Computer based training system

• US 6,308,042 B1
• Filed: 01/08/1998
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Skillsoft Ireland Limited (SkillSoft Limited)
• Original Assignee: CBT (Technology) Ltd. (SkillSoft Limited)
• Inventors: OʼConnell, Ciaran Anthony, Marsh, Thomas Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US09/004,275
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 434/322, 434/323, 434/118, 434/350-358, 434/307.R, 434/362, 434/308, 434/365, 345/145, 345/146, 345/156, 345/173, 345/326, 345/340, 345/348, 345/351, 345/352, 345/358, 345/978, 348/423.1, 348/467, 375/240.03, 375/240.14, 375/240.15, 375/240.16, 700/86, 700/88, 707/10, 707/104, 707/513, 709/218, 709/318, 709/370, 386/112, 386/120
• US Class Current: 434/307.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

A training system (1) has various media for interfacing with a user. A system controller (2) uses an interface file (17) to automatically execute action commands to perform an interfacing event. The action commands are delimited by interactivity point commands, execution of which halts an execution path and allows interactive inputs. A simulation program (19) may then be retrieved to allow the controller (2) simulate interfacing of the training subject. Screen controls are dynamically linked with simulation handlers of the simulation program. They are all disconnected after use of a simulation program. A combination of automatic interfacing and interactivity is achieved in a simple way for effective user training.

Claims

1. A computer based training system comprising a user input means, a system controller, a storage means for storing training data, and a user output means including a video screen, wherein,

said storage means stores independently addressable media records having media interface data;

said storage means stores an interface file comprising a series of interface action commands for performance of a training unit associated with a subject or part of a subject to be learned by a user, each action command being associated with a media record and comprising code for instructing an interfacing action to be performed using media interface data retrieved from the media record;

said system controller comprises means for;

identifying in the interface file a sequence of action commands which are associated with an interfacing event, said interfacing event being an event which the system performs, automatically, without user inputs, between interactivity points at which a user may input a signal;

automatically performing, without user inputs, interfacing actions according to said sequence of action commands to perform an interfacing event in which a media record is individually addressed and retrieved in accordance with each action command; and

receiving a user input signal at an interactivity point reached only upon completion of the interfacing event, acting in response to the received input signal by retrieving a simulation program and carrying out simulation operations according to the simulation program, and subsequently identifying in the interface file, by the system and without user input, a next sequence of action commands for a next interfacing event and performing said next interfacing event without user input to continue an execution path determined and controlled by the system, sequentially using action commands contained in the interface file.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface file further comprises interactivity point commands which delimit sequences of action commands for events, and the system controller comprises means for recognising said interactivity point commands and directing interactivity inputs according to said commands.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the simulation programs have a discrete structure with a discrete simulation handler piece of code associated with a screen input control during simulation.

4. A system as claimed in claimed in claim 1, wherein the system controller comprises means for directing transfer of control to an execution path of an alternative control file at an interactivity point upon receipt of a user input instruction.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface file comprises screen commands delimiting commands for a plurality of events, and the system controller comprises means for directing generation of a new video screen environment upon detection of a screen command.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein there are two categories of screen command, namely, a conceptual screen command and a simulation screen command, and the system controller comprises means for:

directing generation of a fresh interfacing screen environment for display of training data upon detection of a conceptual screen command; and

directing generation of a simulation screen environment having screen input areas simulating those of the training subject upon detection of a simulation screen command.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the media records comprise text data records and audio records, the records being individually addressable by being delimited in a common format and further comprise graphic bitmap and graphic animation records.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the media records video control records.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system controller comprises means for dynamically linking simulation handlers with screen controls during simulation, and for disconnecting all simulation handlers at the end of use of a simulation program.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computerized training system drives the interfacing events to present to a user at least one training unit associated with a subject to be learned by the user, the subject of said training unit being other than instruction on use of said computerized training system.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the computerized training system drives the interfacing events to present to a user a plurality of training units associated with a plurality of subjects to be learned by the user, all of said subjects being other than instruction on use of said computerized training system.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system controller alone determines retrieval of said media records during implementation of said interfacing events, with action commands being linked to discrete media records transparently to, and independently of action by, the user.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein user input is strictly limited to interactivity points reached upon conclusion of an interfacing event and, following user input and associated simulation operations, said system initiates return back to a next internally-determined sequence of action commands associated with a next interfacing event.

14. A method of producing data and programs for loading in a target computer to provide a computer based training system, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing, by an author, a master media data document having media data and flags, said document containing training media and being prepared independently of the target computer;

storing the master media document;

generating a memory storyboard having a cellular structure in which there are groups of cells, each group being associated with an interfacing event of the target computer, an interfacing event being a set of interfacing actions between user interactivity points of the target computer, each of the cells within a group being individually addressable, and in which the interfacing actions are not time synchronized and are of different time durations;

a production controller reading the master media data document, recognizing flags within the document, and pre-assigning each cell to an interfacing action according to the flags without input from the author, the production controller automatically transferring media data from the master media data document to relevant pre-assigned cells within the storyboard;

processing, automatically by the production controller, each cell of the storyboard in turn to generate an interface file having action commands associated with cells of the storyboard, each action command comprising code for directing an interfacing action of a training system with respect to an associated cell, wherein the action commands are grouped in sequence to cause performance of an interfacing event delimited by interactivity points;

generating a set of media records storing media data also stored in cells of the storyboard; and

combining said media records and said interface file together with a training system control program.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, comprising the further steps of:

displaying and verifying a graphic stored in a media record;

comparing a pixelmap of the graphic with that of the next graphic pixelmap in operational display order; and

automatically determining pixelmap differences and generating a frame around the difference pixels;

storing the pixelmap differences in a media record; and

modifying the associated interface file command accordingly.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising the further step of emulating training system operation by use of the interface file, editing cells within each storyboard group, and editing the associated interface commands accordingly.

17. A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising tie further steps of stripping text data from the master media data document, transferring it to a text file, transferring text data to the storyboard cells from said text file, and storing the text file to provide media records for text data.

18. A system-driven, computer based training method using a computerized training system in which overall execution is driven by an interface file, said computerized training system being used to perform at least one training unit associated with a subject to be learned by a user according to a system-determined presentation, the subject of said training unit being other than instruction on use of said computerized training system, the method comprising the steps of:

storing independently addressable media records having media interface data;

storing an interface file including a series of interface action commands for performance of a training unit associated with a subject or part of a subject to be learned by a user, each action command being associated with a media record and comprising code for instructing an interfacing action to be performed using media interface data retrieved from the media record;

identifying a sequence of action commands which taken together constitute an interfacing event, an interfacing event being an event defined by a sequence of action commands which the system performs automatically and without user inputs between interactivity points, interactivity points being those points at which a user may input a signal;

automatically performing, without user input, interfacing actions according to said sequence of action commands to perform the interfacing event;

allowing input of a user input signal only at an interactivity point, said interactivity point being reached only after completing the interfacing event such that performance of the interfacing event may not be altered by the user;

retrieving, in response to the received input signal, a simulation program and carrying out simulation operations according to the simulation program; and

resuming, under system control and without user input, automatic identification of action commands for a next internally determined interfacing event and performing said next interfacing event to continue an execution path determined and controlled by the system sequentially using action commands in the interface file.