Content system and associated methods

• US 20050086296A1
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackboard Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Blackboard Incorporated
• Inventors: Chi, Timothy Rotau, Oerter, Lara, Chasen, Michael Lewis, Everhart, Deborah, Cane, Daniel, Finnefrock, Jessica
• Granted Patent: US 8,745,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for providing data files to a community of users. The data files relate to a plurality of courses. Each user is associated with one or more of the courses. The system includes client devices operated by the users and a server system in communication with the client devices over a network. The server system provides to the client devices access to data files relating to courses with which the users are associated. The server system also includes a content system for storing content items from users. The content items in the content system are selectable by users for inclusion in one or more of the plurality of data files.

Claims

1. A system for providing data files to a community of users, said data files relating to a plurality of courses, each user being associated with one or more of said courses, the system comprising:

a plurality of client devices, each client device operated by one of said users;

a server system in communication over a network with said client devices, the server system providing to said client devices access to data files relating to courses with which users operating said client devices are associated, said server system also including a content system for storing content items from users, said content items in said content system being selectable by users for inclusion in one or more of said plurality of data files.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said network comprises a LAN, a WAN, a MAN, an intranet or the Internet.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said users comprise students, instructors, administrators, or librarians associated with an educational institution.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein users can search for desired content items in said content system using metadata associated with said content items or using text searching.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said content items are organized in a catalog in said content system, and wherein users can identify desired content items in said content system by browsing said catalog.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said content system controls which users can access said content items.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said content system controls which users can access said content items based on permissions associated with said content items.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said permissions include read, write, delete, or manage.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said content system controls the time period said content items can be accessed by said users.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said content system provides a common structure for storage of said content items.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the content system can manage file versioning.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the content system can monitor the checking in and checking out of content items.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the content system can be used as a workflow tool.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said content system comprises a content repository in which users can store files.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the content items can be reused by instructors for multiple courses.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising a link checker for verifying links in data files to content items stored in the content system.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein said content item is linked to said one or more of said plurality of data files.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said content system has multi-language capability.

19. In a system for providing data files to a community of users, said data files relating to a plurality of courses, each user being associated with one or more of said courses, a method of sharing content items among a plurality of said data files, the method comprising:

identifying in a content repository for storing content items from users a desired content item to be used in one or more of said data files;

associating said desired content item with said one or more of said data files; and

making said one or more data files accessible over a network to users associated with courses relating to said one or more data files.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said network comprises a LAN, a WAN, a MAN, an intranet or the Internet.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said users comprise students, instructors, administrators, or librarians associated with an educational institution.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein identifying a desired content item comprises searching for a desired content item in said content repository using metadata associated with said content items or using text searching.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein said content items are organized in a catalog, and wherein identifying a desired content item comprises browsing said catalog.

24. The method of claim 19 further comprising selectively controlling which users can access said content items.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein selectively controlling which users can access said content items is performed using permissions associated with said content items.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said permissions include read, write, delete, or manage.

27. The method of claim 19 further comprising controlling the time period said content items can be accessed by said users.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein said content repository provides a common structure for storage of said content items.

29. The method of claim 19 further comprising managing file versioning of content items in said content repository.

30. The method of claim 19 further comprising monitoring the checking in and checking out of content items.

31. The method of claim 19 further comprising managing workflow activities relating to content items in said content repository.

32. The method of claim 19 further comprising storing user files in said content repository.

33. The method of claim 19 further comprising reusing content items stored in said content repository in multiple courses.

34. The method of claim 19 further comprising verifying links in data files to content items stored in the content repository.

35. The method of claim 19 wherein associating said desired content item with said one or more of said data files comprises linking said desired content item with said one or more of said data files.

36. A content system for use in sharing content items among a plurality of data files made accessible to a community of users, said data files relating to a plurality of courses, each user being associated with one or more of said courses, said content system comprising:

a content repository for storing content items from users;

a search mechanism for assisting users to identify a desired content item in the content repository;

means for linking said desired content item with said one or more of said data files; and

means for providing access to said one or more data files over a network to users associated with courses relating to said one or more data files.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein said network comprises a LAN, a WAN, a MAN, an intranet or the Internet.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein said users comprise students, instructors, administrators, or librarians associated with an educational institution.

39. The system of claim 36 wherein users can search for desired content items in said content system using metadata associated with said content items or using text searching.

40. The system of claim 36 wherein said content items are organized in a catalog in said content system, and wherein users can identify desired content items in said content system by browsing said catalog.

41. The system of claim 36 wherein said means for providing access restricts which users can access said content items.

42. The system of claim 36 wherein said means for providing access controls the time period said content items can be accessed by said users.

43. The system of claim 36 wherein said content system provides a common structure for storage of said content items.

44. The system of claim 36 wherein the content system can manage file versioning.

45. The system of claim 36 wherein the content system can monitor the checking in and checking out of content items.

46. The system of claim 36 wherein the content system can be used as a workflow tool.

47. The system of claim 36 wherein said content system has multi-language capability.

48. The system of claim 36 further comprising a link checker for verifying links in data files to content items stored in the content system.