Virtual classroom management delivery system and method

• US 9,716,580 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E&C Holding Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: E&C Holding Company, LLC
• Inventors: Slapp, III, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BHARGAVA, ANIL K
• Application Number:
  US14/397,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20150089376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• 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: H04L 5/0078 Timing of allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

In an embodiment, a computer implemented method of an online course, includes receiving a server quantity via a browser interface, the server quantity being the number of servers to be loaded with an operating system and a course application to provide a computer-based teaching environment to a student user, wherein the browser interface operates within a database. The method further includes receiving a server-student allocation via the browser interface, the server-student allocation being a number that determines the proportion of students in the computer-based teaching environment to the servers providing the computer-based teaching environment. The method also includes determining a reservation permission for the computer-based teaching environment during a timeslot based on the server quantity, the server-student allocation, and available assets, wherein the available assets includes an unreserved server, and providing, via the browser interface, the reservation permission for the computer-based teaching environment during the timeslot.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of an online course, comprising:

a step of receiving a server quantity via a browser interface, the server quantity being a number of servers to be loaded with an operating system and a course application to provide a computer-based teaching environment to a student user, wherein the browser interface operates within a database;

a step of receiving a server-student allocation via the browser interface, the server-student allocation being a number that determines a proportion of students in the computer-based teaching environment to the servers providing the computer-based teaching environment;

a step of determining a reservation permission for the computer-based teaching environment during a timeslot based on the server quantity, the server-student allocation, and available assets, wherein the available assets includes an unreserved server; and

a step of providing, via the browser interface, the reservation permission for the computer-based teaching environment during the timeslot.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a step of determining a course price as a function of the number of servers to be used to provide the computer-based teaching environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the server-student allocation is a quantity of students to be allocated to each server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each server is one of a virtual server and a server delivered virtually.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservation permission is further determined based on available assets for an additional non-sequential timeslot for the computer-based teaching environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer-based teaching environment is accessible via a standard internet browser, and provides each student user with access to the computer application operating on a corresponding one of the servers.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a step of providing an indication of an asset limitation during an open timeslot, wherein the asset limitation is a quantity restriction of available additional assets that can be used to provide the computer-based teaching environment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the asset limitation is at least one of an additional server, an additional operating system license, an additional application license, a documentation copyright license, and a virtual classroom seat.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the indication includes a distinct color of at least a part of the open timeslot illustrated via the browser interface.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the indication includes the quantity of available additional assets.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is at least one of a server for supporting multiple virtual server groups, and a stand alone server.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is one of a relational database and an object-oriented relational database management system and wherein in the step of receiving a server quantity, the received server quantity is compared with an asset limitation in an asset table in the database using operating-system processes stored in the database and the received server quantity is stored in the database if within the asset limitation, in the step of receiving a server-student allocation, the received server-student allocation is compared with an asset limitation in an asset table in the database using operating-system processes stored in the database and the received server-student allocation is stored in the database if within the asset limitation, and in the step of determining a reservation permission, a timeslot selection is received and compared with available timeslots and reservation permission is granted and stored in the database if the timeslot is within the available timeslots, and storing the reservation permission within the database, and wherein there is also a step of delivering the online course using information stored in the database.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a database and storing one or more programs, the database and one or more programs storing instructions, which when executed by an electronic device, cause the device to:

implement a step of receiving a server quantity via a browser interface, the server quantity being a number of servers to be loaded with an operating system and a course application to provide a computer-based teaching environment to a student user, wherein the browser interface operates within a database;

implement a step of receiving a server-student allocation via the browser interface, the server-student allocation being a number that determines a proportion of students in the computer-based teaching environment to the servers providing the computer-based teaching environment;

implement a step of determining a reservation permission for the computer-based teaching environment during a timeslot based on the server quantity, the server-student allocation, and available assets, wherein the available assets includes an unreserved server; and

implement a step of providing, via the browser interface, the reservation permission for the computer-based teaching environment during the timeslot.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein a device may be further caused to:

implement a step of determining a course price as a function of the number of servers to be used to provide the computer-based teaching environment.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the server-student allocation is a quantity of students to be allocated to each server.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein each server is one of a virtual server and a server delivered virtually.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the timeslot is defined by reservation permission is further determined based on available assets for an additional non-sequential timeslot for the computer-based teaching environment.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the computer-based teaching environment is accessible via a standard internet browser, and provides each student user with access to the computer application operating on a corresponding one of the servers.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein a device may be further caused to:

implement a step of providing an indication of an asset limitation during an open timeslot, wherein the asset limitation is a quantity restriction of available additional assets that can be used to provide the computer-based teaching environment.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the asset limitation is at least one of an additional server, an additional operating system license, an additional application license, a documentation copyright license, and a virtual classroom seat.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the database is one of a relational database and an object-oriented relational database management system and wherein in the step of receiving a server quantity, the received server quantity is compared with an asset limitation in an asset table in the database using operating-system processes stored in the database and the received server quantity is stored in the database if within the asset limitation, in the step of receiving a server-student allocation, the received server-student allocation is compared with an asset limitation in an asset table in the database using operating-system processes stored in the database and the received server-student allocation is stored in the database if within the asset limitation, and in the step of determining a reservation permission, a timeslot selection is received and compared with available timeslots and reservation permission is granted and stored in the database if the timeslot is within the available timeslots, and storing the reservation permission within the database, and wherein there is also a step of delivering the online course using information stored in the database.

22. A computer implemented method of an online course, comprising:

a step of receiving a server quantity via a browser interface, the server quantity being a number of servers to be loaded with an operating system and a course application to provide a computer-based teaching environment to a student user, wherein the browser interface operates within a database;

a step of receiving a server-student allocation via the browser interface, the server-student allocation being a number that determines a proportion of students in the computer-based teaching environment to the servers providing the computer-based teaching environment;

a step of determining a reservation permission for the computer-based teaching environment during a timeslot based on the server quantity, the server-student allocation, and available assets, wherein the available assets includes an unreserved server;

a step of providing, via the browser interface, the reservation permission for the computer-based teaching environment during the timeslot;

a step of determining a course price as a function of the number of servers to be used to provide the computer-based teaching environment; and

a step of providing an indication of an asset limitation during an open timeslot, wherein the asset limitation is a quantity restriction of available additional assets that can be used to provide the computer-based teaching environment.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the database is one of a relational database and an object-oriented relational database management system and wherein in the step of receiving a server quantity, the received server quantity is compared with an asset limitation in an asset table in the database using operating-system processes stored in the database and the received server quantity is stored in the database if within the asset limitation, in the step of receiving a server-student allocation, the received server-student allocation is compared with an asset limitation in an asset table in the database using operating-system processes stored in the database and the received server-student allocation is stored in the database if within the asset limitation, and in the step of determining a reservation permission, a timeslot selection is received and compared with available timeslots and reservation permission is granted and stored in the database if the timeslot is within the available timeslots, and storing the reservation permission within the database, and wherein there is also a step of delivering the online course using information stored in the database.