DESC:FORM 2

THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
[39 OF 1970]

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[SEE SECTION 10 & RULE 13]

1 TITLE

Multimedia Based Real time, Duplex, E-Learning System Using Secured Radio Frequency Communication between Geographically Distant Smart Machines Functioning on Android, iOS and Embedded OS via Human Activated Process

2 APPLICANT

NAME VALUABLE INNOVATIONS PRIVATE LIMITED

ADDRESS Valuable Techno Park, 53/1, Road No. 7, MIDC
Andheri (East) Mumbai 400 093- India

NATIONALITY INDIAN

The following specification particularly describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:

BACKGROUND

Conventional mode of education is a brick and mortar model. Where, a domain expert delivers face to face instructions to multiple students in a single classroom.

Globalization, liberalization, privatization, consumerism in rapidly developing nations have triggered huge demand of unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, educated, highly educated, specially trained manpower across globe.

Further, hurdles viz. deficiency of large number of excellent trainers, innovative & quality teachers, non-standardization of education, high cost of operational administration, deficiency of travel resources, uneven distribution of rural and urban population, existing socio-cultural-economic-gender discrimination, absence of minimal classroom infrastructure, lack of motivation amongst teachers, dependency on overseas literature resources etc. have aggravated woes to create sustainable, talented, cost effective, employable, trained pool of knowledgeable manpower. It has adversely affected the rate of progress of the nation.

PRIOR ART

To some extent Information communication and technology (ICT) has addressed this issue by deploying distance learning, e-learning etc. Verbatim digitization of existing print media content or embedding two dimensional animations was some of the directional elementary efforts. Such eLearning set up typically comprises of remote students, teachers, administration staff involves in training or educational activities. Teacher and students communicate over internet to receive content, submit project, assignment, attempts tutorial or even appear online examinations, download results etc.

But, this is still one way instruction based, demonstrative way of learning. Mostly it is off line.

However, decrease in bandwidth cost, availability of economical voice, image capturing devices, electronic display, processing and memory chips, communication infrastructure equipment along with IT literacy generation next have triggered learning via radio, television, web based animated electronic media, CDs/DVDs, Audio/video conferencing and other ways.

Partially above solution is equivalent to brick and mortar model in terms of click and portal.
Nonetheless, cost effective, secured, simultaneous, real time, scalable interaction with individual student from large number of geographically distant schools was and is still a challenge.

INVENTION

Inventors have addressed this practical, vital & technological limitation, with a sound, scalable, secured, solution.

Inventors solutions helps to continuously, collate, sort, organized multiple real time enquiries from large number of student spread across multiple number of geographically distinct but radio frequency mode connected virtual classroom. Student’s device has processing abilities to securely communicate their enquiries in multimedia format, even without any help or intervention by local teacher, to remotely housed super domain expert in central studio. Most of the enquiries are answered online. System has provision to archive these enquiries along with the regular instructional content.

This is achieved by equipping remote students with smart, portable, cost effective device with means of communication and embedded proprietary software. Embedded software confirms and tracks physical presence of student via biometric means, id of student, his class, school, its time and location, his frequency of asking question etc. form a part of MIS. Such MIS facilitates school to predict extent of depth of understanding of a particular topic/subject of student, his or that of his class, school, sub-region level area performance and policy makers to plan and share their ICT resources. Archived content serves as an excellent offline resource to keep student engaged. Local teachers derive inspiration from a centrally located superior domain expert. Without any manpower retrenchment, entire ecosystem helps to create healthy competition amongst teachers, students, staff, and administration resources transforming them into knowledge assets with enhanced specialized skills.

System is not only limited to syllabus centric education but also finds application in training, skilled based specialized education, media & entertainment, sports and health domains.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The embodiments disclosed herein generally relates to apparatus, method and system which uses analytical tool to acknowledge individual skill enhancing enquiries in a group learning environment and more specifically to its usage in the remote classroom or laboratory in electronically assisted learning scenario.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The methods, apparatus, and systems described herein facilitate decision-making by providing predictions of student out-comes and behaviors. The methods include receiving a communication posted by a student, identifying keywords in text of the communication associated with one or more student metrics, scoring the communication for at least one student metric, and predicting a likelihood of a student outcome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments disclosed here in generally relates to apparatus, method and system which uses analytical tool to acknowledge individual skill enhancing enquiries in a group learning environment and more specifically to its usage in the remote classroom or laboratory in electronically assisted learning scenario.

Further, embodiments include audio capturing component e.g. microphone, camera, a digital display with a wireless communication mode.

Another embodiment includes operation on any of the existing current version of the various mobile operating systems.

Another embodiment includes two way communication between an expert in the studio and students at different places as if in a physical classroom thereby means to convey subject information and receive feedback and enquiries from students and further response to such enquiries in real time.

Further embodiment includes several means such as audio, text, physical [raising hands] for conveying queries possibly from students

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:

Figure 1 Schematic of Smart device based interaction.
Figure 2 Duplex flow of content information and enquiries.
Figure 3 Screen showing Portable Hardware Device with Wireless communication for Student’s Registration
Figure 4 Mobile Device with Inventors Application showing hand raise option for multimedia based interaction
Figure 5 View Appearing on Television Display in Remote Classroom along with portable camera & mike for interaction
Figure 6 Central Studio Showing Live feed from remote classroom
Figure 7 Server with database of schools and video wall depicting scrolling iconic view of multiple remote classrooms
Figure 8 Studio end Video wall showing blinking hand raise option request from remote student in mapped school
Figure 9 Remote end School view depicting split screen showing regular content with multimedia based interaction
Figure 10 Various components of virtual classroom – receiving end
Figure 11 Various Components of studio broadcasting head end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION BASED ON THE DRAWINGS

Fig 1 illustrates a schematic interaction between the central servers containing the media content and remote class room or schools or an authenticated learner through smart device. The Studio end comprises of a Domain Expert (100) having access to multimedia content (200) who relays the same through a central server (300) to remote virtual classroom (400), various school participants (800), authenticated learner (500) though a smart device (700) accessible by Wi-Fi or any means of access to the Internet.

Figure 2 illustrates a schematic view of the two way communication by which the Domain Expert and the students in the classroom can interact with each other so as to fully teach /understand the content.

Figure 3 illustrates a portable hardware / Smart device used for a student's registration for access the interaction and thereby also mark the attendance of the student in the same.

Figure 4 illustrates the device screen at the student's end to record means for interaction.

Figure 5 illustrates the display as appearing in remote classroom. The remote classroom comprises of screen indicating the live content and a video display of the domain expert and camera and microphone and a biometric sensor detector

Figure 6 illustrates the display appearing at studio end showing the class room in live feed mode.

Figure 7 illustrates the studio end school database and arrangement of the schools participating.

Figure 8 illustrates the studio end school database and the option exercisable by students in a school or multiple thereof

Figure 9 illustrates the remote school view depicting both views of teacher or domain expert interacting with student and the concerned school and the options or means to reproduce the query.

Figure 10 depicts the components present in a virtual classroom.

Figure 11 depicts the components present in a studio broadcasting end.

Thus at the Studio end comprises the Domain Expert (professor) who airs the multimedia content through the server having means to connect to a v- sat modem and dish for transmitting contents of server to remote end schools, smart devices

At the virtual classroom end each student of particular school need to log in and enter their user id and password or use the biometric sensor to access the lesson. Also provided at the virtual classroom end are device used by the student to log in, high definition TV , portable Vigo camera, v sat modem, v sat dish antennae and means for connection to the inter net

Thus on verifying the audio and video connection at each end the lesson to be discussed is initiated.

The Domain Expert initiates the airing of the multimedia content and wherever practicable or required explains the contents of the multimedia content and poses queries to the students. At the classroom end, the students observe the Domain Expert and the media content and listen to the explanations and tend to respond to the query raised by the Domain Expert or raise their query relating to the content by accessible means. The domain Expert thereafter reacts to the answers by the students and the queries raised by the students so as to enable a proper understanding of the subject/ contents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The System comprises of a portable hardware device equivalent to smart phone, tablet, phablet, wearable gadget working on existing operating system, such as android, IOS, embedded OS. It is a robust, resource conserving, ecofriendly device with and extended battery life. Further, It has image, audio capturing component e.g. microphone, camera, a digital display with a wireless communication mode. It can be operated on any of the existing current version of mobile operating system viz. android, IOS and others.

Aforesaid apparatus has a unique device code mapping it with to its user’s profile. System has built in smart compact algorithm. It is termed as subscriber or client end software, the counter part of which is installed on a remote server end in a geographically distant studio. Client end software can communicate in real time with server end software via secured encrypted, encoded wireless multimedia data exchange in duplex manner.

Aforesaid apparatus is a part of the earlier patent application under scrutiny with Government of India patent office under No. 246/MUM/2012 dated 24th January 2012 in the field of virtual classroom. This Patent relates to a 'BOOKLESS' apparatus and process integrated to create, manage, distribute and deploy the multimedia based edutainment content synchronizing the conventional (chalk 8B board based) instruction delivery process to equip the stake holder in academia to learn at customized pace, conduct examination, monitor regular performance, accountability, enhance interaction amongst geographically distantly located educational institutions. Provided also are means for appropriate authorities to access the device online/offline virtual private communication channel over intra or internet.

Also another invention developed pending under Patent application No 2967/MUM/2011 dated 21/10/2011 pertains to the virtual classroom set-up, the video mosaic application allows teachers to see all/multiple classrooms in a panel in front of him/her. This live video provides the requisite feedback to teachers to tune their lecture for better understanding by students. With video mosaic enabling this in low reverse bandwidth networks using Images or video using same or alternate network, this helps achieve better learning environment for students.

Both these patents comprise features utilized in the present invention.

The Present invention comprises of a large display device e.g. 60” television which may be with built in central camera, V-sat dish antenna, V-sat modem, bandwidth provider, computer to run the inventor’s application, microphone, portable standard definition two dimensional video camera and an operator who, configures, integrates and operates these equipment.

Students in above classroom learn by viewing, listening or even performing (virtual laboratory – experiments) as per the content / instructions of the subject expert delivered from the remote studio.

Real time, decoded, decrypted, multimedia content displayed over the television enables student to grasp the concept, improve their cognition skill in most effective edutainment manner.

Conventionally, a student in the remote classroom interacts in real time with a studio housed subject expert (teacher) whose lecture is being broadcasted live from a distant central studio.

This happens during the interactive session or whenever a hand raise option is invoked by remote student or a studio based faculty puts a question across multiple students from multiple schools.

Such interaction happens via text based chat, microphone based dialogue or video conference.

Usually a local teacher at remote end guides such student by motivating or understanding and projecting his precise query via aforesaid secured network.

Thus there is dependency upon the local subject expert to correctly understand, interpret and communicate the concerned student’s enquiry to remote teacher. Student has to wait till his number queues up and by that time he may lose patience and interest to raise that question. Thus he may be deprived of depth of sought clarification about his enquiry or knowledge.

However, the current invention is in imparting monitored freedom to student to have self-motivated and operated multimedia based communication by equipping him with aforesaid wearable/mobile hardware device with embedded user friendly algorithm. The application is developed to cater to aforesaid devices working on latest version of any of the mobile platform based language viz. Android, iOS and Embedded OS.

Whenever, a pre-registered student enters virtual classroom with aforesaid device, his attendance is automatically captured signifying his physical presence. During the interactive session of the lecture, student can directly interact with central studio based teacher via secured text based chat, audio-visual communication by invoking hand raise option run from GUI of his device.

Teacher at remote end can get a view on video wall in his studio. It reveals that a hand raise option is invoked by distant student mapped from a particular geographical location of school.

Accordingly, the intelligence embedded in the system quickly analyze multiple set of queries from large number of student if any and enables teacher to answer all of them in sequence, or most common or innovative question as per the prevailing real time environment. Return answer path can be text, audio /video or all three of them sandwiched.

Television located at remote classroom end simultaneously displays a composite split screen where an interaction between a remote teacher and student in displayed in smaller window along with the regular smart board or other copyrighted contextual content beamed in the remaining space.

Student whose enquiry is pushed via his smart device and the same being addressed by domain expert from studio watch each other face to face in video format on smart device and video wall respectively.

Student has the privilege of getting a personalized answer to his enquiry on his device or can observe the same on larger television display in classroom.

Thus all the students can getter better insight to the subject via supplementary interactive learning module. It ignites their mind and enhances their boldness to put across enquiry without hesitation. Personal answer to their enquiry clears their doubt instantly, boost their confidence and sustain their interest in subject.

On the other hand remote teacher is also benefited due to period and multiple variation and number of in enquiries motivating him t

Overall the system helps to achieve the goal of interactive e-learning in impressive, cost effective, scalable and sustainable manner.

To devote quality time & efforts to research on subject matter to give satisfactory answers.

,CLAIMS:We Claim:
[1] Secured Radio Frequency Communication between Geographically Distant Smart Machines

Wherein, at the virtual classroom system comprises a combination of television with a built in central camera, V-sat dish antenna, V-sat modem, bandwidth provider, computer to run the inventor’s application, microphone, portable standard definition two dimensional video camera and an operator who, configures, integrates and operates these equipment and a moderator is present to explain and teach and respond to queries

Wherein the Smart Machines are portable hardware devices equivalent to smart phone, tablet, phablet, wearable gadget working on existing operating system such as Android, iOS, embedded OS.

Real time, decoded, decrypted, multimedia content displayed stored in a server is displayable in the virtual class room television

Access to the studio end through the self-owned Smart Machines by means of log in id provided to registered students and password

Means for biometric e.g. facial recognition or other means for marking the attendance of the student logged in

Means for having display of the multimedia contents and other constituents on the Smart machines

Means by which on pre-determined action the observation or question of a student is procured and displayed in text and/or audio

Means by which moderator in the virtual classroom considers the observation or questions of the student and submits the same in real time to satisfaction of the student by means of chat, text or audio or a combination thereof.

[2] The system as in claim 1 wherein the content displayed can be book or curriculum based or copyrighted work or presentation or video and audio of teachers or moderator

[3] The system as in claim 1 wherein there can be a local moderator at the student end to ensure that the answer to the queries raised by the student are placed in such a fashion or translated for proper appreciation and response

[4] The Smart machines or television at the student end has means to view the origination end and also self on a smaller window.