Learning system, learning apparatus, and learning method

• US 6,915,105 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Masuda, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US10/224,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20030039950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/219, 434/276, 434/322, 434/323, 434/350, 434/362, 434/365, 706/45, 706/47, 706/927, 709/204, 709/223, 703/11, 600/410, 600/545
• US Class Current: 434/350
• 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

The present invention relates to a learning system that makes it possible to obtain an answer quickly with simple operation and thus proceed with learning smoothly. When special explanation is required in learning using a personal computer and a projector in a school, the personal computer is connected to a personal computer or a portable terminal of an expert. The projector on the school side displays a picture of the expert. The personal computer or the portable terminal on the expert side displays a picture of the inside of a classroom. The school side transmits a question item from the personal computer to the expert. The expert transmits an answer to the question item from the personal computer or the portable terminal to the school side. The projector on the school side displays the answer from the expert.

Claims

1. A learning system comprising:

a learning apparatus provided in an actual place of education for requesting special explanation from an outside expert via a network during learning in the actual place of education, the learning apparatus comprising;

schedule storage unit that stores schedule information including dates and times when experts are available;

expert availability module for selectably presenting available experts on the basis of the schedule stored in said schedule storage unit; and

an expert apparatus for giving a special explanation to said learning apparatus via the network in response to the request for explanation from said learning apparatus;

wherein said learning apparatus presents a learner with the special explanation from said expert apparatus.

2. A learning system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said learning apparatus includes a camera for taking a picture of the actual place of education and presenting the picture to said expert apparatus via the network.

3. A learning system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said learning apparatus includes a network interface for transmitting learning information used in the actual place of education to said expert apparatus via the network.

4. A learning system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said learning apparatus includes:

a connection unit that stores information for connecting said learning apparatus to said expert apparatus; and

a network connection for connecting said learning apparatus to said expert apparatus via the network on the basis of the connecting information stored in said connection unit.

5. A learning system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said expert apparatus includes a camera for taking a picture of the expert and presenting the picture to said learning apparatus via the network.

6. A learning system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said learning apparatus and said expert apparatus each include a voice processing unit for transmitting and receiving voice information to and from each other via the network.

7. The learning system of claim 1, wherein a response from an outside expert via a network automatically creates a charge to a requestor.

8. A learning apparatus, provided in an actual place of education, for presenting learning information to a learner, said learning apparatus comprising:

schedule storage unit that stores schedule information including dates and times when experts are available;

expert availability module for selectably presenting available experts on the basis of the schedule stored in said schedule storage unit;

a request unit that requests special explanation from an information processing apparatus of an available outside expert via a network during learning in the actual place of education;

a receive unit that receives a special explanation transmitted from the information processing apparatus of the outside expert via the network in response to the request from said request unit; and

a presentation unit that presents the learner with the special explanation received by said receive unit.

9. A learning apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further including at least:

a connection unit that stores information for connecting said learning apparatus to the information processing apparatus of said expert; and

a network connection for connecting said learning apparatus to said information processing apparatus via the network on the basis of the connecting information stored in said connection unit.

10. A learning apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further including a camera for taking a picture of the actual place of education and presenting the picture to said information processing apparatus via the network.

11. A learning apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further a network interface for transmitting learning information used in the actual place of education to said information processing apparatus via the network.

12. A learning method for presenting learning information to a learner in an actual place of education, said learning method comprising:

storing schedule information including dates and times when experts are available;

presenting experts who can be connected on the basis of said stored schedule information;

requesting special explanation from an information processing apparatus of an available outside expert via a network during learning in the actual place of education;

receiving a special explanation transmitted from the information processing apparatus of the outside expert via the network in response to said requesting special explanation; and

presenting said received special explanation to the learner.

13. A learning method as claimed in claim 12, further including at least:

storing connecting information for making connection to the information processing apparatus of said expert; and

connecting to said information processing apparatus via the network on the basis of said connecting information.

14. A learning method as claimed in claim 13,

wherein said connecting step makes connection via the network to an information processing apparatus of an expert selected from said presented experts on the basis of said schedule information.

15. A learning method as claimed in claim 12, further including taking a picture of the actual place of education and presenting the picture to the information processing apparatus of said outside expert via the network.

16. A learning method as claimed in claim 12, further including a transmitting learning information used in the actual place of education to the information processing apparatus of said expert via the network.