Systems and methods for delivering and presenting personalized educational lessons

• US 8,515,334 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TrueFire LLC
• Original Assignee: TrueFire, Inc.
• Inventors: Wendkos, Brad, Pervazov, Andrian, Hasbach, Alison
• Primary Examiner(s): GEBREMICHAEL, BRUK A
• Application Number:
  US11/945,829
• Time in Patent Office: 2,093 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/322, 434/323, 434/350, 434/336, 434/307.A, 434/307.R
• US Class Current: 434/350
• 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

In accordance with the present invention, an interactive education application is provided. The application receives preferences from the user and retrieves media assets, where the application assembles the media assets and other content into a personalized lesson. In addition, the application provides messaging features between the user and other users relating to the personalized lesson.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for generating music lessons, the method comprising:

receiving, by the computer from a user, preferences associated with a music lesson, wherein the preferences include;

a music style or a music genre, an educational level, information relating to previous instruction, information relating to a musical instrument, and an educational goal;

receiving, by the computer from the user, at least one recorded video or audio music clip of a first music performance by the user or a first sample of the user'"'"'s techniques and skill level to be evaluated;

transmitting, by the computer, to an instructor the received preferences associated with the music lesson for assessment to the music lesson and the at least one recorded video or audio music clip;

receiving, by the computer, from the instructor the assessment to the music lesson responsive to the received preferences and the at least one recorded video or audio music clip;

determining, by the computer, a first subset of media assets to retrieve from a plurality of media assets based on the received preferences and the assessment from the instructor, wherein each media asset comprises a full functioning music education experience including;

a lesson plan, a video clip or an audio clip, text, an educational chart, music notation, a first music tablature including a first lesson to practice a particular technique from the music lesson or to play a particular song that uses the particular technique from the music lesson and sheet music;

retrieving the first subset of media assets from a database while simultaneously transmitting a message to the user relating to the generation of the music lesson and the first subset of media assets;

compiling the first subset of media assets into a personalized music lesson, wherein the compiling further comprises inserting a plurality of the first subset of media assets into the lesson plan, thereby generating the personalized music lesson;

transmitting the personalized music lesson to the user;

detecting whether the user is progressing with the personalized music lesson;

when said detecting determines that the user has not progressed, automatically compiling a revised personalized music lesson without interaction from the user;

automatically retrieving a second subset of media assets from the database in response to receiving at least an indication from the user, while simultaneously transmitting an update message to the user relating to the generation of a subsequent music lesson;

compiling the second subset of media assets into a subsequent personalized music lesson, wherein the compiling further comprises replacing a plurality of the first subset of media assets with the second subset of media assets in the lesson plan, thereby generating the subsequent personalized music lesson; and

transmitting the subsequent personalized music lesson to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the user has changed the preferences; and

retrieving one or more media assets that replace or supplement previously retrieved media assets responsive to the user changing the preferences.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein said detecting whether the user is progressing further comprises determining that the user has not requested another music lesson when the user has purchased at least one of a subscription or a package of lessons;

and

wherein said method further comprises in response to said determining that the user has not requested another music lesson, automatically compiling the revised personalized music lesson without interaction from the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the user to transmit a recorded music clip to the instructor for critique or evaluation;

enabling the user to transmit a message to a lesson designer regarding the personalized music lesson;

enabling the lesson designer to adjust the rules used to select the media assets for creating personalized music lessons; and

enabling the user to provide feedback to communicate with other users, including instructors and lesson designers, and to inform whether the user is progressing or having difficulty with a particular music lesson.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprises retrieving the second subset of media assets responsive to a predetermined time or receiving an indication from the instructor, thereby generating the subsequent personalized music lesson.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

enabling the user to transmit a recorded music clip to the instructor for critique or evaluation;

enabling the user to transmit a message to a lesson designer regarding the personalized music lesson;

enabling the lesson designer to adjust the rules used to select the media assets for creating personalized music lessons; and

enabling the user to provide feedback to communicate with other users, including instructors and lesson designers, and to inform whether the user is progressing or having difficulty with a particular music lesson.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said detecting whether the user is progressing further comprises determining that the user has not requested another music lesson when the user has purchased at least one of a subscription or a package of lessons;

and

wherein said method further comprises in response to said determining that the user has not requested another music lesson, automatically compiling the revised personalized music lesson without interaction from the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving preferences further comprises receiving information relating to previous instruction including type of instruction, number of years of instruction, a self-assessment for the level of play;

instruments the user has previously played;

level of difficulty of songs that the user has played; and

particular techniques that the user has mastered.