System for archiving electronic images of test question responses

• US 6,961,482 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCS Pearson Incorporated (Pearson plc)
• Original Assignee: NCS Pearson Incorporated (Pearson plc)
• Inventors: Knowles, Kristian
• Primary Examiner(s): Miriam, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rosario, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US09/799,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20020122606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 715/500, 382/305, 382/306, 434322-341
• US Class Current: 382/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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 system and method for electronically archiving electronic images of responses received from a response provider in such a manner that reduces the amount of electronic resources required for said archival.

Claims

1. In a computerized test processing workflow system configured for analyzing electronic images of test question responses provided by a test taker on a test form template, the system comprising a server subsystem having at least one server computer, a client subsystem having a plurality of client computers, and at least one of a plurality of types of optical imaging devices for electronically capturing the test question responses, wherein the electronic images are archived electronically for subsequent analyses or retrieval, a method for processing test question responses comprising:

a. receiving electronic representations of at least two test form templates, each of the test form templates being substantially devoid of test question responses;

b. storing the electronic representations of the test form templates;

c. receiving electronic images of segregated test question responses, the test question responses being associated with one of the test form templates, the electronic images of segregated test question responses being substantially devoid of the associated test form template;

d. storing the electronic images of the segregated test question responses in at least one electronic file, the electronic file including a tag that identifies the associated test form template;

e. electronically creating an integrated electronic representation of a selected test question response by referencing the information in the tag that identifies the test form template that is associated with the selected test question response and combining electronically the electronic image of the selected segregated test question response with the electronic representation of the test form template that is associated with the selected test question response;

whereby, capturing electronic images of the segregated test question responses substantially devoid of the test form template enhances the speed at which the segregated test question responses are received by the workflow system because an optical imaging device can process segregated test question answers faster when the test form template is omitted.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps:

a. applying an image compression algorithm to the integrated electronic representation of the completed test; and

b. storing the compressed integrated electronic representation of the completed test.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic representation of the test form template comprises an electronic representation of the entire test form, and wherein the step of storing the electronic images comprises storing multiple images in a single file that includes a tag for each image, the tag including information about the image that is required for subsequent display of the image in the correct context.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing the electronic images of the segregated test question responses in at least one file includes providing a tag in the at least one file that provides position coordinates that indicate where an electronic image of a segregated test item response should be displayed in relation to the associated test form template.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic images of the test question responses comprise one or more image clips of the test question responses, where an image clip is at least a portion of the test question response.

6. In a computerized test processing workflow system configured for analyzing electronic images of test question responses provided by a test taker on a test form template, the system comprising a server subsystem having at least one server computer, a client subsystem having a plurality of client computers, and at least one of a plurality of types of optical imaging devices for electronically capturing the test question responses, wherein the electronic images are archived electronically in the server subsystem for subsequent analyses or retrieval, a method for processing test question responses comprising:

a. receiving in the server subsystem electronic representations of at least two test form templates, each of the test form templates being substantially devoid of test question responses;

b. storing in the server subsystem the electronic representations of the test form templates;

c. receiving in the server subsystem electronic images of segregated test question responses, the test question responses being associated with one of the test form templates, the electronic images of segregated test question responses being substantially devoid of the test form template;

d. storing in the server computer the electronic images of the segregated test question responses in at least one electronic file, the electronic file including a tag that identifies the associated test form template; and

e. electronically creating an integrated electronic representation a selected test guestion response by referencing the information in the tag that identifies the test form template that is associated with the selected test question response and combining electronically the electronic image of the selected segregated test question response with the electronic representation of the test form template that is associated with the selected test question response.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps:

a. applying in the server subsystem an image compression algorithm to the integrated electronic representation of the completed test; and

b. storing in the server subsystem the compressed integrated electronic representation of the completed test.

8. In a computerized test processing workflow system configured for analyzing electronic images of test question responses provided by a test taker on a test form template, the system comprising a server subsystem having at least one server computer, a client subsystem having a plurality of client computers, and at least one of a plurality of types of optical imaging devices for electronically capturing the test question responses, wherein the electronic images are archived electronically in the client subsystem for subsequent analyses or retrieval, a method for processing test question responses comprising:

a. receiving in the client subsystem electronic representations of at least two test form templates, each of the test form templates being substantially devoid of test question responses;

b. storing in the client subsystem the electronic representations of the test form templates;

c. receiving in the client subsystem electronic images of segregated test question responses, the test question responses being associated with one of the test form templates, the electronic images of segregated test question responses being substantially devoid of the associated test form template;

d. storing in the client computer the electronic images of the segregated test question responses in at least one electronic file, the electronic file including a tag that identifies the associated test form template;

e. electronically creating an integrated electronic representation of a selected test question response by referencing the information in the tag that identifies the test form template that is associated with the selected test question response and combining electronically the electronic representation of the test form template with the electronic images of the segregated test question responses.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps:

a. applying in the client subsystem an image compression algorithm to the integrated electronic representation of the completed test; and

b. storing in the client subsystem the compressed integrated electronic representation of the completed test.

10. A system for archiving electronic images of test question responses for subsequent analyses or retrieval such that electronic resources are conserved in a computerized test processing workflow system configured for analyzing electronic images of test question responses provided by a test taker, the system comprising:

a. a server subsystem having at least one server computer coupled to a client subsystem having a plurality of client computers;

b. at least one of a plurality of types of optical imaging devices coupled to the client subsystem for electronically capturing the test question responses;

c. the workflow system configured to receive electronic representations of at least two test form templates, each of the test form templates being substantially devoid of test question responses;

d. the workflow system configured to receive and store electronic images of segregated test question responses, the test question responses being associated with one of the test form templates, the electronic images of segregated test question responses being substantially devoid of the test form template, the test item responses being stored in at least one electronic file that includes at least one tag that identifies an associated test form template; and

e. the workflow system configured to electronically create an integrated electronic representation of a selected test question response by referencing the information in the tag that identifies the test form template that is associated with the selected test question response and combining electronically the electronic representation of the test form template with the electronic images of the segregated test question responses.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a. the workflow system configured to apply an image compression algorithm to the integrated electronic representation of the completed test; and

b. storage of the compressed integrated electronic representation of the completed test.

12. A system for archiving electronic images of test question responses for subsequent analyses or retrieval such that electronic resources are conserved in a computerized test processing workflow system configured for analyzing electronic images of test question responses provided by a test taker, the system comprising:

a. means to receive electronic representations of at least two test form templates, each of the test form templates being substantially devoid of test question responses;

b. means configured to receive and store electronic images of segregated test question responses, the test question responses being associated with one of the test form templates, the electronic images of segregated test question responses being substantially devoid of the test form template, the electronic images being stored in conjunction with a tag that contains information that associates the electronic images of segregated test question responses with one of the test form templates; and

c. means to electronically create an integrated electronic representation of a selected test question response by referencing the information in the tag that identifies the test form template that is associated with the selected test question response and combining electronically the electronic image of the selected segregated test question response with the electronic representation of the test form template that is associated with the selected test question response.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a. means configured to apply an image compression algorithm to the integrated electronic representation of the completed test; and

b. storage means for the compressed integrated electronic representation of the completed test.

14. A computer program product readable by a computing system for a computerized test processing workflow system configured for analyzing electronic images of test question responses provided by a test taker on a test form template, the system comprising a server subsystem having at least one server computer coupled to a client subsystem having a plurality of client computers and at least one of a plurality of types of optical imaging devices coupled to the client subsystem for electronically capturing the test question responses, wherein the electronic images are archived electronically for subsequent analyses or retrieval, a method for processing test question responses, the computer program product comprising encoded instructions either embedded on a computer-readable media or transmitted in a propagating wave, the encoded instructions being arranged and configured to be read by the computing system for causing the computing system to perform the steps of:

a. receiving electronic representations of at least two test form templates, each of the test form templates being substantially devoid of test question responses;

b. storing the electronic representations of the test form template templates;

c. receiving electronic images of segregated test question responses, the test question responses being associated with one of the test form templates, the electronic images of segregated test question responses being substantially devoid of the associated test form template;

d. storing the electronic images of the segregated test question responses in at least one electronic file, the electronic file including a tag that identifies the associated test form template;

e. electronically creating an integrated electronic representation of a selected test question response by referencing the information in the tag that identifies the test form template that is associated with the selected test question response and combining the electronic image of the selected segregated test question response with the electronic representation of the test form template that is associated with the selected test question response;

whereby, capturing electronic images of the segregated test question responses substantially devoid of the test form template enhances the speed at which the segregated test question responses are received by the workflow system because an optical imaging device can process segregated test question answers faster when the test form template is omitted.