Abstract:
A main computer with multiple operating devices enables multiple users to manipulate the main computer. The main computer has interactive teaching software and multiple teaching slides, so that the interactive teaching software is executed to achieve the following:  
     displaying one teaching slide, wherein the teaching slide has multiple buttons;  
     allowing at least one operating device to manipulate the process of displaying teaching slides so that the operating device can choose buttons from the displayed teaching slide, wherein the manner of allowing at least one operating device to manipulate the process of displaying teaching slides includes choosing one operating device from multiple operating devices;  
     accepting a choice made by an operating device; and  
     displaying another teaching slide after the choice has been made.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an automatic and interactive computer teaching system and, more particularly, to a system that may be used in a school environment.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Because of the increasing popularity of computers, the development of computer aided teaching is becoming more and more important. In many teaching environments, a teacher will operate a computer to instruct a plurality of students. But in some classrooms, every student or every pair of students, use a single computer to practice amongst themselves.  
           [0005]    In the prior art method, the teacher has primary control of the interactive teaching software.  
           [0006]    Research indicates, however, that there are some advantages in providing program control to individual students. However, there is no solution for providing such control to a plurality of students.  
           [0007]    Additionally, if the teacher wishes to call upon a student to answer a question, the teacher can do so orally, and the assigned student can respond orally. But if the question requires some operating of the computer, the student will have to leave off answering the teacher&#39;s question.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The main objective of the present invention is to provide an interactive computer teaching system that can be operated by students.  
           [0009]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a means that can allow many different operating methods, such as assigning a student to manipulate a teaching slide by way of an operating device, or enabling all students to manipulate the teaching slide by way of all of the operating devices, or letting a student to assign another student to manipulate the teaching slide by way of an operating device.  
           [0010]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide variation in the teaching style of a teacher, since the students can directly take part in the teaching process.  
           [0011]    In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention comprises a host computer comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores an interactive program executable by the processor. The interactive program accepts a plurality of different operational instructions and comprises a plurality of teaching pictures; a plurality of operational devices for use by the plurality of students and outputting operational instructions to the teaching computer to use the interactive learning system, wherein each operational device has a unique ID code, and each operational instruction is output with one ID code so that the teaching computer is capable of identifying each operational device.  
           [0012]    The host computer has a first means for displaying one teaching slide, wherein the teaching slide has a plurality of buttons; a second means for allowing at least one operating device to manipulate a process of displaying teaching slides so that the operating device can choose buttons from the displayed teaching slide, wherein a control manner of allowing at least one operating device to manipulate the process of displaying teaching slides includes choosing one operating device from multiple operating devices. The host computer further comprises a third means for accepting a selection made by the operating device, and a fourth means for displaying another teaching slide after the third means has completed operation.  
           [0013]    Other objectives, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a structure drawing of an automatic and interactive computer teaching system according to the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 shows an operating device according to the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a circuit block drawing of the operating device according to the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a circuit block drawing of a portable computer according to the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a circuit block drawing of a connection device according to the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a primary flowchart of an interactive teaching program according to the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 schematic drawing showing the relationship between a plurality of instruction slides and a plurality of question slides according to the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 is an embodiment of an instruction slide according to the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 is an embodiment of a question slide according to the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 10 is a first embodiment flowchart of processing an instruction slide according to the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 11 is a second embodiment flowchart of processing an instruction slide according to the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 12 is a first embodiment flowchart of processing a question slide according to the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 13 is a second embodiment flowchart of processing a question slide according to the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 14 is a program schematic drawing of the instruction slide according to the present invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 15 is a program schematic drawing of a question slide according to the present invention.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 16 is a flowchart of changing an operating device&#39;s assignment according to the present invention.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 17 is an embodiment of changing an operating device&#39;s assignment according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0031]    Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a structure drawing of an automatic and interactive computer teaching system according to the present invention. The automatic and interactive computer teaching system  10  can be applied in a computer environment supporting a teacher with a plurality of students.  
         [0032]    A teaching computer  11  can be a typical computer. The teaching computer  11  is used to execute at least one interactive learning program  20 . The interactive learning program  20  is simple quiz learning software, or complex quiz learning software. The teaching computer  11  outputs pictures for the teacher and the plurality of students. The output pictures can also be sent to a projector.  
         [0033]    Each student uses an operational device  30  to serve as an input tool for the teaching computer  11 , which output a plurality of operational instructions to the teaching computer  11  to control the interactive learning program  20 . It is a preferred method that every student has one operational device  30 , but it is also acceptable if several students share one operational device  30 .  
         [0034]    The teacher operates a portable computer  40  to control the teaching computer  11 , and the portable computer  40  can be a personal digital assistant (PDA). In the prior art system, the teacher operates the teaching computer  11  directly, but in the present invention, the teacher can move around with the portable computer  40  and use the portable computer  40  to control the teaching computer  11 .  
         [0035]    There is a connection device  50  in this embodiment. The connection device  50  is connected to the operational device  30  and the teaching computer  11  via cables, so that the operational instruction output by the operational device  30  can be received by the teaching computer  11 . Furthermore, signals from the portable computer  40  are sent to the connection device  50  and then to the teaching computer  11 . In this embodiment, the portable computer  40  is wirelessly connected to the connection device  50 . It should be clear that any apparatus in the interactive computer teaching system  10  can be connected with cables, or in a wireless manner. An additional item that should be noted is that if the host computer is an advanced model or supports a suitable design, the connection device  50  may be not necessary. For example, if the teaching computer  11  supports wireless communications, the portable computer  40  can communicate with the teaching computer  11  directly.  
         [0036]    The following description relates to the hardware structure of the teaching computer  11 , the operational device  30 , the portable computer  40  and the connection device  50 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 2 is an appearance drawing of an operating device according to the present invention. The operational device  30  can be box shaped with a plurality of buttons  33 . The plurality of buttons  33  may be up, down, left and right buttons. The operational device  30  may have an indicator light  35  that turns on when the operational device  30  is turned on to provide a reminder to the students, which can be also installed in each button  33 . Moreover, the operational device  30  can also have a touch screen (similar to a PDA), and in this case the plurality of buttons  33  may be visual buttons on the screen.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 3 is a circuit block drawing of the operational device according to the present invention. The operational device  30  comprises a processor  31 , a memory  32 , the plurality of buttons  33  and an input/output interface  34  connected to the connection device  50 . In this embodiment, the operational device  30  is connected to the connection device wirelessly, so the input/output interface  34  requires wireless transmission functionality. Each operational device  30  has a unique ID code, and the operational instruction is output with one ID code so that the teaching computer  11  can identify the corresponding operational device  30 .  
         [0039]    The operational device  30  may be a common electronic device, such as an external keyboard, but this is not the primary issue of the present invention, and so is not elaborated upon.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 4 is a diagram of a portable computer  40  according to the present invention. The portable computer  40  comprises a processor  41 , a memory  42 , a plurality of function buttons  43 , an input/output interface  44 , a screen  45  and a wireless input/output device  46 . The portable computer  40  is similar to a standard computer. In the embodiment, the portable computer  40  uses the wireless input/output device  46  (such as an infrared port or a radio frequency port) to wirelessly transmit data to the connection device  50 .  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 5 is a diagram of a connection device  50  according to the present invention. The connection device  50  comprises a processor  51 , a memory  52 , a wireless input/output device  56 , a computer link interface  57  and an operational device link interface  58 . The wireless input/output device  56  corresponds to the wireless input/output device  46  of the portable computer  40  so that data may be transmitted between the two wirelessly. The computer link interface  57  is used for connecting to the teaching computer  11 . The operational device link interface  58  is used for connecting to the plurality of operational devices  30 . A primary function of the connection device  50  is to transmit signals between the teaching computer  11 , the operational device  30  and the portable computer  40 . The connection device  50  is a simple device, is not the primary issue of the present invention, and so will not be elaborated upon.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 6 is a primary flowchart of an interactive teaching program according to the present invention. This flowchart is similar to other teaching software, and which has the following steps: displaying and processing a “teaching slide 21” (step  101 ), the “teaching slide 21” can be an “instruction slide 22” or a “question slide 23” (sometimes the “teaching slide 21 is a combination of both the “instruction slide 22” and the “question slide 23”). In this invention, the “instruction slide 22” is used to display teaching information (text or figures) and the “question slide 23” is used to display a question. The sequencing and relationships between each “instruction slide 22” and each “question slide 23” is predetermined, such as shown in a relationship diagram depicted in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing the relationship between a plurality of instruction slides and a plurality of question slides according to the present invention. In step  102 , it is determined if displaying of the “instruction slide 22” and the “question slide 23” should be stopped. There are seveal different ways to end the teaching process. For example, the teacher can end the session, or if there are no more slides to display.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 8 is an embodiment of an instruction slide according to the present invention. Buttons are provided on the “instruction slide 22”, which permit actions such as clicking on an “answer question” button  22   a  to connect to the “question slide 23” (shown in FIG. 9); or clicking on a “further explanation” button  22   b  to connect to another “instruction slide 22”; clicking on a “last one”  22   c  to connect to a last “instruction slide 22” or a “question slide 23”. As a consequence, the “instruction slide 22” in the present invention provides an interactive teaching environment.  
         [0044]    A feature of the present invention is that the plurality of buttons on the “instruction slide 22” can be clicked by the students instead of being controlled by the teacher.  
         [0045]    The interactive learning program  20  can proceed to steps  201 - 203  (sub-steps of the step  101 ) or into steps  301 - 304  (sub-steps of the step  101 ).  
         [0046]    Steps  201 - 203  are explained in the following, as shown in FIG. 10:  
         [0047]    Step  201 :  
         [0048]    The interactive learning program  20  selects at least one student (operating device  30 ). This can be done by a random selection or according to a student score record. Furthermore, the teacher can select a student via the portable computer  40 , and may input related information (such as an ID number of the student, a seat number or an ID number for the operational device  30 ) of that student into the teaching computer  11 .  
         [0049]    Step  202 :  
         [0050]    The selected operating device  30  (operated by the selected student) is turned on and the selected student can select the button  22   a,    22   b  or  22   c  via the operating device  30 . Whether the operating device is turned on or off is controlled by the teaching computer  11  via the connection device  50 , which is an active selection manner. Another selection manner is not to control the operating device  30 , but instead every operating device  30  sends a signal and the teaching computer  11  or the connection device  50  rejects unnecessary or unwanted signals. For example, operating devices No. 001˜010  30  all send signals, but the selected student operates No. 003 operating device  30 , so the interactive learning program  20  will only receive the signal from the No. 003 operating device  30 , which is a passive selection manner.  
         [0051]    Step  203 :  
         [0052]    The students select buttons on the slide, which are the button  22   a,  the button  22   b  or button  22   c,  to decide the next step.  
         [0053]    Following description explains steps  301 ˜ 304 , as shown in FIG. 11:  
         [0054]    Step  301 :  
         [0055]    The interactive learning program  20  allows all students to select the buttons on the slide.  
         [0056]    Step  302 :  
         [0057]    Since all the students can select the buttons on the slide, all the operating devices  30  are turned on. Similar to step  202 , if a passive selection manner is taken, the teaching computer  11  and the connection device  50  will receive all signals from all of the operating devices.  
         [0058]    Step  303 : The interactive learning program  20  receives a signal corresponding to a selecting button from the operating device.  
         [0059]    Step  304 : collect all the selecting button signals and determine the next step. For example, if most of the students select the button  21   a,  the question slide  23  is displayed next.  
         [0060]    Another characteristic of the present invention is that the interactive learning program  20  may enter into steps  201 - 203 , or the steps  301 - 304 . The operating procedure of the interactive learning program can be predetermined. Please refer to FIG. 14. FIG. 14 is a program schematic drawing of an instruction slide according to the present invention. Program code of the instruction slide  22  has an argument, for example such as  200  that means the next section is to process steps  201 - 203 ; if the argument is  300 , then the next section is to process the steps  301 - 304 . Alternatively, the teacher can use the portable computer  40  to assign the student to change the argument, and so the student can decide if the interactive learning program proceeds to steps  201 - 203  or the steps  301 - 304 .  
         [0061]    [0061]FIG. 9 is an embodiment of a question slide according to the present invention. Buttons are provided in the “question slide 23”. For example, clicking on a “give up” button  23   a  indicates a desire to quit; clicking on a “back to last one” button  23   b  indicates going to a last “instruction slide 22” or a last “question slide 23”; clicking on a “go to next one” indicates going to another “question slide 23”.  
         [0062]    In a similar vein, another feature of the present invention is that the plurality of buttons on the “instruction slide 22” can be clicked by the students instead of being controlled by the teacher.  
         [0063]    The interactive learning program  20  can proceed to steps  401 - 406  (sub-steps of the step  101 ) or to steps  501 - 507  (sub-steps of the step  101 ).  
         [0064]    The following description explains steps  401 - 406 . Please refer to FIG. 11.  
         [0065]    Step  401 : similar to step  201 , please refer to step  201  for explanation.  
         [0066]    Step  402 : similar to step  202 , please refer to step  202  for explanation.  
         [0067]    Step  403 : receiving a signal from a selected button, such as button  23   a,  button  23   b  or button  23   c.    
         [0068]    Step  404 : determining if the answer is right. If it is correct, go to step  405 . If it is wrong, go to step  406 .  
         [0069]    Step  405 : displaying “correct”.  
         [0070]    Step  406 : displaying “incorrect”.  
         [0071]    The following description explains steps  501 - 507 . Please refer to FIG. 13:  
         [0072]    Step  501 : opening a quiz, which means that all of the students can join the quiz.  
         [0073]    Step  502 : turning on all operating devices  30 , since all of the students can join the quiz, which is similar to step  302 .  
         [0074]    Step  503 : receiving a first answer. The interactive learning program  20  can ignore the other answers or collect all student answers for recording purposes.  
         [0075]    Step  504 : displaying the student who first answered the quiz, such as No. 003 operating device  30 .  
         [0076]    Step  505  to step  507 : similar to the steps  404 - 406 .  
         [0077]    Similarly, the learning program  20  may enter into the steps  401 - 406  or the steps  501 - 507 . The execution procedure of the interactive learning program  20  can be predetermined. Please refer to FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a program schematic drawing of the question slide  23  according to the present invention. Program code of the question slide  23  also supports an argument. For example, a  400  may indicate that the next section should process the steps  401 - 406 ; if the argument is a  500 , then the next section is to process the steps  501 - 507 . Alternatively, the teacher can use the portable computer  40  to assign a student to change the argument, and in this manner the student can cause the interactive learning program to proceed to steps  401 - 406  or steps  501 - 507 .  
         [0078]    Another characteristic of the present invention is to allow a student to assign another student to answer the question. For example, in step  403 , if the student clicks on the “give up” button  23   a  on the question slide  23 , then the interactive learning program  20  enters into steps  601 - 603 .  
         [0079]    Step  601 : displaying a “changing assignment slide 24”. As shown in FIG. 17, the changing assignment slide  24  displays a plurality of buttons  24   a  that correlate to every student&#39;s seat number (or ID number, or the name of the student). Each button  24   a  corresponds to one operating device  30 . For example, the student who clicked on the “give up” button  23   a  may select the student with a seat number No. 04.  
         [0080]    Step  602 : the interactive learning program  20  receives the signals and turns on the selected operating device  30 , which is being operated by the student with the seat number No. 04.  
         [0081]    Step  603 : displaying the original question slide  23  shown in FIG. 9 again. After step  603 , the interactive learning program  20  proceeds to step  401  or step  501 .  
         [0082]    Step  601 -step  603  illustrate that the interactive learning program  20  enables a student to learn something about teaching and to have a main role in the teaching process, which is very different from the prior art technology.  
         [0083]    The invention has been described using exemplary preferred embodiments. However, for those skilled in this field the preferred embodiments can be easily adapted and modified to suit additional applications without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Thus, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements based upon the same operating principle. The scope of the claims, therefore, should be accorded the broadest interpretations so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.  
         [0084]    Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. For example, the present invention can be applied in multiple classes through the network, so students in different classes can operate the same interactive learning program  20 . Then the host computers of different classes and the server connecting host computers can be treated as the host computer described in the above embodiment.