a presenter display that is viewable by the presenter to display at least one of:

a) information associated with the problem statement being presented;

b) one or more requests for additional information requested by audience members by way of respective audience computers; and

b) answers received from respective audience computers.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the presenter may select one or more pre-defined responses that may be provided to audience members by one or more of the following:

a) by the screen display;

b) by display units of the respective audience computers; and

c) by way of a voice synthesis and recognition unit included with the audience computers, which may be employed to deliver a voice synthesized information to the audience members at the respective audience computers.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenter display is partitioned into regions that ar e associated with a plurality of the audience computers.

6. A method to interactively present subject matter to audience members, the subject matter, which includes discussion statements, is presented by employing a presenter computer operated by a presenter and a plurality of audience computers, each operated by one or more audience members, the presenter computer having associated therewith a display unit to receive information from the presenter computer for displaying and viewing by the audience members, the method comprising the steps of:

a) generating a discussion statement by the presenter to be considered by the audience members;

b) delivering the discussion statement to audience members via at least one of the display unit and respective display units of the audience computers being used by associated audience members, the discussion statement delivered to the audience computers via a communication network that enables information to be exchanged between the presenter computer and the audience computers wherein the discussion statement is translated to one or more languages appropriate for the audience members, and any requests for additional information are translated to a language appropriate for the presenter; and

c) providing a temporal period for the analysis of the discussion statement, by audience members, after delivery;

d) permitting additional information to be requested by audience members, as needed;

e) providing, as required, information to the audience members, the information provided based on, and related to, requests received from the audience members;

f) repeating steps a) through e), until all requests for additional information have been satisfied and no additional requests are forthcoming from the audience members; and

g) repeating steps a) through f) until all subject matter information to be presented to the audience members has been presented and discussed.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the requests the additional information from the audience members are made either vocally or by way of information sent to the presenter computer from the respective audience member computers.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the presenter display is partitioned into a plurality of viewing areas, with a specific area associated with respective audience computers.