Method and system for computer based testing using an amalgamated resource file

• US 8,413,131 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prometric, LLC
• Original Assignee: Prometric Inc. (Educational Testing Service)
• Inventors: Bowers, Clarke D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nahar, Qamrun
• Application Number:
  US12/837,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168, 717/124, 717/125, 434/323, 434/350
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• 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 for computer-based testing for producing a test and delivering the test to an examinee includes a storage device that has a first storage location, which stores a first segment of a test definition language, and a second storage location, which stores a second segment of the test definition language, a validation expansion module that validates the first segment and the second segment of the test definition language, a test packager that amalgamates the first storage location and the second storage location and transmits the amalgamated segment to the validation expansion module such that the validation expansion module can determine whether the amalgamated segment forms a complete and valid set, and a test driver that has an executable code that controls functionality that enables the test driver to deliver the test to an examinee.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented test system comprising:

a storage device comprising a first storage location and a second storage location, the first storage location storing a first segment of a test definition language and the second storage location storing a second segment of the test definition language, wherein the first segment and the second segment define computer based test data;

a test packager, in operative data communication with the storage device that, during production of the at least one test, transmits the first segment and the second segment of the test definition language to a validation expansion module to validate formatting of the test definition language, amalgamates the first storage location and the second storage location and stores an amalgamated segment of the test definition language in a first virtual storage location, and transmits the amalgamated segment to the validation expansion module such that the validation expansion module is capable of determining whether the amalgamated segment forms a complete and valid set of the first segment and second segment of the test definition language; and

a test driver, in operative data communication with the storage device, comprising an executable code that controls functionality that enables the test driver to manage and deliver the at least one test to an examinee.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the amalgamation of the test definition language includes storing the data in an object-linking and embedding (OLE) structured storage format.