Systems and methods for computerized interactive training

• US 8,602,794 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Breakthrough Performancetech LLC
• Original Assignee: Breakthrough Performancetech LLC
• Inventors: Cohen, Martin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gishnock, Nikolai A
• Application Number:
  US12/058,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20080254419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 434/322, 434/323, 434/350, 434/362
• US Class Current: 434/323
• 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 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• 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 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/06 of the multiple-choice answer-type, i.e. where a given question is provided with a series of answers and a choice has to be made from the answers

Abstract

Interactive electronic training systems and methods are described herein. Certain embodiments provide preprogrammed video, audio, and/or textual presentations of training materials which provide information related to skills/information to be trained. A scenario including real or animated actors is presented, simulating an interaction. The training system presents related queries for the trainee who audibly responds. The training system stores a score based in part on a comparison of the trainee'"'"'s response with an answer stored in training system memory. Optionally, the scores are substantially immediately presented by the system to the trainee.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising:

program code stored in non-transitory computer readable memory, that when executed by a computing system is configured to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising;

provide a first training presentation of a first communication involving verbal communication between at least two real or simulated persons;

provide an instruction via which the user is to be instructed to verbally identify an opportunity clue indicating a current and/or future need presented by at least a first person involved in the first communication and missed by a second person involved in the first communication, wherein the user is not provided with a choice of answers from which to select;

store in computer readable memory an indication as to whether the user correctly identified the opportunity clue missed by the second person involved in the first communication;

provide an instruction via which the user is to be instructed to be queried regarding how an opportunity corresponding to the opportunity clue should be responded to, wherein the query does not include an answer from which the user can select and where the user is to verbally answer;

store in computer readable memory an indication as to whether the user correctly explained how the opportunity should be responded to; and

calculate at least one score based at least in part on one or more of the stored indications.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the program code, when executed is further configured to cause the computing system to:

provide instructions via which the user is to be instructed to verbally explain why the opportunity clue is an opportunity; and

store in computer readable memory an indication as to whether the user correctly explained why the opportunity clue is an opportunity.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, where the program code is further configured to cause the computing system to randomly select a training presentation from a set of presentations.

4. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the program code, when executed is further configured to cause the computing system to:

provide a first user input control that enables a command to be entered which will cause an entire presentation conversation to be played; and

provide a plurality of conversation segment controls that enable corresponding segments of an informational presentation to be automatically located and selectively played.

5. A method of training a user to identify information via an interactive electronic training system at least in part by engaging a user'"'"'s hearing and seeing senses and by having the user perform audible articulation, the method comprising:

providing via an interactive electronic training system terminal a first training presentation of a first communication involving verbal communication between at least two real or simulated people;

providing via the interactive electronic training system terminal user instructions via which the user is instructed to verbally and audibly identify an opportunity clue indicating a current and/or future need from information presented by at least a first person involved in the first communication and missed by a second person involved in the first communication, wherein the user is not provided a choice of answers from which the user can select, and wherein the opportunity clue indicates an opportunity exists to provide the first person with a product, service, solution, or recommendation, where the first person has not specifically requested the product, service, solution, or recommendation;

causing, at least in part, an indication to be stored in computer readable memory as to whether the user correctly identified the opportunity clue missed by the second person involved in the first communication;

causing at least in part a query to be provided via the interactive electronic training system terminal to the user regarding why the opportunity clue is an opportunity, wherein the user is to verbally respond and is not provided a choice of answers from which the user can select;

causing, at least in part, an indication to be stored in computer readable memory as to whether the user correctly explained why the opportunity clue is an opportunity;

causing at least in part a query to be provided to the user regarding how the opportunity should be responded to, wherein the query does not include a choice of answers from which the user can select and where the user is to verbally answer;

causing, at least in part, an indication to be stored in computer readable memory as to whether the user correctly explained how the opportunity should be responded to;

calculating at least one score by the interactive electronic training system based at least in part on one or more of the stored indications; and

causing, by the interactive electronic training system, the at least one score to be visibly presented.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the user is queried to verbally state to a person in physical and audible proximity with the user how the opportunity should be responded where the person scores the user by comparing the user statement with a preprogrammed answer presented by the system.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the person in physical and audible proximity with the user receives training by facilitating the training of the user.

8. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the training presentation is randomly selected by the system from a set of training presentations that include at least one person engaged in an actual or simulated conversation or monologue.

9. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the opportunity clue corresponds to an unspoken need.

10. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the opportunity clue corresponds to a need not recognized as such by the real or simulated person.

11. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the opportunity clue corresponds to a life event related to a change in marital status, moving, having a child, and/or an illness.

12. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the opportunity is not correctly responded to by a person involved in the first communication.

13. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein if the user does not correctly identify the opportunity clue, the opportunity clue is identified to the user prior to the user being queried regarding why the opportunity clue is an opportunity.

14. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the opportunity clue relates to a financial need of a person involved in the first communication.

15. The method as defined in claim 5, the method further comprising providing scoring information for the first training presentation, wherein the scoring information is used to provide training reinforcement.

16. The method as defined in claim 5, the method further comprising training the user in taking notes during at least a first training session, including training the user to prioritize what is to be noted with respect to the first conversation.

17. The method as defined in claim 5, the method further comprising generating a scoring report including at least a summary of training subject matter, the summary including answers to at least a portion of the questions asked of the user.

18. The method as defined in claim 5, the method further comprising:

enabling an informational presentation to be provided to the user prior to asking the user a first question related to the content of the informational presentation; and

enabling a selected portion of the informational presentation corresponding to the first question to be re-presented after the user is asked the first question, wherein the system automatically locates the selected portion at least partly in response to a manually input play command.

19. A method of training a user to identify opportunities via an interactive electronic training system, the method comprising:

enabling a first training presentation of a first communication including at least a verbal communication between at least two real or simulated people;

enabling, at least in part, a user instruction to be provided via the training system via which the user is instructed to verbally identify an opportunity clue, indicating a current and/or future need, presented by at least a first person involved in the first communication and missed by a second person involved in the first communication, wherein the user is not provided with a choice of answers from which to select;

causing, at least in part, an indication to be stored in computer readable memory as to whether the user correctly identified the opportunity clue missed by the second person involved in the first communication;

causing at least in part a query to be provided to the user via the training system regarding how an opportunity corresponding to the opportunity clue should be responded to, wherein the query does not include an answer from which the user can select and where the user is to verbally answer;

causing, at least in part, an indication to be stored in computer readable memory as to whether the user correctly explained how the opportunity should be responded to;

calculating at least one score by the training system based at least in part on one or more of the stored indications; and

causing the at least one score to be visibly presented by the training system.

20. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein the training presentation is randomly selected by the system from a set of training presentations that include at least one person engaged in an actual or simulated conversation or monologue.

21. The method as defined in claim 19, the method further comprising:

automatically starting a timer in coordination with the system presenting the query regarding how an opportunity corresponding to the opportunity clue should be responded to;

providing a stop timer control; and

providing an instruction that the stop timer control be activated with the user begins responding to the query regarding how an opportunity corresponding to the opportunity clue should be responded to.

22. The method as defined in claim 19, the method further comprising:

causing at least in part a query to be provided to the user regarding why the opportunity clue is an opportunity; and

causing, at least in part, an indication to be stored in computer readable memory as to whether the user correctly explained why the opportunity clue is an opportunity.

23. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein if the user does not correctly identify the opportunity clue, the opportunity clue is identified to the user prior to the user being queried regarding why the opportunity clue is an opportunity.

24. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the user is instructed to verbally state to a person in physical and audible proximity with the user how the opportunity should be responded to, and wherein the system presents a preprogrammed correct answer with which the person can compare and score the user statement regarding how the opportunity should be responded to.

25. The method as defined in claim 24, wherein the person in physical and audible proximity with the user receives training by facilitating the training of the user.

26. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein the opportunity clue corresponds to a life event related to a change in marital status, moving, having a child, and/or an illness.

27. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein the opportunity is not correctly responded to by a first person in the first training presentation involved in the first communication.

28. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein the opportunity clue relates to a financial need of a first person involved in the first communication.

29. The method as defined in claim 19, the method further comprising training the user in taking notes during at least a first training session, including training the user to prioritize what is to be noted with respect to the first conversation.

30. The method as defined in claim 19, the method further comprising generating a scoring report including at least a summary of training subject matter, the summary including answers to at least a portion of the questions asked of the user.

31. The method as defined in claim 19, the method further comprising:

enabling an informational presentation to be provided to the user prior to asking the user a first question related to the content of the informational presentation; and

enabling a selected portion of the informational presentation corresponding to the first question to be re-presented after the user is asked the first question, wherein the system automatically locates the selected portion at least partly in response to a manually input play command.

32. A method of training a user to identify opportunities via an interactive electronic training system at least in part by engaging a user'"'"'s hearing and seeing senses and by having the user perform audible articulation, the method comprising:

enabling a first training presentation of a first communication including at least a verbal communication from at a first person to a second person to be provided via the training system, wherein an image of the first person is displayed to the user;

enabling, at least in part, a user instruction to be provided via the training system via which the user is instructed to identify an opportunity clue presented by at least the first person involved in the first communication and missed by the second person, by audibly articulating the identification, wherein the user is not provided with a choice of answers from which to select in the form of a multiple choice question;

enabling, at least in part, an indication to be stored in computer readable memory as to whether the user correctly identified the opportunity clue missed by the second person;

enabling, at least in part, a query to be provided via the training system to the user regarding how an opportunity corresponding to the opportunity clue should be responded to, wherein the user is to verbally respond and wherein the user is not provided with a choice of answers from which to select in the form of a multiple choice question;

enabling, at least in part, an indication to be stored in computer readable memory as to whether the user correctly explained how the opportunity should be responded to;

calculating at least one score by the training system based at least in part on one or more of the stored indications; and

causing, by the training system, the at least one score to be visibly presented.

33. The method as defined in claim 32, the method further comprising at least partly enabling answers to be displayed to a trainer in association with a scoring user interface, wherein the trainer is within view of the user.

34. The method as defined in claim 32, wherein the training presentation is randomly selected by the system from a set of training presentations that include at least one person engaged in an actual or simulated conversation or monologue.

35. The method as defined in claim 32, wherein if the user does not correctly identify the opportunity clue, the opportunity clue is identified to the user prior to the user being queried regarding why the opportunity clue is an opportunity.

36. The method as defined in claim 32, wherein the user is instructed to verbally state to a person in physical and audible proximity with the user how the opportunity should be responded to, and wherein the system presents a preprogrammed correct answer with which the person can compare and score the user statement regarding how the opportunity should be responded to.

37. The method as defined in claim 32, the method further comprising:

automatically starting a timer in coordination with the system presenting the query regarding how an opportunity corresponding to the opportunity clue should be responded to;

providing a stop timer control; and

providing an instruction that the stop timer control be activated with the user begins responding to the query regarding how an opportunity corresponding to the opportunity clue should be responded to.

38. The method as defined in claim 32, wherein the person in physical and audible proximity with the user receives training by facilitating the training of the user.

39. The method as defined in claim 32, wherein the opportunity clue corresponds to a life event related to a change in marital status, moving, having a child, and/or an illness.

40. The method as defined in claim 32, wherein the opportunity is not correctly responded to by a first person in the first training presentation involved in the first communication.

41. The method as defined in claim 32, wherein the opportunity clue relates to a financial need of a first person involved in the first communication.

42. The method as defined in claim 32, the method further comprising training the user in taking notes during at least a first training session, including training the user to prioritize what is to be noted with respect to the first conversation.

43. The method as defined in claim 32, the method further comprising generating a scoring report including at least a summary of training subject matter, the summary including answers to at least a portion of the questions asked of the user.

44. The method as defined in claim 32, the method further comprising affecting the user'"'"'s occipital and temporal lobes via the informational presentation.

45. The method as defined in claim 32, the method further comprising:

enabling an informational presentation to be provided to the user prior to asking the user a first question related to the content of the informational presentation; and

enabling a selected portion of the informational presentation corresponding to the first question to be re-presented after the user is asked the first question, wherein the system automatically locates the selected portion at least partly in response to a manually input play command.