Peered proctoring

• US 9,092,991 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kryterion, Inc. (Drake International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kryterion, Inc. (Drake International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Logan, David, Walton, Eric, Collins, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US14/179,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20140162228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-205, 709217-227, 709/228, 434/362
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19663 Surveillance related processing done local to the camera
• 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 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/07 providing for individual presentation of questions to a plurality of student stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks

Abstract

Systems and methods described herein utilize a distributed server network to allow for the real-time distribution of copies of a data stream uploaded from a computing device. The uploaded data stream corresponds to an environment surrounding a user (exam taker) of the computing device during execution of a testing routine for an examination. Providing copies of the data stream in real-time allows proctors as well as other test assessment authorities to ‘peek in’ on the exam taker'"'"'s environment during the exam. As a result, the environment surrounding the exam taker can be monitored in real-time to determine whether any visual or audio activity in the environment constitutes activity not in accordance with the exam protocol. Following an affirmative determination that the exam taker violated an exam taking protocol, a proctor or other test assessment authority can then make a final or early decision regarding disciplinary action.

Claims

1. A method for managing distribution of a data stream from a distributed computing device network, the method comprising:

receiving a data stream into the distributed computing device network, the data stream corresponding to an environment surrounding a user of a first remote computing device during execution of a testing routine for an examination;

receiving a request to transmit the data stream to a second remote computing device, the request including metadata and being received over the network during execution of the testing routine;

identifying one or more computing devices of the distributed computing device network to process the request based on the metadata;

selecting a computing device of the one or more identified computing devices to further process the request by transmitting the data stream to the second remote computing device, the computing device selected based on one or more estimated performance metrics for a network path from the first remote computing device to the second remote computing device; and

transmitting the data stream from the selected computing device in the distributed computing device network to the second remote computing device in response to the request, the data stream transmitted during execution of the testing routine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second request to transmit the data stream to a third computing device, the second request received during execution of the testing routine; and

transmitting the data stream from the second remote computing device in the distributed computing device network to the third computing device during execution of the testing routine in response to the second request.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second request is received from the second remote computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data stream is a video data stream of the environment surrounding the user of the first remote computing device during the testing routine, and transmitting the data stream to the second remote computing device includes transmitting the video data stream for display on the second remote computing device during the testing routine.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication from the second remote computing device that aberrant behavior in the environment has been detected through analysis of the data stream; and

intervening in the testing routine to resolve the aberrant behavior.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein intervening in the testing routine includes transmitting a request to the first remote computing device that the environment be modified to resolve the aberrant behavior.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein intervening in the testing routine includes transmitting a request to the first remote computing device that the testing routine for the examination is no longer allowed to continue.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication from the second remote computing device that aberrant behavior in the environment has been detected through analysis of the data stream; and

providing an indication that the testing routine for the examination on the first remote computing device is allowed to continue subject to further analysis of the data stream during grading of the examination.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a program embodied thereon, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for managing distribution of a data stream from a distributed computing device network, the method comprising:

receiving a data stream into the distributed computing device network, the data stream corresponding to an environment surrounding a user of a first remote computing device during execution of a testing routine for an examination;

receiving a request to transmit the data stream to a second remote computing device, the request including metadata and being received over the network during execution of the testing routine;

identifying one or more computing devices of the distributed computing device network to process the request based on the metadata;

selecting a computing device of the one or more identified computing devices to further process the request by transmitting the data stream to the second remote computing device, the computing device selected based on one or more estimated performance metrics for a network path from the first remote computing device to the second remote computing device; and

transmitting the data stream from the selected computing device in the distributed computing device network to the second remote computing device and in response to the request, the data stream transmitted during execution of the testing routine.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second request to transmit the data stream to a third computing device, the second request received during execution of the testing routine; and

transmitting the data stream from the second remote computing device in the distributed computing device network to the third computing device during execution of the testing routine in response to the second request.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the second request is received from the second remote computing device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the data stream is a video data stream of the environment surrounding the user of the first remote computing device during the testing routine, and transmitting the data stream to the second remote computing device includes transmitting the video data stream for display on the second remote computing device during the testing routine.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication from the second remote computing device that aberrant behavior in the environment has been detected through analysis of the data stream; and

intervening in the testing routine to resolve the aberrant behavior.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein intervening in the testing routine includes transmitting a request to the first remote computing device that the environment be modified to resolve the aberrant behavior.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein intervening in the testing routine includes transmitting a request to the first remote computing device that the testing routine for the examination is no longer allowed to continue.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further includes:

receiving an indication from the second remote computing device that aberrant behavior in the environment has been detected through analysis of the data stream; and

providing an indication that the testing routine for the examination on the first remote computing device is allowed to continue subject to further analysis of the data stream during grading of the examination.

17. A system for managing distribution of a data stream from a distributed computer network, the system comprising:

a plurality of computing devices forming a distributed computer network, wherein each of the plurality of computing devices includes a processor and memory; and

a selected computing device of the plurality of computing devices that includes a module stored in memory and executable by the processor to;

receive a data stream into the distributed computing device network, the data stream corresponding to an environment surrounding a user of a first remote computing device during execution of a testing routine for an examination,

receive a request to transmit the data stream to a second remote computing device, the request including metadata and received over the network during execution of the testing routine,

identify one or more computing devices of the distributed computing device network to process the request based on the metadata,

select a computing device of the one or more identified computing devices to further process the request by transmitting the data stream to the second remote computing device, the computing device selected based on one or more estimated performance metrics for a network path from the first remote computing device to the second remote computing device, and

transmit the data stream from the selected computing device in the distributed computing device network to the second remote computing device based on the meta data and in response to the request, the data stream transmitted during execution of the testing routine.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the module is further executable to:

receive a second request to transmit the data stream to a third computing device, the second request received during execution of the testing routine; and

transmit the data stream from the second remote computing device in the distributed computing device network to the third computing device during execution of the testing routine in response to the second request.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the second request is received from the second remote computing device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the data stream is a video data stream of the environment surrounding the user of the first remote computing device during the testing routine, and transmitting the data stream to the second remote computing device includes transmitting the video data stream for display on the second remote computing device during the testing routine.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the module is further executable to:

receive an indication from the second remote computing device than aberrant behavior in the environment has been detected through analysis of the data stream; and

intervene in the testing routine to resolve the aberrant behavior.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein intervening in the testing routine includes transmitting a request to the first remote computing device that the environment be modified to resolve the aberrant behavior.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein intervening in the testing routine includes transmitting a request to the first remote computing device that the testing routine for the examination is no longer allowed to continue.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the module is further executable to:

receive an indication from the second remote computing device than aberrant behavior in the environment has been detected through analysis of the data stream; and

provide an indication that the testing routine for the examination on the first remote computing device is allowed to continue subject to further analysis of the data stream during grading of the examination.