Method and apparatus for an electronic collaborative education process model

• US 6,688,891 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2001
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inter Access BV (SLTN Holding BV)
• Original Assignee: Inter Access BV (SLTN Holding BV)
• Inventors: Sanford, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOSSER, KATHLEEN MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US09/979,674
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 434/322, 434/323, 434/350, 434/362, 434/365, 434/307.R, 434/353, 709/227
• US Class Current: 434/365
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 11/00 Teaching hand-writing, shorthand, drawing, or painting
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for facilitating education operations. A portable processor-based apparatus is provided which is used by a student and his or her parents. The portable device is adapted to releasably couple with a cradle which is maintained at least in the school environment. The portable unit may be coupled through the cradle to a school network. The portable unit may be utilized by the student, parents, and teacher to perform a number of specific school related activities including a presentation of course materials; the assignment, completion and return of homework assignments; the maintenance of school records; and digital communication between or among the student, teacher, and parents. The device preferably includes biometric security systems which limit the access to both the device and data maintained in the device or in the school network.

Claims

1. An education apparatus, comprising:

(a) a portable unit issued to a student by a school, including at least;

(1) a relatively small housing;

(2) a touch-sensitive screen carried by said relatively small housing, dimensioned to generally correspond to a preselected page format;

(3) a central processing unit and associated memory located in said relatively small housing for recording programs and data and for executing program instructions;

(4) at least one biometric reader system for securing selected data carried in said memory;

(b) a cradle system for releasable electrically coupling to said portable unit;

(c) a school network, coupling through said cradle system to said portable unit;

(d) wherein said portable unit is operable in a plurality of modes of operation including;

(1) a course book mode of operation wherein course materials are presented to said student through said portable unit;

(2) a homework mode of operation wherein homework exercises are assigned, presented, recorded, and returned through coordinated operation of said portable unit and said school network;

(3) a school record mode of operation wherein school-related records are maintained at least in part in said portable unit and at least in part in said school network; and

(4) a home-to-school communication mode of operation wherein bi-directional communication is facilitated between parents of said student and school officials, including teachers, through coordinated operation of said portable unit and said school network.

2. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit of said education apparatus further includes:

(5) an audio output device carried by said relatively small housing for outputting audio messages.

3. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit of said education apparatus further includes:

(5) a microphone carried by said relatively small housing for receiving audio input from at least one of said student and said student'"'"'s parents.

4. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit of said education apparatus further includes:

(5) a biometric on-button operatively associated with said at least one biometric reader system for receiving instructions to change the operating state of said portable unit, while simultaneously receiving biometric input data.

5. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit of said education apparatus further includes:

(5) at least one unique identifier relatively permanently associated with said portable unit including at least one of the following identifiers;

a nameplate in a human-readable format, a serial number in a human-readable format, a serial number in a barcode readable format, an electronic recordation of the student'"'"'s name, an electronic recordation of the serial number associated with said portable unit, an electronic recordation of at least one biometric measurement which is uniquely associated with said portable unit and operatively associated with said at least one biometric reader system.

6. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(5) a stylus releasably carried by said relatively small housing.

7. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(5) a stylus with a plurality of stylus tips, with at least one tip utilized for touch-sensitive interaction with said touch-sensitive screen of said portable unit, and at least one stylus tip adapted to allow said student to mark on at least one relatively transparent overlay sheet adapted to be registered with said touch-sensitive screen.

8. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(5) a rechargeable power supply carried within said relatively small housing and utilized to provide electrical power to electrical power consuming components carried by said relatively small housing including said central processing unit and said at least one biometric reader system when said portable unit is not cradled into said cradle system.

9. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(5) a communication system carried by said relatively small housing adapted to allow at least one of wide area network and local area network bidirectional communication with communicants remotely located from said portable unit.

10. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(5) a handgrip aperture formed at a distal end of said relatively small housing adapted to be engaged by one hand of said user during transporting said portable unit about.

11. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(5) an external connection for releasable electrical connection to an external power source which at least supplements an internal battery pack carried by said portable unit.

12. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(5) an external microphone jack carried by said relatively small housing adapted to electrically releasably engage with an external microphone.

13. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(5) a headphone jack externally accessible from said relatively small housing and adapted to releasably electrically connect to an external headphone system.

14. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(5) at least one cradle connection accessible from the exterior of said relatively small housing and adapted to releasably mechanically and electrically couple with said cradle system when said portable unit is placed therein.

15. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cradle system includes:

(1) a plurality of electrical connections to allow peripheral devices to electrically connect through said cradle system to said portable unit, including at least one of the following peripheral devices;

an external keyboard, an external power supply system, an external battery charger, a video camera system, a CD/DVD system, a network interface system, a telephone modem, a universal serial bus port.

16. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cradle system facilitates the bidirectional communication of information between said school network and said portable unit.

17. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein connection of said portable unit to said cradle system initiates a relatively automatic replication of predetermined datasets between said school network and databases maintained in said memory of said portable unit.

18. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said school network includes a local area network hub which facilitates communication between said portable unit and said school network.

19. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said school network includes a local area network hub which facilitates communication between said portable unit issued to said student and other portable units issued to school personnel through a data replication process which relatively automatically moves predetermined datasets between said portable units and said school network.

20. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said school network maintains a plurality of databases including at least one of the following databases:

a teacher database, an administration database, a student database, a parent database, and a biometrics database.

21. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said school network includes means for displaying content on an electrically actuable large format screen display.

22. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said school network includes a means for receiving and delivering audio information in a classroom environment.

23. An education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said school network further includes at least one network interface which facilitates communication through at least one of a local area network and a wide area network during education activities.

24. A method of educating a student, comprising:

(a) providing and issuing to said student by a school a portable unit, including;

(1) a relatively small housing;

(2) a touch-sensitive screen carried by said relatively small housing, dimensioned to generally correspond to a preselected page format;

(3) a central processing unit and associated memory located in said relatively small housing for recording programs and data and for executing program instructions;

(4) at least one biometric reader system for securing selected data carried in said memory;

(5) a cradle system for releasable electrically coupling to said portable unit;

(b) providing a school network, and said network through said cradle system to said portable unit;

(c) presenting course materials to said student during a course book mode of operation wherein course materials are presented to said student through said portable unit;

(d) presenting homework during a homework mode of operation wherein homework exercises are assigned, presented, recorded, and returned through coordinated operation of said portable unit and said school network;

(e) maintaining school records during a school record mode of operation wherein school-related records are maintained at least in part in said portable unit and at least in part in said school network; and

(f) communicating during a home-to-school communication mode of operation wherein bi-directional communication is facilitated between parents of said student and school officials, including teachers, through coordinated operation of said portable unit and said school network.

25. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit of said education apparatus further includes:

(6) an audio output device carried by said relatively small housing for outputting audio messages.

26. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit of said education apparatus further includes:

(6) a microphone carried by said relatively small housing for receiving audio input from at least one of said student and said student'"'"'s parents.

27. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit of said education apparatus further includes:

(6) a biometric on-button operatively associated with said at least one biometric reader system for receiving instructions to change the operating state of said portable unit, while simultaneously receiving biometric input data.

28. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit of said education apparatus further includes:

(6) at least one unique identifier relatively permanently associated with said portable unit including at least one of the following identifiers;

a nameplate in a human-readable format, a serial number in a human-readable format, a serial number in a barcode readable format, an electronic recordation of the student'"'"'s name, an electronic recordation of the serial number associated with said portable unit, an electronic recordation of at least one biometric measurement which is uniquely associated with said portable unit and operatively associated with said at least one biometric reader system.

29. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(6) a stylus releasably carried by said relatively small housing.

30. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(6) a stylus with a plurality of stylus tips, with at least one tip utilized for touch-sensitive interaction with said touch-sensitive screen of said portable unit, and at least one stylus tip adapted to allow said student to mark on at least one relatively transparent overlay sheet adapted to be registered with said touch-sensitive screen.

31. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(6) a rechargeable power supply carried within said relatively small housing and utilized to provide electrical power to electrical power consuming components carried by said relatively small housing including said central processing unit and said at least one biometric reader system when said portable unit is not cradled into said cradle system.

32. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(6) a communication system carried by said relatively small housing adapted to allow at least one of wide area network and local area network bidirectional communication with communicants remotely located from said portable unit.

33. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(6) a handgrip aperture formed at a distal end of said relatively small housing adapted to be engaged by one hand of said user during transporting said portable unit about.

34. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(6) an external connection for releasable electrical connection to an external power source which at least supplements an internal battery pack carried by said portable unit.

35. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(6) an external microphone jack carried by said relatively small housing adapted to electrically releasably engage with an external microphone.

36. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(6) a headphone jack externally accessible from said relatively small housing and adapted to releasably electrically connect to an external headphone system.

37. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said portable unit further includes:

(6) at least one cradle connection accessible from the exterior of said relatively small housing and adapted to releasably mechanically and electrically couple with said cradle system when said portable unit is placed therein.

38. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said cradle system includes:

(1) a plurality of electrical connections to allow peripheral devices to electrically connect through said cradle system to said portable unit, including at least one of the following peripheral devices;

an external keyboard, an external power supply system, an external battery charger, a video camera system, a CD/DVD system, a network interface system, a telephone modem, a universal serial bus port.

39. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said cradle system facilitates the bidirectional communication of information between said school network and said portable unit.

40. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein connection of said portable unit to said cradle system initiates a relatively automatic replication of predetermined datasets between said school network and databases maintained in said memory of said portable unit.

41. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said school network includes a local area network hub which facilitates communication between said portable unit and said school network.

42. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said school network includes a local area network hub which facilitates communication between said portable unit issued to said student and other portable units issued to school personnel through a data replication process which relatively automatically moves predetermined data sets between said portable units and said school network.

43. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said school network maintains a plurality of databases including at least one of the following databases:

a teacher database, an administration database, a student database, a parent database, and a biometrics database.

44. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said school network includes means for displaying content on an electrically actuable large format screen display.

45. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said school network includes a means for receiving and delivering audio information in a classroom environment.

46. A method of educating according to claim 24, wherein said school network further includes at least one network interface which facilitates communication through at least one of a local area network and a wide area network during education activities.